Gamorrean Guard - POTF2 [R/G] - Basic

HEIGHT: 1.8 Meters Average
STATUS: Palace Guard
CLASSIFICATION: Gamorrean
AFFILIATION: Loyal to Jabba the Hutt
WEAPON OF CHOICE: Vibro-Ax

“Here piggy, piggy, piggy!” That’s what collectors were clamoring in 1997 when Kenner/Hasbro released the fan-favorite Gamorrean Guard action figure. At the time, we were heading into our third full year in the modern Star Wars line, and Kenner/Hasbro managed to churn out an incredible amount of new action figure, many of which served as modern updates to the original vintage Kenner line. Since 1995, collectors asked themselves consistently when Kenner/Hasbro was going to make the main guards of Jabba’s palace. The 1983 ROTJ Gamorrean Guard Kenner action figure always held a special place in the hearts of collectors, and we all wanted to see what Kenner/Hasbro was capable of with modern technology at their disposal. Over a decade later, thankfully, the final figure came out extremely well and beyond the expectations of most. No one honestly needed to worry about proportions being too bulky, or the figure possessing a lack of articulation, so it’s probably safe to say that most were satisfied to elated for this release. The 1997 POTF2 [R/G] Gamorrean Guard action figure is an impressive action figure. The figure is large, threatening, and has an expression that should strike fear inside anyone that crosses the brutish guards of Jabba’s Palace. These green-skinned creatures are known for their brutal force as well as their lack of wit, and we believe that Kenner/Hasbro translated these qualities perfectly into this action figure. With detail that should impress the pickiest of collectors, we believe the Gamorrean Guard is a standout figure in entire The Power Of The Force “2” line.

As an action figure, the Gamorrean Guard meets most of our expectations, save for the articulation. The denizens of Jabba’s Palace need freedom in their sculpting to pose many different ways. But you don’t have many options with this figure. The Gamorrean Guard comes with six points of articulation. A swivel head (a feature missing from the vintage Kenner figure) is joined by two swivel shoulders, two swivel hips and a swivel waist. As is true with all vintage Kenner action figure, 1983’s ROTJ Gamorrean Guard didn’t come with waist articulation either. With standard articulation for the POTF2 lineup, nothing is out of the ordinary or surprising with the Gamorrean Guard. Thanks to smart tooling, the angles of the arms and legs enhance the limited articulation. We’re impressed with the sharpness of the applied paint operations here. And by that we mean Kenner/Hasbro added final washes where necessary to breathe life into these plastic statuesque action figures. The Gamorrean Guard’s skin has multiple tones, and the outfit shows collected dirt and grime. The deco is impressive here. That said, we believe the skin tone of the Gamorrean Guard is significantly too light when compared with the on-screen character. (Editor’s Note: The Gamorrean Guard’s skin tone was corrected on 2004’s OTC Gamorrean Guard (OTC #30) figure thanks to a dramatic repaint of the figure.) We’re quite impressed with both the sculpt and the deco of the Gamorrean Guard. This quality and approach is what collectors have been asking to see from Kenner/Hasbro for a long time now, and the Gamorrean Guard is a testament that Hasbro is listening to collectors.

The Gamorean Guard only comes with a vibro-ax accessory. It too is beautifully sculpted and painted and represents one of the three weapons utilized by the Gamorrean Guards in Jabba’s Palace. The vibro-ax only fits into the Gamorrean Guard’s left “open” hand because the right hand is in a fisted position. The lack of display options here doesn’t work adversely against the figure. You want the Gamorrean Guard to wield a weapon, but you’d also like to see the character employ more “organic” force when attempting to make drunkards and unwanted guests “toe the line.” Also, the Gamorrean Guard looks fantastic holding the vibro-ax in the one hand. There is no need to have an infinite array of posing options here when it comes to that accessory. While so many action figures in The Power Of The Force “2” lineup are getting two accessories, perhaps the extra “weight” of the Gamorrean Guard action figure expended its budget and Kenner/Hasbro had to cut costs somewhere. Hopefully, the Gamorrean Guard opens up the floodgates for more aliens and skiff guards to be added to the Star Wars basic figure line. The Gamorrean Guard is already part of a wonderful assortment of characters from Return Of The Jedi. It’s evident that Kenner/Hasbro understand the power of these figures in the basic figure line. The Gamorrean Guard may be the catalyst we need to see more background characters added to the line at a breakneck pace. The aliens stand out as some of Kenner/Hasbro’s greatest efforts, and we want to see more and more of them to help develop the line. It’s our hope that the Gamorrean Guard sets the path to a whole new world of collecting.