Darth Vader (2002 New York Toy Fair) - SW [S - P1] - Exclusives (Silver Anniversary 1977-2002)

25 years ago, the world was first introduced to the wonders of the Star Wars universe. George Lucas' fantasy not only revolutionized the film industry, but also changed forever the way kids dream and play. From the saga's very beginning, Kenner/Hasbro and Lucasfilm have teamed to recreate the fun and excitement of the Star Wars movies through their action figures, vehicles, and play sets designed for kids of all ages.

A quarter of a century later, Star Wars remains as popular and relevant as ever. With the saga ready to embark on its latest adventure with Episode II: Attack of the Clones, Hasbro has created its most detailed, authentic, and (most importantly) fun Star Wars toys yet to thrill a whole new generation of fans.

This Darth Vader figure was created especially for the 2002 New York Toy Fair to commemorate twenty-five years of Star Wars magic from Lucasfilm and Hasbro, and to celebrate the upcoming release of Episode II. May the Force be with you!

There is one figure that will go down in history as creating the greatest volume of hype the Star Wars collecting community has ever seen. That figure would be 2002’s SW [S - P1] Darth Vader (2002 New York Toy Fair) figure. Originally intended to be a special gift to media attending 2002’s New York Toy Fair Hasbro event, the outcry for the collecting community to have access to this figure was so strong that Hasbro decided to reserve a portion for those collectors via the Star Wars fan Club. 2002 was officially the 25th anniversary of Star Wars, so Hasbro decided that a great way to commemorative a silver anniversary was to release a silver figure. But that exclusive Darth Vader (2002 New York Toy Fair) figure was just the first domino that set off a series of others that would be released through the Star Wars “Saga” toy line. Darth Vader (2002 New York Toy Fair) is a unique release for sure. He is shiny, he glimmers, and we never expected Hasbro to make a figure that is so similar to the multiple colored metallic figures that were canceled as part of the original vintage Kenner era. It seems appropriate that something like this has been reserved for a celebratory landmark of the Star Wars saga instead.

Darth Vader (2002 New York Toy Fair) is based on a pretty old Star Wars figure. The Darth Vader from 1997’s POTF2 [FF/TKC] Final Jedi Duel was the chosen figure on which to base this Toy Fair exclusive figure. And although the figure has been cast in a totally different metallic like plastic to recreate a silver/pewter type of quality, the sculpt has also been repositioned to allow for a less action-oriented type of pose instead. Darth Vader (2002 New York Toy Fair) still has bulky features and looks disproportionate in many ways, but the silver color really “hides” his imperfection very nicely and it is easy to appreciate the figure for the anniversary it is meant to celebrate, instead of being a well made or collector friendly action figure. Complete with six points of standard articulation, Darth Vader (2002 New York Toy Fair) doesn’t move all that well. Plus, as you know, his cape isn’t removable so his movement is quite limited when compared to the many other figures Hasbro has released throughout the years. This Darth Vader figure also comes with a special metallic lit lightsaber. It fits nicely in both of his hands, but if you looks carefully, you can see that the metallic red paint has many imperfection and it is flecking off of the sculpt here and there. Over time, we imagine this will only get worse.

Darth Vader (2002 New York Toy Fair) also comes in a nicely created silver packaging that is unlike the standard Star Wars “Saga” packaging. This is all about celebrating 25 years of Star Wars, so Hasbro isn’t looking to borrow the modern line look style to base this figure’s packaging. The bubble is very rounded and there is a hole on the top of it so that his upright lightsaber can poke through the top. It is definitely very classic looking and Hasbro did a great job making a truly special collectible for the Star Wars community, well, at least the portion that is in the media and reports on their activities. As mentioned, Darth Vader (2002 New York Toy Fair) created more bad press for Hasbro than anything else they had done in the past. It was so intense that they let the Star Wars community know as soon as possible that a small supply would be available for them via the Star Wars Fan Club. But by the time they went up for sale they were pretty much sold out and MANY collectors still missed out. Almost immediately, final eBay auctions for Darth Vader (2002 New York Toy Fair) were exceeding $200 and they were selling BRISKLY at this price. It’s a shame because this really isn’t a great figure. It is notorious for its exclusivity and novelty. No one can admit it’s a “fantastic” action figure. Again, because it isn’t.