Speeder Bike (With Luke Skywalker In Endor Gear) - POTF2 [R/G] - Vehicles

Height: 1.72 Meters
Status: Jedi Knight, Rebel Commander and Pilot
Classification: Human
Affiliation: Rebel Alliance
Weapon of Choice: Lightsaber, Blaster
vehicle: Commandeered Aratech 74-Z Military Speeder Bike

The re-release of the Imperial Speeder Bike along with its Biker Scout rider set a precedent for receiving other vehicles with figure pack-ins in The Power Of The Force “2” line. And that’s what transpired next. As soon as the line transitioned into The Power Of The Force “2” [Green/Freeze Frame] line, Kenner/Hasbro produced both the Speeder Bike (With Luke Skywalker In Endor Gear) and the Speeder Bike (With Princess Leia Organa In Endor Gear) sets. And they were more warmly received by collectors than the Imperial Speeder Bike set. Each release has its uniqueness and specific characteristics, but they also share a lot in common too. Now we have the “family” of characters involved in the unforgettable “speeder bike chase” on Endor seen in Return Of The Jedi. The Speeder Bike vehicle is identical in all three sets, save for the decal sheet that comes with the Speeder Bike (With Princess Leia Organa In Endor Gear) set. The other two come with the same decal sheet. This feature helps change things up a bit. And we appreciate Kenner/Hasbro attempting to make the Speeder Bike vehicles look different when they’re next to each other in a display, especially since the vehicles have deco which doesn’t look all that different from each other.

While all of the parts that make up the Speeder Bike vehicles are unique in one way or another when compared to the 1983 vintage Kenner release, it’s evident that Kenner/Hasbro utilized the casts of the original 1983 vehicle here. A knob might be differently sized, or a part may attach to the chassis differently, but a side by side comparison shows that very few differences exist between the vintage Kenner version and this modern Kenner/Hasbro release. Admittedly, it’s nice to see this vehicle again even though it’s what we’ve received in the past mostly. Aside from an all-new paint job and the decals, not much else separates the 1983 sculpt from the 1995 version. Still, it holds up well and looks wonderful redone for The Power Of The Force “2” lineup. The new paint job makes the old new again. At the same rate, many collectors are looking for more aggressive newness in the line, so this may not do much for you if you are hoping for an all-new sculpt at this point. Like the original 1983 Return Of The Jedi version, the Speeder Bikes have the same action feature. By pressing the pack on the rear of the vehicle, it “explodes” into three separate pieces. This feature helps recreate the look of the battle-damaged Speeder Bikes we see on Endor.

The Luke Skywalker In Endor Gear and the Princess Leia Organa In Endor Gear figures are nice additions and complement the Speeder Bikes beautifully. Each figure is the first of its kind in the modern Star Wars line, so it’s nice to have the first versions of them since the vintage Kenner line, even if they’re not perfect. Kenner/Hasbro has thankfully slimmed down their body sizes which helps the aesthetics of the characters. They still possess the POTF2-era face sculpts that don’t look all that much like the onscreen characters, but the other details help distract the negative points and help you to focus on the more positive aspects of the action figure instead. Luke Skywalker In Endor Gear comes with a removable battle poncho, and a wide-hilted lightsaber (because his hands need to be wide to hold onto the Speeder Bike’s handlebars) and Princess Leia Organa In Endor Gear comes with a removable combat poncho. The deco on the figures looks great, and both are appropriately articulated to interact with the included vehicles. The figures don’t come with swivel waists, but Kenner/Hasbro instead gave them hinge-jointed knees which helps immeasurably with positioning them on the Speeder Bikes in a realistic fashion. These are fun vehicle/figure sets. We can’t wait to see what’s next!