Mos Eisley Cantina (Featuring Dr. Evazan, Wuher & Kitik Keed’kak) (Scene 1) - OTC - Scene Packs (Exclusive)

On the planet Tatooine, the Mos Eisley cantina, also known as Chalmun's cantina, is the hot spot for entertainment and intrigue. Many species intermingle there, spying and conducting shady business. Bounty hunters frequent the seedy joint, hoping to catch their prey in an unguarded moment. Obi-Wan Kenobi and Luke Skywalker went to the cantina to find transportation off the planet, which led to their first meeting with Han Solo.

The Original Trilogy Collection wasn’t a perfect toy line for collectors, but it hit us in all the right sweet spots. With a focus strictly on the Original Trilogy (along with a few rare Prequel trilogy exceptions), Hasbro managed to take elements of the vintage Kenner line and apply them into the packaging, character and vehicle assortment, in addition to the retailer exclusives (which mostly were vehicles too). One retailer exclusive alleviated stress for collectors was the Mos Eisley Cantina Scene Packs. The Scene Packs throughout the years have varied in scope and approach. And they’re the predecessors of the Cinema Scenes line. For 2004, Hasbro finally got their “stuff” together and organized two three-packs (including heavy-duty accessories like cantina bar sections and glasses) to help collectors form an as-seamless-as-can-be version of the Chalmun’s Cantina. These sets include an uncut version of the cardboard backdrop of the distillery and other fixtures. You no longer have to piece three separate backdrops together to form the scene. And because all three figures are packaged together, Hasbro graciously sets the price that is the equivalent of “buy 2 and get 1 free” when you boil it down to price per figure. Scene 1 features all of the figures from the “canceled” second wave of Walmart exclusives. We use quotes because quite a few escaped out and were made available online. Now with slightly revised paint operations, all three are yours in this Kmart exclusive.

It feels good to finally have the Mos Eisley Cantina (Featuring Dr. Evazan, Wuher & Kitik Keed'kak) (Scene 1) set in our collections. And Hasbro upped their game by collecting them all into one set for us while simultaneously lowering the price. The figures are relatively unchanged from their original releases, but most collectors won’t notice such things because the first sets were so rare and so few collectors obtained them. Dr. Evazan is based on figure from 1997’s The Power Of The Force “2” [Green/Freeze Frame] Cantina Showdown Cinema Scenes Walmart exclusive release. This time Hasbro added articulated legs and an all-new paint job which gives Cornelius a rather impressive appearance. He sits well at the bar and holds the included blaster excellently. He looks angry, which is perfect, and the final wash gives him a believably screen-accurate presence. Sure, his head sculpt feels a tad too animated, but we feel they did what they could with the original base figure. Wuher is another fantastic update to the basic figure line. Hasbro took the 2000 POTF2 [FB/CT] Wuher figure, retooled his right arm and completely repainted him to look gruffer and more surly than he already is. Both hands are cupped, and each can accommodate a drinking glass. We can’t ask for anything more aside from an all-new sculpt. The paint job makes him look a bit “dirty,” but we appreciate what the final washes have done to give the sculpt the dynamic look and feel it possesses. It’s the best Wuher we have now.

Finally, the figure that caused heart failure for so many collectors when she was first offered with Jedi Master Points and then canceled in Hasbro’s second offering, is officially and readily available in this set. Kitik Keed’kak easily enters all collectors’ homes that want her thanks to this Kmart exclusive. She too has received some very slight paint operation differences from her original release. But we must comment and note how extremely disappointed we are that Hasbro didn’t color her in the screen-accurate lime green that her character is. It’s very, very disappointing. Kitik Keed’kak doesn’t come with a lot of articulation either. Her head doesn’t move, and she only comes with swivel shoulders, swivel hips, and a swivel waist. The sculpt of Kitik Keed’kak isn’t terrible, but collectors will want to see a lot more articulation added in to this character before they’re satisfied. Regardless, we’re thankful that Hasbro made it relatively effortless to obtain her once and for all and to get multiples of each character is we’re so inclined. The best part about these sets is the price. In our estimation, $19.99 is a steal. Three cantina bar sections, three figures and multiple glasses is a wonderful combination of things to get for less than $20. We should all count our blessings here. Scene 1 interacts nicely with Scene 2 also. There is a lot to appreciate here, and it will be a day long remembered when we can complete these with the curved bar sections and “real” plastic distillery.