'Star Wars: Episode I - Mos Espa Encounter' Hasbro Scene Pack Review

Photo Credit: collector-actionfigures.com 

Although the Star Wars saga is perhaps associated with dazzling set-piece action sequences replete with lightsaber duels and dogfights in space, the series is replete with small moments that are in themselves fateful or revelatory. In filmmaking, no scene is -- or should be, anyway -- extraneous or tossed in just because it looks "cool." Every tiny bit of dialogue, every single shot has to move the story forward, even something that seems irrelevant. 

In Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, everything is set up to propel Anakin Skywalker from his life as a slave to the start of his training as a Jedi Knight, a seemingly straight path that will, of course, zig and zag to Anakin's ultimate destiny…his deviation from the true path of the JedI, his forbidden romance with Padme Amidala, and his turning to the dark side of the Force. 

Hasbro's Mos Espa Encounter scene pack beautifully recreates the face-off between young Anakin and his rival at Podracing, the unscrupulous and even murderous Sebulba the Dug. The cause of the confrontation isn't the upcoming Boonta Eve race but rather an unfortunate consequence of disaster-prone Jar Jar Binks' attempt to grab a free bite for lunch; the wayward Gungan had spotted a delicious-looking chuba hanging from Gragra the gorgmonger's stall and, by flicking his long, sticky tongue, attempted to grab the delicacy "on the go" and without paying for it. Unfortunately for Jar Jar, the chuba was secured to the stall with tough wire, and the snack ended up in Sebulba's soup and angered the villainous Podracing champ. 

Mos Espa Encounter captures the essence of the scene perfectly. Sebulba, chuba firmly in hand, advances menacingly toward a terrified Jar Jar, while Anakin stands his ground, aware even at the age of nine that showing fear only plays into Sebulba's hands. 

As in Tatooine Showdown, Hasbro has posed its three 3.75 inch-scale figures on a plastic base sculpted and painted to replicate the desert environment of Tatooine. A still from Episode I has been printed onto the backdrop to add much needed depth, detail, and atmosphere to this ready-made diorama. 

Of all Hasbro's action figure-related products, the Scene Packs are among my favorite collectibles, and I'll be very happy to tell you why. Every nuance of the characters, from the weird alien features of the angry Dug to the necklace given to little Anakin by his mother Shmi, is nicely done. Even Anakin's desert-friendly clothes are "weathered" as if coated with sand and grime. (Early Kenner figures from the late 1970s and early '80s were nice but rather pristine-looking. This is fine for Imperial officers and most stormtroopers, but most of the first-generation figures don't have the "lived-in" and slightly beat-up look that is a true hallmark of the Star Wars universe.) 

Although the action figures are just as play-with able as the standard Star Wars figures and this set of three only has one accessory (a chuba in one of Sebulba's hands), I'd recommend Mos Espa Encounter for older kids (8 and up) who are more interested in displaying their figures rather than taking them down to play. I'm sure the figures themselves could survive much normal wear and tear, but considering that these have been discontinued and no longer that easy to find except in such websites as Brian's Toys or even in Ebay, I don't think this is suitable for very young kids. (It's fine for teens and adult collectors, though.) 

As in Tatooine Showdown (and the other Star Wars Episode I scene pack, Watto's Box), the only thing that mars the displayability of Mos Espa Encounter is Hasbro's insistence on placing the CommTech chip in the main section of the box. This time it "floats" right above Sebulba, making it look as though it's the appearance of a UFO that's startling poor Jar Jar and Anakin rather than the oncoming Dug. The CommTech chip's lines this time are: 

"Chess ko Sebulba." (Spoken by Anakin) 
"Una notu wo shaq me wompity." (Sebulba) 
"But mesa doen nuting." (Jar Jar) 

Of course, you can only hear the dialog if you have the now discontinued CommTech reader. 

Aside from that minor flaw, Mos Espa Encounter is an attractive collectible. I have to admit that even though it's not as action-packed as the later Tatooine Showdown, it's really well done and captures the drama and tension of this small but significant incident from The Phantom Menace.