'Star Wars' Action Figure Review: Hasbro 'Star Wars - Episode I: Senator Palpatine'
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| Photo Credit: eBay. (C) 1999 Hasbro and Lucasfilm Ltd. (LFL) |
Pros: Nice detailing on Palpatine's costume,
nifty hovercam accessory
Cons: No Darth Sidious cloak? No lightsaber? Young kids will be bored by Senator Palpatine....
A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away....
It is a period of instability in the Galactic Republic. Although 1,000 years have passed since the Jedi Knights defeated the evil Sith order, a phantom menace lurks in the shadows of the dark side of the Force, waiting for the opportunity to make its presence known and take control of the galaxy.
With the Galactic Congress steadily growing more corrupt and inefficient under the influence of bureaucrats and special interest groups such as the greedy Trade Federation, hundreds of crises are arising throughout the Republic. Star systems begin squabbling over old grievances, and rumors of a financial scandal involving Supreme Chancellor Finis Valorum have further eroded public confidence in the democratic process and the rule of law.
As the chaos and lack of civility threaten to tear the once-respected institutions of the Republic asunder, all eyes are drawn toward the calm and unassuming figure of Senator Palpatine from Naboo. With a reputation for patience and an aversion to corruption and intrigue, Palpatine inspires confidence and respect, two qualities which many hope will make him an electable candidate for the Supreme Chancellorship should Valorum resign or be impeached....
Appearances, so the saying goes, can be deceiving.
The Star Wars film series is rife with major and secondary characters who aren't always who they appear to be. In Episode IV: A New Hope, the "crazy old hermit" known as Ben Kenobi is none other than Obi-Wan Kenobi, a Jedi Knight and hero of the Clone Wars. In Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back, what seems to be an extremely playful and insignificant little alien turns out to be the Jedi Master Yoda. And in the classic trilogy's biggest twist, Lord Darth Vader, the man Luke Skywalker believes to be the murderer of his father, is revealed to be none other than Anakin Skywalker.
Star Wars fans -- especially those who have read the novelizations of A New Hope and Return of the Jedi -- have known that the evil Emperor was once Senator Palpatine, an ambitious politician who cleverly maneuvered his way up the ranks of the Galactic Senate and into the Republic's highest elected office. And in Star Wars Episodes I & II, writer-director George Lucas showed audiences how Palpatine works his way into power, by cleverly manipulating the democratic process, pushing Queen Amidala to call for a vote of "no confidence" against his one-time friend Valorum, and (in his true Sith form of "Darth Sidious") fomenting a crisis involving the greedy Trade Federation and his own backwater home world of Naboo.
Hasbro's Star Wars Episode I: Senator Palpatine 3.75-inch scale action figure depicts the man who will be Emperor in his "Clark Kent"-like secret identity guise. Unlike the more Emperor-like Darth Sidious, Senator Palpatine looks like a standard issue politician, with a bland but kindly face, graying hair, and blue Senatorial robes that reflect both his home world's ancient and elegant heritage and Palpatine's interest in the Supreme Chancellorship.
In contrast to most of the Episode I figures, Senator Palpatine's elaborate Senator's garb is made of fabric; the robes (in deep blue hues) and elaborate cloak express Palpatine's rank and power in the Senate; the costume clearly shows hints of Renaissance-era styles while staying within the timeless look of Star Wars.
Because Palpatine is in fact the phantom menace in Episode I and achieves his goals by guile rather than by force, the figure comes with no obviously "evil guy" accessories; there are no Darth Sidious cloaks or red-bladed Sith lightsabers to be had here. Instead, Senator Palpatine's two "extras" are a CommTech chip with three lines of dialogue from Episode I that can be played with a CommTech reader (sold separately) and a yellow hovercam droid that "floats" on a transparent plastic stand. It's not an exciting figure for young children to play with, unless there are Machiavellian six or seven-year-olds with a keen interest in politics out there. For older collectors (teens and up), however, Senator Palpatine is worth getting, since it's his lust for power and desire for revenge that are the driving forces for the rise of the Empire and the seduction and fall of Anakin Skywalker to the dark side of the Force.
As always, parents are cautioned that Hasbro doesn't recommend that Star Wars action figures be purchased for children under the age of 3, particularly because the small parts (namely, the CommTech chip and hovercam) can be serious choking hazards.
It is a period of instability in the Galactic Republic. Although 1,000 years have passed since the Jedi Knights defeated the evil Sith order, a phantom menace lurks in the shadows of the dark side of the Force, waiting for the opportunity to make its presence known and take control of the galaxy.
With the Galactic Congress steadily growing more corrupt and inefficient under the influence of bureaucrats and special interest groups such as the greedy Trade Federation, hundreds of crises are arising throughout the Republic. Star systems begin squabbling over old grievances, and rumors of a financial scandal involving Supreme Chancellor Finis Valorum have further eroded public confidence in the democratic process and the rule of law.
As the chaos and lack of civility threaten to tear the once-respected institutions of the Republic asunder, all eyes are drawn toward the calm and unassuming figure of Senator Palpatine from Naboo. With a reputation for patience and an aversion to corruption and intrigue, Palpatine inspires confidence and respect, two qualities which many hope will make him an electable candidate for the Supreme Chancellorship should Valorum resign or be impeached....
Appearances, so the saying goes, can be deceiving.
The Star Wars film series is rife with major and secondary characters who aren't always who they appear to be. In Episode IV: A New Hope, the "crazy old hermit" known as Ben Kenobi is none other than Obi-Wan Kenobi, a Jedi Knight and hero of the Clone Wars. In Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back, what seems to be an extremely playful and insignificant little alien turns out to be the Jedi Master Yoda. And in the classic trilogy's biggest twist, Lord Darth Vader, the man Luke Skywalker believes to be the murderer of his father, is revealed to be none other than Anakin Skywalker.
Star Wars fans -- especially those who have read the novelizations of A New Hope and Return of the Jedi -- have known that the evil Emperor was once Senator Palpatine, an ambitious politician who cleverly maneuvered his way up the ranks of the Galactic Senate and into the Republic's highest elected office. And in Star Wars Episodes I & II, writer-director George Lucas showed audiences how Palpatine works his way into power, by cleverly manipulating the democratic process, pushing Queen Amidala to call for a vote of "no confidence" against his one-time friend Valorum, and (in his true Sith form of "Darth Sidious") fomenting a crisis involving the greedy Trade Federation and his own backwater home world of Naboo.
Hasbro's Star Wars Episode I: Senator Palpatine 3.75-inch scale action figure depicts the man who will be Emperor in his "Clark Kent"-like secret identity guise. Unlike the more Emperor-like Darth Sidious, Senator Palpatine looks like a standard issue politician, with a bland but kindly face, graying hair, and blue Senatorial robes that reflect both his home world's ancient and elegant heritage and Palpatine's interest in the Supreme Chancellorship.
In contrast to most of the Episode I figures, Senator Palpatine's elaborate Senator's garb is made of fabric; the robes (in deep blue hues) and elaborate cloak express Palpatine's rank and power in the Senate; the costume clearly shows hints of Renaissance-era styles while staying within the timeless look of Star Wars.
Because Palpatine is in fact the phantom menace in Episode I and achieves his goals by guile rather than by force, the figure comes with no obviously "evil guy" accessories; there are no Darth Sidious cloaks or red-bladed Sith lightsabers to be had here. Instead, Senator Palpatine's two "extras" are a CommTech chip with three lines of dialogue from Episode I that can be played with a CommTech reader (sold separately) and a yellow hovercam droid that "floats" on a transparent plastic stand. It's not an exciting figure for young children to play with, unless there are Machiavellian six or seven-year-olds with a keen interest in politics out there. For older collectors (teens and up), however, Senator Palpatine is worth getting, since it's his lust for power and desire for revenge that are the driving forces for the rise of the Empire and the seduction and fall of Anakin Skywalker to the dark side of the Force.
As always, parents are cautioned that Hasbro doesn't recommend that Star Wars action figures be purchased for children under the age of 3, particularly because the small parts (namely, the CommTech chip and hovercam) can be serious choking hazards.
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