'Star Wars' Collectibles & Toys Review: Hasbro Star Wars: The Black Series Emperor Palpatine and Throne (Amazon Exclusive)

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Hasbro's Black Series Emperor Palpatine 6-in. scale action figure depicts the Sith Lord known as Darth Sidious as he was seen in 1983's Star Wars: Return of the Jedi.  Photo Credit: Hasbro, Inc. via Amazon © 2019 Hasbro, Inc. and Lucasfilm Ltd. (LFL)


In the fall of 2019, Hasbro's Star Wars: The Black Series collection released its Emperor Palpatine and Throne action figure set as an Amazon exclusive. The ultimate villain in the nine-part Star Wars Skywalker Saga, Emperor Sheev Palpatine is depicted as he appeared at the conclusion of Star Wars: Return of the Jedi in the throne room of the Empire's second (and more powerful) Death Star battle station.

Ensconced in Hasbro's black-red-and-silver Black Series, the 6-in. scale Emperor Palpatine and Throne set comes with several accessories, including a replica of the Emperor's sinister-looking throne, Palpatine's gnarled black cane,  an extra set of hands that "unleash" bolts of deadly Force lightning, plus two additional heads, each one with a different facial expression sculpted and painted on, that can be swapped out and put in place of the default head.

Manufacturer's photo of Emperor Palpatine's Black Series figure and accessories, including extra heads (with different grimaces) a cane, and, of course, the Emperor's throne. Photo Credit: Hasbro, Inc. via Amazon © 2019 Hasbro, Inc. and Lucasfilm Ltd. (LFL)


 Star Wars: The Black Series Emperor Palpatine Action Figure with Throne

 Scheming, powerful, and evil to the core, Darth Sidious restored the Sith and destroyed the Jedi Order. He slowly manipulated the political system of the Galactic Republic until he was named Supreme Chancellor — and eventually Emperor —ruling the galaxy through fear and tyranny. -Packaging blurb, Emperor Palpatine and Throne action figure set.



The manufacturer's photo shows Emperor Palpatine standing upright and with his "Force lightning" hands attached.  Photo Credit: Hasbro, Inc. via Amazon © 2019 Hasbro, Inc. and Lucasfilm Ltd. (LFL)


Like 2017's Star Wars: The Black Series Supreme Leader Snoke (with Throne),  Hasbro's Emperor Palpatine and Throne Room set depicts a powerful Dark Side overlord. But where Snoke is the epitome of ostentatious displays of his status as the Supreme Leader of the First Order, Palpatine is an example of a powerful dictator disguised in simple, almost Jedi-like robes to deceive his enemies into thinking that Sheev Palpatine is just a harmless and incredibly old man.



"Welcome, young Skywalker. I have been expecting you..."  Photo Credit: Hasbro, Inc. via Amazon © 2019 Hasbro, Inc. and Lucasfilm Ltd. (LFL)
With exquisite features and detail, Star Wars: The Black Series embodies the quality and realism that Star Wars devotees love. Star Wars: The Black Series includes figures, vehicles, and role-play items inspired by the Star Wars entertainment galaxy that includes the Star Wars Comics, Star Wars movies, and Star Wars animated series (Each sold separately. Subject to availability). - Manufacturer's blurb

 My Take

 It is a cliche of sorts that a movie hero is only as good as the antagonist in any adventure story. James Bond, Indiana Jones, and John McClane are all iconic heroes because they faced off against a host of imposing adversaries. In the Star Wars Saga, the Jedi Order, the Rebel Alliance, and the Resistance have faced many villains ﹘ Darth Maul, Darth Tyrannus, Director Orson Krennic, Grand Moff Tarkin, Darth Vader, and even Supreme Leaders Snoke and Kylo Ren.

All of these agents of evil are cool to see and root against in the various films and TV series set "a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away," but none can compare to Sheev Palpatine, otherwise known as Darth Sidious. And as played in the feature films by the talented actor Ian McDiarmid, Palpatine is the most cunning and powerful incarnation of evil in the Star Wars canon.

"Soon the Rebellion will be crushed and young Skywalker will be one of us..." Photo Credit: Hasbro, Inc. via Amazon © 2019 Hasbro, Inc. and Lucasfilm Ltd. (LFL)


In my Kenner/Hasbro Star Wars 3.75-inch scale collection there were two Palpatine figures. One was the 1983 mail-away figure offered by Kenner free if you sent the company a certain number of proof-of-purchase seals from other Return of the Jedi action figures. The other one was from a 1998  Power of the Force Cinema Scene titled Final Jedi Duel.  This last is a diorama that shows Palpatine in his throne, gloating with dark glee as his Sith Apprentice, Darth Vader (aka Anakin Skywalker) faces off against Anakin's son, the Jedi Knight Luke Skywalker.

I don't know if I still have my mail away Palpatine, which only came with a replica of his black cane; some of my older Star Wars stuff was lost or destroyed as a result of Hurricane Wilma, and much of it is in storage bins or moving boxes.

My Power of the Force Cinema Scene (Final Jedi Duel) is safe on the top storage shelf of my office's closet, albeit unceremoniously so. But I still have it in the original packaging.

I don't have a huge assortment of the larger six-inch scale Star Wars: The Black Series action figures; due to financial considerations and limited display/storage space issues, I have decided to try and get a few representative figures from the Skywalker Saga and the two Anthology films in the Star Wars movie franchise.

Most of the Black Series figures I own are of Original Trilogy Characters, with a heavy emphasis on characters from Star Wars: A New Hope. Emperor Palpatine (and Throne) is so far the only character from Return of the Jedi, and he is the latest addition to my six-inch scale collection.

Obviously, because The Black Series six-inch scale figures are larger than the Kenner/Hasbro 3.75-inch ones, my new Emperor Palpatine (and Throne) set is more lavishly detailed and can be posed in lifelike stances.

As Hasbro's publicists write in the product description:


PREMIUM DETAIL AND ARTICULATION

 This Emperor figure features realistic design and detail inspired by Star Wars: Return of the Jedi. Multiple points of articulation make the figure highly poseable for play and display.

 I'm definitely not going to play with Emperor Palpatine (and Throne); if I do open the packaging in the future, I will probably display the figure on a floating shelf, sitting imperiously on his throne and glaring balefully at anyone who challenges his dictatorial regime. The sculpt and paint job on my figure are nicely done, and the black hooded cloak closely resembles the one worn by Ian McDiarmid in 1983's Return of the Jedi. 

 As always with The Black Series figures, Emperor Palpatine includes accessories that allow kids and adult fans to pose the figure in various ways, including ones that have the Supreme Ruler of the Galactic Empire using Force lightning against his foes. I like the fact that Hasbro included his cane, as well as the two extra heads, each one of which bears a different expression to convey the Emperor's emotions in a visual way.

All in all, Emperor Palpatine (and Throne) is a nice addition to my Star Wars collection, which I started almost 42 years ago.


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