The Phantom Menace Is Most Lacking In New Figures

**JediTricks** · 06-20-2010

Tycho, I don't think you've qualitatively quantified the "most lacking" status of TPM very well. You've documented its lack of new figures, but considering you don't even buy updates, I don't see how you can claim it has the most need. With your same data provided, I could argue there is the least demand for the items and therefore is the least lacking. Your list is almost half podracers to begin with, characters who add nothing of value to the story whatsoever, and several of which weren't even seen in the film proper, I suspect you just want them on principal or as filler in other scenes. And some of the others are so unimportant you didn't even get their movie right, "Senator Aconda Far" seems to mean Rodian Senator Onaconda Farr who was first seen in AOTC, not TPM.

**Tycho** · 06-21-2010

Originally Posted by JediTricks

Tycho, I don't think you've qualitatively quantified the "most lacking" status of TPM very well. You've documented its lack of new figures, but considering you don't even buy updates, I don't see how you can claim it has the most need.

Well, my interest with the hobby is in buying figures of characters that I have zero representation of in my collection as it now stands - like most of the ones I listed.

For example, I did not buy that new-and-improved Ep1 Obi-Wan Kenobi which I can still readily find. I have no desire for it. I bought the accessory packs in 1999 for Jedi robes and stuck them on '99 Jedi Duel figures for Obi-Wans I want to post sitting in vehicles (which is the Royal Starship - twice - and not anything else I can readily think of).

With your same data provided, I could argue there is the least demand for the items and therefore is the least lacking. Your list is almost half podracers to begin with, characters who add nothing of value to the story whatsoever, and several of which weren't even seen in the film proper,

Well, as a fan of "toys" or "the figure crafting art as sculpted by Hasbro artists," I'd like something like Ark "Bumpy" Roose I guess, because it's different and more diverse than even a resculpt of Sebulba, and especially another Qui-Gon Jinn.

I suspect you just want them on principal or as filler in other scenes.

Definitely. "Creating scenes" is the reason for my interest in the hobby. I'd like to collect different "action figure art" representing different characters (or stage dressing as you sort of view some creatures like Ephant Mon). So they serve both as filler, but also as something different that I appreciate all for itself, like Kitick Keed Kack for example.

And some of the others are so unimportant you didn't even get their movie right, "Senator Aconda Far" seems to mean Rodian Senator Onaconda Farr who was first seen in AOTC, not TPM.

Well, I want to set up 3 dioramas of the Galactic Senate. There are Rodians seen in their Senate box in TPM. I figure to put Onoaconda Farr in at least the E1 and E2 Senate scenes. By E3, the evolving Imperial Senate is moreso populated by humans rather than aliens (especially in terms of the action figures that Hasbro has made) so I'd like to show the changes by varrying my 3 Senate displays - with Valorum as Chancellor, then Palpatine as Chancellor, then Palpatine as Emperor.

It appears Onaconda Farr was murdered in Clone Wars, so Rodia must be represented by someone else by ROTS - probably a Palpatine-brought-to-power lackey that would support the Republic becoming an Empire no doubt. I think Onaconda revered the Jedi (as demonstrated by his hope that JarJar was a Jedi before he knew any better in the CW cartoon episode) and Palpatine didn't want Jedi-friendly-Loyalists holding rank in the Imperial Senate once he established that and sought to become the Emperor.

**The Space Outlaw** · 06-23-2010

I definitely wouldn't mind some well-sculpted and highly-articulated Naboo soldiers and pilots, especially with soft-goods accessories. I actually really liked their outfits (and their planes), even if I can barely stand to watch the movie itself.

A fully-articulated Darth Maul with a soft-goods cape would be excellent. I realized just in time before I bought it that the last release was basically still the same figure that came with the Bloodfin in 1999. Bummer. I need a new Maul (with a shirt this time) to fly the Infiltrator.

I wouldn't mind a new version of The-Precocious-Brat-Who-Would-Be-Darth-Vader, either, and a well-articulated Sebulba would be welcome on my shelf (mainly because I think the Dug morphology is so cool, and I want to make some custom characters).

I'd also like to see a new version of Nekkid Threepio, maybe with a pack-in soft-goods flag to wave.

Senators, meh. Maybe the Wookiee delegation.

Most of the rest is junk to me. I despise the Gungans and the Neimoidians equally, and there's already enough Battle Droids out there for me to never want to see one again.

**El Chuxter** · 06-23-2010

Giving this more thought:

Tey How
Old Lady Naboo Pilot
Effeminate-voiced Black Naboo Pilot
Ric Olie (resculpt)
Porkins Lookalike Naboo Pilot
Mawhonic
Ratts Tyrell (wasn't this one semi-promised already?)
Anakin resculpt
Qui-Gon resculpt (Evolutions was an improvement, but there's still room for more improvement for the single best character introduced for the Prequels)
Senator Grebleips
Jar Jar resculpt (not scene specific, and with super articulation or close to it)
Gungan Female and Kid
Kitster
Wald
Ben Quadinaros
Ark "Bumpy" Rose
Evan Malek
Wan Sandage
Aldar Beedo
Weazel
that giant who has a name I can never remember (Erdan?)
Jira (maybe make her fruit stand transform into a war droid of some sort to justify making her)
TPM-styled Royal Guard resculpt (IIRC, the AOTC/ROTS version had an opaque visor, right?)
transforming Droideka resculpt (really--you make the TRANSFORMERS! why has this not been done?)
Watto resculpt (wouldn't be a top priority, but would be nice)

**Mr. JabbaJohnL** · 06-23-2010

Originally Posted by El Chuxter

Giving this more thought:
Old Lady Naboo Pilot
Effeminate-voiced Black Naboo Pilot

Geez, how long has it been since you've seen TPM?

The lady isn't that old, and I've never thought that guy to sound feminine.

Originally Posted by El Chuxter

Evan Malek

Elan Mak

Originally Posted by El Chuxter

that giant who has a name I can never remember (Erdan?)

Yup, Erdan.

Originally Posted by El Chuxter

TPM-styled Royal Guard resculpt (IIRC, the AOTC/ROTS version had an opaque visor, right?)

I'm fairly sure the ones from TPM and AOTC are the same - the opaque visor is in ROTS only. That said, the rumor is that there will be a new Senate Guard in the AOTC vintage wave this fall, which could fill this requirement.

transforming Droideka resculpt (really--you make the TRANSFORMERS! why has this not been done?)

They did one in the larger-scale line that also produced an Obi-Wan Kenobi and Darth Maul, but I sort of don't think it's going to happen in the basic line. I sort of get the impression that they fudged the design a little to make them transform in the films, though the Mega Action one looks pretty good overall (if a bit off). I just sort of doubt that they could pull it off in this scale, even though it would indeed be awesome.

**JediTricks** · 06-23-2010

The Mega Action one transforms with a few cheats, but it pays off in that it actually does what it claims. Part of the problem is that in the movie, the "wheel" is completed by the thinnest part of the head connecting to one of the legs, which is simply not something you can replicate on a toy that also transforms, it's too thin. So the Mega Action has that part of the "face" extend out and lock into the figure's bottom without bending, and there's also locking into the other side of the head by using clear supports, but this too would probably be unusable in 3.75" format. I'd like to at least see a prototype of them trying it though.