TC-14 - TAC - Saga Legends

TC-14 serves on a Lucrehulk-class Trade Federation battleship as a protocol droid. She provides a diplomatically proper and calming presence that helps the Neimoidians deal with troublesome envoys, such as Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi, who arrive to negotiate an end to the blockade of Naboo.

The opening of Episode I started off with an intriguing opening that really didn’t last throughout the rest of the film. (We’re not starting an anti-Episode I tirade in this review, so please don’t mistake our opening comments as such.) The environments were strangely familiar (after all, it is space) and a recognizable protocol droid (this time with feminine programming) was one of the very first characters to walk across the screen in Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace. Although TC-14 looks a great deal like the protocol droids from the Original Trilogy, Lucas sought out to dispel that all droids have masculine programming, and as such, we find out TC-14 is actually “female.” An elegant droid with shiny chrome plating, she welcomes two guests (who we quickly find out are Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi) to the Neimoidian vessel and offers them drinks before the supposed meeting would take place. But it never did. Then we see TC-14 emerge from the smoke and laser blasts still holding her serving tray and she is never to be seen again. She is popular by the association of being a protocol droid. And quite frankly, that’s enough reason for us!

Well, not seen again until the Episode I basic figure lineup was released of course. TC-14 (Protocol Droid) was part of one of the final wave of the Episode I line before it and The Power Of The Force "2" lines were canceled. A new line entitled Power Of The Jedi would mesh the new Star Wars film with the Original Trilogy (much to the chagrin of many collectors) to make things easier and release action figures under one banner. In short, TC-14 barely had a shelf life, and many collectors never saw her or wave mate R2-B1 in stores at all. As such, TC-14 quickly became a first choice candidate for many for the 2007 TAC Saga Legends Fans’ Choice poll. Thankfully she won and was chosen for release, along with many others, in the “greatest hits” line later that year. Admittedly, while the articulation and even the sculpting on TC-14 is weak at best, we still think she needed another run at retail, so that’s precisely what she got. But her release isn’t technically a “straight” repack as you might assume. You will be able to differentiate the 2007 release from the 2000 release quite easily. There are only a few paint job differences between the 2000 and 2007 figures, but the changes and updates are small and not even really worth documenting.

There is one update however that is small, but significant in the fact that it constitutes a retool. Hasbro gave the Saga Legends version of TC-14 a new 2007 date stamp. Why this was done is not entirely certain. But this clearly means that the tooling was updated to leave the imprint of the 2007 product year (and the year that this figure was molded for release). It’s interesting, but it’s not something that we imagine many others will notice. TC-14 comes prepared with her serving tray and carafe and can still hold onto them rather well, despite her severely limited articulation. The paint job on the figure is very nice. The shiny chrome finish is even and there is evidence of dirt of grease accumulation in the joints (like her shoulders for example). You can even see colored wiring in her torso and the backs of her knees. She looks fantastic in the TAC Saga Legends packaging. There is something bold and beautiful about this line's look and truly celebrates 30 years of Star Wars well. Get TC-14 so she can celebrate it with you! You requested her; now go and get her. What an amazing gift that Hasbro has listened to the fans which has given this rare figure a second chance at retail (and the first chance for most collectors).