Starkiller was the
code name for Darth Vader's secret apprentice. Trained in the ways of
the Sith, Starkiller was assigned by his Master to kill all Jedi who
survived Palpatine's Jedi purge. By order of his own Master, Darth Sidious,
Vader killed the young apprentice. Secretly retrieving Starkiller's body,
Vader saves him so that he may continue his bidding.
The
Force Unleashed multimedia event was a very welcomed piece of Expanded
Universe that was embraced by a multitude of fans. It also was an awesome
opportunity for all of Lucasfilm, Ltd.'s licenses to cash in big time
with various collectibles based on the video game. Hasbro was the first
to get a nice collection of action figures out to the public, but soon
the high-end licenses began releases great pieces like Sideshow's 1:6 Scale
Stormtrooper Commander or Gentle Giant Ltd..'s Stormtrooper
Commander mini bust. Gentle Giant takes another stab at The Force Unleashed at
releases a two-pack of the video game's central character, Starkiller.
Is he a good Sith or a bad Sith? You decide! Both mini busts in the
set are very well done, but we don't think that the Ultimate Good
Apprentice will be exciting to many fans. So, the reason to buy this
set is for the Ultimate Evil Apprentice. You may recognize him better
by his common name, Galen Marek. He is the yin-yang of Star Wars and
can turn on a dime. Thankfully, Gentle Giant has give us two options
on how to display him and no matter what decision you make, you will
be guaranteed a very artful and cool collectible in your mini bust
collection.
Multipack
mini busts are quite a rarity. But we have to say that it is perfect
for an exclusive offering. Not too many pieces will be made and it allows
the hardest core collectors to kill two birds with one stone. And it
works particularly well for this set, even if one mini bust is significantly
more intriguing than the other. The Ultimate Good Apprentice is probably
one of the simplest mini busts we have received in quite some time.
While only his face is showing, the likeness is fair enough to be recognizable.
There is wonderful shadowing to show off the texture of how the robe
drapes over his head and body. And his lightsaber hilt is beautifully
sculpted and very accurate to what was seen in the video game. The browns
contrast with the light tans and make for a very unique Jedi outfit.
The length arm fabric strips have been included in the artist's rendering
and they are tie down to the figure's base with some adhesive. The mini
bust can be displayed both with or without the lightsaber blade and we
think the piece looks much better without. The blue blade looks nice,
but we always tale exception with clear lightsaber blades. We don't think
they work well at all. While the "good" mini bust is very nice, the shining
star of this duo is the "bad" mini bust. And we are sure you think this
is a big surprise, right?
The winner
of this set is obviously the Ultimate Evil Apprentice. He is designed
beautifully and looks like he jumped right out of the video game. He
has hands with blades that come out from them so he of course looks like
Wolverine in this aspect. But it works quite well for a Star Wars character
too. His outfit is spot on perfect and there are a trillion details that
you can only see once you inspect him in your hands. He is a fine masterpiece
and it is truly amazing how far Gentle Giant has come with making very
delicate details work successfully on their mini busts. We expect this
set to sell through quickly and while the set isn't a steal, you do get
two right under $100. (We assume it could be worse.) His role in Star
Wars was served essentially as a pawn because he was only being used
by Darth Vader and Emperor Palpatine to be a fancy spy and report those
who were secretly rebelling against the Empire. This deception ended
up backfiring and Marek soon became the Empire's enemy and all that they
tried to establish with him had been sacrificed. It just goes to show that good always triumphs evil. Marek also has the distinction of being
the one who killed the revered Shakk Ti on Felucia (even though movie
purists say she died at the hands of Grievous in the Episode III deleted
scenes). Whatever you take, this mini bust two-pack exclusive is only
available at Action Figure Xpress and is limited to only 1000 pieces.
We don't suggest waiting too long to make up your mind about it.
Collector Notes
Starkiller:
Ultimate Good And Ultimate Evil Apprentice (The Force Unleashed)
UPC: 871810006670
Retail: $99.99 USD
Market Value: Click here to check the latest prices based on listings.
Starkiller:
Ultimate Good Apprentice (The Force Unleashed)
Status: This highly-detailed mini bust, based on the original Lucasfilm costumes and props, was sculpted and painted by Gentle Giant Ltd. We hope you enjoy it.
Exclusivity: Action Figure Xpress Exclusive
Assembly: Attach lightsaber blade to hilt.
Date Stamp: 2009
Starkiller: Ultimate Evil Apprentice (The Force Unleashed)
Status: This highly-detailed mini bust, based on the original Lucasfilm costumes and props, was sculpted and painted by Gentle Giant Ltd. We hope you enjoy it.
Exclusivity: Action Figure Xpress Exclusive
Assembly: Attach lightsaber blade to hilt.
Date Stamp: 2009