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The Vintage Collection: The Ninety Six - THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK C-3PO (Removable Limbs)

Welcome to another entry in our The Vintage Collection: The Ninety Six column. Hasbro recently committed to collectors that they will be “focusing” on characters in The Vintage Collection that fall under “The Ninety Six” banner. If you’re new to this, it means that there needs a modern counterpart for every classic Kenner figure. Between 2020 and 2021, Hasbro’s made an admirable effort by focusing on these characters. But there is more work to be done, and we’ll figure out where we are step by step. Today we assess three versions of C-3PO (Removable Limbs).

C-3PO (Removable Limbs)

Just a few notes: We’re right in alignment with Hasbro in our vintage Kenner database with the count. There are 21 figures under the STAR WARS banner, 29 figures under THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK banner, 31 figures under the RETURN OF THE JEDI banner, and 15 figures under THE POWER OF THE FORCE banner. (Sy Snootles, Max Rebo, Droopy McCool, and Blue Snaggletooth bring the number to an even 100 figures.)

Read our assessment, and then please add your thoughts to the comments. Let us know if you agree or disagree. If you’re a customizer, show us your custom definitive figure in the comments as well! Who knows? It might give Hasbro some ideas.

 

THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK C-3PO (Removable Limbs)

Is there a definitive modern counterpart to 1982’s ESB C-3PO (Removable Limbs)?

Some collectors regard the C-3PO “accessory” from 2002’s STAR WARS [SAGA – PHASE I] Chewbacca (Cloud City Capture) (’02 #28) figure as the closest placeholder. Others feel differently. The bottom line is that we don’t have a decent modern figure that matches the vintage Kenner figure well.

 

Has Hasbro added this character’s card art and action figure into THE VINTAGE COLLECTION? And is it definitive?

No.

 

Does THE VINTAGE COLLECTION release completely satisfy the modern counterpart to 1982’s THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK C-3PO (Removable Limbs) figure?

Collectors are still waiting for Hasbro to add this figure into THE VINTAGE COLLECTION.

 

If Hasbro didn’t release the figure yet, do we have a near-definitive or definitive release of this character that can be added to THE VINTAGE COLLECTION as a straight repack, repaint, or with little retooling to update it?

No, we are too many years out from the modern versions Hasbro produced, and they do not hold up by today’s standards. However, it’s also arguable. Some collectors feel that the C-3PO “accessory” from 2002’s STAR WARS [SAGA – PHASE I] Chewbacca (Cloud City Capture) (’02 #28) figure fits the bill. Others feel the best modern update to the classic Kenner figure is 1998’s THE POWER OF THE FORCE “2” [FREEZE FRAME/THE KENNER COLLECTION] C-3PO [New Pull-Apart Feature] figure is a better match.

 

What does Hasbro have to do so we can check off “C-3PO (Removable Limbs)” from our Vintage Vs. Modern checklists?

Hasbro needs to develop an all-new figure and place it in THE VINTAGE COLLECTION packaging. The figure needs to come with realistic battle damage, not just removable limbs, to be movie accurate. Hasbro should create something similar like they did for 2019’s THE BLACK SERIES [PHASE III] Chewbacca & C-3PO two-pack.

 

The year and years elapsed (through 2021) since we last had this character in classic Kenner-styled packaging (vintage or modern)?

1982’s ESB C-3PO (Removable Limbs) 39 years ago.

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