Duel On Naboo - SW [TPM 3D] - Battle Packs

Added: June 7th 2012
Category: Star Wars [The Phantom Menace 3D]
Reviewer: Paul Harrison
Score:

Name: Duel On Naboo
Collection: Star Wars [The Phantom Menace 3D]
Number: N/A (Battle Packs)
Source: The Phantom Menace
Availability: LOL! Who knows!?
License: Hasbro

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Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi battle Darth Maul during the invasion of Naboo. The two Jedi encounter the Sith Lord in the palace hangar and fight a fierce lightsaber duel that ends in the Theed Generator Complex. Obi-Wan becomes separated from Qui-Gon by the complex's security shield, and can only watch as his Master continues the battle alone. But when the shield lowers once more, Obi-Wan attacks Maul with grief-stricken determination.

Hasbro has convinced themselves that the Battle Packs line is for kids. Collectors have lamented about this for the last few years because some products in the Battle Packs line have included the greatest moments of collecting. Who was unable to be blow away with awesome sets like 2009’s TLC Scramble On Yavin or 2008’s TLC Hoth Recon Patrol? And even sets a little further back including sets like 2007’s TAC Betrayal On Felucia and 2008’s TAC Battle On Mygeeto Battle Packs hold up as well today as they did when they were first released. These “collector-focused” sets were warmly welcomed into collection everywhere and they still make us smile. But Battle Packs in today’s day and age aren’t nearly the same. Not only have the concept been weak, but the choices of action figure stock used to make them has been quite disappointing. Hasbro must have felt a disturbance in the Force by collectors, so they decided to change things up a bit and released new Battle Packs with three all-new sculpts. The reaction was initially electric. Collectors got immediately aroused at the possibility of new figures…. until we figured out that the all-new sculpts were slightly articulated statues. The excitement turned to dread, but in the midst of all the controversy, some collectors (including ourselves) found a new ray of light with them. But can we convince you to see the light as well?

The Duel On Naboo may not be as exciting as the Bespin Battle set (only if you can see that set as exciting of course), but Hasbro once again recreates some pretty decent likenesses here on all the characters including Obi-Wan Kenobi, Darth Maul and Qui-Gon Jinn. Recreating the history changing “Duel of the Fates” in action figure form, the Duel On Naboo Battle Packs set is its own miniature diorama. The articulation isn’t anything you’re really used to again. Each action figure only comes with five points of articulation. Where Hasbro has cut back on articulation, they’ve made up for in excellent portraits. All three figures in this set have excellent head sculpts. But will that be enough to entice you to purchase this set? Obi-Wan Kenobi looks very much like his Movie Heroes counterpart. In fact, we originally though that Hasbro utilized the head sculpt of 2012’s SW [TPM 3D] Obi-Wan Kenobi (MH16) figure. But in actuality, the head sculpt is different. Obi-Wan still has too boxy of a chest, but it isn’t as exaggerated as the Movie Heroes light-up figure. He comes with his signature blue-bladed lightsaber and because he has severely inhibited movement, there aren’t many way which to point the blade. We are receive to these types of figures edging their way into the Star Wars line, but we think Hasbro really needs to carefully think through which figures will be starved for more articulation. Obi-Wan Kenobi in this set is one of those action figures.

Darth Maul may be the nicest figure in this set. The head sculpt is out of this world. But again, Hasbro would have been better off including this head sculpt with a figure that incorporates much more articulation than this figure. In fact, the head sculpt is so brilliant, we would have preferred to see it get utilized for 2012’s TVC Darth Maul (VC86) figure. These new parts that were tooled are literally being wasted on “inferior” sculpts. Or maybe that’s all part of the Master Plan. Maybe Hasbro knows we would stick our noses at sets like Duel On Naboo so they deceptively added new and enticing parts to these figures to draw us in and buy them. That’s a stretch and perhaps we are being too dubious about Hasbro’s true intentions or actions, but there is something more at play here. How can the collector-focused figures in The Vintage Collection have inferior head sculpts when compared to the head sculpts in the kid-focused line? The debate goes on and on and on forever. Qui-Gon Jinn is another good figure in this set. He too look a lot like his light-up counterpart, but Hasbro made this figure all-new and he borrows nothing from 2012’s SW [TPM 3D] Qui-Gon Jinn (MH18) figure. Each figure in this set comes with his respective lightsaber and only five points of articulation. Hey, at least they all have ball-jointed head sculpts. The Duel On Naboo set isn’t for everyone. But all the figures in it are significantly more imprtessive that the first 12 figures we got in wave one of Movie Heroes.

Collector Notes

Duel On Naboo

Assortment Number: 37825/37822

UPC: 653569697367

Retail: $21.99 USD

Market Value: Click here to check the latest prices based on Click here to check the market value on eBay! listings.

Obi-Wan Kenobi

Status: Obi-Wan Kenobi is an all-new figure.

Articulation Count: 5 points

Articulation Details: ball-socket head, 2 swivel shoulders, 2 swivel hips

Accessory Count: 1

Accessory Details: lightsaber

Date Stamp: 2011

Darth Maul

Status: Darth Maul is an all-new figure.

Articulation Count: 5 points

Articulation Details: ball-socket head, 2 swivel shoulders, 2 swivel hips

Accessory Count: 1

Accessory Details: double-bladed lightsaber

Date Stamp: 2011

Qui-Gon Jinn

Status: Qui-Gon Jinn is an all-new figure.

Articulation Count: 5 points

Articulation Details: ball-socket head, 2 swivel shoulders, 2 swivel hips

Accessory Count: 1

Accessory Details: lightsaber

Date Stamp: 2011

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