Darth Sidious Hologram - LC - Basic (BD10)

Darth Sidious uses holographic technology to discuss the invasion of Naboo with Nute Gunray. The Sith Lord encourages the Viceroy of the Trade Federation to eliminate anyone who resists the Federation's occupation of the planet.

Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace is filled with both really cool and really silly technology. But the mechno-chair undoubtedly falls to the cooler side of this spectrum. First immortalized in collectible form via the 1:6 Scale Figure scale by Sideshow Collectibles, the Hasbro "action figure" ended up coming out with the same quality and attention to detail, albeit much smaller. We definitely use the words "action figure" very loosely because this is actually just a large accessory; very similar to how the 2008 TAC Mustafar Panning Droid (08 08) figure was originally intended to be an accessory for Anakin Skywalker before itself was packaged individually. But don’t have any worries about what is contained within this set because Hasbro gave us a lot of value for the money. Plus the design of it is incredible and it makes complete sense why this “accessory” was released as a basic figure by itself. This little "set" is such a beautiful thing and we are extremely giddy about how well it turned out. And we are excited to finally get this piece (and so well sculpted) in our collections. And we are even more thankful that this was attempted ten years after the film was made because obviously an older version would lack the higher technological advancements and standards that figures have today. Darth Sidious Hologram is done so well, you will be certain that the Sideshow Collectibles 1:6 Scale Figure was just shrunken down to create it (but it wasn’t) because of all the details Hasbro has managed to capture in this “figure”.

The actual hologram of Darth Sidious is much smaller than the average 3.75" action figure and this is exactly the correct scale it should be. The holographic image is sized somewhere in between the TSC pack-in holograms from 2006 and a regular action figure. It has no articulation at all and none is needed. It serves its purpose flawlessly as a miniature statue. If we were to complain about anything, we would have wished that Hasbro used a blue color (as seen in the film) instead of the purple used for the actual hologram. Holographic images are definitely somewhere in between the two colors, but we think that one that appears more blue than purple traditionally looks better. There are some exceptions we suppose, but overall, blue is the way to go. The mechno-chair has a remarkable eight points of articulation so you can pose it in quite a few positions. The level of movement also mirrors the Sideshow Collectibles figure too. The detail included is a masterful work of art and we are thoroughly impressed with how much thought and work went into something that basically serves as a fancy stand for the holographic image. The mecho-chair is etched with stunning geometric lines and patterns and cast in a striking bronze color. It is just simply a beautifully noble piece. Collectors will be happy to know that the joints on the mechno-droid are very tight and can hold the various poses very well. After its appearance in Episode, I, we really didn’t see this device again frequently until the Tartakovsky Clone Wars.

Used by the Neimoidians as a symbol of their high status, Hasbro ensured that the mechno-chair they sculpted matched the ornate beauty we saw in the films exactly. Full of great curves and cast in a stunning bronze color, the mechno-chair is clearly the symbol of wealth and superiority in a galactic caste system. You may be interested to know that the standard mechno-chairs did not come outfitted with a holoprojector. In fact, Nute Gunray's was specially upgraded to include this. If you've watched the film, you will remember that the mechno-chair served multiple purposes. Not only did it provide the image of Darth Sidious, it also transported Nute Gunray while seated above in a chair throughout the Theed Royal Palace. We hope that Hasbro will reuse this mechno-chair to recreate that scene in an effort to get a jointed Nute Gunray action figure that has the capability to sit. In short, we suppose that this 'action figure' should have been called Nute Gunray's Mechno-chair. Technically, it is. Again, we can't stop raving about the mechno-chair. It's color is unbelievable. It glistens in the light it picks up and looks as if it has been cast in metal and not plastic. It has a little plug where the holographic image of Sidious attaches with a snug fit. (The hologram will not be falling off easily, thank goodness!) Likely to be one of our favorite figures in this first wave of the Legacy Collection, Darth Sidious Hologram will not disappoint even the most discriminating collectors. It is simply more than just an action figure - it is a beautiful work of modern art.