FA-4 - LC [2] - Droid Factory

FA-4 is Count Dooku's Pilot Droid on board the count's solar sailer, an interstellar sloop and a gift to Dooku from the Geonosians. When Dooku makes his escape from Geonosis after battling Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Yoda, it is the Pilot Droid FA-4 who operates the controls of Dooku's interstellar sloop.

So much has changed on a dime with the many plans Hasbro had for the basic figures lines between Toy Fair 2012 and Toy Fair 2013 that its kept collectors’ minds whirling around in complete confusion that borders on chaos. That may be melodramatic, but a much anticipated basic figure line, Legacy Collection [2] got canceled because of very murky reasons. Sure, Hasbro explained why the line need to go away, but many collectors didn’t swallow all of the explanations given. We know we didn’t. Anyway, The 2013 Legacy Collection Droid Factory line went into permanent hibernation as a main basic figure line and Hasbro did their best to get the previously announced basic figures intended for Legacy Collection [2] into the newly hailed The Black Series line. Not all have been confirmed for TBS yet, but perhaps more curious is that Hasbro had planned Build A Droid figures that now had no home. An unofficial rule of theirs is not to pack these Build A Droids as basic figures, but of course there are exceptions. 2011’s TVC R5-D4 (VC40) comes to mind. So what to do with these planned figures? It took a while before they decided, but they have now created a special six-pack of basic carded action figures, in the originally planned Legacy Collection [2] packaging, for Amazon.com and it has been welcomed with mixed responses.

What maybe the most interesting thing about FA-4 is that it was one of the planned Build A Droid action figures for Legacy Collection [2]. This droid now has been promoted to basic figure status even thought it’s technically a BAD. The design of FA-4 is very nice. It comes fully assembled, but can be broken down into six individual parts, the way the droid was planned to come to collectors. The sculpt and paint job are done very well. Everything is in place here as it should be. As a very obscure droid from Star Wars Episode II: Attack Of The Clones, we’re surprised that Hasbro had it on the radar in any form for collectors. FA-4’s first appearance was in Episode II, but you can find this series of droid in multiple episodes of The Clone Wars as well. It’s evident that Hasbro has the kids in mind with the deign of this action figure as well. It’s interesting to see a Build A Droid figure get packaged with a Build A Droid part. It really has a meta vibe to it. In this instance, FA-4 comes with the torso of TC-70, another Build A Droid that has been fortunate enough to make it into the line too. FA-4 is a relatively simple model of droid, and Hasbro has echoed that design very well in the action figure interpretation of it. It doesn’t have a ton of articulation, but it does have enough to mirror what movement it has in the film. He looks cool if you instal the body backwards too. See our photo gallery for examples.

As one of the only “new” figures (as in never offered before in any style or format in the past), it looks like the Amazon.com exclusive Droid Factory set is at an initial disadvantage. FA-4 is hardly a reason to pick up this six-pack, seven-pack if you include the TC-70 (Build A Droid) figure. Still, Amazon.com changes prices on things almost every hour and the set has been as low as $49.99 with free shipping. For that price, getting seven action figures, “new enough” in one respect or another breaks down to $7.14 a figure, which is multiple dollars less of what a collector quality action figure goes for by itself at retail in this day and age. Plus, how awesome is it that Hasbro salvaged the Legacy Collection [2] line look packaging for this exclusive. It’s engaging packaging and looks much more interesting that the dull and dreary The Black Series line look. This may be the first time in history that Hasbro has canceled a basic figure line after multiple waves had already been announced, only to release a portion of it again as an exclusive. If this action has indeed happened in the past, it currently escapes us. Hopefully Hasbro will use this same format to get out future Build A Droid figures R5-X2 and R8-B7. At worst, we can look at these “army builder” multipacks as the new Saga Legends.... or something. We still think that the collecting community would be best served by releasing a boxed set of the Build A Droid figures. Collectors would scoop that up in a second.