AT-ST Driver - SW [S - P2] - 12 Inch Figures

The Empire prepares to crush the Rebellion with a second, more powerful Death Star. As the Rebel fleet mounts a massive attack on the dreaded space station, Luke Skywalker confronts his father, Darth Vader, in a climactic duel before the evil Emperor. In the last second, Vader makes a momentous choice: he destroys the Emperor and saves his son. The Empire is finally defeated, the evil Sith are destroyed, and Anakin Skywalker is redeemed. At long last, freedom is restored to the galaxy.

The All Terrain Scout Transport (AT-ST) is able to move in and through terrain too dense or irregular for full-size Imperial AT-AT walkers. Their pilots are chosen for their superior sense of balance and dexterity with the walker controls, since scout walkers must be able to move quickly through the unexpected to accomplish their missions of reconnaissance and anti-personnel hunting.

Since its inception, the 12 Inch Figures line by Hasbro has been hit or miss. You have to honor their fervor they have for the line as they could have stopped it long before reaching 100+ figures. Some of the 12 Inch Figures are stellar, and others leave a lot to be desired. But no matter the success or failure, the concept of the line has always been simple. They just take a standard buck and dress it up in their love and add all-new portraits for extra pizazz to make unique characters for the various assortments they release. After the first phase of the Star Wars “Saga” wrapped, Hasbro didn’t get distribution corrected and many things that were intended to be released months earlier came much too late. This bottle-necked the next phase of the line that was meant to be released in January 2003. Many products did make it out on time, and others eventually saw release. But the assortment of 12 Inch Figures that encompassed Lando Calrissian (Skiff Disguise), Han Solo, and the AT-ST Driver almost didn’t make it out at all. Most retail stores except for “toy specific” retail even received this assortment, and it couldn’t be found until almost a year after its intended release. This delay was tragic because it contained one of their greatest 12 Inch Figures of all time: the AT-ST Driver.

It’s true. AT-ST Driver is an incredible accomplishment. Hasbro used one of their better bucks to make him, so there is premium articulation here and the figure can move pretty much any way you want it to move. But let’s back up a bit. AT-ST Driver has an astonishing portrait. It’s one of Hasbro’s greatest head sculpts of all time. Some of our photos pick up extra sheen in the face that just doesn’t exist on the figure, but between the highly detailed aged facial features (slight wrinkles and graying sideburns) and the fitted costume, the AT-ST Driver 12 Inch Figure is quite an amazing toy. For $19.99, you get a quality figure with plenty of accessories too. Keep in mind that Hasbro’s main job here is to dress up an already existing body type. And thanks to that magic, they successfully masked the naked buck into a screen-accurate Star Wars character. The AT-ST Driver is honestly better than most of the 12 Inch Figures Hasbro has produced since the beginning of the modern line. They got down to business on how to approach this character correctly and ensure that it would accurately reflect the characters briefly seen in Star Wars Episode VI: Return of The Jedi. And it has.

The AT-ST Driver 12 Inch Figure comes wearing a fitted utility jumpsuit and a removable belt. The figure also comes with two boots. His gloves are permanent as they represent his hands for this release. It’s not like gloves are covering his hands. The gloves are slightly oversized, but they’re not terribly large and the scale issue is barely an issue. The enjoyable part of the AT-ST Driver, however, is his accessories. He comes with a standard AT-ST Driver helmet, but the figure also comes with a pair of expertly tailored goggles with elastic that rest on the top of the helmet or worn across the eyes and then wrapped around the helmet if placed there. You have some variety here, and all of the options look fantastic. He also comes with a cool blaster that can be held in his hand quite well. Because of the excellent articulation, the AT-ST Driver comes with; you can attain some awesome poses with him. The boots are the biggest stumbling block for you, however. The figure has ball-jointed ankles, but you can’t articulate them in that manner thanks to the limited movement the boots inhibit. Still, there are plenty of options here, and you should be able to find a pose that satisfies you. From head to boot, the AT-ST Driver is a marvel all around. It may not be a higher-end collectible, but for $20, we don’t think you will find better anywhere else.