AT-DP Driver - R - Saga Legends (SL14)

The Empire's AT-DP drivers operate All-Terrain Defense Pod ground attack walkers to crush the Rebels.

Imagine the perfect melding of 2007’s TAC Concept Snowtrooper (Ralph McQuarrie Signature Series) (30 42), 2009’s LC Episode V Concept Art Snowtrooper (BD48) (Joe Johnston design) and 2009’s LC AT-AT Driver (BD49). You would probably be left with the Rebels AT-DP Driver from the Saga Legends basic figure line. (Oh, and you would have to take into account losing most of that articulation as well.) The Rebels AT-DP Driver action figure certainly isn’t realistically styled or designed that way by any means, but we think it would be a fair entry into any concept art sub-collection or the like as it sports a very traditional “concept” appearance about it. No matter where you feel the best assessment is for this character, there is no denying that he is one of the Galactic Empire, and it’s a shame that we didn’t see him in any of the films because he would have made an incredible addition to the Star Wars universe back then. At least we have him now. The AT-DP Driver is part of a mixed wave 2 in the reduced articulation Saga Legends basic figure collection. As we’re all aware, the first few waves of Saga Legends were beyond dreadful. Paint operations have made a complete turnaround thank the Maker and the AT-DP Driver looks like it is of the quality that we saw so consistently throughout the golden era of 2007-2012.

According to some of the stills we have seen of the AT-DP Driver, we think Hasbro’s color palette is off in a few spots. For example, in the television show, these characters have an off-white mask and a light gray helmet with matching light gray body suit (which is underneath of their chest and shoulder armor). The figure however looks to be colored in more of a mint green color instead. When it comes down to the nuts and bolts of it, we don’t think this discrepancy is terrible, but it is noticeable. So it may bother the type A collectors more than the type B collectors. AT-DP Driver comes with five points of articulation. All of the standard points are here including a swivel head, two swivel shoulders and two swivel hips. This allows him to stand up, fire a gun and sit in the AT-DP vehicles released months before him. As far as play value, this figure has everything it needs. As far as articulation, it’s missing a whole heck of a lot. We get the frustration. The sculpts in the Saga Legends and Mission Series ranges are getting better and better. Now the paint operations are getting better and better. But we’re still locked in tightly with simple articulation. It can be maddening for many longtime collectors and we’re completely empathetic to their action figure needs. Right now Hasbro isn’t really delivering as far as this area is concerned.

The first wave of Saga Legends primarily introduced us to the heroes of the Rebels television show. Wave 2 brings us some of the villains. It’s great that Hasbro is mixing up the line also with characters from the Star Wars films and The Clone Wars too. The line may appear a little schizophrenic at the moment, but you cannot fault Hasbro in the least because there is something for everyone here. AT-DP Driver is “long overdue” as far as we’re concerned. To release a vehicle before it’s driver is a little bit irritating. Plus, with the distribution issues Hasbro has been plagued with in the Rebels line, a TARGET exclusive “figure and vehicle” set has yet to make a single appearance anywhere and both vehicle and figure are now available separately. (They were meant to be at retail at totally different times with the TARGET exclusive set available first. We are warming up ever so slightly to these simply articulated figures. But we have to credit Hasbro for buckling things down at the factory level. The earliest Saga Legends figures are the worst action figures collectors ever saw in the history of the line. Now the paint operations are so tight that some of these figures can be considered some of their best. AT-DP is a strong candidate for this ranking.