Obi-Wan Kenobi’s Starfighter - TCW [B] - Vehicles

Obi-Wan Kenobi’s starfighter is destroyed when he and Anakin rescue Chancellor Palpatine from the Separatists. So when he is sent to Utapau to confront General Grievous, the leader of the Separatist droid army, Obi-Wan requisitions a new fighter for the mission. He leaves Coruscant aboard a Republic attack cruiser, then departs from the cruiser in the starfighter. He uses a hyperspace ring to reach Utapau, not knowing how this mission will end… but all too aware of Grievous’ deadly skill with a lightsaber.

There comes a time when a company like Hasbro should just finally get things right after they’ve released the same vehicle multiple times in the toy line. When it comes to 2008’s TCW [B] Obi-Wan Kenobi’s Starfighter, the pain of this is felt even greater because to date we haven’t received the required a necessary part to make it screen accurate. Since its release as 2005’s ROTS Obi-Wan’s Jedi Starfighter, a Toys R Us exclusive, Hasbro has yet to include the correct decal sheet to make this vehicle appear as it did in Star Wars Episode III: Revenge Of The Sith. This is literally the vehicle’s third release in the line to date and the same repetitive error is getting very old. Packed instead with the decal sheet to 2005’s ROTS Anakin’s Jedi Starfighter, Obi-Wan Kenobi's Starfighter once again looks rather silly with the wrong stickered enhancements that you’re supposed to affix to it. We’re not exactly sure why Hasbro feels that Obi-Wan Kenobi's Starfighter is a wise decision to release time and again in the toy line, especially when the toy line is based on The Clone Wars where he pilots a completely unique starfighter anyway. Still, the vehicle has some notoriety as it was prominently featured in Revenge Of The Sith, and it seems to sell well each and every time it gets released. So here we are once again with his blue and white Jedi starfighter. Let’s see if it differs are all from previous versions.

With elements of the Original Trilogy combined with the “new” ancestral technology of the Prequel Trilogy, this Eta-2 Actis-class light interceptor which provided Obi-Wan Kenobi travel to Utapau to track down General Grievous is actually a very nice vehicle despite the decal sheet issue. The vehicle comes with basic play features: an opening canopy which seats a pilot, opening wings (for battle mode), and firing missile projectiles to shoot the enemy. These seamless play features add some value to this toy and Hasbro is banking on a new generation of fans wanting to get this vehicle for the very first time in their own collections. Interestingly, Obi-Wan Kenobi's Starfighter is slightly repainted from past versions. The carbon scoring marks are applied quite differently this time around. It’s likely that this was unintentional, but the differences exist. Obi-Wan Kenobi's Starfighter also has retractable landing gear (which in our opinion doesn’t work all too well and wants to collapse every time you try to utilize it). If you look at the underside of the vehicle you’ll be amazed with how much effort went into the tooling there as well. Why Hasbro would expend time and energy to make the bottom of a vehicle look this great is mind-blowing to us. Of course we’re just as thankful for it too. Obi-Wan Kenobi's Starfighter offers a great deal to Star Wars fans. It’s just been re-released too many times now.

If we did have to find fault with the design of the vehicle, it would have to be with regards to the droid socket and the “R4-G9 action figure” that accompanies is. There have been many theories surrounding this detail of the Eta-2 Actis-class light interceptors. It’s against physics how an astromech droid could fit inside this spot on the vehicle (or has one theory we read described). So it makes sense that Hasbro would have to tool a version of R2-D2 that would fit inside of it. So what we get is a hollow half R2-D2 “accessory” that fits inside of the droid socket like a glove. It’s disappointing that Hasbro couldn’t have just made a hold that went through the vehicle (where R4-G9’s legs would dangle from) and then perhaps a cover when R4-G9 wasn’t co-piloting it. Anyway, that design idea we suggested wasn’t an option this time. Another fault we must point out is that in addition to the wrong decal sheet, the application of decals is a nightmare to complete. Hasbro has decided that instead of painting on details or applying the decals prior to assembling the vehicle, that the parent or collector would have the joy of doing this instead. Let us tell you that it is maddening trying to get the interior cockpit decals on without wanting to smash the vehicle with a hammer. We’re also not sure why this vehicle isn’t part of The Legacy Collection instead of The Clone Wars. But then again, not everything makes sense when it comes to Hasbro.