“Die Jedi dogs! Oh, what did I say?”
It has been quite a wait for our next Separatist Droid release in the Star Wars Black Series with the original B1 Battle Droid figure having been around since 2019 and having had a number of variant releases. While we got a MagnaGuard in 2023, it is 2024 that will really expand our Battle Droid ranks with the releases of the Destroyer Droid and the B2 Super Battle Droid. The Super Battle Droid’s first outing is as part of a Hasbro Pulse exclusive 2-pack, a set featuring the brand new Super Battle Droid figure and also another re-use of the B1 Battle Droid, albeit with an implanted C-3PO head to recreate those scenes from the Geonosis arena.
The set has arrived ahead of the planned 2024 packaging update, so still features a box with a slanted side. It has a full window to display the figures, and behind the figures sits not simply a plain grey cardboard insert but a grey insert that carries illustrations of Geonosis. The set is part of the Attack of the Clones Galaxy Collection so uses the assigned deep red colouring on the text and artwork. However, it is not a numbered releases so the artwork does not connect to any other releases.
The C-3PO figure is pretty much the Geonosis Battle Droid as seen in 2020 but with the Droid head removed and Threepio’s head transplanted in its place - exactly as it occurred in the movie. This connection has been done by way of a new neck section that converts the large Protocol Droid head into the slimline skeletal neck of the Battle Droid. The Threepio head is not the one we have seen in the line to date, with a slightly smaller sizing and certain profile differences - particularly the lower jaw. This may indicate an Attack of the Clones C-3PO is on the cards as a future release. Threepio’s head is a dull grey finish with painted yellow eyes and some green weathering over the base grey that gives a mossy look.
The Battle Droid body is cast in red/brown with painted-on weathering in dark brown and extending across the body and much more intensive compared to the original Geonosis Droid release. There are also silver component parts and a couple of silver scratches to further weather the body. The backpack is included as is the blaster rifle both identical also to the original release. And like the other releases, the blaster can be holstered on the backpack by way of a plug and socket configuration.
Articulation is 16 points in total, with the joints created within the design of the droid with rounded connections at each of the main joints to create the articulation. The head features a rotation and pivot which allows Threepio to look around and up and down, although the weight of the head vs the very slim neck does see the head loll forward at times. The B1 Battle Droid body has always carried with it some stability issues due to its slim nature, and while this C-3PO variant feels more solid and with more defined ratchet functionality in some of the joints - it remains tentative when posed, particularly with a top-heavy design now thanks to the larger Protocol Droid headpiece.
While C-3PO as a Battle Droid is a novelty, the star of the set is very much the B2 Super Battle Droid. This full new figure cuts an impressive profile standing at 16cm height and taller than other key AOTC characters like Obi-Wan and Padme. The droid is also bulky with a broad chest and with the head sunk into the shoulder armour.
The legs and arms look slimline face-on but are broad in depth which allows them to remain stable and secure once posed. The droid is a grey finish at its base but is overlaid with metallic hues around the joints and exposed workings. This version also gets an exclusive ‘weathered’ finish with brown dirt splashes across the legs, mid-section and chest. It is confirmed the single release will be a cleaner finish to differentiate the two.
Articulation is all built into the droid's construction, and like the B1 figure the joints are circular and industrial but much more robust. There are 15 points of articulation, predominantly supporting the arm and leg movement but with a torso ball joint to help pose the central trunk of the figure. There is plenty of posing options available including the iconic Super Battle Droid advance pose with the blaster arm outstretched and firing.
While there are no accessories, Hasbro has built in a couple of removable panels with the head and chest sections coming away from the body and revealing the inner workings of the droid within as sculpted components and with paint apps such as the large central red ‘eye’ and further red and white indicators and components within the chest section. The engineering of these panels is impressive with a flush fit when in place and no extensive use of pegs or sockets to hold them in place.
As a set, we are met with the Hasbro Pulse RRP of £49.99 which is in line with two single-figure releases. The set is not a required purchase for those collecting 'in box' and lining up the Attack of the Clones artwork with the set not being numbered and having no direct connection to any other releases. The C-3PO is very scene-specific and almost a ‘novelty’ release and the set may have benefitted more from having the head be swappable with a standard B1 to allow an army-building option.
The set will sell on the strength of the Super Battle Droid which is one of my favourite figures of the Black Series already and a strong contender for release of the year even though it's only April. The B2 Droid has no apparent flaws with a great sculpt, extensive paint job and weathering, strong articulation, good stability and some clever removable panels. For those choosing to wait for the single release, I can confirm you won’t be disappointed.
Keep Track of all the Star Wars Black Series figures from Hasbro at our comprehensive
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About Me : As a child of the 70's and 80's I grew up in a golden age for action figures and in my youth bought and sold myself through collections of Star Wars, G.I. Joe (Action Force) and M.A.S.K. while also dabbling in He-Man, Transformers and Ghostbusters. Roll forward and I am now reliving that Youth with the action figures of today and am a collector and fan of the larger 6-8 inch figures from my favourite movie and TV licences - including the ones mentioned above, but also the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Doctor Who and the Aliens. I launched The Mephitsu Archives in 2015 with a view of creating a UK focused site or these figures where fans can pick up the latest action figure news, read reviews and get information on where to buy their figures and what is currently on store shelves. I hope I am delivering that to you guys...