Review: Star Wars Black Series Exclusive 'May the 4th' B1 Battle Droid
- Mephitsu
- 2 hours ago
- 6 min read
“May the 4th be with you… Roger, Roger”
Hasbro are no stranger to special releases within the wider Star Wars collector series, whether they be special metallic decor finishes or themed figures for Christmas or Halloween. The latest of these in the Star Wars Black Series 6-inch line is the Spring 2026 wave of ‘May the 4th be with you’ figures, celebrating Star Wars Day with tweaks to existing figures. The US distribution on these figures had them arriving on shelves for May the 4th 2026, which would add to the celebratory nature. Here in the UK, they arrived later in June 2026, which is essentially like shipping the Christmas figures in January.
These May the 4th figures use the same base packaging as the rest of the series, but with the matt black base colour contrasted by a bright yellow colour bar under the window and with yellow borders around the upper Black Series logo and the character name, which in this case is listed as B1 Battle Droid. The border around the main window includes a shaped segment across the bottom right corner, and the application of the global ‘May the 4th be with you’ Star Wars Day logo.
This same logo features on both side spines, with the usual art panel dropped for this series of releases. On the back of the box, where the artwork would usually sit, is a picture of the figure and accessories next to the background text, which talks about “the lighter side of the force” with these limited edition releases. The bottom third yellow border continues across the back, and features the 05.04 US format date and the text to confirm this date as Star Wars Day and another reference to May the 4th be with you.
The standard black series line includes a cardback that sits behind the figure tray and is aligned in both the colour code for the release and embedded with character-appropriate imagery. For the May the 4th releases, this cardback section is left plain yellow in line with the box colouring, and is then covered by the inserted cardboard target featuring a silhouette of Anakin Skywalker. More on this target piece later, but it is worth noting that using this target as the card back does diminish the visuals in my eyes, and the set is much more impressive as a boxed display using the yellow backdrop as seen in the image.
The key to these May the 4th releases is the inclusion of a 6-inch scale tailored T-Shirt, which all feature the May the 4th logo on the back, and a character-relevant logo for a fake Star Wars company on the front. For our B1 Droid, this it the Roger Roger Robotics company. This yellow tailored T-shirt is soft goods and sized specifically for the skeletal B1 droid.
To display along with your May the 4th themed droid, you get the standard E-5 blaster rifle in a gunmetal finish. This is designed to slip into the B1’s clawed hands and can be held in a single- or double-hand pose.
The target, another feature in all three of these 2026 releases, is a simple cardboard piece with a glossy front in white and with the silhouetted image of Anakin Skywalker with his lightsaber raised and blaster marks down the blade of the lightsaber. At the very top is some Aurebesh text. We might have expected a slip-in base or similar to have this on display, but Hasbro has chosen not to include anything else, leaving you with a piece of cardboard to display with your droid and a need to find a homemade solution to keep it upright other than leaning it against the back of a shelf.
To this point, the set has very much been a gimmick, which is fine, but Hasbro has included a variation in this set which is a nod to collectors and those who have been waiting for B1 Battle Droid variants from The Phantom Menace. If you remove the T-shirt, which is a little challenging due to the tailoring around the arms and neck (it is easiest to remove the head of the droid), underneath we not only have a B1 Battle Droid, but one painted in the red markings of an OOM Series Security Droid.
The base figure is identical to nearly all B1 Battle Droids, using the same base beige plastic as seen on the first Trade Federation B1 release from 2019. The red Security markings are positioned over this base plastic, but unlike the original release, there is no applied weathering or battle damage. You also do not get the backpack or rear communications aerial, although as this is the same base body you can utilise your spares if needed. This lack of any back components is accurate to the Security Droids we see during The Phantom Menace.
With 2019 B1 Battle Droid (right) and wearing the backpack from the 2019 release
Without the T-Shirt you can see the full extent of the articulation, and while the articulation format remains the same 18 points as the original release, these have been improved with the more recent releases, feeling much more stable out of the box compared to the earlier models and allowing much improved stability when posed. The joints are all worked in as part of the sculpt and mimic the joints on the Battle Droid props with large circular gears around the main jointed areas, such as the knees, hips, elbows and shoulders.
The torso joint is the least mobile, offering a partial ab-crunch designed around a central hinge and the two supporting pieces. The head is ball-jointed at the top of the neck and can be turned and pivoted, with a second joint on the rear section of the head moving outward so it doesn’t clash with the neck. The entire neck piece also extends up and out of the chest, allowing the neck and head to be folded downward into the deactivated folded position.
With the E-5 Blaster in place, and with the T-shirt discarded, this is a neat new addition to a Phantom Menace display, expanding the Trade Federation forces and adding a touch of colour to the B1 Battle Droid ranks which have been particularly vanilla to date, despite Hasbro revisiting the colourful ranks of the Clone Trooper battalions multiple times on the same base figure.
For those leaning into the May the 4th Celebration, this is arguably a better release than other Holiday figures in terms of Star Wars fandom. The T-Shirt sits well enough on the skinny Battle Droid without impeding any movement, while the box also looks good for boxed collectors although if you are happy to unseal the box, it does, for me, look better with the yellow cardback, swapping the cardback around with the inserted target. This target, while a bit of fun, does miss the mark without a way to have it stood up on display, and it is perhaps a little larger than it needs to be?
The B1 Battle Droid ‘May the 4th’ figure is an exclusive, sold via Target in the US and via the Fan Channel retailers here in the UK. The other two figures in the wave for 2026 are the Imperial Stormtrooper and the Imperial Scout Trooper.
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...
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