"What if he has something to say?"
Loader Droid NED-B from the Obi-Wan Kenobi series was released as a Deluxe Star Wars Black Series figure in 2022, part of the wider Galaxy Collection and number 10 in the Kenobi Series. NED-B was packed in plastic-free packaging with no window to view the figure and the use of images of the figure on the front and side of the box to confirm the contents. The packaging used the blue accent colour assigned to the Kenobi series across the box label and the side art that connects to the figures on either side for a wider montage.
NED-B is a full new figure, with his deluxe status confirmed in his stature, and his height which is a head higher than a standard Black Series figure. NED-B is another droid in the Black Series line and the design principles seen on previous Droid figures like IG-88, the Battle Droids and most recently the Republic Security Droid, are carried forward here with a mechanical base to the sculpt including the joints. All of these internal components are cast in dark grey with limited paint apps but plenty of crisp detail including control sections, hydraulics and joints visible. NED-B’s design also calls for an external set of panels which are cast in yellow and applied over the chest, legs, and arms with a construction feel to them and weathered using splashes of grey ‘mud’ paint.
The unique head features the same yellow design with a face plate complete with yellow eyes and a grey mouthpiece that works down into a corrugated neck in the internal grey. Decor is finished with some blue colouring around the collar of the figure and down the left arm. The droid also has a removable backpack - also cast in yellow with blue and grey detailing - that attaches via a socket on the rear of the droid with two wired/pipe pieces lining up with connections on the backpack once it's attached.
NED-B has 17 points of articulation, with the usual bicep swivel removed and a rotation added within the elbow joint to help arm motion. The head, on its twin-jointed neck, is quite expressive for a Droid that does not speak. The legs support the figure and some general upright stances, but feel loose at the ankle rocker which is a worry for such a bulky figure. The arms are a little more restricted and would have benefited from butterfly shoulder joints to allow the arms to be brought into the body to work with the included accessories.
These accessories include NED-B’s hammer which comes cast in the same grey plastic as his body, but with painted brown details on the shaft. It slots into either of the Droid’s hands and can just about be held in both hands albeit in a restricted position. We also get an E-5 Blaster, taken from the B1 Battle Droid releases, and cast in darker grey plastic but without any further decor. The blaster is obviously not designed for NED-B to hold - either in the setting of the show or in the case of the figure - but Hasbro has made it work by the positioning of the Droid’s three main fingers which are spaced to allow the top one to slot into the blasters trigger and hold it in place.
In the context of the Obi-Wan Kenobi series, NED-B is a neat background character whose yellow decor is a welcome change to the drab browns and blacks of many of the other Kenobi figures to date. Hasbro is very good at designing and executing Droid characters into figure form including the Droid’s own design into the articulation and NED-B is another example of that. He is perhaps let down slightly by the flat yellow colouring and basic weathering techniques and collectors on the fence may want to look forward to the late 2023 release of a Carbonized NED-B in a two-pack with a Phase II Purge Trooper as a more accurate representation for their collection?
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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...