Review: Star Wars Black Series NYCC Exclusive Mace Windu vs Darth Sidious from Revenge of the Sith

“It’s treason then.”

2025 marked the 20th Anniversary of Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith, and the two big Comic-Con exclusives were very much themed around the key duels from the climax to the Prequel Saga. At SDCC 2025, the set featured Obi-Wan vs Anakin on Mustafar, complete with a large diorama base. The matching NYCC exclusive, sold also at other Autumn Conventions, was the pairing of Mace Windu vs Darth Sidious in Palpatine’s Senate office. 

The Windu vs Sidious Set was available to buy at NYCC and other events such as MCM London in October. Limited stocks were sold via Hasbro Pulse after those events, first to Hasbro Pulse Premium Members and then as a general availability from the 3rd of November, with the set shipping immediately. The set features a similar design to that of the larger SDCC Mustafar set, but on a smaller scale. The box is a very matt black and very susceptible to fingerprint marks. Within the box, and on the front cover in particular, is an embedded glossy foil imager of Mace facing off against Darth Sidious. The Black Series logo and the supporting text on the box are colour-coded to the mainline Galaxy Collection accent colour of a burnt orange assigned to the Revenge of the Sith release 

Much of this front text is printed on a sleeve that wraps the bottom couple of inches of the box. This is also matt black, but with an upper black gloss band. On the back of the box, the text is printed directly on the box to position the build-up to this duel and how Palpatine’s role as the Sith Lord has just been revealed. The sleeve is taped into position, and those tape roundels must be cut to slide off the sleeve and give access to the box. Once done, you then have access to two opening front doors, which are also fixed with round, clear stickers at the top and bottom.

With all the tape panels cut, and the sleeve removed, the doors open at either side to both reveal the figures within and to extend outward as a diorama printed on the inside face with the Senate office, and this background extends into the box itself. While other sets of this nature often fix through the backing packaging, this set does present a nice display option either as the full box with the side doors opened, or by using the removable inner tray, which is also printed with the office window backdrop.

The Mace Windu release is identical to the 2019 mainline single release and replicates Mace in his Jedi Robes with an outer sand coloured tunic and painted dark brown belt. Under this, you can see the edge of a lighter inner robe, and that same colouring is used on his trousers to the point they are tucked into a pair of dark brown boots. The only painted-on detail is on the belt, with all the other parts cast in their base colouring.

Over the robes, we also get Mace’s outer robes as a soft goods solution. These use the established Jedi fabric that does a reasonable job of flowing naturally with the figure and scales pretty well. This is helped by the stitching, which keeps the hood fixed in place - it cannot be worn - and with seams up the side which shape the robes around the body.

The first headsculpt is new, and features a likeness of Samuel L. Jackson from circa 2005 with a grimacing expression in the height of the battle against Sidious. The head uses facial printing to enhance the likeness.

The second head is the same as the 2019 release and is a more neutral stern expression, again with applied facial printing.

When you compare this new Mace with the 2019 version, there are minor colour variations, with the new version having a lighter, more subdued tone to the robes and a variation in the skin tone. Other than this, the figures are identical. The heads swap out easily enough, and as all the Mace releases utilise the same base body, the alternative heads can be applied across the 2019 release and the Clone Wars versions. 

vs 2019 Mace Windu release (right)

Mace features an older format of articulation with 19 points in total and still includes pinned double joint knees and a thigh swivel. You do get what we consider more modern updates, as the original release spanned the transition into dual-jointed necks and a butterfly shoulder. This articulation allows the legs a wide range of movement, including an ability to kneel. The arms are a little bit more restricted than more modern Jedi’s, so while we have a butterfly shoulder, the maximum 90 degree bend on the elbows, and the shape of the tunic does hold back some of the double-handed grips on Mace’s lightsaber.

That lightsaber is a base hilt in silver/grey with black details and a touch of gold around the middle ridged section. Unlike alot of his fellow Jedi, Mace has no holstering option with no plug or hook facility on the hilt, meaning it can only be held in his hands with the piece fitting in either right or left gripping hands. The purple translucent blade clips into place as is the usual design, but the clip is slimmer than usual and will be a weak point if not handled with care or if used extensively.

The Palpatine/Sidious figure presents the Supreme Chancellor in his red hued robes as seen ahead of and during the fight with the Jedi and Mace Windu in particular. These are executed as soft goods for much of the outer robes with an outer red piece that acts like a sleeveless coat, shaped around the shoulders and hanging down to Sidous feet.

Under this is a brown robe, with sleeves, that fits the figure and with elastication at the wrists to hold the piece in place. This is also stitched at the front from the neck to the centre of the chest, allowing it to flare outward and alongside the outer red piece. Both robes use the same ‘Jedi’ material, and hang really well on the Sidious body and can be shaped around the figure in either neutral positions or in more dynamic positions.

The body underneath is sculpted with a burgundy robe tunic and a lower skirt with a sculpted sash belt. This is visible in the gap as the robes part and add a third layer to the Chancellor's robes. The legs are plain black but include more detailed, ridged boots in the same colour.

The first headsculpt is our first Palpatine head and a fantastic likeness to Ian McDiarmid with his sallow look and lighter skin tones, all treated with a facial print application that adds more realism around the eyes.

vs 2024 Darth Sidious release (right)

There is a second head of Palpatine after he is disfigured by his own deflected Force Lightning. This is a similar head to that of the 2024 Mainline Darth Sidious release which was hooded, this one is fully unmasked and captures the sadistic grin of Palpatine as he attacks Windu at the end of their battle.

Printing tech here does an even more spectacular job of creating that realism with deep shading in the folded and scarred skin, with red and pink tones around the yellow Sith eyes and around the mouth. The head comes with its own colour-coded pale skin neck, and the entire head and neck combo swaps out relatively easily.

The base body underneath all of the soft goods is the same as that of the 2024 Sidious, although the robes and hood used on the older figure do create a much different look as seen when he later battles Yoda.

Sidious is packed with his lightsaber, a re-use from that 2024 version, which is a simple silver grey hilt with a twist design around the main grip. There are gold details on the pommel and around the top section, just below the emitter. A translucent red blade clips into this, allowing display options with or without the ignited saber. We do not get the ability to holster Sidious’s saber hilt, but there is an option to slide the hilt into the stitched sleeve, securing it and having it slide into Palpatine’s hand from its secret location.

The Sidious base body has 17 points of articulation, lacking in particular butterfly shoulders, which limits a little bit of lateral arm movement back across the torso. Thanks to the outer soft goods, there is a lot of range in the figure with Sidious able to wield his lightsaber in attack or defense positons as well as able to gesture or hold some of the stances we see McDiarmid use playing the character. 

The articulation also allows the alternative hands, with incorporated Force Lightning, to be held outstretched. Swapping these out is trickier than usual and requires an increased level of force, and their may be a risk here of damage or wear over time. The hands are similar to the 2024 release, but the Lighting has been changed so that it not only stretches outward, but also features a section that is essentially reflected back.

The lightning is flexible in its translucent blue plastic, and these two strands can be used as an attack, tucking the return length into the hands to have multiple strands in an attack. Or, you can display these with Mace deflecting it back upon Palpatine, with these deflected strands able to be positioned outward and around Palpatine’s head and neck.

The set of course is themed to be a direct replication of the scenes in Palpatine’s Senate Office, and it ticks most boxes in being able to set this up in your display. The lightsabers and the force lighting also allow variation in what part of the battle you replicate, as do the heads, particularly that of the scarred Sidious head. 

The Mace is nothing new other than the grimacing head, and is essentially a rerelease and it might have been nice for him to get the same treatment of the 2025 Anakin and Obi-Wan and be re-designed using all the modern bells & whistles. The Palpatine is glorious, and it is a shame he only exists in this relatively expensive and limitedly available set, as I for one, would certainly like to have a couple of versions of the figure on display maximising the use of both wonderfull head sculpts. I do think there is a good chance that the figure may get a single release (like ROTS Kenobi and Anakin) and that Ian McDiarmid head certainly would allow for other looks for Palpatine seen through the Prequels as other future reelases.

In terms of packaging, I do wish Hasbro would settle on a format for these exclusives and while the theme is the same, this set has a very complex way of opening using what feels like an unnecessary sleeve, and then taping the doors shut so to simply see the figures the packaging has to be cut anyway. I do like the open display for those who want to do a bit of work turning it to a diorama for their display. While I am not an inbox collector, working out how I would display these and avoid those fingerprints would frustrate me.

The elephant in the room is the price, and at just over £60 I struggle it is more difficult with this release to see where the price is calculated. Single figures would run at £25 each, although it is rare for the Black Series general releases to include an extra head. The extra £11 is therefore paying for these extra parts, the special packaging, and the overall limited run of the set. Considering how the Mustafar set included a large diorama (albeit at an increased price) and the Bespin Duel is coming with a smaller diorama and yet just £10 more than this set, there does feel like a missed opportunity for a more permanent window backdrop display might have been presented, even at an enhanced price.

At the time of writing this set is available only at Hasbro Pulse

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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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