I’m getting this set WAY late but I couldn’t take it any more. I had to know. The MAFEX C-3PO and R2-D2 set from last year gave me my favorite astromech and my most hated protocol droid, if not action figure, ever. Does the Star Wars: The Force Awakens set with BB-8 redeem Medicom in my eyes? Spoiler: Yeah, it does.
It takes a lot for me to hate an action figure. First and foremost, fiddliness. I don’t even know if that’s a word, but it is now. If I have to fiddle constantly to get it to do something, that’s a mark against it. I’m okay with a little, but over and over and over? No, bad toy, bad.
Second, fallapartiness. Again, not a word, but you know exactly what I mean. When you pick up a figure and something falls off? Bring the anger. When it’s a limb? Yeah, rage inducing.
Both of those aspects killed the first MAFEX C-3PO for me. To the point that I never wanted to take the time to even fix it. Which is really a shame because it looks beautiful. Emphasis on “looks.” It’s got the right curves, the nice proportions, the perfect finish. That desert look with a little shine here and there. So it has stood on my main shelf since it’s release. Standing, never messed with for fear of falling apart. A constant reminder of what MAFEX used to be.
Used to be.
The new C-3PO is what the first one should have been. Solid build and articulation. Medicom went in a shorted the ab piece to bring the height down a smidge, putting the size exactly where it should be. I did have the back of the head come off out of the package but that’s not a major joint or point. Glue, done. The only problem with it is it’s not the dirty, weathered version from the OT. I’m okay with the shiny and the red arm, I really am, but I need an OT 3PO 2.0 now. This does give me some push to go back and fix the first one though, so there’s that.
Oh, and the BB-8 is pretty damn awesome.
I picked up this set directly from Dorkside Toys. And I mean directly. I handed them the money at Star Wars Celebration, they gave me the figures. Great guys!
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C-3PO:
BB-8:
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