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'08 | #12  Battle-Damaged Darth Vader - The Force Unleashed (Reviewed 4-15-2008) 

Includes:
• Lightsaber
• Removable helmet & armor
• Random Cheat Code for TFU
• Stand 

Click thumbnail for large image Spice: It appears the massive delays in the Force Unleashed video game will force our hand into starting reviews on these figures without much background information. This might be problematic with characters such as Evo-Troopers or Maris Brood who we know very little, if we have ever heard of them at all. To avoid speculation we'll begin with an old favorite in Darth Vader. The first thing that entered my mind when I first laid eyes on this figure back in early 2007 was what the hell happened to Lord Vader? The artwork on the packaging is fabulous as I don't think we've ever seen Vader looking like someone opened a case of heavy duty a$% whipping on our favorite Sith Lord.

Click thumbnail for large image One immediate eye catching aspect of the paint work is the gold "bling" that appears on the upper body armor. We can only hope this is due to a white hot effect and not a new liking to Rick James that has Darth Vader looking a little different. There is wear and tear all over the place. The ripped cape accompanied by exposed flesh all over his torso, it really makes you wonder who could do this to Darth Vader? They did a magnificent job from head to toe, or exoskeleton if you ever wondered what was under his boot! Another great aspect is the job they did lining up the helmet so you barely can notice the damage but black does tend to hide things well.

Click thumbnail for large image The removable armor was no doubt the highlight of the figure. The more you take off, the more you see the great job they did. The package art looks a little Hayden Christensen but under the armor I can see Sebastian Shaw. I think they did a great job of trying to recreate Vader's likeness in middle age. They didn't limit the great design to above the neck. I especially liked the surgical staples that are present on the stump of the left knee! The hole that the abdomen armor plugs into can nearly double as a wound, it's a wonder they didn't put a drop of paint in there to hide it a little better but I did find 2-1B's left arm plugs in quite nicely. (see photo below) They also did a great job by heavily articulating the figure in the knees, feet and ankles. They really went after my heart and didn't even use the rolling elbows that disgust most collectors.

Spice - As much as I hate to see a Darth Vader in any form, this quite frankly is a great way to bring back an old favorite. It really brings the anticipation level to uncharted levels as I'm sure we're all very anxious to find out who could have done this! The cheat code is a nice extra but with the rising cost of figures you'd hope for more for your money.

(Figure '08 | #012, Asst. No. 87500, Item No. 87486, Backing Card P/N 6726213900, Window Insert P/N 6652801800) 

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