BOBA FETT Unleashed
Star Wars Unleashed Regular line and exclusive reissue at Target
Item No.: Asst. 85002 No. 84985
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Sarlacc base
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $14.99-$19.99
Availability: Late 2003, Fall 2006
Appearances: Return of the Jedi

Bio: As the hunbgry Sarlacc holds Boba Fett in its lashing tentacles, you would expect Fett to rage at fate for bringing him to this hideous circumstance. But Fett never allows himself a second of weakness or self-pity. From the moment he witnessed the brutal death of his father in the first battle of the Clone Wars, Boba Fett has dealt with the injustices and vagaries of life in a cold, calculating manner. Encased in armor and hidden behind a battle helmet, Fett has cut himself off from the universe, protecting himself from the dangers of his work as a bounty hunter, and also, perhaps, from the pain of loving and losing anyone else dear to him. Even as he struggles within the deadly Pit of Carkoon, Boba Fett exemplifies a harsh enforcer of his own code of honor and justice. He is armed not only with powerful weapons but also with the superb survival and martial arts skills taught to him by his father. If it could be possible for anyone to emerge alive from the carnivorous maw of the Saracc, that person would be Boba Fett. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' toy room. The 2003 release is pictured.

Commentary: If you weren't a store, odds are you loved the Unleashed line of figures that ran on and off from 2002 to 2007. After basically killing it off in 2005, Hasbro brought back a few figures as exclusives which killed the secondary market on them (arguably a good thing) while showing just what they could do with such a line. It didn't work. But we'll always have the memories, won't we? This Boba Fett figure came out in 2003 and is awesome. These roughly 7-inch scale figures had very little or no articulation, but Hasbro paid a fair amount of attention to the detail. While not really action figures, these statues managed to bring the detail of products from higher-end companies at a lower-end price. Seriously, for $20, this item is really incredible. The base has the Sarlacc attacking Boba Fett, complete with tentacles. As an added bonus, there's no sign of the 1997 Special Edition "mouth," so love it or hate it, it isn't here.

Hasbro's intent with this release seems to be to capture either the death of Boba Fett or his escape. Take your pick, as the Unleashed line was all about artistic interpretation to some extent anyway. (Padme, for example, was obviously designed by a fan of the work of Frank Cho.) While not the best sub-$20 Boba Fett ever made, it's darned good. If you want a single piece to keep in your office, or to have out as a cool-looking toy that doesn't really look like a toy, this figure is a great item for you to track down. Gentle Giant's products have more detail on them (take a look at the Bust-Ups pieces) but, as far as size, price, and availability goes, you can't beat this figure. Unless you want a 3 3/4-inch figure, in which case you've got some options. Nearly five years after its release, the figure holds up nicely. Still, with a slightly larger budget, Hasbro probably could've painted it up to look like an even higher-end collectible.

Collector's Notes: In 2003, this figure was released in a large cardback. In 2006, it was released as a Target exclusive in a clear tube-like package with the figure mostly assembled. The latter looks better if you plan on keeping it packaged. The toys are essentially identical. Before the reissue, it wasn't uncommon for this release to hit close to $100. Today, with the ressue, it's quite easy to get for $20 or less as Target clearanced these out quite cheaply in a very short period of time. (MORE IMAGES )

Day 656: February 21, 2008