TYCHO CELCHU A-Wing Fighter Pilot
30th Anniversary Collection Basic Figures
Item No.: Asst. 87500 No. 87411
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #3044
Includes: Helmet, skull cap, removable harness, coin
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $6.99
Availability: November 2007
Appearances: Return of the Jedi

Bio: Tycho has a pesonal interest in defeating the Empire: he lost his family when the first Death Star destroyed the planet Alderaan. A member of Rogue Squadron, Tycho draws off Imperial fighters during the Battle of Endor, so that the Rebels can attack the second Death Star. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam's toy room.

Commentary: One of the neat/annoying things about the Expanded Universe is that characters created for the novels and other materials are retroactively placed in the movies. He may have been Guy in Green Suit #12 back in 1983, but with the release of this action figure he's Tycho Celchu, a Rebel hero and a member of Wedge Antilles' Rogue Squadron. So for some fans, this is totally cool, and for others, it's a little weird. Me, I'm more or less OK with it because as far as I'm concerned Hasbro can crank out pilots all day long, especially if they're this good. Sure his hair is a little overly yellow, but since he has two helmets with which to cover his noggin, odds are you won't be too concerned about this. The face sculpt is good I guess-- I didn't have any expectations as to what I would have wanted Tycho to look like-- and some fans have commented it looks more like Luke Skywalker than most of Hasbro's Luke figures. I disagree. But I like to argue.

I really dig the figure's costume. Not content to do a typical green pilot with a fancy helmet, Hasbro really pimped this one out nicely. The back of his full helmet (pictured) has a flaming Rebel logo on it-- that's pretty cool. Both arms have a spiffy Rebel logo too, and the costume itself is in this great dark green color. The body is engineered to be super-articulated, which isn't necessary for a pilot figure but really nice to see. While you might be worried that a pilot figure might have difficulty sitting, worry not! Hasbro made the harness removable, it's even packaged beside the figure so it's obvious that, if you need to, it can come off. (He can still sit with it, but it's easier without it.) It's a great design, and I have little doubt we'll see the body reused again and again to make other pilots in the coming years. The only things this figure seems to be missing-- aside from the shitp-- it a gun. Most figures have some form of weapon if it's appropriate, and in this case, it would seem appropriate to have included one. So if you want to give him a gun, that's your call-- you'll have to steal it from another figure. This is one of the figures I was the most excited about in 2007, and I'm pretty happy with the end result. There are a few places where it could be slightly better, but it's certainly good enough to warrant your purchase. Buy it if you see it, it's pretty slick.

Collector's Notes: Fans have been asking for a new A-Wing pilot for a while, specifically one with a unique helmet-- which still hasn't been released yet. This sculpt will be modified and reused for a Wal-Mart exclusive vehicle later in 2008, at which point it will have that other helmet that, to date, hasn't been made on a full-size action figure. This figure, to date, seems fairly easy to find considering that there isn't much call for an individually packaged A-Wing pilot-- every modern-era A-Wing fighter has been bundled with a pilot so far.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 673: March 9, 2008