PRINCESS LEIA ORGANA Mynock Hunt
Power of the Force Cinema Scenes Collection
Item No.: Asst. 69650 No. 69868
Manufacturer: Kenner
Number: n/a
Includes: Breathing Mask, Display Stand
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $14.99-$19.99
Availability: Fall 1998
Appearances: The Empire Strikes Back

Bio: Fleeing the fierce Imperial assault on the frozen planet Hoth, the Millennium Falcon and the Rebel crew fly into the midst of a waiting Imperial war fleet. Unable to engage the Falcon's malfunctioning hyperdrive system, Han Solo steers recklessly into an asteroid field. Solo maneuvers the Corellian freighter through the deadly storm, missing large rocks by mere inches before locating sanctuary in the cave of a huge asteroid. Inside the cave it become apparent that the Falcon is in danger of being ravaged by mynocks. Large, winged parasites with an appetite for the mineral and energy-rich bulls of starships, mynocks can cause critical damage to star-freighting vessels. Forced to hunt the creatures before irreparable harm is caused to the Millennium Falcon, Chewbacca, Princess Leia, and Han Solo don breathing gear and venture outside. But the mynocks become a secondary concern once the Rebel crew discovers that the cave they're parked in is not a cave at all, but something large and very alive. (Taken from the figure's box.)

Image: Adam's toy shelves.

Commentary: Hey, chicks in gas masks-- Kenner found a new specialization! Princess Leia was part of the super-cool 1998 Mynock Hunt Cinema Scene, along with Bespin Han, the first-ever Mynock, and (at the time) Kenner's best take on Chewie yet. Each figure had minor retooling, and this was the first-ever modern Hoth Leia to hit stores. All three figures had removable gas masks and were designed for the sequence inside the space slug. Which, for the record, has been named the Exogorth recently. The Leia figure was a great one for her time-- she was short, but not too short. She wasn't overly beefy and her proportions weren't as wacky as some other figures. One problem, though, was the fact that many samples of her are slightly cross-eyed, as was Chewbacca and even Han to some extent. Leia's sculpt admirably re-created the outfit from the film, and aside from issues of height, articulation, and her head (hey, you can always improve a head) she holds up well to time. She doesn't fall apart easily, her mask slides right over her head, and she looks great. It's obviously Leia to look at her, and while it could be a smidgen more like Carrie Fisher, it's still pretty excellent. She was designed as a toy and as such, has aged well enough for me to still like it. I think you might like it too, but, of course, Hasbro could do better if they decided to give it a 21st century try.

Collector's Notes: Hasbro hasn't really tackled Hoth Leia since 1998, except for a Toys "R" Us exclusive which was based on Bespin Escape Leia with a new head and vest. While quite difficult to find in 1998, Mynock Hunt Leia (and the whole set) either became more common, or less desirable as new products hit. Or maybe both. All I know is that this was a $50+ set around late 1998 or early 1999 and today it's on eBay with a buy-it-now for six bucks. This exact figure was never released in another configuration, but a new-ish Hoth Leia from the comics is coming later in 2008. The Mynock Hunt Leia mold was modified and sold as an individually carded figure in late 1998 as a Fan Club exclusive in the USA and in varying levels of exclusivity overseas. ( MORE IMAGES )

--Adam Pawlus

Day 688: March 24, 2008