TUSKEN RAIDER with Massiff
Saga Collection 2
Item No.: Asst. 85714 No. 86750
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #0252
Includes: Massiff, leash
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $4.99
Availability: Fall 2002
Appearances: Attack of the Clones

Bio: Nomadic tribespeople, Tusken Raiders scavenge and pilfer the sparsely populated areas of Tatooine. Also known as Sand People, they are a vicious lot, frequently raiding unsuspecting moisture farms in the desert regions. The massiffs are equally as vicious with razor sharp teeth and agile movements. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam's toy room.

Commentary: Starting around the year 2000, you can see evidence in a number of toy lines that Hasbro was not exactly great at determining just how much product the market can absorb. 11th-hour repaints and head-swaps started popping up in a lot of lines just to fill the seemingly unending parade of demand for more robots, heroes, Jedi, soldiers, and more-- which is why we have the Tusken Raider with Massiff. Well, that and the Geonosian with Massiff was ultimately trimmed from the movie. To meet demand for more new product, Hasbro repainted a Tusken Raider from 2000, threw in the Massiff from just a few months earlier, and presto-- new figure!

The new deco is better than that of the 2000 "Desert Sniper" release of the figure, as it's a little more "I came from the desert" and a little less "look how clean my outfit is." This is important. The bandages are dirtier, and the figure looks a little meaner. This body would be repainted another time in 2004, which looks even better than this one. But let's get back to this figure-- he has an articulated waist, shoulders, neck, elbow, and wrist. He has leg joints, but they're effectively blocked by his costume. As such, he's great at holding his pet on the leash, and since no other accessories are included, the overall package is fairly satisfactory.

Accessories don't come much more interesting than the Massiff. This little guy has an articulated jaw, and loads of detail. While it would be nice if he could do more, this would no doubt raise the cost of this already fairly cheap figure, so it's a worthy addition to any collection or diorama as it is. But yeah, it could have a little bit more in the sculpt department, there's little room to improve the deco though. If you're a sucker for Tuskens, or need an army for A'Sharad Hett (and you do), get one or more of these. If you also happened to pick up the 2002 "Tatooine Attack" Anakin, he comes with a spare rifle and Gaffi stick-- which are great additions for this Tusken warrior.

Collector's Notes: This same figure with the same Massiff would be repackaged in 2007 as a Toys "R" Us exclusive. It would also have a variant repaint in a reddish color, both sets are still available in many regions. ( MORE IMAGES )

--Adam Pawlus

Day 756: May 31, 2008