PIT DROID with Anakin Skywalker (Mechanic)
Power of the Jedi Collection 1
Item No.: Asst. 84445 No. 84254
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Anakin figure, removable limbs
Action Feature: Removable limbs
Retail: $6.99
Availability: Summer 2000
Appearances: The Phantom Menace

Image: Adam Pawlus' computer desk.

Commentary: This Pit Droid was more or less an accessory for an Anakin Skywalker figure from 2000, but I'd argue it's more interesting than the figure he came with. The unique green coloring and the rarely seen non-saucer headed droid was a unique choice, and Anakin can "dismantle" it and leave it in pieces if he's so inclined. The green figure can move at the shoulders and hips, and it looks pretty gnarly. Actually, it looks pretty minty-- it's not like some rusted/oxidized/whatever hunk of metal left in the desert for years, as some more recent releases have mastered. It just looks borderline delicious. With its pot belly and unusual design, it's a must-buy for droid fans but due to its unusual appearance, movie buffs may wish to pass on it. I'm fairly certain it never appeared in any of the films or even expanded universe materials, but it is based on a droid that did. It just wasn't green.

Collector's Notes: A one-time release (and not a popular one), this figure came out at about the time the market as a whole told Hasbro where they could stick their boy wonder Anakin Skywalker toys. As such, it came and went, and most fans really weren't too eager to get it even though it's a decent release.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 785: June 29, 2008