Definitive versions of prequel core characters please

[Devo]

I think Hasbro, in the case of the Prequel trilogy, has misconstrued the common complaint amongst collectors that they constantly rehash core characters and make too few background aliens and droids. Apparently they have understood it to mean that collectors don't want the core characters at all and therefore these are usually made with kids in mind. This is simply not how it is. We do indeed want the core characters every bit as much as kids do but since Hasbro seem so mindbent on thinking that kids need to be attracted by gimmicks we collectors are less inclined to buy these because we just cannot stand action features.

So why not do it both ways? Make action feature versions of core characters for kids and collector-aimed versions too. Better still, forget the former altogether. A child isn't going to be turned off an Obi-wan figure because it doesn't have a lightsaber slashing attack or a jedi kick. The sooner Hasbro cops onto this simple fact the happier we'll all be.

So Hasbro, stop seeing every prequel core character in every outfit they come as a kids-only opportunity for gimmicks which even kids wouldn't be bothered actually using in their play sessions on account of how ineffective and awkward looking they are. A child will buy into the same thing collectors will with as much eagerness - poseability with little to no detriment to the sculpt, accuracy, detail, non-action feature accessories etc.

Heres a list of prequel core characters that kids and collectors really want - it does not account for existing figures which may fulfil the criteria (depending on opinion) nor does the list for one film account for similar suggestions for another

Phantom Menace:

Jedi Robes Qui-gon (Hood down)
Jedi Robes Qui-Gon (hood up)
Jedi Robes Qui-gon (battle posing)
Super articulated Theed duel Qui-Gon
Jedi Robes Obi-wan (Hood down)
Jedi Robes Obi-wan (Hood up)
Jedi Robes Obi-wan (battle posing)
Super articulated Theed duel Obi-wan
Fully robed Darth Maul (hood up)
Fully robed Darth Maul (hood down)
Fully robed Darth Maul (battle posing)
Super articulated theed duel Darth Maul
Jedi Robes Mace Windu (seated at jedi council)
Yoda (seated at jedi council&feet scuplted accordingly)

Attack of the Clones:

Jedi Robes Obi-wan (hood up)
Jedi Robes Obi-wan (hood down)
Jedi Robes Obi-wan (battle posing)
Super articulated Geonosis duel Obi-wan
Jedi Robes Anakin (can't remember if he ever had a hood...)
Jedi Robes Anakin (battle posing)
Super articulated Geonosis duel Anakin
Neutral pose wedding ceremony Anakin
Neutral pose peasant disguise Anakin
Super articulated Geonosis duel Count Dooku
neutral pose Yoda
action pose Yoda (capable of double handed saber grip)
Yoda (seated at Jedi council&feet sculpted accordingly)
Jedi Robes Mace Windu
Jedi Robes Mace Windu (action posing)
Jedi Robes Mace Windu (seated at Jedi Council)
Super articulated Geonosis arena Mace Windu

Revenge of the Sith:

Jedi Robes Obi-wan (hood up)
Jedi Robes Obi-wan (hood down)
Jedi Robes Obi-wan (battle posing)
Jedi Robes Obi-wan (seated at Jedi council)
Super articulated lightsaber duel Obi-wan
Jedi Robes Anakin (again not sure if he wears hood...)
Jedi Robes Anakin (battle posing)
Super articulated lightsaber duel Anakin
Neutral pose robed Darth Vader (Hood up, yellow eyes)
Robed Darth Vader (striking out with lightsaber)
Charred Darth Vader
Arms folded (Helmeted) Darth Vader
Medical bay Darth Vader
Jedi Robes Mace Windu
Jedi Robes Mace Windu (battle posing)
Jedi Robes Mace Windu (soft goods robe and Super articulation underneath)
Jedi Robes Mace Windu (seated at jedi Council)
Neutral pose Yoda
Battle pose Yoda (capable of double handed sabre grip)
Jedi council Yoda (seated&feet sculpted accordingly)
Darth Sidious (action posing)
Darth Sidious (soft goods and superarticulation underneath)
Darth Sidious (force lightning posing)
Darth Sidious (neutral posing)
Darth Sidious/Emperor (seated)
Palpatine Office duel (action posing)
Palpatine Office confrontation (seated)
Palpatine seperatist cruiser (seated&shackled)
(possibly more considering the film isn't out yet)

IMO 'super articulation' on 'human' figures should exclude ball jointed necks as these tend to look awkward. Facial expressions should be neutral in all but action posed figures. Use of soft goods should be minimalist like on Episode I Qui-gon jinn Jedi master and the Obi-wan figure released at the same time. Jedi Robes should be plastic except (and perhaps not in all cases) on battle poseable figures

[El Chuxter]

I'm not sure I'd go quite that far, but I think we need figures of the same quality as ROTS Collection 2 for Qui-Gon, TPM Jar Jar, any pretty much every possible Anakin, Obi-Wan, and Mace. Please take into consideration that us adult collectors haven't had a great Mace figure since the Sneak Preview Mace back in 1999!

[Darth Sidious]

Cool idea, but I was thinking that, instead of releasing many figures of one character, Hasbro could release "perfect" versions of each character. For instance, Sidious: give him soft goods, articulation like mad (so he can sit OR stand OR be battle-posed), interchangeable heads/hands, force lightning, lightsaber, lightsaber handle, throne, cane... hell, even give him interchangeable robes. A CommTech chip or internal voice chip wouldn't be a bad idea either (for all figures). Same with...Vader, for example: Removable 2-piece helmet, full articulation, soft goods, meditation chamber and/or operating table, interrogation droid, mouse droid, holoprojection of a choking officer, removable limbs, interchangeable hands like a closed fist, force-choke, etc., lightsaber, saber handle, Luke's Lightsaber, Han's blaster ala ESB, even different, transparent torso/arms/head for the "shocked-by-Emperor" look. I think many people would go for that, they could be priced like Deluxe figs. Oh yeah, a real metal chain for vader's cape, a metal brooch for Palpy's robes, metal saber handles, etc.. No going cheap on these. They could even make Vader's armor metal (if they found a way to prevent tarnishing/paint-chipping), that would be awesome. Many might disagree though, this is just my opinion.

[Spaced Slugg]

I would kill for definitive versions of Mace, AOTC and ROTS Obi-wan, ROTS Anakin with and without hood and a Qui-Gon Jinn that actually looks like Liam Neeson!
I have no faith in the upcoming Mustafar hooded Anakin he looks like a lump of turd to me.
As for soft goods they don't always work, like the 2 tone Saesae Tiin...hideous!
I don't even care about articulation, you can get quite a bit of posability with ball jointed shoulders, swivel cut elbows and turning wrists, like ROTS Ki-adi Mundi.
There is no need to ruin a good sculpt with unnessesary articulation, I like what they did with the Dagobah Luke and his interchangable arms if they had given him 2 more arms a blaster and a lightsaber he would have been awesome, maybe these figures could also benefit from changable limbs.
Just make them Hasbro and make them look good and make them soon!

[Devo]

I did kind of run away with myself with that list. I wasn't planning on it being quite so extensive. Then again its not totally unfeasible given that Hasbro will want to continue issuing core characters throughout the whole timespan of the license and maybe in some years core character figures will be particularly thick on the ground - so one can hope.

You see I used to be of the attitude that I only need one Han Solo in smuggler outfit or just one or two R2-D2s. But since joining these forums my collecting habits have changed. In many ways I've been influenced by Tycho, a non-completist collector who sets up many different dioramas simultaneously and therefore needs multiple versions of core characters. So Hasbro's attitude of 'oh we need to keep putting out core characters for kids and the casual buyer' now suits me fine. My point is that it'll be more worth their while going to the same effort on these as the fans choice figures because all possible target audiences will buy them - kids, collectors and casual buyers. Action features potentially alienate two of these buyer categories, namely the collector and the casual buyer. So why go that route?

The jedi figures in ROTS collection 2 have been excellent for the most part. I was sceptical about Ki-Adi-Mundi's soft goods but they're actually not that bad and the figure is sculpted and articulated quite well enabling great poses. I like Saesee Tinn although as Spaced Slugg pointed out the soft goods are a completely different shade of brown to the plastic of the torso which lets the figure down, along with the legs being a bit too close together. The soft goods on Luminara and Shaak are probably the best use of soft goods we've seen throughout the whole Star Wars line. Although some people don't like the look of Kit Fistos face everything else about him is fantastic.

Meanwhile Dooku is the figure which prompted me to start this thread. He is, for me, "definitive". I don't fault him on any count* (pun not lost on me though not intended). Sculpt is great, likeness is as good as it could possibly be in this scale, articulation is great allowing neutral and action poses and I even like the cape. And he's good for AOTC aswell, its the same outfit. Ergo he is definitive.

So why are we still waiting for definitive versions of the primary jedis in the prequel films? How many times does anticipation have to be built up by an announcement only to be knocked down when it turns out that yet again 'this ones for the kids'? Something like what Darth Sidious suggested might fit the bill of what anyone of any age whose interested in Star Wars toys would want.

* well OK maybe he could have had interchangeable hands and a small peg on his lightsaber hilt so it could be fitted to his belt.