#596 STAR WARS - QUEEN AMIDALA, PADME NABERRIE and CHEWBACCA (1997)

I bought these figures a long time ago in a flea market. I thought (as many many other collectors) that these might become high valuable collectables some time. Both blisters were partly opened, and the comm-chips had been removed, but they were cheap, so I didn´t care.

These figures were a bit different to what there was available at the time. The figures are very similar to the actors playing the characters in the film, so the figures have very nice, realistic sculpt. The technique used for the sculpt was probably something new. Until then, all action figures that had to resemble real people were somehow not very accurate, and that was the main attraction of this toyline for me.

 The first two figures belong to the Episode I movie and were sold in "Episode I" red blisterpacks. Chewbacca is casted as it appears in the Episodes IV, V and VI, and was therefore in a "Power of the Force" green blisterpack. They were just more merchandising from the Star Wars´ franchise, but unlike the figures made by Kenner from 1977 on, these didn´t caught the attention of young collectors, probably because of the overwhelming number of other merchandising items (for example video-games).

The figures were not very successful among children, but some adult collectors bought them massively or remained in the store shelves and were cleared out at very low prices (and bought by people who thought about reselling them). Even today, almost 20 years after, they are very easy to find MOC. And at the same prices (+/-) than 20 years ago!

Note: I forgot to include in the pictures the rifle that came with Chewbacca. i'll try to correct the pictures soon. This last photo with the blue background was taken from forum.rebelscum.com/t1105419-30/, the best source of  information for Star Wars figures.

Note2: Padme Naberrie's toy pictures will be added later.

FACTS and FIGURES:

• Name: QUEEN AMIDALA, PADME NABERRIE and CHEWBACCA
• Toy Line: STAR WARS EPISODE I and STAR WARS POWER OF THE FORCE
• Year: 1997
• Company: Hasbro (U.S.A.)
• Size of the figures: 8 cm