logo Sign In

Info: Clarifying The Mystery of Kenner's Last 17 & Other Stuff

Author
Time
 (Edited)

Most of this is probably old news to long time collectors, but here goes.

I’ve noticed (especially on other sites) that there is a bit of confusion as to what were or weren’t the so called final 17 figures. Well, I pulled out my trusty EV-9D9 action figure card and took a look. To the novice or uneducated it would appear that Lumat and Paloo are included as part of the last 16 figures (17 when you count Yak Face). However, this is not the case. Paloo and Lumat were part of the last series of ROTJ figures. Why they are shown in the line with the final figures is a mystery. So in actuallity there were only 15 final figures released by Kenner as their new Power of the Force collection. Picturing these two figures with the final series of figures has led to people thinking that Kenner produced a final 17 new figures. Just take a look at the listings on ebay and you’ll see what I mean. Has this erroneously lead to these two rather common ewoks to be priced higher on the open market? It would seem so. Although I don’t have any hard evidence to that effect. Of course anyone in the know would immediatly figure out which two ewoks were part of the final 15. Those are Warok and Romba not Lumat and Paloo.

So, if you are looking for the final 15 Kenner figures, here is a reference list.

A-Wing Pilot
Amanaman
Anakin Skywalker
Barada
Lando Calrissian (General Outfit)
EV-9D9
Han Solo in Carbonite Chamber
Imperial Dignitary
Imperial Gunner
Luke Skywalker (Stormtrooper Disguise)
Luke Skywalker (Battle Poncho)
R2-D2 with pop-up Lightsaber
Romba
Warok
Yak Face

Kenner also wasn’t consistent with how many figures there actually were. The POTF series lists that there are 92 action figures to collect. This is incorrect. There are 96 all together. 92 plus the original R2-D2, original C-3PO, R2-D2 with sensorscope and Yak Face. If you include the blue Snaggletooth (some count him but I don’t) then there are 97. Things can get really complicated if you start to count different variations of the figures. For example, Han Solo with a small head and Han Solo with a large head or Ben Kenobie with white hair and beard and Ben Kenobie with grey hair and beard. I don’t know of all of the different variations on the figures. I can say that if you got Bossk free versus buying him in the store, there are parts of the free one that isn’t painted (namely his costume around the legs) while the store bought one is painted. It would be interesting to note all of the different variations. If you know of any please go ahead and post it. I’d be curious to see what was done differently.

Keeping The Star Wars Hoiliday Special alive. Once person at a time. Stir, stir, whip, whip, stir, beat, beat.
Author
Time
I would include the Artoos, the 3PO, and Yak Face in the count.

Blue Snaggletooth I'm not so sure about since he was a regional exclusive. I'd tend not to even thought I insist on having him in my collection to consider it "complete". I think he came with some kind of Sears-only playset that was available in New England.

Variations, definitely not. I've got so many variants, it's sick.
"You fell victim to one of the classic blunders, the most famous of which is 'Never get involved in a land war in Asia'."
--Vizzini (Wallace Shawn), The Princess Bride
-------------------------
Kevin A
Webmaster/Primary Cynic
kapgar.typepad.com
kapgar.com
Author
Time
Bossk, the infamous blue Snaggletooth was part of a Sears only Cantina playset. It really wasn't much. Some cheap cardboard floor and backdrop. But it did come with all four of the 'new' Cantina creatures figures. I remember seeing it in my 1979 Sears Christmas catalog and I lived in Indiana at the time.
Keeping The Star Wars Hoiliday Special alive. Once person at a time. Stir, stir, whip, whip, stir, beat, beat.
Author
Time
Okay, so it wasn't regional, but it was Sears. Who were the other three cantina figures included? Are they exclusives, too?
"You fell victim to one of the classic blunders, the most famous of which is 'Never get involved in a land war in Asia'."
--Vizzini (Wallace Shawn), The Princess Bride
-------------------------
Kevin A
Webmaster/Primary Cynic
kapgar.typepad.com
kapgar.com
Author
Time
The other three were Greedo, Walrus Man and Hammer Head. No, they weren't exclusives. They were the same ones that came out in the stores in 79. I was never sure why Snaggletooth was tall and blue for Sears but short and red for the general public. I guess Kenner just didn't have the correct specs for the character and later had to change it. I do know that the red Snaggletooth seemed to take forever to hit the stores.
Keeping The Star Wars Hoiliday Special alive. Once person at a time. Stir, stir, whip, whip, stir, beat, beat.