Darth Vader(s)!

Star Wars has been a huge part of my life since I was little. I collected Star Wars action figures long after my peers lost all interest in the franchise. At one point, I owned over 200 different action figures. But then, unfortunately, I grew up. I was moving soon, and I didn't have room for everything. And, I sort of lost interest... finally. So I threw most of my figures into a garage sale. But! I kept my favorites. 

When it all comes down to it, I'm pretty sure Darth Vader is my favorite Star Wars character. Sure, there are a handful of others that really got my attention, but Vader will always be in my heart. 

For my first Star Wars review, I've chosen two different but similar Darth Vader figures.

Let's start with The Power of the Force 2 Darth Vader (with Removable Helmet) from 1998.

I may be completely wrong, but my memory tells me that this was the first Darth Vader figure ever to feature his helmet-less-ness. I remember seeing this one for the first time as a kid and being really excited. I have zero clue what it is about this figure that is so impressive, but I absolutely loved being able to take the helmet off Darth Vader, look at his deformed face, and put the helmet onto a different figure. It was super fun, and I really wish I could accurately describe why it was. But I'm positive there are others who would agree that there was something special about this Darth Vader.

It looks like a pretty basic action figure, compared to what is offered today, but collectors will know that this Vader is a huge upgrade to previous versions. My first Darth Vader had minimal movement, a lightsable, and a horrible plastic cape. This upgraded figure still has a plastic cape, but it's more fitted to the figure's... figure... And it includes that little cape thing around his waist. I have no clue what it's called. If you do, please let me know.

The lightsaber is simple: black hilt, dark faded red blade. And I believe there are eight-ish points of articulation; the neck joint is a little iffy.

Here's what he looks like without the helmet. Let's take a closer look at the scarred head of Darth Vader.

You can clearly make out that there is some weird scarring starting at his forehead and leading to the majority of the back of his head. His eyes are pretty black and sunken in. And he's hooked up to that mouthbox thing that I've never understood the purpose of. (I know I ended that sentence with a preposition, but I couldn't figure out a better way to say it.) And I really dig the mechanics around the collar. It should be pretty obvious by now that the little details that don't matter much are what get to me. And these things are exactly what I'm into.

The last main feature of this figure is the removable hand. Not a huge feature (I can't think of any other Vader figure to include it), but it's nice.

Now it's time for The Legacy Collection Darth Vader from 2008.

So, if the PotF2 Darth Vader was an update on the original figure, this one is the update on this update. Ten years after the first Vader figure with removable helmet, we get a much more detailed version! 

If I counted correctly, this figure has fourteen points of articulation--a nice improvement on the 1998 version.  The plastic capes are now fabric, which has become pretty standard with most Star Wars figures these days. I'm not sure how I feel about the fabric capes. They're hard to control and make the figures look puffy to me. Plastic makes them look more sleek, in my opinion. I hate change.

The lightsaber is more detailed. The hilt is colored, and the blade is a brighter red, to match the updated color in the newer movies.

Now here are the fun differences of this figure. The helmet! It's not just simply a full helmet to take off. This helmet has two pieces to it! First, the dome is removed, and then the mask. When you first remove the dome part, little gold/bronze mechanisms on the outer edges of the mask are revealed. Another cool little detail that I'm of course excited about. And removing the mask reveals a much more detailed, much uglier face of Darth Vader than we've seen so far.

Being a kid, I thought the original unmasked Vader was pretty gruesome. This one definitely builds on that. It's not, like, cringe-inducing gruesome, but the detail is there and it's amazing that they were able to put it all on a 3.75" action figure. 

There's more bruising visible. Maybe not bruising, but discoloration. Veins. The red scar over the top of his head is really red. The eyes are visibly baggier. But, strangely, he looks happier. I know that's weird, but I definitely get the impression that this Vader is smiling behind that built-in harmonica.

There isn't much else to say about these two figures. I love them both, and I'm pretty sure I have one or two more Darth Vaders left to eventually review. But these are my faves, and I'm glad I decided to start my Star Wars reviews with them. I'll end with a few side-by-sides.