[wp-review id=”75772″]

Sine 1977, there has been a villain in pop culture who has instilled fear from both his look and demeanor: His name is Darth Vader. Since then, there have been a several versions in film, cartoons, games, and comics. This version is from EPISODE VI: RETURN OF THE JEDI and he is available on Sideshow’s website. Let’s check out this figure.

PACKAGING:

The box for this is simple in black and with a sharp, grey “v” designs as well as Vader in different poses on both the front and back. On the top and bottom flaps is the Star Wars logo against solid black. This box also has the Sideshow Collectibles gatefold with the window showing the figure sealed in the box. Inside, Vader is tied with a ribbon, enclosed in a bubble pack. The next layer down has the stand broken down by the base and the post. It’s smart packing him this way to be able to get much thinner box. Plus, these boxes match up with the Hot Toys Star Wars line so for the box collector’s this fits in with the collection.

LIKENESS:

The height comparison between Vader and other figures is fairly true to scale. He stands at 13.75” off the base and 15” while on the base. Comparing him to other figures, Darth Vader towers over the Hot Toys Sandtrooper but stands a hair shorter (see what I did there?) than the Hot Toys Chewbacca from A NEW HOPE. On a side note, the height accuracy is very important to me because I feel like he would look odd as the same height as Luke or a standard 12″ figure.

As for his iconic helmet, the shape is accurate from the movie. It has the gloss that you see in about 85% of the film so as far as I’m concerned, the finish is accurate. I like that Sideshow decided to stick with the darker lenses. There has been an argument for years that the lenses are red but it depends on the scene, the film, and the lighting. There is no discrepancy when it comes to the lenses on this figure and not being able to see inside them adds a greater intimidation factor. The intricacies on mask are on point with the mouth area under the eyes, right down to the tiny silver “knobs” on the front. In a side view, you can see that the curve of the brim is exactly the shape it would be to match the Sith Lord on screen.

The tailored cape sits perfectly in practically any pose that I put him in. It can be draped back, lay on the shoulders or even around the front without there feeling like there is a lack of material. The material that runs the length of his body and under his belt to look like the style of clothing from that universe. One gripe I have is the way that the cape is when it is in the packaging. It seemed to get creased in the middle and getting the wrinkles out is very difficult due to the material. It’s a minor thing but I feel like it is worth mentioning. The two-toned armor plating that covers the top half of his chest adds to the powerful stature. It has a hi-gloss finish and it extends out to these flexible shoulder covers but I’ll get to that in a minute.

The light up chest box and belt boxes are just as important to get right than any other feature on the figure. When it comes to the light-up function of the chest box, the intricacies on that are also very accurate. The lettering on each light are clear and written in an Aurebesh-like language. The lights themselves move in sequential order and the lights on the belt boxes stay lit as long as the unit is on. It takes two button cell batteries inside a unit on his back to power everything with a simple on-off switch. His cape keeps everything hidden regardless of its position.

His armor is made of faux leather that covers his legs and arms. His hands, feet, and codpiece are made out of a rubber-like material that is sculpted to also resemble leather. The shin guards are a glossy plastic and match the height of the boots.

ACCESSORIES:

The accessories included are the 8 hands, 1 lightsaber hilt without blade, and 1 lightsaber hilt with a red blade. The rundown on the hands is 2 to rest on his belt boxes, 2 to hold the lightsabers, 2 closed fists, as well as 1 right ‘force’ gesture hand and left pointer hand. The various combinations of hands make for fun, powerful, and classic poses. There is also a black base stand and with the STAR WARS logo written on the bottom.

Including both lightsabers is a smart move because some of the lightsabers that disassemble increase the possibility of breaking or damaging the clear blade. The blade itself is translucent and it is extended to proper length to match Vader’s height. One thing that I don’t like about the blade is the finish on it because it is a little course so it doesn’t illuminate in the same way that it would if it had a clear finish.

ARTICULATION:

This figure has the typical points of articulation for a 1/6 scale figure. The head swivels and is removable if you’d like to do something with the helmet alone or if you are afraid that it will catch on any fabric. The joint at the chest allows the figure to be put in a position to “twist” and have a natural stance. The arms rotate properly and bend at the elbow with the hands swiveling as much as they should.

The legs bend at the knees in a 90° angle and the feet swivel at the ankles for better stabilization. However, my figure’s legs didn’t want to open wider than how he arrived. Could it be a fluke or was I not adjusting him to their full extent?

THE BOTTOM LINE:

I have several 1/6 scale figures from Sideshow and they have made an incredible figure with this Darth Vader. The accuracy of the helmet, the armor, and the accessories bring together the complete Sith Lord. As I mentioned, the cape crease is a very, very minor issue but it is a problem. Maybe it could be packaged separate or wrapped as I have seen with some other figures?

I love that he towers over the other figures that I have and he can easily do all of his signature poses to rule over your Star Wars collection. As a fan of the franchise, I think that this figure will satisfy anyone looking to add him to his or her collection. Overall, this is solid figure and I can easily recommend picking this up. Take a look at the review video included too!