STAR WARS: Boba Fett - Vintage Edition

Presenting Boba Fett from the Star Wars Empire Strikes Back Vintage Edition toy line.

I've long been a fan of Boba Fett. You've gotta admire someone who - from the tragic death of his father, eked  out his own survival and established himself as an even greater Bounty Hunter than his father. At one time he was even able to fight Darth Vader to a debatable draw. Later her actually saved and sided with Darth Vader when Vader was being hunted down by Bounty Hunters. This earned Fett Darth Vader's respect if not his admiration.

Years later Fett survives being inside a Sarlaac not once, but twice (He was regurgitated the second time around). Fett would go on to becoming the Mandalore uniting his people against the Yuuzhan Vong and siding with the Galactic Empire. At this time though his health was failing due to the fact that, as a clone of Jango Fett, his aging was accelerated. Boba had already lived far beyond what he was designed to. With the help of his granddaughter he was able to find a cure, but his granddaughter ended up dead at the hands of Darth Caedus (Jacen Solo) who then used her DNA to release a technovirus that would prevent Boba Fett from ever returning to Mandalore.

Boba would later rescue Chief of State Daala (Former Imperial and not head of the Galactic Alliance) from the Jedi Council who was holding her prisoner for war crimes against the Jedi. She promised him a cure for the technovirus.

Vintage Edition Boba Fett's blister card doesn't say anything about the character. It just shows the original carded-figure that was released in 1980 to 1982 and talks about how the toy-line changed the universe forever so they decided to re-capture these iconic characters in incredible detail and added premium features to commemorate each epic tale in the Star Wars saga.

Unfortunately I found the figure on display in Toy Kingdom and his packaging was really bashed up probably because some unscrupulous sales agent thought he was rare (Too early to tell if he really is) and hid him in a storage locker hoping one of his regulars would come along and pay him for hiding it for them. Boba Fett's packaging became so warped that it didn't make sense to try and keep him in his card. So I opened him.


Vintage Edition Boba Fett comes with everything you see here:

• Jango Fett's Helmet (repainted). This was no ordinary Mandalorian Helmet. The helmet heightened Boba's senses; could record and play-back video; provide a 360 Heads-Up-Display; interact and control Slave 1; intercept/jam and unscramble comlik and starship communications; connect to computer databases - including the stock-market; temporarily seal itself to protect Boba from vacuum conditions; filter poisons; act as a rangefinder for his weapons-systems; automatically compensate for light/dark, AND; extend a straw so that Boba does not have to remove his helmet to take a drink.  
• His original duraplast armor - not removable - with power armor liner that gave him additional protection from physical impact and extreme environments; all over a reinforced armor mesh that had anti-toxins and anti-corrosion properties. Of particular note here is that you can see Boba Fett's chest emblem - which is of unknown origin on the right of his chest plate, and; the Mandalorian Mythosaur crest of bravery on his left shoulder-pad. 

• Unfortunately, the three wookie scalps on his right shoulder pad are not that detailed and it honestly just looks like one braid. I'd repaint that part. 
• A Zacros K-11 "Disintegrator" pistol, similar to the pistol used by his dad hangs in a very nice holster at his rear right hip. Kinda makes it hard for Boba Fett to sit down though - and actually draw - but I'm sure it there's a military reason why it's in a so awkward position. Note the detailing that also went into his his utility belt.
• A Mintrinomon Z06 Jetpack. These only had fuel enough for three 20-second blasts or roughly one-minute of continuous flight - so use it wisely. The Jetpack came with a standard magnetic grappling hook that could be replaced with an anti-vehicle homing missile.

• An EE-3 Carbine rifle - a more powerful version of the Imperial Stormtrooper's blaster with a fast-draw shoulder sling and a sniper scope attached. 
• Wrist gauntlets which had several hardpoints where you could attach various weapons. In this case, he has a Kelvarex Consolidated Arms MM9 mini-concusson rocket on his left and the fibercord whip that Luke Skywalker cut in the movie on his right. His left gauntlet is supposed to have a flamethrower, but it is missing. Even the fuel line is not present. There is a wrist laser in it's place.

What's to like about the Star Wars Vintage Edition Boba Fett?

What? You're still not in love with it after all that detailing? I haven't even mentioned how scuffed up he looks (Though honestly! You're the richest Bounty Hunter in the Universe and you can't afford a regular paint job? There's a reason why things are painted Boba. Don't you remember how pristine your dad's armor looked? How about simply removing that dent - nice piece of detailing by the way - from your helmet?)

Also we have to appreciate the Vintage Edition Boba Fett can remove his helmet:

But my favorite thing about the Vintage Edition Boba Fett is his wonderful articulation - and for once there's no spring loaded mechanisms that limit his articulation. His articulation is comparable to the animated series Boba Fett released in the Star Wars 30th Anniversary Coin Collection.

 

What's NOT to like about the Star Wars Vintage Edition Boba Fett?

NOTHING!!!!! Just kidding. There are still a few items that can be improved with Boba Fett. Vintage Edition Boba Fett's hip joints just go up and down, he can't spread his legs - other wise his articulation would be perfect. 

That jetpack of his also keeps popping off. It doesn't flush neatly to his back and the peg is a little too small for the hole on his back.

And lastly, that is NOT an EE-3 Carbine Rifle. I have no idea what that is. So purists will not be happy with the rifle - though it does look cool and Hasbro put a lot of thought on the detailing and weathering of the weapon.

All-in-all though, this is a wonderful figure! Grab it if you can. I purchased this Vintage Edition Boba Fett for the retail price of PhP 499.95 (Roughly US$ 11.63) from Toy Kingdom in Megamall. It is available on Amazon from between US$ 17.95 to US$ 24.99 (Roughly PhP 772 to PhP 1,074 plus shipping) which means that it's rare, but probably not to-kill-for rare.

Jango: BOBA!!!! What have you done to my armor!!!
Boba: You're not really my father!!!!

L-R 30th Anniv Animated Series Boba Fett, Power of the Force Boba Fett, Vintage Edition Boba Fett, Saga Legends Boba Fett and the 30th Anniv McQuarrie Concept Boba Fett

One last negative thing about this figure is that it was made in China which is currently trying to bully the Philippines - where I and the Dungeon are - from fishing grounds that are practically a stone's throw away from our shores. Rather than defer to international courts and treaties, China would rather resort to saber rattling and threatening a country that cannot fight back. They've actually gone so far as to announce on public television that the Philippines belongs to China. This type of expansionist thinking once plunged the world into a World War. So pray do pray for all of us. Or better yet, write your local Chinese consulate or get to know more about the Panatag Shoal crisis.