Royal Guards (Red and Blue versions)

Height: 10cm to top of helmet(both), 10.5cm to top of crest(blue version).

Articulation: 16 total points of articulation: ball-jointed neck; 4 points in each arm- double-jointed shoulder, swivel elbow, forearm swivel; swivel waist; 3 points in each leg- swivel hips, double-jointed knees.

Accessories: Cloth Cloak, Blaster pistol, Blaster Rifle, Stand.

Colors(blue version): Molded royal blue, blue, blue-gray, and black. Painted royal blue, blue-gray, black, rust red(holster) and silver(rifle).

Colors(red version): Molded bright red, maroon, dark reddish brown, and black. Painted bright red, gray, brown, black, and silver(rifle).

Colors (Stand): Molded dark metalflake gray. Painted tan and medium green.

Release Data: Released April 2nd, 2005 for an MSRP of $5.99. This item is still in production as of this writing (April 28th, 2005)

Gallery: 8 images.

Author: RAC

The Figure

One of the figures whose 1983 version I was perfectly pleased with was the Emperor's Royal Guard. Yes, it was molded in pretty much the same rigid pose as the other Star Wars figures of the time- but it didn't matter quite as much. Covered in cloth robes that obscured all but an arm, the bright red Royal Guard's upright inaction-pose worked, because of the cloth and because he seemed to be standing at attention. In this case, the standard Kenner approach served the costume design fairly well, I think.

I don't have that figure anymore, as far as I can tell- if so, it's trapped within the confines of the attic of my home, and thus not particularly accessible. But that's fine, because though it was decent for the time, that time is long past, and some particularly impressive advances have been made within the Star Wars line since then. The new Royal Guard is available in both the red version hailing from Return of the Jedi and a revised version of the blue Senate Guard first seen in The Phantom Menace, who now more strongly resembles his red counterpart.

Here's the trick, though: they share an assortment number- Collection 2, figure #23- and the distribution seems a bit wonky. Within the first week or two of the initial Revenge of the Sith figure release, I saw a pair of two blue guards in a store. Now, all but a month later, I spotted a pair of red guards at an entirely different store, with no blue guards in sight. If you're looking for a specific version, as I pretty much was, you may have bit of trouble. Even so, it's probably worth your time to find one, or both.

Since like Ryu and Ken, the only difference between the two Guards is head design and overall color scheme, this will be a joint review.

The Heads

The helmets are the only distinguishing features of the figures as far as molding goes. They're mounted on ball-joints, but due to the shape of the collars they don't add a lot to the figure's articulation. The blue Guard's crested helmet isn't quite as long as the red version's, and so it gets a few more degrees of swivel, but still not much. The details of the red guard's helmet also seem the slightest bit softer- probably a drawback of the glossy red plastic. It wouldn't be the first time I've seen problems along those lines.

The Arms

The shoulders have the same great swivel-and-hinge as Count Dooku and the Clone Trooper- they can do pretty much anything. The elbows, on the other hand, are angled swivels- the double-joint used by the Clone and Count are much more effective. Though, these elbows don't do badly, particularly when coupled with the forearm swivels, which have smartly been placed right where the gloves begin- a good, natural-looking choice. The right hand has obviously been shaped to hold the blasters, and does a fair job of it. I'd prefer a slightly better grip on the rifle, though.

The Torsos

Some of the best detail you'll never see, the elaborate armor design- based on the Royal Guards as seen in the Dark Horse Comic "Crimson Empire", or so I'm told- is obscured pretty much completely by the cloak. It's possible to pull back to cloak and get a decent look, or if you're brave you can pop the figure's head off- this also seems to be easier with the blue guard. Either way, it's a nice touch, even if it won't be seen most of the time. The swivel waist works nicely and turns unimpeded.

The Legs and Feet

The legs continue the detail seen in the torso, with long glossy black boots that end above the knee, with nicely-designed shin- and knee-guards in each Guard's primary color. The hips are the same swivel joints we've always had, and the knees are the Clone-style joint once again. Even though the figure lacks ankles, they did at least remember to include a stand, which allows for a bit more posing than these legs could accomplish on a flat surface.

On the right hip is a small molded holster for the included Blaster pistol, which works relatively well- the miniscule pistol does fall out sometimes, which could well be disastrous if you're not careful. I like it, though- the fact that the Guards essentially have a concealed backup weapon adds a certain character and appeal to the figure design.

Paint and Detailing

The visible paint and detailing- the black visors and the shoulder armor, pretty much- is clean, and nice. The parts you can't see- the body armor, the belt, and the holster, most notably- are pretty impressive-looking, with minimal paint bleed and some nice, fine detailing on the belt in particular. The difference in shades of blue on the prequel Guard's torso are particularly subtle and appealing.

Articulation gets 7/10

Sculpt and Deco get 9/10

Accessories:

-Cloth Cloak

The upside to a cloth cloak is that it is flexible, and detail of the like applied to this figure can be seen. The downsides are that the cloth is by its very nature out of scale, which is a bit more noticeable with this velvet-like material. And of course, there's the possibility of picking up dirt and dust, and the even more scary possibility of tearing. Despite the bulkiness, I think the cloth does fairly well for these figures. Moreso than some of the recent cloth-skirted Jedi, which look especially incongruous having only the skirts of their robes made of cloth. If you're going to use a separate material like cloth, consistency is the key, and if nothing else these figures have that.

The cloaks, I should add, are not intended to be removed, and the aforementioned head-prying would be necessary if you were of the mind to do so.

-Blaster pistol

Tiny. That's the only way to describe it. Obviously intended as a last-resort weapon from its size and location of storage, the pistol is rougly 1 and 1/4 centimeters long. There's a tiny handgrip and what at first appears to be a trigger-guard, but it's far too small to fit the Guard's fingers into. I believe it's actually supposed to be a hollow grip, the main intent of which in toy terms is to provide some resistance in order to keep such a small weapon in the hand and holster securely. Used in this way, it works very well for the hand, and not quite as well for the holster. Also, of course, it's prone to warping, so be careful.

-Blaster Rifle

The silver and black rifle is definitely an "Honor Guard" weapon- somewhat elegant in design, and far more ostentatious than the plain black weaponry used by the Clone Army. A molded plastic sling is attached, though it's hard to get a pose that holds the rifle securely on one shoulder. In use, there are two problems: first, the stock is a millimeter or so too long, making it hard to get a decent grip on the weapon. Second, the handgrip is a bit small, making it harder to get a decent grip on the weapon. Which is not to say that the Guards can't hold them- they can, but in the end, a two-handed grip is preferable, as the armpit and left hand are doing most of the work. The plastic used is also a bit soft and bends easily when held. Again, beware warping.

-Stand

Exactly the same as those included with Shaak Ti and Count Dooku. I now have three of these, and while there's a number of possibilities for connecting two or three of them, none of them look quite right, as the nicely-detailed patterns on the floor never match up. I'd like to see more stands like this, or more to the point, stands designed to compliment this mold. But not this exact mold all the time.

Accessories get 7/10

Closing Remarks:

The Royal Guard is something I always like to see: good costume design(s) executed well. Furthermore, these figures add a new dimension to the designs with a wealth of hidden detail. While not as out-and-out poseable as the Clone- ankles mean the world, sometimes- the articulation is not bad at all, and the included stands do aid them in that respect, if all else fails.

Before sales tax, I paid $5.25 for the blue Guard, which is slightly below the SRP, and $6.99 for the red version, which is slightly above. If you've happened upon the Guard variant you're looking for, $6.99 still isn't all that unreasonable, in my opinion. Depending on your feeling about cloth accessories, you may feel differently. It's a Very Good figure, and I have to admit to a great fondness for it above and beyond its technical merits. Particularly the red version- nostalgia has a way of doing that to people.

-RAC 04/28/2005