- "Long ago in a galaxy far away, the Star Wars saga began and Kenner continues the excitement!"
- ―Kenner toy commercial
Kenner's Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back vintage toy line ran from 1980 to 1982, following the success of Kenner's original Star Wars toy line. This line featured a variety of characters and vehicles from the 1980 film Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back. It was succeeded by Kenner's vintage Return of the Jedi toy line in 1983.
Development[]
Kenner's The Empire Strikes Back line re-released many toys from the original Star Wars line but with the new film's logo on the packaging.
Although Star Wars author Stephen J. Sansweet noted in his 1999 book Star Wars: The Action Figure Archive that Kenner's The Empire Strikes Back product line lasted from 1980 to 1982, he later stated in his 2012 book Star Wars: The Ultimate Action Figure Collection that the line lasted until 1983. In fact, The Empire Strikes Back line's final toy releases came in 1982 before Kenner transitioned to its Return of the Jedi line in 1983.
The end of the Empire line included a special mail-away offer for the Admiral Ackbar action figure to serve as a preview for the next movie and toy line, still titled Revenge of the Jedi at the time.[5]
Continuity[]
"4-LOM" action figure based on Zuckuss
The toy line erroneously named the 4-LOM action figure "Zuckuss," and the Zuckuss figure "4-LOM." Since neither name was used on film, many considered those names to be accurate for years. Kenner's mistake was not rectified until West End Games' Galaxy Guide 3: The Empire Strikes Back in 1989.[6] The 4-LOM figure was originally made available as a special mail-away offer before its regular release.[7]
In a cut scene from The Empire Strikes Back, the character Sate Pestage was intended to have an appearance as a hologram warning Darth Vader of the Emperor's imminent transmission. He was referred to as the "Grand Vizier."[8] Hints of this scene can be found on the box for Kenner's "Darth Vader's Star Destroyer" playset, explaining that the image in the red plastic viewing screen is the Grand Vizier.[9] Some toy catalog ads for the toy changed the title to "Grand Emperor."[10]
The generic name "AT-AT Commander" was used for the figure based on General Veers, but his proper name did appear in exclusive action figure sets sold by Sears Canada in 1981. Toy catalogs for these sets referred to the figure as "AT-AT Commander Veers", while the toy package itself used "General Veers."[11][12]
A 1980 Sears Canada catalog features sets including the Ugnaught figure (based on the character later named Yoxgit) but calls him "Tusk from Ugnaught."[11] The name was apparently taken from a reference photo from Lucasfilm that had handwritten notes identifying the Ugnaught as "Tusk."[13] The final toy package simply used the same generic term as the US version.
Though most of the line featured toys based on the film, a few original items were produced. The Imperial Troop Transporter, re-released in this line as the "Imperial Cruiser", had already appeared in fiction as early as the Star Wars Marvel Comics series. To avoid the high cost of creating large vehicles for the line, small Mini-Rig vehicles that did not originate in the films were created. Many of these went on to appear in the fiction of both the Legends and later canon continuities.[14]
Table of action figures[]
The table below takes information as given on the cards with which each action figure debuted. After the debut of an action figure, details in the packaging, the shape of the action figure, and the name of the action figure were subject to change. No one characteristic (name, shape, or product number) completely defines the list, rather all the characteristics taken together form a clear list.
The identical name "Bespin Security Guard" is given to two action figures. The first figure (No. 39810) is white, the second figure (No. 69640) is black. On card backs, the two Bespin Security Guards are shown separately, but labeled with the same name.
| "Wave" | Debut package card | Action figure | Product no. | Debut year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| D | 31-Back "The Empire Strikes Back" | Leia Organa (Bespin Gown) | No. 39720 | 1980 |
| D | 31-Back "The Empire Strikes Back" | FX-7 | No. 39730 | 1980 |
| D | 31-Back "The Empire Strikes Back" | Imperial Stormtrooper (Hoth Battle Gear) | No. 39740 | 1980 |
| D | 31-Back "The Empire Strikes Back" | Rebel Soldier (Hoth Battle Gear) | No. 39750 | 1980 |
| D | 31-Back "The Empire Strikes Back" | Bossk (Bounty Hunter) | No. 39760 | 1980 |
| D | 31-Back "The Empire Strikes Back" | IG-88 | No. 39770 | 1980 |
| D | 31-Back "The Empire Strikes Back" | Luke Skywalker (Bespin Fatigues) | No. 39780 | 1980 |
| D | 31-Back "The Empire Strikes Back" | Han Solo (Hoth Outfit) | No. 39790 | 1980 |
| D | 31-Back "The Empire Strikes Back" | Lando Calrissian | No. 39800 | 1980 |
| D | 31-Back "The Empire Strikes Back" | Bespin Security Guard | No. 39810 | 1980 |
| E | 32-Back "The Empire Strikes Back" | Yoda | No. 38310 | 1981 |
| F | 41-Back "The Empire Strikes Back" | Ugnaught | No. 39319 | 1981 |
| F | 41-Back "The Empire Strikes Back" | Dengar | No. 39329 | 1981 |
| F | 41-Back "The Empire Strikes Back" | Han Solo (Bespin Outfit) | No. 39339 | 1981 |
| F | 41-Back "The Empire Strikes Back" | Lobot | No. 39349 | 1981 |
| F | 41-Back "The Empire Strikes Back" | Leia (Hoth Outfit) | No. 39359 | 1981 |
| F | 41-Back "The Empire Strikes Back" | Rebel Commander | No. 39369 | 1981 |
| F | 41-Back "The Empire Strikes Back" | AT-AT Driver | No. 39379 | 1981 |
| F | 41-Back "The Empire Strikes Back" | Imperial Commander | No. 39389 | 1981 |
| F | 41-Back "The Empire Strikes Back" | 2-1B | No. 39399 | 1981 |
| G | 45-Back "The Empire Strikes Back" | Artoo-Detoo (R2-D2) (with Sensorscope) | No. 69420 / No. 69590 | 1982 |
| G | 45-Back "The Empire Strikes Back" | C-3PO (Removable Limbs) | No. 69430 / No. 69600 | 1982 |
| G | 45-Back "The Empire Strikes Back" | Luke Skywalker (Hoth Battle Gear) | No. 69610 | 1982 |
| G | 45-Back "The Empire Strikes Back" | AT-AT Commander | No. 69620 | 1982 |
| G | 45-Back "The Empire Strikes Back" | (Twin-Pod) Cloud Car Pilot | No. 69630 | 1982 |
| G | 45-Back "The Empire Strikes Back" | Bespin Security Guard | No. 69640 | 1982 |
| H | 47-Back "The Empire Strikes Back" | 4-LOM | No. 70010 | 1982 |
| H | 47-Back "The Empire Strikes Back" | Zuckuss | No. 70020 | 1982 |
| I | 48-Back "The Empire Strikes Back" | Imperial Tie Fighter Pilot | No. 70030 | 1982 |
Large Size Action Figures[]
Kenner also released "Large Size Action Figure" versions of some characters, roughly in the twelve-inch size of other larger action figure toy lines. Several were released for the original Star Wars toy line, but only IG-88 was released in 1980 for The Empire Strikes Back toy line. Earlier ones may have been released in Empire labeled packaging. Prototypes were made for more large sized figures from the movie, but were never produced.[15]
Appearances[]
| Characters | Organisms | Droid models | Events | Locations |
| Organizations and titles | Sentient species | Vehicles and vessels | Weapons and technology | Miscellanea |
Characters
|
Organisms
Droid models
Locations
Organizations and titles
Sentient species
Vehicles and vessels
  Cloud Car toy
|
Weapons and technology
|
Miscellanea
|
Sources[]
"Galactic Bazaar: Vader Rules Collectibles" — Star Wars Galaxy Magazine 11- "The Man Who Shot Luke Skywalker" — Star Wars Galaxy Collector 1
- "Around the Galaxy" — Star Wars Galaxy Collector 3
- "An Elegant Toy" — Star Wars Galaxy Collector 3
- Star Wars: The Action Figure Archive
- "Mexican Stand Off" — Star Wars Galaxy Collector 8
- "Market Wars: What's Hot and What's Not in the World of Star Wars Collecting" — Star Wars Galaxy Collector 8
- "Scouting the Galaxy: Of Freebies, Wimps and Fake Fetts" — Star Wars Insider 31
- Vintage U.S. Empire Strikes Back in the StarWars.com Cargo Bay (content now obsolete; backup link)
- Star Wars: The Ultimate Action Figure Collection
- Offscreen, but Not Forgotten: Mini-Rigs, Body-Rigs, and Other Kenner Vehicles on StarWars.com (content now obsolete; backup link)
- "Launchpad" — Star Wars Insider 156
- "My Star Wars" — Star Wars Insider 156
- "Classic Moment: The Fastest Hunk of Junk in the Toybox!" — Star Wars Insider 157
- "Classic Moment: He's Worth a Lot to Me!" — Star Wars Insider 159
Notes and references[]
- ↑ Star Wars: The Action Figure Archive
- ↑ Kenner Vintage Star Wars Photo Archive
- ↑ Jedi Temple Archives Vintage Visual Guide
- ↑
Star Wars Toy Commercials Retro T56 on the Shawn McLeod YouTube channel (backup link)
- ↑ Mail-away Offers: Admiral Ackbar on Star Wars Collectors Archive (archived from the original on October 23, 2021)
- ↑ Star Wars: The Ultimate Action Figure Collection
- ↑ Mail-away Offers: 4-LOM on Star Wars Collectors Archive (archived from the original on March 5, 2021)
- ↑ Star Wars: The Annotated Screenplays
- ↑
Kenner's Star Wars Playsets, Part 2: From Icy Trenches to Ewok Campfires on StarWars.com (content now obsolete; backup link)
- ↑ Darth Vader's Star Destroyer Action Playset on Star Wars Collectors Archive (archived from the original on September 28, 2021)
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Sears Canada Exclusive Figures on Star Wars Collectors Archive (archived from the original on January 20, 2021)
- ↑ Empire Strikes Back General Veers on Star Wars Collectors Archive (archived from the original on December 7, 2021)
- ↑ Empire Strikes Back Action Figures on The Canadian Star Wars Gallery (archived from the original on June 6, 2022)
- ↑ Offscreen, but Not Forgotten: Mini-Rigs, Body-Rigs, and Other Kenner Vehicles on StarWars.com (content now obsolete; backup link)
- ↑ Large Size Figures on Star Wars Collectors Archive (archived from the original on July 9, 2022)
External links[]
- Kenner Star Wars Collection Vintage Catalogues on The Vintage Studio Store (archived from the original on May 8, 2021)
- The Original Collection 1977-1985 Photo Archive on Rebelscum.com (archived from the original on December 6, 2021)
- Vintage Visual Guide on Jedi Temple Archives (archived from the original on June 24, 2021)
- Large Size Figures on Star Wars Collectors Archive (archived from the original on July 9, 2022)