| Micro Collection Conceptual Dagobah Luke Handstand | |
| This beaten up thing is actually a very intriguing conceptual prototype from the never-released Micro Collection Dagobah playset. As you've probably realized, it's meant to represent Luke as he's training with Yoda, standing on his hands and attempting to levitate several objects. A figure very similar to this one can be identified in the photos of the Dagobah playset seen here. It's quite possible that this figure is the very same one that is seen in these photos.
Here you see the back of the prototype, along with the figure that was used to create it, the hanging Luke Hoth that was packed with the Wampa Cave playset. Whoever made the prototype simply took one of these produced figures, filed off large amounts of the metal detail, and painted it in emulation of the outfit that Luke wears while on Dagobah.
Finally, here's a view from the top. The base was probably created out of a mound of epoxy putty, which was sculpted to resemble rough terrain, and into which the hands of the figure were inserted. The fact that this piece was created at a time during which production Micro figures were available is significant. It allows us to date the photos of the Dagobah set in which this figure appears with a reasonable degree of accuracy-- it was definitely made during the second phase of development on this set, probably sometime in late 1982. Earlier work (circa early 1981) is known to have been done on the Micro Dagobah environment, including the development of several so-called "Partha" figures, which were not created from existing figures but were freshly sculpted from wax or putty. In all probability, the finished wax sculpting seen here, which also shows Luke in this handstand pose, was made using this little mock-up as its conceptual basis. It should be mentioned here that collectors need to be careful when buying items like this. Since they're created by hand out of existing materials, fakes are an ever-present danger. |
 | |
| Description by: | Ron Salvatore |
| Photo: | Ron Salvatore |
| From the collection of: | Rob Amantea |
| Country: | United States |
| Film: | Empire Strikes Back |
| Licensee: | Kenner |
| Year: | 1980 |
| Category: | Prototypes / Micro Collection |
