The Vintage Collection Slave I - Everything You Need To Know!
8/17/2020
This review was sponsored by Entertainment Earth.
For the 40th Anniversary of The Empire Strikes Back in May 2020, Hasbro decided to rerelease and update the previously Amazon exclusive Slave I vehicle from 2013. The Vintage Collection SLAVE I vehicle is exclusive to the fan channel, which means you'll need to pick it up online (e.g. Entertainment Earth). The vehicle costs $149.99 and despite the hefty price tag, it's currently the cheapest way to add it to your collection (the original SLAVE I from 2013 costs currently between $210 and $330 on Ebay).
The vehicle is essentially a repaint of the 2013 The Vintage Collection Slave I with additional upgrades (more about that later). The paint update however is so different that in a lot of ways it feels more than just a repaint.
The Vintage Collection Slave 1 fully assembled (figures are not included)
Packaging And Assembly
Here is a look at the cool looking Kenner-inspired packaging.
The Vintage Collection Slave 1 packaging
The Vintage Collection Slave 1 sitting inside the box
It's very easy to assemble the Slave 1, simply plug both wings into the holes on the sides, attach both side cannons and add the six stickers. This won't take more than ten minutes.
Slave 1 Parts List
- 1 Body
- 2 Laser Cannons
- 1 Cockpit Cover
- 1 Ramp
- 1 Carbonite Block
- 2 Removable Seat Parts In The Cockpit
- 2 Wings
- 1 Sticker Sheet
- 1 Instruction Sheet
- 2 Bombs
- 2 Projectiles
- 1 Opening Hatch In The Back
- 1 2-Piece Container
- 1 Display Stand
The display stand is all new and features Boba Fett's Mythosaur skull on it. The stand allows for the Slave 1 to be displayed in flight mode.
The Vintage Collection Slave 1 display stand works with the 2020 and the 2013 versions.
The Vintage Collection Slave 1 in flight mode
The Han Solo Carbonite Block included is different from the one which came with the 2013 vehicle. For this release Hasbro included the Han Solo Carbonite Block from the Jabba's Palace Adventure playset (which dates back to 2015). This means that you get a more detailed and nicer painted Han Solo in Carbonite with the 2020 Slave 1 vehicle.
The Carbonite Blocks included with the Vintage Collection Slave 1 vehicle, left is the 2020 version, on the right is the 2013 version
Look how the Carbonite Block can be stored on the front of the Slave 1
The included 2-piece container (the lid is removable) with the 2020 Vintage Collection Slave 1 vehicle is also quite different from the original 2013 version. It's the same sculpt, but now the lid is see-through plastic.
The 2020 container is on the left, the right shows the container from 2013
Here you can see how the container can be stored inside the Slave 1
The Vintage Collection Slave 1 has two buttons on each side which when pressed release the bombs on the bottom of the ship. The side cannons on the back have a button which when pressed will shoot out a projectile.
Paint Differences On The Body
Here is a look at the paint differences on the Slave 1 hull. The paint application is overall darker on the 2020 version, and the details painted on the bottom of the ship are easy to spot. The side cannons and the bombs were weathered, which looks much nicer on the 2020 version.
The Vintage Collection Slave 1 front and back views (left: 2020, right: 2013)
The Vintage Collection Slave 1 side views (left: 2020, right: 2013)
Summary
The 2020 Vintage Collection Slave 1 vehicle was nicely updated when compared to the 2013 version. The paint application looks much nicer than on the 7 year older version, especially the bottom with the painted engines looks great. The paint differences however are found all over the vehicle and it looks much more detailed than before. In fact, the different paint really brings out the details in the sculpt which were there before, just not visible as much. Hasbro repainted the bombs and cannons, the included container now has a see-through lid, the engines where the wings attach were repainted and the new display stand (not included with the 2013 Slave 1) lets you display the vehicle in flight mode.
If there is anything to critique it's that the wings won't stay in flight mode properly (they keep moving back slightly), but that's an annoyance and not a deal breaker. The price tag of $149.99 is steep but the alternative on the secondary market does't look much better with the old Slave 1 selling currently between $210 and $330. All in all, this version of the Slave 1 can be considered the best version of the vehicle for 3 3/4" figures, and if you can afford it, add it to your collection, it's great.
Thank you to Entertainment Earth for providing the vehicle for free for this review.
More In-Depth Looks From The Vintage Collection
- The Vintage Collection action figures
- Jabba's Palace Adventure Playset
- The Vintage Collection Imperial Troop Transport from the Mandalorian
- The Vintage Collection AT-ST Raider
- The Vintage Collection Poe Dameron X-Wing Fighter
- The Vintage Collection Skiff
- The Vintage Collection Jabba's Sail Barge
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