Dewbacks can survive in some of the worst conditions imaginable on Tatooine. On this hot, arid planet, these large, lizard-like omnivores generally maintain a solitary existence and are able to subsist on the razor moss that grows on the bottom of the planet's rocks. Due to their incredible ability to withstand Tatooine's extreme weather conditions, dewbacks are used as a form of single-person transportation, and have proven to be more reliable than many mechanized vehicles.

I'm not as big a Star Wars geek as you might imagine. I remember watching the movies on USA back when I was no taller than R2, and I do own tons of the toys, but I don't find myself given over to messianic delusions regarding George Lucas, nor have I ever felt the need to dress in a costume. But for some reason, when the film was rereleased in the late 90s, I fell in love with the Dewback.

With less screen time than Boba Fett (if I keep making references like these, no one will buy my non-geek claims), the dewback was still one of my favorite things about the film. maybe I've just got a soft spot for lizards; their ungainly movements, weird looks, and cold-blooded nature combine into some odd appeal to me. Other people like puppies or baby seals, I like chameleons and kimodos. Not in that I want to own one, but in that they're cool. Anyway, back to the topic at hand:

When the 3 3/4" PotF line gave us a Dewback and Sandtrooper, I was elated--finally, a tiny lizard to call my own. I scoured shelves for weeks searching for that elusive creature, snapping it up at the first opportunity. It's a great figure, but not the one I'm reviewing today. No, this review is on a much larger scale.

Eventually it was announced that Hasbro was going to release an exclusive 12" Dewback and Sandtrooper. Oh, frabjous day! I had never owned a 12" figure before, so this was going to be a ground-breaking event for me. I waited patiently until the day I first saw this wonderful set. I lifted it high into the air and...

Wait, what's this? $80?! You want me to pay $80 for this? Screw that, I can wait.

And apparently so could everyone else. Week after week I went to Toys R Us and saw humongous stacks of Dewbacks loitering on the shelves. Surely they'd have to drop the price soon.

(if this were on tv, you'd now see a montage of someone pulling days off a calendar to suggest the passage of comical amounts of time)

Geeze, let it go already, ya bastards. No one's buying your stupid Dewback.

And yet still, it languished at its initial price. For months no one would touch the thing. I even contemplated punching a hole in one of the boxes and asking for a damage discount. Then finally, one day, I saw that coveted orange sticker. Could it be? It was! The price had dropped! By more than half; to quote Igor, "it must be mine!"

This set is packaged in a large (24" x 13" x 10") box with a clear plastic window comprising the majority of the front panel. The figures are tied to a cardboard diorama of the Tatooine desert, making this a nice display piece for the Mint in Box crowd.

The Sandtrooper is clad, of course, in his spooky white space armor. The sections of the armor are molded from plastic, then sewn to a black lycra bodysuit underneath. The helmet is not removable, and simply plugs onto the figure's neck. The figure features 14 points of articulation, and is poseable enough to ride on or stand next to the dewback while still looking good.

The real beauty of this set (and the only reason to buy it) is the massive dewback. Its skin has an appropriately scaly texture, and there is a saddle sculpted onto its back. The tail is soft, hollow rubber around a flexible wire, allowing you to pose it as you desire, and the legs and neck are all articulated. With the tail straight out, the dewback is just over 32" long. Now that's a wicked cool beastie.

If you can still find this set at its reduced price, It's worth picking up. Not, mind you, at its original retail. I'm a mark for lizards, but even I would have been disappointed for eighty bucks.

Recommended: Yes

Amount Paid (US$): 27.98
Type of Toy: Action Figure