Dak Ralter

Recommended music: Weezer – El Scorcho

For this #StarWarsSaturday, we’re back inside Echo Base during The Empire Strikes Back because I skipped right by this character’s first appearance a few weeks ago. 😄 From the Star Wars The Vintage Collection, it’s a Dak Ralter!

Rebel pilots and gunners have now boarded their ships, and other troopers have arrived at their battle stations, positioned for the impending ground assault. The shield has opened, and the ion cannon has fired, and “the first transport is away”…

“Everyone cheers at the announcement, which echoes through the hangar.
Luke turns and walks on, heading toward his snowspeeder. His gunner,
Dack, a fresh-faced, eager kid, is glad to see him. They climb in.

DACK
Feeling all right, sir?

LUKE
Just like new, Dack. How about
you?

DACK
Right now, I feel like I could take
on the whole Empire myself.

LUKE
(quietly, strapping
in)
I know what you mean.”

…

This Dak figure is actually one that Hasbro included in their 3.75″ Black Series line in 2014, while The Vintage Collection was on a five-year hiatus. I’m considering it to be a TVC figure as it’s just a repaint of the 2010 Vintage Collection release. The only difference I can tell between the two figures is that the paint of the face seems to have gotten an upgrade from the 2010 version, but you can’t really tell here, as Dak always has his helmet on during the film, and you can’t really tell that the face looks like Dak actor, John Morton. Morton also stood in for one scene as Boba Fett when Jeremy Bulloch wasn’t available, but again, the helmet really covered up his face.

Speaking of upgrades, this newer Dak figure (that I’m showing the top 15% of 😄) is a huge improvement from the 2002 Power of the Jedi version. Sporting an accurate flight suit, this figure comes with 14 points of articulation, allowing him to be easily fit inside the snow speeder. The figure also comes with a blaster and a blaster rifle, not that you’d ever need those. The helmet is removable to reveal a unique pilot head sculpt with a tight flight cap, but don’t be surprised if the snug helmet and chin strap have scratched Dak’s face after removal.

The Empire Strikes Back turned 45 years old this year! I “figure” there’ll be a new Episode V figure to share here for the rest of the year. Happy 45 years of ESB!

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