Recommended music: Warren Zevon – Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner
This #StarWarsSaturday, it’s likely freezing in your neighborhood, so we might as well head back to the icy plains of Hoth during The Empire Strikes Back. From the Hasbro Star Wars The Saga Collection, it’s Zev Senesca!
“Commander Skywalker, do you copy? This is Rogue Two. This is Rogue Two. Captain Solo, do you copy?”
Shortly before the Battle of Hoth, Zev was the hero of the day. When neither Luke nor Han returned to Echo Base before nightfall, the base’s shield doors were closed to protect the Rebellion troops from the planet’s severe, icy winds. At first light, Senesca led a patrol of snowspeeders to locate them. He successfully found Skywalker and Solo stranded in the snow after surviving an overnight blizzard.
“Echo Base, this is Rogue Two. I’ve found them. Repeat, I’ve found them.”
When the battle began, Zev returned to his speeder and joined the Rogue Group to help repel the invasion and provide the transports with time to escape. Despite sustaining several hits from the AT-AT walkers, he maintained control of his ship for most of the engagement. His gunner prepared the harpoon and tow cable to target an AT-AT, but their speeder was struck several more times, resulting in Zev being shot down.
In 2006, Hasbro included this first-ever Zev figure in a Target-exclusive set, complete with his Rogue Two Snowspeeder. The figure was so popular that fans picked it as the winner of the Saga Legends Showdown, leading to a re-release as the final figure in the Star Wars: 30th Anniversary Collection. The first version didn’t include a blaster, but the TAC version added his sidearm and updated the helmet’s paint deco.
Both versions fit well inside his speeder, and the helmet’s paint job is screen-accurate to Zev and to multiple characters who appeared with this same helmet in Return of the Jedi. Unfortunately, I find that the head sculpt does not closely resemble actor Christopher Malcolm, who portrayed Zev and also appeared in Force 10 from Navarone, Highlander, Labyrinth, Superman III, and the original stage production of The Rocky Horror Show.
The Empire Strikes Back turned 45 last May! I “figure” there will be a new Episode V figure to share here for the rest of the anniversary year. Happy 45 years and counting to TESB!
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