Hasbro Star Wars -The Power of the Force: Princess Leia in Ceremonial Dress with Medal of Honor Review

When Kenner Toys (which was absorbed by its archrival Hasbro in the early 1990s) first introduced its 3.75-inch Star Wars action figures in 1978, it only released one-figure-fits-all renditions of the main characters from Star Wars - Episode IV: A New Hope, even when they wore different outfits in the movies.

This practice was acceptable with such figures as Chewbacca, Darth Vader, Imperial Stormtrooper, Tusken Raider and the various droids and aliens which didn't need different outfits.

But for characters such as Luke Skywalker, Ben (Obi-Wan) Kenobi and Princess Leia Organa, who wore at least two outfits or subtle variations of one in the film, the one-figure-fits-all approach was limiting.   Older kids (10 and up) had to suspend their disbelief when placing the Tatooine-clad Luke figures in their X-Wing Fighters when they knew that Rebel pilots wore flight suits, and teen-to-adult collectors (such as Yours Truly) wondered why Kenner wasn't making variants that looked more authentic and less generic.

Kenner eventually got around to doing "variants" of some of the major characters, including Luke Skywalker: X-Wing Pilot,  but for some reason Princess Leia's A New Hope figure never went beyond the basic white dress and "Mexican revolutionary" cinnamon bun braids look she sported in the bulk of the film.

Princess Leia in Ceremonial Dress with Medal of Honor

Before my now-late ex girlfriend June gave me my 12-inch scale Princess Leia in Ceremonial Gown a few years ago, my best friend, Rogers Perez, had given me not one but two different versions of the same character/costume combination in the 3.75-inch scale action figures that make up the bulk of my Star Wars collection.

The first time he showed up with the smaller figure of Princess Leia in Ceremonial Gown, he handed me a two-pack from Kenner's Princess Leia Collection, which portrayed the Senator from Alderaan and Rebel cell leader (and Darth Vader's daughter) in different outfits from the Classic Trilogy (A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi); each two-pack came with another character (R2-D2, Han Solo, or Luke Skywalker) in a scene-appropriate costume.

Because Rogers had found them on the discount bin, I don't know how much each Princess Leia Collection two-figure pack cost, but because the outfits were made of cloth rather than the more usual plastic sculpts, it was obvious that they were a bit more expensive than the average Hasbro Star Wars figure.

Also, it was obvious that Hasbro was marketing this sub-collection to the somewhat neglected girl collector demographic; the fact that the figures were more carefully sculpted and dressed with fabric-based outfits clearly pointed in that direction. (I'm not sure if Hasbro's idea panned out; probably not, because whenever Rogers and I went on "figure runs" we'd see many of these two-packs lying pathetically in an aisle "discounted stuff" bin.)

Considering that the Ceremonial Gown is the only other outfit Leia wears in A New Hope besides her simple white Senator's robes, it was nice to see that there was an alternative to the then-expensive 12-inch Adult Collector's Edition doll. Her long hair is still braided, of course, but no longer in the infamous "cinnamon buns" hairdo even the most ardent Star Wars fan shakes his or her head at.

 Instead, the hair has been elegantly coifed and the resulting single braid runs down all the way to the small of her back. (I'm not sure what fabric was used in this version; my Princess Leia Collection is stored away in boxes, but it's a gauzy material. Hasbro's artists did replicate John Mollo' s original classic-but-elegant costume design, giving Leia in Ceremonial Gown a metallic-looking necklace with matching belt.) This Leia came with a Luke Skywalker -- Medal Ceremony figure and a Hero of the Rebellion medal to place around Luke's neck.

 A strong-willed warrior who fought for the Rebel cause with great courage, Princess Leia Organa was a natural born leader of the Rebel Alliance. The princess always carried herself with a regal air, whether she was taking part in the fiercest of battles or participating in state ceremonies of the highest level. Although she was adopted at a young age into the Royal House of Alderaan, Leia was in fact a true princess, as her birth mother was Queen Amidala of Naboo. I her day, Amidala also proved to be an adventurous spirit and a great heroine to her people when her planet faced its greatest threat. - From the package blurb.

The second figure featuring Princess Leia in Ceremonial Gown was the less-elaborate and more conventional plastic-and-fabric Flashback Edition figure, one of many Classic Trilogy collectibles which had promotional tie-ins to the not-yet released Episode I prequel. The figure featured Leia in a part fabric, part sculpted and painted Ceremonial Gown, and came with a see-through cloth cape, a Medal of Honor and a 1998 Flashback bubblepack card.

The carded package had a little "window" in the front panel which featured Leia's picture, but if you pulled on a little lever on the back of the card, you'd see a photo of Natalie Portman dressed up as Luke and Leia's mother Queen Amidala.

Weapons and Accessories:

If I know Rogers well, he probably went through a stack of Princess Leia in Ceremonial Dress with Medal of Honor figures until he found a really nicely done one.

Some figures seem to be problematic as far as sculpts and facial detail are concerned, and the two most difficult characters to get right are Leia and Padme Amidala. While most Leias aren't too bad, there have been a few figures that make collectors cringe because the detailing is so horrible that no one wants them; I still shudder when I think about one that collectors have dubbed "Monkey Face Leia." I've seen several, and all I can say is "Yikes!"

But I digress. Buyers seeking this 1998 action figure should take note that the detailing in figures varies somewhat from one to another. Mine, for instance, has no flaws in the "dress" or the flesh-tone, "hair" or make up details. Other collectors complain that the flesh is too pale, or too pink, or that the makeup was "applied" too sloppily and looks awful.

Young boys may not be too thrilled by this figure unless they fall into the serious "completist" collectors' category. Leia doesn't have a blaster as she usually does, though I suppose she could strangle a reckless stormtrooper that crashes the medal ceremony with the medal. Girls who collect Star Wars figures might like Princess Leia in Ceremonial Dress, and older hobbyists and die-hard fans -- such as me -- will appreciate the figure.