Action Figure Review: Imperial Probe Droid from Star Wars: The Black Series Phase III by Hasbro

  The 40th Anniversary of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back is being celebrated this year, so I guess there's at least one thing about 2020 that isn't a complete dumpster fire, right? Hasbro certainly hasn't gone all out for anything Star Wars for a few years now but they do have a decent selection of Star Wars: The Black Series releases based on the greatest Star Wars film of them all. Most of them are being released on the oversized retro cards, like the figures for the Star Wars 40th Anniversary Collection, but the Imperial Probe Droid comes in an oversized black and red Phase III box like General Grievous, the Gamorrean Guard, or Moloch. He's labeled as the third deluxe release in Phase III and thus he's going to run you about $10 more than a standard figure. The Probe Droid has a long history in Star Wars toys and is easily one of the most memorable droids from the Original Trilogy: He appeared in the vintage Kenner Turret & Probot Playset and was the best of the deluxe releases from Kenner's POTF2 deluxe series. That's the one I had as a kid and I loved him! Hasbro also released an updated Probe Droid on Force Friday 2017 but this is the first in the Black Series. Let's take a look at this slightly creepy Imperial spy droid after the break and see if he's a worthy addition to the celebration of Episode V!

 The Facts:

Height: 8 inches on stand,

Articulation: 2 limbs w/ 4 hinges and a swivel base, 3 limbs w/ 3 hinges and a swivel base, swivel defense blaster, swivel head, and two sliding antenna.

Accessories: Support post and stand.

Non-Scalper Price: $30 dollars

 The Positives:

* Looking at both Wookiepedia and The Complete Visual Dictionary, I am definitely convinced that this is a highly accurate depiction of the Viper probe droid deployed by the Empire to scout for signs of the Rebel forces on Hoth. The detail is quite neat and crisp and everything you could think of is in place here.

 * The paint work is excellent, too. Hasbro ensured that they put plenty of scuffs and scratches on the Probe Droids body and all of the little details that should get paint applications do.

 * The little defense blaster that the Probe Droid sports is even included. It's able to swivel as well, thus giving the droid a little bit of a defense (though not much) against anyone who might spot it.

* The Probe Droid is quite light. It doesn't feel cheap or anything but it is lighter than you ould expect at first which allows it to balance nicely on the included stand or to hang via fishing line or string if you want to find another way to display it.

 * The included display stand is simple but sturdy. The Probot fits on top of the stand easily and displays on the shelf at a nice height compared to the other figures.

 * The five manipulator arms are all nicely articulated with multiple hinges and a swivel at the base of each arm. The two longer arms (the anchor and high torque limbs) feature 4 hinges each while the three smaller arms feature 3 hinges each). You can get a lot of different poses out of the legs, making for some fun displays with these droids.

 The Negatives:

* The display base is intended to looks snowy, like the planet Hoth, but honestly it feels like Hasbro could have done a bit more. For a deluxe release this base could have surely been a bit more exciting, maybe even featuring a balljoint at the base so the Probe Droid could move a bit more.

* The Probe Droid looks fantastic but I really think Hasbro gave it way too dark of paintjob. Looking at lots of pictures of the Probe Droid, I really think it is far more grey than it is black. What do you think? I think Hasbro went too dark here which washes out some of the detail.

I'm quite glad to have an Imperial Probe Droid in my Black Series collection but I can't help but feel that it doesn't live up to my expectations. This is a deluxe release and while I know that this is a completely unique sculpt, it still doesn't feel like it's that much larger or really warranting a deluxe release. The base is a bit dull and doesn't really do the display any favors and the overly dark paint job washes out a lot of the detail and seems inaccurate to the film. Shop around and you might find a deal on this guy but, for now, this is a Good and a 1/2 release. Not perfect, but not terrible either.


This is actually the first Imperial Probe Droid/ Viper Droid/ Probot I've reviewed on the site. For more figures from Star Wars: The Black Series Phase III check out the following:

0-0-0 (Triple Zero)
442nd Siege Battalion Clone Trooper, 212th Attack Battalion Utapau Trooper, Coruscant Guard ---(Phase II), and 501st Legion Clone Trooper 4 pack
4-LOM
Admiral Ackbar and First Order Officer
Admiral Piett
Ahsoka Tano 
AT-AT Pilot 
Battle Droid
Baze Malbus
BT-1 (Beetee)
C-3PO
C-3PO & Babu Frik
C-3PO (Resistance Base) 
Cal Kestis
Captain Cassian Andor (Eadu) 
Captain Phasma
Captain Phasma (Quicksilver Baton)
Captain Poe Dameron
Cara Dune
Chewbacca (Target Exclusive)
Chewbacca (The Force Awakens)
Chewbacca & C-3PO
Chirrut Imwe 
Chopper (C1-10P)
Clone Captain Rex (HasCon Exclusive)
Clone Commander Gree
Clone Commander Fox
Clone Commander Obi-Wan Kenobi
Clone Commander Wolffe 
Constable Zuvio
Count Dooku
Darth Revan 
Darth Vader (Emperor's Wrath)
Death Star Trooper
Dengar
Dewback/ Sandtrooper
Director Krennic 
DJ (Canto Bight)
Doctor Aphra
Dryden Vos
Elite Praetorian Guard
Elite Praetorian Guard (with Heavy Blade)
Emperor Papatine and Throne
Enfys Nest's Swoop Bike/ Enfys Nest
Ezra Bridger
Finn (First Order Disguise)
Finn (FN-2187)
Finn (Jakku)
First Order Flametrooper
First Order General Hux
First Order Jet Trooper
First Order Snowtrooper
First Order Snowtrooper Officer
First Order Special Forces TIE Fighter
First Order Stormtrooper
First Order Stormtrooper Executioner 
First Order Stormtrooper (with Gear)
First Order TIE Fighter Pilot
Gamorrean Guard
General Grievous
General Leia Organa
General Veers
Grand Admiral Thrawn (SDCC Exclusive)
Grand Moff Tarkin 
Guardians of Evil 4-Pack
Guavian Enforcer
Han Solo (Exogorth Escape)
Han Solo (Mimban)
Han Solo (Solo)
Han Solo (The Force Awakens)
Heavy Battle Droid
Heavy Infantry Mandalorian
Hera Syndulla
IG-11
Imperial AT-ACT Driver
Imperial Death Trooper
Imperial Death Trooper, Captain Cassian Andor, and Sergeant Jyn Erso (Jedha) 3 pack
Imperial Hovertank Pilot 
Imperial Jumptrooper
Imperial Patrol Trooper
Imperial Shock Trooper 
Imperial Royal Guard 
Inferno Squad Agent
Jaina Solo (Legends)
Jango Fett
Jannah
Jedi Knight Revan
K-2SO
Kanan Jarrus
Kylo Ren 
Kylo Ren (SDCC 2016)
Kylo Ren (The Last Jedi) 
Kylo Ren (Starkiller Base)
Kylo Ren (Throne Room) 
L3-37
Lando Calrissian (Solo)
Lando Calrissian (The Empire Strikes Back)
Lando Calrissian (Skiff Guard)
Luke Skywalker 
Luke Skywalker (Death Star Escape)
Luke Skywalker (Jedi Knight)
Luke Skywalker (Jedi Master) 
Luke Skywalker (Jedi Master)- Ahch-To Island
Luke Skywalker (Skyalker Strikes)
Luke Skywalker (Yavin Ceremony)
Mace Windu
Maz Kanata 
Moloch
Obi-Wan Kenobi (Force Spirit)
Obi-Wan Kenobi (Padawan) 
Obi-Wan Kenobi (SDCC 2016) 
Offworld Jawa
Padme Amidala
Phase 1 Clone Trooper Commander, Phase II Clone Trooper, Imperial Stormtrooper, and First Order ---Stormtrooper Officer four pack
Poe Dameron
Poe Dameron and First Order Riot Control Stormtrooper
Porgs 
Princess Leia (Bespin Escape)
Princess Leia Organa 
Princess Leia Organa (Hoth)
Purge Stormtrooper
Qi'ra (Corellia)
Qui-Gon Jinn
R2-A3, R5-K6, and R2-F2
Range Trooper
Rebel Trooper
Red Squadron (R2-D2, R5-D8, and R2-X2)
Resistance Tech Rose
Resistance Trooper
Rey & D-O
Rey (Island Journey)
Rey (Jakku) & BB-8 
Rey (Jedi Training)
Rey (Jedi Training)- Crait
Rey (Starkiller Base) 
Rey's Speeder (Jakku)
Rio Durant
Sabine Wren
Sandtrooper Sergeant, Crimson Stormtrooper, Lieutenant OXIXO, and R2-Q5
Scarif Stormtrooper
Scarif Stormtrooper Squad Leader 
Second Sister Inquisitor
Sergeant Jyn Erso (Eadu)
Sergeant Jyn Erso (Jedha)
Sith Trooper
Snowtrooper 
Stormtrooper (Mimban)
Stormtrooper (With Blast Accessories)
Supreme Leader Snoke (Throne Room)
Tobias Beckett
Tusken Raider 
Val (Vandor)
Vice Admiral Holdo
Wedge Antilles
X-34 Landspeeder & Luke Skywalker (SDCC Exclusive) 
X-Wing Pilot Asty 
Yoda (Force Spirit)
Zorii Bliss
Zuckuss