Yavin Luke Skywalker

Yavin Luke Skywalker

Hasbro - Star Wars Vintage Collection

It’s that special time of year again, lil Wookies.  Put on your red robes, grab your glowing orbs, and head on over to the Tree of Life to celebrate the one true Star Wars Day.  Yes, November 17th is the 41st anniversary of Life Day and the Star Wars Holiday Special!  I’ve got all my Wookiee action figures out to celebrate along with my customs of Chewbacca’s family.  This year, they’re joined by a special guest, Yavin Ceremony Luke Skywalker!

I picked up this "Rebels" Y-Wing Scout Bomber at Burlington Coat Factory for $7.

I’ve always loved Luke’s yellow jacket.  I imagine that kids around for Star Wars in 1977 dreamed up so many adventures for Luke with that look...but were stuck with the farm boy attire for 3 long years!  The jacket never made it to the original Kenner line.  Next to the lack of Grand Moff Tarkin, what a great travesty!  It wasn’t until Hasbro’s Power of the Force 2 series in the late 90’s that we got a Yellow Jacket Luke. (And Tarkin, thank goodness!)  And it wasn’t all that bad looking for the time.

This update is still a welcome one.  The face scan is near perfection, and he sports just the right amount of modern articulation.  He comes with a removable blaster (seen in a lot of promotional stills), Medal of Honor,  and a lightsaber hit that plugs into his hip.  Really, the lack of a fully ignited lightsaber is the only failing of this figure...but I’m sure I’ve got one or thirty to spare from the many other Lukes over the years!

The elusive Jurassic World Brachiosaurus...exclusive to Target.  *grumble grumble*

The sole yellow jacket adventure (no, comics don't count) is featured in the animated segment of the Holiday Special.  As if the debut of Boba Fett wasn’t enough!  Some losers out there believe this is the only watchable part of the show...but they probably suck Rian Johnson’s alien teats.  Who would have thought that forty plus years later, someone would make a more miserable Star Wars viewing experience?

I personally love the Holiday special.  Sure, the 70’s variety format was wildly inappropriate for Star Wars, but looking at it in the context of the time, it’s better than most programs of the same ilk.  Having this back right up seasonally to the Paul Lynde Halloween Special is pure bliss.  I challenge all Star Wars fans to concentrate all their Midichlorians in growing a sense of humor about their fandom, embrace the Lumpy, and give it another shot.  In the immortal words of Bea Arthur’s Ackmena the Bartender, “Come back soon...I’ll be waiting.”

The Holiday Special IS Chewbacca's medal.