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If you didn't get the cloth cape or skirt dirty or rip them off, then the vintage Emperor's Royal Guard action figure was among the more robust of The Return of the Jedi actions figures. It was usually stiff limbed and didn't really seem to suffer from too much paint loss, probably because it was mainly one colour. It was also the first figure to have a two layered cloth cape which gave it a depth and a texture all of its own.

Find Vintage Emperor's Royal Guard action figure on eBay

Perhaps the most distinctive Imperial guards since the Stormtroopers on the first Death Star the Emperor's Royal Guards were mysterious, silent and anonymous in their royal red garb. And, until we see Yoda floor two of them with a wave of his hands in Revenge of the Sith, they looked quite formidable as well.

There is something about the Emperor's Royal Guards that epitomises The Return of the Jedi almost as much as the Stormtroopers were the icons of A New Hope. They capture something of the atmosphere of the film. Their clean, smooth, black-visored dome helmets and deep red cloaks together with their silence represent a cleanliness, orderliness and anonymity.

This serves as a really good counterpoint to the noise, disorder, chaos and obtrusive personalities in Jabba's Palace earlier on in the film. And just as the Stormtroopers and Biker Scouts reveal themselves to be rather an inadequate military asset on Endor and lose their dignity in ever more comical scenarios, the Emperor's Royal Guards represent the Empire clinging on to order, dignity and discipline in an arena of a gradually smaller and smaller circumference. As mentioned above, it is not until Yoda leaves two of these royal guards in a crumbled heap on the floor of Palpatine's throne room that we see this dignity shattered retrospectively in Revenge of the Sith.

It took me an absolute age to pick up an Emperor's Royal Guard complete with a Force Pike and I think I ended up with seven of them before I bit the bullet and invested in a complete figure.

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All Star Wars action figures, vehicles, collectibles and Star Wars toys shown on this website are the 3.75 inch scale and from my own private Star Wars collection unless otherwise stated. Where possible original vintage accessories have been used but in some instances I have placed Kenner Star Wars figures with either reproduction weapons and accessories or for Hasbro figures close approximations have been used. This is mostly the case for modern Star Wars lightsabers where the correct item can be very difficult to identify on some ocassions. Vintage Star Wars action figures are shown with their original weapon or accessory when I have them. When a vintage Kenner action figure is shown with an accessory which is not original I have tried to point this out where possible.

All of the Star Wars action figures shown were purchased second hand, usually incomplete, and in bulk. They have been reunited with their original weapons and accessories where we could get hold of them.

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