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The two Saga Series sets which form the whole Death Star Trash Compactor diorama make up perhaps the best Death Star playset that's been around for a long time. Unfortunately I don't have the cardboard surround for this which is a real shame because they make the scene look much more complete as a display item.

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The two Death Star Trash Compactor sets put us right in the heart of the action in the Death Star as Princess Leia and Chewie struggle to hold back the walls from closing in and Luke struggles against the Dianoga monster.

Once the whole Death Star Trash Compactor set is assembled and the figures are in place I have to admit that its really for display and that there's not actually a great deal of play value to it. The Death Star Trash Compactor 'playset' becomes a pretty static ornament. This has mostly to do with the Leia and Chewbacca figures which are pretty much locked into position trying to prevent the walls from closing in. If you want to remove Han and Luke from the scene though, these figures from the Death Star Trash Compactor sets have a much more flexible play value. In their Imperial Stormtrooper outfits and with their blasters, they could pretty much get up to mischief anywhere around the Death Star.

The action figures which come with the two Death Star Trash Compactor sets have limited articulation which reflects that this item is more for display than play, but which is something also characteristic of the Saga Series figures in general. The best articulated figure is Luke Skywalker who is completely articulated except for one stiff arm. The Princess Leia figure has almost no articulation. The feet of the figures do have holes for figure stands but the bases of the sets have no corresponding pins so you have to rely on the peg holes in the bases to position the figures which does work quite well.

The expression on the Death Star Trash Compactor set Luke's face is really good. His eyes are squinting to get the slime out of them and he's gasping for air as the Dianoga has just released him from beneath the depths of the cess pool (and is about to pull him under again). His hair is also wet and matted. The effect is further complemented by the dirt spattered over his Imperial Stormtrooper armor.

The Death Star Trash Compactor Dianoga's head with cyclops eye is a nice touch. It works slightly better if you keep the head separate from the body, or if the two are attached then hide the main body under the base of the set for something closer to the movie; this latter way though you lose a lot of the detail of the figure. It's hard to find a good position for the Dianoga's head as a separate peice since the rest of the Dianoga's body takes up a lot of room under the bases of the trash compactor base.

Of all the Death Star Trash Compactor set action figures, the Han Solo is the one that works best outside the environment of the Trash Compactor display and you can have him charging down the corridors of the Death Star whilst Imperial Stormtroopers turn tail and run.

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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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