One of the coolest toys ever made for the original Kenner Star Wars line, the "Dagobah Action Playset" was one of my favorites as a kid. For starters, it was loaded with features: tiny plastic prongs that made objects appear to float, a stick that allowed Luke Skywalker to stand upright while using the Force, and of course, the infamous foam swamp.
It also had a couple levers where action figures could be positioned and moved around--which kids like me used to recreate the dream sequence battle between Luke Skywalker and (spoiler alert) his father, Darth Vader.
ACTION FIGURES SOLD SEPARATELY
For me, Christmas of 1981 was pretty amazing. And opening up this bad boy was a memorable experience. Lucky for me, my parents were smart enough to realize that the Dagobah playset didn't come with any action figures. But they doubled down (tripled down, really) and made Christmas even better!
ACTION FIGURES SOLD SEPARATELY
For me, Christmas of 1981 was pretty amazing. And opening up this bad boy was a memorable experience. Lucky for me, my parents were smart enough to realize that the Dagobah playset didn't come with any action figures. But they doubled down (tripled down, really) and made Christmas even better!
A trio of Luke Skywalker (in Bespin fatigues), Yoda (with a cloth robe!), and R2-D2 action figures meant that the ultimate playtime session was on! Time to relive some of my favorite scenes from "The Empire Strikes Back" movie!
USE THE FORCE, LUKE!
USE THE FORCE, LUKE!
I can't overstate how epic the tiny prongs and stick features were for this toy. Making Luke hang upside down while balancing his gear in midair made it feel like I was the one using the Force! Looking back, I'm starting to realize that it's kind of amazing how tiny pieces of plastic entertained kids like me for hours upon hours. But that was the 80's, man!
Before you ask, yes, these are photos of the actual toy I had as a kid. Sadly, I say "had" because I sold it about 10 years ago. But it actually ended up being purchased by a set designer for one of my favorite tv shows, "The Americans". Apparently, it was displayed in Henry's childhood room. I wasn't able to locate it in any episodes I watched, but if anyone out there happens to spot it, send me a screen cap!