Vintage Star Wars Power Droid / Gonk action figure review Kenner 1978

[@ThatGeekyMaker]

I was six years old in 1978 and totally in love with Star Wars. My first five figures were a Stormtrooper, Sand People, Jawa, R2-D2, R5-D4, and C-3PO. I remeber one time we were visiting my aunt and she and my mom were going out shopping and I had to go with them. My aunt told me if I was "a good boy" that she would buy me a Star Wars figure. I was ecstatic and immediately started deciding which one I would get. This time, I told myself, I am getting one of the main charaters like Luke, Han, or Leia. It's been too long so I can't remember where we went but it was probably Gemco. We got to the Star Wars aisle and I looked up at the display (which looked gigantic to me at six years old) and it was an entire wall of nothing but Power Droids. I probably searched every peg to make sure Luke wasn't hiding somewhere back there, but I didn;t find him because I walked out of there with one of theose Power Droids. I wasn't Luke, but hey, I still loved it like all of my Star Wars figures.

[@WeHadThat]

That is an awesome story and memory!

[@billpaulk1058]

I remember getting my first figure - C-3PO in 1978. I walked up to a store about a mile from my house with a busy street crossing as an 8 year old and picked him up. I remember being proud of myself for making the journey alone. Our 70s moms gave us a lot of freedom- lol. I pulled him out of the card and just stared at him for a while. Loved Star Wars ever since.

[@scottobear]

Everyone loves gonk!

[@WeHadThat]

I think his popularity has risen with time!

[@Beedo_Sookcool]

Never had the original as a kid, but I picked one up a few years back at a convention. Action-packed? No. Cute? Absolutely. My mother, who is in her 90s, loved the power droids so much, I left my Vintage Power Droid figure with her when I moved out. She keeps it on her dresser.

[@WeHadThat]

That's so awesome!

[@keithw9808]

That was my first Star Wars figure, still have it in perfect condition, and I was about four or five and hadn't watched the movie but I saw Gonk and wanted him and my mom picked it up at the local grocery but I live in a state with serious blue laws, especially back in the '70s, and on Sundays you could only buy food items, super silly, but the checker at the grocery ignored the law and sold it to my mom. This little dude sits among many of my toys and will always be a favorite.

[@WeHadThat]

That's a weird law, but an endearing story!

[@nileswillis7992]

Still have mine with all the other figures in the Darth Vader case. It is like a time capsule.

[@WeHadThat]

Nice!

[@raywallacefan7786]

I did and I WANTED HIM! He served as a friend to R2-D2 and R5-D4 in my play scenarios.

[@WeHadThat]

That's awesome!

[@paulwalsh2344]

That first Power Droid just didn't get enough love... I had him but didn't have R5-D4 or the Death Star Droid. OF COURSE the Power Droid wasn't played with as much as C3P0 or R2-D2 but I always included him when my droids were together. Even with my Black Hole V.I.N.Cent and Buck Rogers Twiki and Battlestar Galactica Muffet ! I guess I always felt like I identified with Power Droid because i was never called or picked first when the neighborhood kids got together to play stuff or make teams for baseball or stuff. I'm pretty sure I still have my original Power Droid too ! Been decades since I saw it though. EDIT: Oh I also had a Black Hole Sentry and two Battlestar Galactica Cylons from back in the day. Also the last droids from Star Wars that I ever bought were Phantom Menace skeleton C3PO, EV-9D9 and 2-1B from the Power of the Force line and IG-88 from the Shadows of the Empire... but those weren't for me but for my young Son at the time. Thing is he never really played with 3.75" action figures...

[@WeHadThat]

I love that there was a Star Wars figure for everyone!

[@WeHadThat]

Awesome!

[@Straight0uttaCrofton]

i had this guy but he mostly remained posted up on the top floor of the Death Star with an occasional visit from R²D² to play a prank on him while Darth Vader's back was turned

[@steve_bal4]

😂

[@WeHadThat]

Nice!

[@antonmassopust568]

❤ I like your comment about the one I sing please include me in your fun I guess he was a part of the fun in some part sometimes he was just hang around the rebel base sometimes he would be a part of the Droid Factory or he would just be in the creature Cantina hanging out

[@WeHadThat]

Yes, but they didn't let droids in the Cantina!

[@jsnsk101]

i had the same first 4 figures, and when power droid was around he was always under the falcon charging it up or doing something in the scene

[@WeHadThat]

That's cool!

[@rocdocs]

i LOVE this one! ALso loved Hammerhead! His limited posability was made up for with the cranking noise on his legs.

[@WeHadThat]

I'm getting a lot of comments on her from people who really dug this figure!

[@BiggsTVC]

Power Droid is a classic! I created a turned based way of playing with my SW toys that involved moving the figures and throwing a penny to attack. Each turn, a player could a) move a figure 6 hand spaces, b) move a figure three hand spaces and fire once w a penny, or c) fire twice without moving. How does this connect to Power Droid? Any non-droid character could have a droid shadow/bodyguard accompany them. So Power Droid often was used as a shield. Routinely with Hammerhead. Also I would flip him upside down and insert the handle of the Cylon Warrior blaster into his foot peg hole. Power Droid got a lot of use in this game! 😂

[@WeHadThat]

Wow! That's AWESOME!

[@cyrusq5999]

My first SW figure was Luke Skywalker: X-Wing Pilot, in 1979. Loved the figure - one of my all time favourites. I never did see the Power Droid anywhere. I don't remember any of the kids at school having him. I didn't own one until 1991. Got him from a flea market for a few dollars. That was the first time I held one in hand. I liked the clicking feature - just like R2-D2 and R5-D4. A unique figure in the Kenner SW lines. I think I probably would've got him back in the day as a child - and that card art is very attractive - love the purple and pinks.

[@WeHadThat]

That's a cool memory of picking him up later.

[@michaelstopher1471]

My brother and I got the droid factory and promptly lost and/or broke just about everything. Super sad that we were not old or respectful enough to truly enjoy it.

[@scockery]

Yeah maybe, but to be fair, that set's parts were quite breakable, The soft plastic pieces seem like they'd hold up...on paper. In reality the small tabs tore easily, making them useless except for a junk pile. And the wheel axles and hoses were easily lost.

[@WeHadThat]

I think the same think kind of happened to me. I know I had the droid factory, but it seems like mine was missing a lot of pieces!

[@theygone6962]

Nice I've learned he was a portable battery.

[@WeHadThat]

I didn't know that at all when I was a kid!

[@jime6688]

This is one I didn’t get until well into my 40’s and it’s not for any other reason than I never could find one. I thought it was cool for what it was and glad I finally found a few.

[@WeHadThat]

That's awesome!

[@steve_bal4]

Looking back, Power Droid was probably my least used Star Wars action figure. I can't remember where I got it (likely a yard sale), and have no recollection of any adventures it was involved in. (Btw, thanks for pointing out exactly where this version was in the movie; I've seen Star Wars hundreds of times since '77, and never once noticed him in the scene at Owen & Beru's!)

[@WeHadThat]

I have to admit, I never noticed him there until I was looking for him for this video!

[@Texastoytuber]

I just discovered your channel! I’m having a great time going through past vids. I’m particularly enjoying all the various pics and the a lot of the poses you have the figures set in. New subscriber!!

[@WeHadThat]

Thank you! The photography is one of my favorite parts of making the videos!

[@BanthaPooDoo64]

1978 and on my brother and I were ecstatic about each fig we were able to add to our SW universe and if we were lucky to army build S Troopers ,Jawas ,Sand People that was a bonus, the Power Droid was usually placed somewhere during our play time even if he was on the M Falcon lol

[@WeHadThat]

At least he was included at least a little bit!

[@edwinsmith-jones6205]

I always felt that the Power Droid should of had a clock work walking mechanism myself.

[@marcusdarkallius1194BC]

That would have been so cool!

[@WeHadThat]

That would have been cool!

[@poormansstack]

Very cool. Never had this one.

[@WeHadThat]

I don't think I would have missed him as much as a kid as an adult.

[@marcusdarkallius1194BC]

I mostly used him with my jawas. He hung around them in my Droid factory or land of the Jawas playset.

[@WeHadThat]

That absolutely makes sense!

[@jameserdmann2468]

I had Power Droid also. I have no idea how or why I got this figure. Definitely agree that the rebel trooper was a big miss from Kenner. Picked the rebel trooper up when the new wave came out in the 90s.

[@WeHadThat]

Rebel Trooper! How did that get past Kenner's brain trust!?

[@3cheaptrick]

If you bought that 1979 action figure case for your action figures putting the Power Droid in took up a lot of space that it was hard putting the trays on top of one another unless the Power droid was in the top tray . Kenner was not thinking cleal when the put that out .

[@WeHadThat]

Hey, we still bought 'em! Haha!

[@brettsimpson1505]

Poor old GNK. I didn’t own one. I would have prioritised another stormtroooer figure over the power droid. I think he’s pretty cool now though, especially after you pointed out how universally they were used in the movie.

[@WeHadThat]

It's interesting how there are a lot of characters from different lines that I appreciate much more as an adult. I guess that helps me to understand why they were made. (Still. No Rebel Troopers? WTF?)

[@MiamiMillionaire]

This was actually always one of my favorites

[@WeHadThat]

That's very cool!

[@eltenda]

I remember that!

[@WeHadThat]

Excellent!

[@jjcano3406]

still have mine, except the plug on top is long gone 😀

[@WeHadThat]

I'm surprised I still have that little piece on mine!

[@filmfacet8076]

I still have my Power Droid. It's legs still click, lol.

[@WeHadThat]

Awesome!

[@flippy6553]

Gonk gonk ko kyenga see

[@WeHadThat]

Sounds like you speak his language!

[@bloodlegion4874]

True though. I always wondered why there wasn’t a Grand Moff Tarkin figure

[@WeHadThat]

I think there was an issue with likeness rights at the time.