Star Wars Black Series Carbonized

The Star Wars Black Series Carbonized sub-line is a premium finish variant programme applying a metallic chrome sheen to existing Black Series sculpts, referencing the carbonite freezing process from The Empire Strikes Back. Carbonized figures are not new characters or new sculpts — they are existing figure moulds with a distinctive metallic finish applied, intended as collector variants and premium display pieces. The programme ran across three distinct phases: a 2019 single-card retailer-exclusive launch wave, a 2020 expansion, a 2022 Target-exclusive Mandalorian-era wave, and three Amazon-exclusive 2-packs in 2023.

Across 2019 and 2020, the single-card Carbonized figures distributed across Walmart, Target, GameStop, Amazon, and the Fan Channel simultaneously — a multi-retailer hunt dynamic that drove initial collector interest. In 2022 Target received three Mandalorian-themed Carbonized singles. In 2023 all three new releases were Amazon-exclusive 2-packs.

The total programme stands at 13 entries: 10 single-card figures and 3 2-packs.

The Complete Carbonized Catalogue

2019 Launch Wave — Five Single Cards

First Order Jet Trooper (Carbonized) P4-CARB-01 — Walmart exclusive. The Rise of Skywalker aerial trooper in full chrome, launching the programme.

The Mandalorian (Carbonized) P4-CARB-02 — Target exclusive. The most consistently cited best Carbonized figure — beskar armour’s in-universe metallic quality makes the chrome feel intentional rather than decorative.

Second Sister Inquisitor (Carbonized) P4-CARB-03 — GameStop exclusive. The Jedi: Fallen Order Inquisitor in chrome.

Sith Trooper (Carbonized) P4-CARB-04 — Amazon exclusive. The Rise of Skywalker red-armoured trooper.

2020 Expansion — Three Single Cards

Boba Fett (Carbonized) P4-CARB-05 — Fan Channel exclusive. The chrome treatment on Mandalorian armour works here for the same reason it works on Din Djarin — the metallic language is already in the character’s DNA.

Darth Vader (Carbonized) P4-CARB-06 — Amazon exclusive. Vader’s black armour under chrome.

Stormtrooper (Carbonized) P4-CARB-07 — Fan Channel exclusive. The programme’s primary army-builder variant option.

2022 Target Wave — Three Single Cards

Biker Scout (Carbonized) P4-CARB-09 — Target exclusive. Silver metallic finish on the 2014 source body. 25 joints — highest in this wave. Released in Mandalorian-themed packaging.

Paz Vizsla (Carbonized) P4-CARB-10 — Target exclusive. $36.99. Full five-accessory cable-and-cannon system from the 2019 Heavy Infantry source body. 6.5” tall.

Shoretrooper (Carbonized) P4-CARB-11 — Target exclusive. Dark golden finish. Source documentation explicitly characterises this as a novelty item not accurate to Rogue One or The Mandalorian.

2023 Amazon 2-Packs — All Three Amazon Exclusives

Emperor’s Royal Guard & TIE Fighter Pilot (Carbonized 2-Pack) P4-40A-ERTC — Amazon exclusive. $69.99. Return of the Jedi 40th anniversary Kenner tribute packaging. The Royal Guard’s crimson-to-metallic Carbonized treatment is specifically called out as surprisingly good — one of the more visually successful applications in the programme.

NED-B & Purge Stormtrooper (Carbonized 2-Pack) P4-CARB-08 — Amazon exclusive. $74.99. The programme’s most expensive release. NED-B brings 29 joints with triple-axis elbows and knees — extraordinary articulation regardless of finish — but the Carbonized paint is explicitly described as falling flat with minimal visual difference from the original. Standard releases preferred for display.

Ahsoka Tano & HK-87 (Carbonized 2-Pack) P4-AHS-19 — Amazon exclusive. $59.99. Ahsoka series characters with shiny skin-tone and droid-chassis metallic finishes. HK-87 has persistent loose ankle joints across all releases including this one. Ahsoka’s sixth Black Series release in roughly two years.

Who Carbonized Figures Are For

Three specific collector audiences drive the Carbonized programme. Premium display collectors who want a single showcase-quality figure for a character — the chrome finish has genuine visual impact under spot or backlit display conditions that the standard painted version can’t match. Variant completionists building out every production version of a specific character — Boba Fett, Darth Vader, the Mandalorian, and Ahsoka all have extensive variant programmes where the Carbonized version is a logical chapter. And collectors who enjoy the Carbonized aesthetic as a themed sub-collection — displaying all 13 together with appropriate lighting creates visual coherence independent of individual character identities.

The Carbonized Finish — When It Works and When It Doesn’t

The chrome treatment lands best on armoured characters where a metallic surface is visually plausible in-universe. The Mandalorian’s beskar, Boba Fett’s Mandalorian armour, Darth Vader’s suit — these read as intentional rather than a coating applied to a standard sculpt. The 2023 Royal Guard is the standout example: the crimson-to-metallic transformation is singled out as genuinely striking.

It falls flattest on characters where the finish can’t make a coherent visual argument. NED-B is the clearest example — the loader droid never appeared with a metallic sheen on screen, the finish differences from the original are minimal, and the original paint is explicitly preferred for display. The Shoretrooper’s dark golden coating is the most dramatic chromatic departure from any character’s canonical appearance in the sub-line.

A consistent finding across the 2023 2-packs: the Carbonized finishes on NED-B, Purge Trooper, Ahsoka, and HK-87 all register as only minimally different from their standard releases. The 2019/2020 single-card programme delivered more visually impactful Carbonized applications. The 2023 2-packs read more as premium-packaged repaints than genuine chrome statements.

Display Considerations

Carbonized figures look most effective in conditions that leverage their reflective surface — backlighting, spot lighting, or display cases with internal LED strips significantly enhance the chrome effect. In standard ambient shelf lighting alongside standard painted figures, the contrast can read as visually mismatched. Dedicated Carbonized groupings with appropriate lighting deliver the most cohesive display result.

The metallic finish can show wear at high-contact articulation points over time. Collectors who pose and repose figures frequently may find the chrome more susceptible to wear than standard paint.

Carbonized vs Other Variant Programmes

The Black Series runs several parallel variant programmes: Carbonized for chrome finish, Credit Collection for end-credit-artwork repaints, 40th Anniversary for Kenner cardback packaging, and Holiday Edition for seasonal repaints. Each targets a different sensibility — premium finish, collector art piece, nostalgic packaging, lighthearted seasonal. Most collectors engage with one or two rather than all. Note that the Royal Guard/TIE Pilot 2-pack sits at the intersection of Carbonized and 40th Anniversary — it’s both a Carbonized release and a ROTJ 40th anniversary Kenner tribute packaging release.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best Carbonized figure? The Mandalorian (CARB-02) and Boba Fett (CARB-05) are most consistently cited — both have armoured characters whose in-universe metallic language makes the chrome feel right. The Emperor’s Royal Guard from the 2023 ROTJ 2-pack is the surprise standout, specifically called out as looking surprisingly good under the Carbonized treatment.

Are Carbonized figures worth buying if I already own the standard version? Only if you specifically want the chrome aesthetic — same sculpt, same articulation. The 2023 2-pack Carbonized finishes are described as minimally different from their originals, making those the weakest value-adds for existing owners.

Is the Carbonized programme still active? The most recent releases were the three Amazon-exclusive 2-packs in 2023. No new single-card Carbonized figures have appeared since 2022.

How many Carbonized figures are there? 13 total — 10 single-card figures and 3 Amazon-exclusive 2-packs (which contain 6 individual figures between them).

---

Part of Star Wars The Black Series | Galaxy Collection. Related: Credit Collection | 40th Anniversary | Holiday Edition | Exclusives Guide.