NED-B & Purge Stormtrooper (Carbonized 2-Pack) — Star Wars The Black Series

Overview

The NED-B & Purge Stormtrooper Carbonized 2-Pack is an August 2023 Amazon exclusive pairing two Obi-Wan Kenobi series characters as Carbonized metallic repaints. Amazon exclusive at $74.99 for the pair — the highest-priced Carbonized 2-pack in the Black Series sub-line. NED-B brings 29 joints and one of the most mechanically ambitious articulation configurations in any Phase 4 Black Series figure. The Purge Stormtrooper brings 17 joints, a different blaster from the standard release, and a removable shoulder pauldron. On both figures, the Carbonized finish is described as only minimally different from the original 2022 releases — the original paint matches the on-screen appearance considerably better, and is the preferred display choice for collectors who want screen accuracy.

NED-B (Carbonized)

NED-B is a repaint of the 2022 Black Series NED-B (figure id=29351) from the Obi-Wan Kenobi series — the towering loader droid who expresses loyalty through action despite having no programming for speech.

29 joints. Ball-jointed top and lower neck, butterfly-jointed shoulders, ball-jointed shoulders, then a triple-axis system on both elbows (360° swivel above, hinge up/down, 360° swivel below) and both knees (360° swivel above, hinge up/down, 360° swivel below), ball-jointed wrists, ball-jointed upper body, ball-jointed hips, swivel thighs, and dual-axis ankles (up/down hinge plus left/right foot hinge). This is exceptional engineering for a large-scale character class — the triple-axis elbow and knee configuration delivers pose flexibility well beyond what any standard Black Series joint count achieves.

Three accessories: a hammer, a B-1 battle droid blaster, and a removable backpack. The weapon and hammer fit well into the hands. The backpack plugs into a hole in the back and two cables from the back plug into it as well. The 6.6” (16.8 cm) height gives NED-B a commanding above-baseline scale presence, and critically the joints are stiff enough that the height and added weight of the backpack don’t create balance issues.

The Carbonized finish falls flat. Hasbro tried to give NED-B a more metallic Carbonized appearance, but the differences to the original release are minimal. The sculpt looks great and closely captures the on-screen droid, but the original 2022 paint application matches the on-screen counterpart much closer and is much preferred over this release. This is one of the most direct negative assessments of a Carbonized finish across the entire sub-line — not just a screen-accuracy caveat, but an explicit recommendation to get the standard release instead.

Purge Stormtrooper (Carbonized)

The Purge Stormtrooper is a repaint of the 2022 Black Series Purge Stormtrooper Phase II Armor (figure id=29350) — an Inquisitorius-serving trooper handpicked for their aptitude and allegiance, hunting Jedi and Force-sensitive beings.

17 joints. Ball-jointed top and lower neck, ball-jointed shoulders, elbows, and wrists, ball-jointed upper body, ball-jointed hips, swivel thighs, ball-jointed knees, ball-jointed ankles. Standard Phase 4 baseline.

Two accessories: a blaster and a removable shoulder pauldron. Importantly, this is a different blaster from the standard 2022 source release — the only meaningful change beyond the Carbonized finish. The blaster fits well into both hands. The shoulder pauldron can be removed but requires popping the helmet off first, and the helmet is a very tight fit back onto the peg — so pauldron removal works but is not easily reversed. No head underneath the helmet.

The shiny Carbonized paint application is just minimally different from the original release. Same verdict as NED-B — barely distinguishable from the standard version at display viewing distance. The Phase II Purge Stormtrooper stands well without balance issues.

The Uncomfortable Value Proposition

At $74.99, this is the most expensive Carbonized 2-pack in the Black Series programme. Both figures’ Carbonized finishes are explicitly described as minimally different from their 2022 predecessors, and the original paint is preferred on NED-B specifically. What you’re paying for is the Amazon exclusive 2-pack format, the different blaster on the Purge Trooper, and the Carbonized novelty.

NED-B’s 29-joint articulation is the genuine engineering highlight — the triple-axis elbow and knee configuration is remarkable and worth knowing about regardless of finish. But that articulation is identical on the standard 2022 NED-B. The Carbonized version doesn’t add to it; it just repaints it with a finish the reviewer considers inferior.

Who This Is For

The 2-pack makes sense for collectors completing the Carbonized sub-line, collectors who specifically want the different-blaster Purge Trooper variant, or Obi-Wan Kenobi series completists who want every figure from the show. For anyone whose primary interest is display quality or the NED-B character specifically, the standard 2022 releases deliver both figures with preferred paint applications at lower combined cost.

Secondary Market

Amazon exclusive 2-pack, August 2023. Year imprinted on NED-B: 2022. Year imprinted on Purge Trooper: 2020. Available on the secondary market. Verify NED-B’s hammer, blaster, and backpack (plus its two back cables) and the Purge Trooper’s blaster and shoulder pauldron are all present.

Verdict

The NED-B & Purge Stormtrooper Carbonized 2-Pack contains one of the most articulated Phase 4 Black Series figures in the sub-line and one of the least visually impactful Carbonized repaints in the programme. NED-B’s 29-joint triple-axis engineering is genuinely impressive; the Carbonized finish on top of it barely registers compared to the original. The Purge Trooper’s only differentiator from the standard release is a different blaster. At $74.99 these are the most expensive two minimal-difference repaints in the Carbonized 2-pack series.

Buy this if you’re completing the Carbonized collection, want the alternate Purge Trooper blaster, or are a dedicated Obi-Wan Kenobi series completist. For NED-B specifically, the standard 2022 release is the recommended display choice.

The loader droid who proves loyalty through action and the Inquisitorius trooper who hunts the Force-sensitive — both in a metallic finish you’ll barely notice compared to their originals. Amazon exclusive, August 2023.

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Part of Star Wars The Black Series | Carbonized Collection. Related: Emperor’s Royal Guard & TIE Fighter Pilot (Carbonized 2-Pack) P4-40A-ERTC | Ahsoka Tano & HK-87 (Carbonized 2-Pack) P4-AHS-19 | Shoretrooper (Carbonized) P4-CARB-11.