Protocol Droid & BD-1 (Holiday Edition 2-Pack) — Star Wars The Black Series
The Black Series Protocol Droid & BD-1 Holiday Edition 2-Pack — November 2022 Entertainment Earth/BigBadToyStore exclusive. Pack #2 of 6. C-3PO 2016 source body repaint with charming green socks. 17 joints — elbows cannot bend. Open-palm hands. Removable Lando scarf. Knee tools swivel 360 degrees. MSRP $27.99.
Overview
The Protocol Droid & BD-1 Holiday Edition 2-Pack is the second of six Holiday Edition 2-packs in the 2022 series, released in November 2022 exclusively through Entertainment Earth, BigBadToyStore, and HasbroPulse.com. Fan Channel exclusive at $27.99. The Protocol Droid is a repaint of the 2016 Black Series C-3PO (figure id=4836) in a festive seasonal colour scheme. BD-1 accompanies in holiday styling. Pack #2 of 6 in the 2022 Holiday Edition series.
The Charming Socks
The festive paint application looks charming — especially the white and green socks. The Protocol Droid’s seasonal holiday detail is leg-paint that mimics festive socks visible between the hip and knee joints. It’s the same small-detail seasonal paint commitment that makes the Sith Trooper Holiday Edition (elf-striped socks) and Clone Trooper Phase II Holiday Edition (gingerbread) memorable within their respective waves.
The Old Arms Limitation
This figure still features the old arms where the elbows can’t bend. This is the most significant structural note on the Protocol Droid Holiday Edition — the 2016 C-3PO source body predates the articulation improvements applied to later Phase 4 Black Series releases, and the elbow joints are missing. Arms pose in a limited range. Combined with open-palm hands sculpted so the figure can’t hold any accessories, the Protocol Droid has no practical weapon-grip or equipment-hold display configurations.
The two side tools on the outside of the knees can be moved 360 degrees — a specific small-component articulation detail that adds display variety despite the arm limitations. No removable panels on the droid’s body.
The Accessories
Removable scarf — a repaint of the Lando Calrissian scarf from the 2018 Black Series release. The scarf can easily be taken off the figure. As with the Sith Trooper Holiday Edition’s Lando scarf repaint, this is a repurposed accessory from a different character’s release — but it works as a seasonal accessory, and the removable scarf at least provides an on/off display variation for a figure with no other display configuration flexibility.
The Fan Channel Distribution
Entertainment Earth, BigBadToyStore, and HasbroPulse.com — the Fan Channel exclusive sits in the specialty online retailer tier, generally more accessible for online ordering than GameStop-exclusive releases. In the 2022 Holiday Edition six-pack series, this is the Pack #2 Fan Channel slot alongside the Wookiee (GameStop), Biker Scout (Walmart), Mandalorian Warrior (Target), Clone Trooper Phase II (Hasbro Pulse), and First Order Stormtrooper (Amazon).
Verdict
Protocol Droid & BD-1 Holiday Edition 2-Pack is a charming novelty limited by its source body’s age — the white-and-green festive socks are the seasonal highlight, the 360-degree knee tools are a small-detail articulation plus, and the removable scarf provides minimal display variation. The non-bending elbows and open-palm no-grip hands are inherited 2016 source body constraints that limit practical pose configurations. BD-1 in holiday colours is a pleasant companion addition.
Buy this if you collect the 2022 Holiday Edition series as a complete set, appreciate the Protocol Droid character in seasonal novelty format, or want the Fan Channel entry in the 2022 wave. Fan Channel exclusive (Entertainment Earth, BigBadToyStore, HasbroPulse), November 2022, Pack #2 of 6.
Part of Star Wars The Black Series | Holiday Edition. Related: Wookiee & Holiday Buddy Porg (Holiday 2022) P4-HOL-13 | Biker Scout & Grogu (Holiday 2022) P4-HOL-11 | Mandalorian Warrior & Bogling (Holiday 2022) P4-HOL-09 | Clone Trooper Phase II & Porg (Holiday 2022) P4-HOL-07.