R2-D2, R5-D8 & R2-X2 (Red Squadron Droid 3-Pack) — Star Wars The Black Series

Overview

The Red Squadron Droid 3-Pack is an August 2018 Amazon exclusive at $59.99 — three astromech droids from A New Hope’s Battle of Yavin, each assigned to a named Red Squadron pilot. R2-D2 served Luke Skywalker (Red Five), R5-D8 was Jek Tono Porkins’ droid (Red Six), and R2-X2 was Theron Nett’s droid (Red Ten). The implied per-droid cost is $20 — below the standard single-card price of the era for smaller-format figures. All three share the same undersized-vs-6”-scale limitation that applied to every Black Series astromech at the time of release.

R2-D2 (Red Squadron)

A repaint of the 2013 Black Series R2-D2 (id=2070) with unique paint for this set — heavily weathered and dirtied up, distinct from any prior R2-D2 6” release. 6 joints — 360° rotating dome (clicking sound), 2 swivel hips, 3 swivel ankles.

Five removable panels — 3 in the dome, 2 on the outside of the legs. No plug-in accessories were included for any of the panel holes despite the tooling supporting them. The two front body arms can be manually pulled out. Dome rotation moves the middle leg in and out of the body — the same clicking dome mechanism as all Black Series R2-D2 toolings. Dual wheels in each foot aid stability. The paint application on R2-D2 looks good; the heavy weathering is the set’s differentiating character touch.

Undersized note: R2-D2 is too small in comparison with other 6” scaled figures — a known limitation of the 2013 source tooling that hasn’t been corrected for this release.

R5-D8 (Jek Porkins / Red Six)

R5-D8 was Jek Tono Porkins’ astromech — Red Six — during the Battle of Yavin, seeing service on both Y-wing and X-wing starfighters during his time with the Alliance. The mould is identical to the Black Series R5-D4 (id=4965) with a distinct paint application. 6 joints — same dome/hip/ankle configuration as R2-D2.

Two removable leg panels — the R5 tooling has openable front body panels whose arms can be pulled out manually, but no dome panels. The dome antenna is not removable. Dome rotation moves the middle leg. Dual foot wheels for stability. No electronics, the front eye doesn’t light up.

Undersized note: R5-D8 should be much bigger — the 6” scale undersizing is called out specifically for this droid. The scale issue is a known Black Series astromech tooling limitation rather than a Red Squadron set-specific problem.

R2-X2 (Theron Nett / Red Ten)

R2-X2 was Theron Nett’s astromech — Red Ten — during the Battle of Yavin. Uses the same 2013 R2-D2 tooling (id=2070) as the R2-D2 in this pack, with a dark green paint application. 6 joints — identical configuration to R2-D2.

Five removable panels — same 3 dome + 2 leg panel configuration as R2-D2. No plug-in accessories included. Same dome rotation / middle leg / pullout arm / dual wheel mechanics throughout. The paint application on R2-X2 looks good and the dark green colour tone matches the on-screen counterpart well — a specific commendation for the screen-accuracy of the colour choice.

Undersized note: the same scale limitation applies.

The Missing Accessories

All three droids have panel openings that accept plug-in accessories (booster rockets, tools, etc.) from the tooling design, but no such accessories were included with any of the three figures. The leg panels open but no booster rockets were packed in; the dome panels are removable but nothing plugs into the holes. This is a recurring critique across the Black Series astromech programme — the engineering supports accessories that the packagers choose not to include.

The Battle of Yavin Display

The set’s core appeal is the pilot-droid pairing — three named Red Squadron pilots, three named astromechs, all at the same battle. For collectors building a Yavin hangar display, this is the only way to get R5-D8 and R2-X2 in 6” scale from the Black Series programme. R2-D2’s heavy weathering specifically distinguishes it from the cleaner standard releases.

Secondary Market

Amazon exclusive, August 2018, Phase 3 Red Line. Verify all removable panels — 3 dome panels for R2-D2, 2 leg panels for R5-D8, and 3 dome + 2 leg panels for R2-X2. The small dome panels are the easiest to lose on loose sets.

Verdict

Red Squadron Droid 3-Pack is the only source for R5-D8 and R2-X2 in the Black Series 6” line, paired with a uniquely weathered R2-D2 that’s distinct from any standalone release. The missing plug-in accessories are the frustrating omission — the tooling supports them but Hasbro didn’t pack them. The undersizing is a programme-wide astromech issue rather than set-specific. At $20 implied per droid for three named Battle of Yavin droids, the value proposition is clear for Yavin display builders.

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Part of Star Wars The Black Series | Phase 3 Red Line. Related: Elite Praetorian Guard (Heavy Blade) P3-EX-EPG | First Order Stormtrooper with Extra Gear P3-EX-FOSG | Amazon Trooper 4-Pack P3-EX-4PK.