Galaxy’s Edge merch: Jedi Field Gear

If you’re tired of having empty resin boxes on your Prequel Jedi utility belt, I guess this is the package for you. This set sells for $30 and contains a Qui-Gon style Imagecaster, Hush 98-style comlink, and Jedi macrobinoculars. Having seen some unboxing reviews, I think 2 of the 3 might make this worth buying. Which ones?
-It’s hard to tell from the videos I’ve seen, but to my eyes this holoprojector looks somewhat oversized compared to the onscreen artifact…although looking at this 4K screencap, I wonder if I haven’t been picturing it smaller in my head for the last 20+ years.
However, the toy definitely seem thick for something that looks fairly delicate. Unsurprising for a toy, it also looks pretty cheaply made–dull silver and yellowy plastic–although perhaps that’s not too far off from the right example (seen in the DK Visual Dictionary since 1999). The one on the left looks much classier, though I’m not sure where this variation comes from.I would much rather have an accurately-sized, high-quality polished metal replica of either of these, because if you want an accurate and authentically heavy replica, components for a shapeways-printed metal one will run you about $111. Considering their economy of scale, I imagine Disney could’ve easily cranked these out for $50 or less.
Unfortunately it’s the main gimmick for this set, as it comes with three ‘hologram’ figures that sit upon it, light up, and play soundclips from the Clone Wars show. I will say that Disney did their homework though–you turn these figures on and off by pressing the silver center, just like Qui-Gon did in Ep. I.

-The comlink actually looks to be fairly to-scale (maybe a little large?), and since the Gillette ‘Sensor-Excel’ razor has long dried up, if you don’t want to track down an original or resin cast to build your own, this seems like a good option–though you would need to repaint it. One button lights up and plays sound clips from Clone Wars, which again I think is kind of cheesy, but the other button plays comlink-y effects that sound like they’re right out of Episode I, which is a good selling point; the definite downside if you build your own prop is the major pain it would be to hollow out and add electronics–it it’s even possible–to the ‘Lady Bic’.

-The binoculars are based on Obi-Wan’s from deleted scenes in the latter Prequels. These seem really cheap and don’t have any functions beyond the two spinning silver knobs—perfect for kids playing make-believe—but for a prop they’d be perfect to add some weight and weathering to, and they’d at least save you from having to build from scratch.
However, what would be wayyyyy cooler than pretend Jedi binoculars? How about functional binoculars?

Considering Disney put these in their 2017 Complete Star Wars Visual Encyclopedia (they don’t appear in the pre-Disney Complete Visual Dictionary), it’s really a missed opportunity. Personally, I would much prefer a functional pair of these binoculars, and replace the toy ones in the Jedi Gear package with an accurate Aquata A99 rebreather (the Jedi mini-scuba tank), though that’s a potential choking hazard and we all know how The Mouse likes to play things safe.

What do you think? Have you been to SWGE and bought this set? If you were in charge of merchandising, what would You include in a set of Jedi field gear? Share your ideas in the comments, or hit up the Star Wars Living History group on facebook!

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