If you’ve ever found yourself inexplicably drawn to the shadowy corners of Jabba the Hutt’s palace, where neon-vibing amphibians and scaly mercenaries roam freely, then the newly released Sideshow Collectibles Star Wars: Return of the Jedi Klaatu 1/6 Scale Figure is an essential addition to your underworld gallery. In George Lucas’s 1983 cinematic closer, Return of the Jedi, the Jabba’s Palace/Sail Barge sequence is a chaotic, creature-feature masterpiece. For generations of older collectors, the truly iconic figures weren’t just the heroes, but the bizarre alien oddballs that populated Jabba’s court. Kenner’s 1980s action figure line cemented this.
Klaatu is part of Sideshow’s Scum & Villainy series, a line that digs deep beneath the Rebel-Imperial power struggles to highlight the gritty fringe characters that add texture and chaotic charm to the Star Wars universe. While some collectors might cast him as just a background thug, this figure elevates Klaatu’s role to one of reverent detail, allowing fans and newcomers alike to revel in the dirty, yet useful, corners of galactic history that rarely get the spotlight. Sideshow uses fantastic, accurate head sculpts to capture the unique, often hideous, alien faces, paired with tailored fabric costumes to capture the grungy, lived-in aesthetic of the Outer Rim. In short, the “Scum & Villainy” line is your chance to stop collecting heroes and start building a truly wretched hive.
Klaatu, a Kadas’sa’Nikto, comes from a species instantly recognizable for their green, scaly skin and those signature symmetrical facial horns—a detail that Sideshow’s artists nailed with surgical precision. Known as a gambler and barge repairman, Klaatu’s on-screen claim to fame was his gritty loyalty to Jabba the Hutt’s sail barge crew, where he belly-crawled alongside Luke Skywalker’s iconic confrontation at the Great Pit of Carkoon in Return of the Jedi. Fans of the Expanded Universe will appreciate that Nikto’s presence spans beyond the film. Klaatu embodies the kind of peripheral cool that Star Wars purists and casual fans sometimes overlook, but which ultimately enriches the saga’s sprawling mythos. This is a collectible for those who appreciate the subtle nuances of the Star Wars galaxy’s less glamorous, yet equally vital, scum and villainy.
This figure boasts meticulously painted scales that capture every nuance of the Nikto’s rugged, desert-hardened visage. The symmetrical horns on Klaatu’s face are a marvel of sculptural fidelity, bridging the very line between photorealism and the kind of fantastical exaggeration the franchise has thrived on for decades. The skin texture, replete with fine detailing, speaks to Sideshow’s commitment to high-end figure mastery, complemented by subtle shading that suggests time spent under the twin suns of Tatooine. The painstaking accuracy extends to the horns — perfectly symmetrical and seamlessly integrated into the sculpt, giving Klaatu that iconic Nikto visage that hardcore fans can instantly identify. The eyes gleam with just the right glossiness, creating a lifelike wet effect that punctuates Klaatu’s silent menace.
Unlike plastic suits slapped on for mere show, Klaatu’s fabric ensemble is a stitch-for-stitch homage to Industrial Light & Magic’s original production design. The tan vest, trousers, and hood are perfectly weathered—not pristine leather goods, but worn gear befitting a henchman who’s survived the searing sands and deadly skirmishes. The thermal detonator-bedecked chest belt adds an extra punch of storytelling, an unmistakable nod to the dangerous life of disappointment and backstabbing within Jabba’s ranks. No detail is spared, making each fabric fold and armor plate a study in miniature theater.
The figure packs over 30 points of articulation, allowing collectors to strike classic poses like Klaatu’s tense, vibrostaff-wielding ambush ready stance. Weapon handling is optimized through a robust shoulder design and articulated wrist pegs, ensuring the figure can hold the two-handed Vibrostaff high overhead or in a defensive guard, with fluid rotation and stability. Crucial double-jointed elbows and knees allow for extreme bending—essential for aggressive, low-center-of-gravity combat stances. When combined with the flexible fabric costume—which is tailored to not overly restrict movement—the comprehensive articulation package ensures Jabba’s Goon can hold virtually any screen-accurate, fight-to-the-death pose a collector can dream up.
Having released Greedo, Ponda Baba, Evazan, and Garindan, the next logical steps would be other recognizable Cantina patrons like Hammerhead (Momaw Nadon) or perhaps even the ill-fated Wuher (the bartender).
The Sideshow Klaatu 1/6 Scale Figure is a sneaky, scaly slice of Return of the Jedi history. Sideshow’s Scum & Villainy series—as the name promises—celebrates the offbeat, shadowy denizens who lurk beyond the Jedi-Sith duel spotlight. Klaatu, as a Kadas’sa’Nikto underworld figure, fits perfectly into this narrative, and this figure reflects an appreciation for those fringe players who shape Star Wars with grit and grime rather than heroics. This figure challenges the heroic-centric collectible market by demanding attention for the “scum” that makes the Star Wars universe so compelling.
