This year marks the 40th Anniversary of The Empire Strikes Back and the Imperial Probe Droid is part of that celebration. When I watched that move back in 1980, I was only 7 years old. I had no idea what an Imperial Probe Droid was at the time. I didn’t know what it was 30 years later. It wasn’t until they started popping up in other mediums (comics, novels, cartoons) that I started to get a better picture of what he was and it’s role in the oppression of the galaxy.
Based on the film, I thought it was the size of a ship, and with all of those eyes, it had to be EVIL. Surely, anything coming from the Empire was evil.
It turns out, it’s roughly the size of a large street sign, has an allergy to handheld laser blasts, and about all they’re good for is recording and reporting. All of those scary tentacles just help them look menacing.
That wasn’t the point of their existence. They seem to be cheap to make and easy to send out into the universe in mass quantities. Apparently one made it’s way to my local Meijer’s store because I found it in the wild.
As a kid, I wore glasses and people mocked me and called me 4-eyes. That must make The Black Series Imperial Probe Droid king of all nerds. Alas, he needs not our love, but our cold, hard data. He wants to subjugate us, never forget that.
What comes in the Imperial Probe Droid box?
Not a lot. It’s a “deluxe” figure, but really, what could possibly come with it?
You get the Imperial probe Droid, his various tentacles, an acrylic, clear stand, and a snow-covered base to plug it into.
That’s it. Don’t believe me? Take a look.
What doesn’t work with the Imperial Probe Droid?
It’s a small problem, but the base was designed to look like snow. That’s a pretty specific set of display circumstances, so having another option, or just a more generic, maybe see-through base would have been preferred.
That being said, it is in celebration of The Empire Strikes Back, so they went with the only film reference, which was on Hoth. The Ice Planet. I know, not everyone is an action figure photographer, so I don’t expect them to pacify me with every release.
I DEMAND it.
That never works for me.
It’s a very light piece of plastic. Light enough that simply walking by it could topple it if it isn’t posed carefully.
Though it isn’t The Black Series fault, but the Disney store released a die cast version that looks better for about $10 more than what I paid for this Probe Droid. If I had known about the pre-order window, I would have grabbed that instead. As it is, I can’t say I care enough about Probe Droids to drop another $30 (retail) on one.
Shot of the base 
What works with the Imperial Probe Droid?
I can’t even count the number of articulated joints this thing has. On a figure Hasbro could have done the bare minimum on, they really delivered. Instead of a static piece, the top rotates and every limb has multiple points of articulation. The guns swivel and every large, disjointed eye on this thing looks unique.
He’s probing. 
Should you purchase the Imperial Probe Droid?
If you can find a Black Series Imperial Probe Droid, it’s worth the pickup unless the Disney Store exclusive is in stock. As a fan of the series, this dude was a big star during the first ten minutes of the movie, until Chewie blew him to bits. Go pick him up here:
