I have been collecting Star Wars figures for over forty years, and it still starts in the same place: twelve figures, a cardboard back, and a shop in 1978.
This is a complete checklist of every vintage Kenner Star Wars action figure, all 96 of them, from Luke Skywalker in 1978 through to Yak Face in 1985. I own the full run, and every photo on this page is my own, shot in my display case rather than pulled from a stock library.
A word on how they are photographed. My figures are loose and mint (some need upgrading), not carded. I have organised this checklist by card back because that is how the line was actually released and how collectors hunt it, but what you are looking at in the photos are loose figures. If you are after carded examples for grading, this is still the right list. You just will not see cardboard here.
How this checklist works
Organised by card back. A “12-back” card shows twelve figures on the reverse, a “20-back” shows twenty, and so on. Every time Kenner added to the line they reprinted the back with the new total, so the number on a card tells you roughly when it was printed.
The important thing to understand is that a figure appears on every card back from its debut onwards, not just one. Boba Fett does not only exist on a 21-back; he is on the 21-back, the 31-back, the 41-back and everything after. What this checklist does is list each figure under the card back it first appeared on, because that is what tells you when it arrived. It is the spine every serious vintage collector uses.
Kenner’s names come first. Where the card name and the modern name differ, I have used Kenner’s with the modern one in brackets, so Sand People (Tusken Raider), and Death Squad Commander (later renamed Star Destroyer Commander). It is a checklist of what Kenner sold, so the card wins.
On the number. You will see 96 quoted, and you will also see 93, which is what the final card back promoted. Both are right, depending on what you are counting. Kenner discontinued two earlier R2-D2 versions and one earlier C-3PO when the updated versions shipped with new product numbers, so the line total and the card total drift apart. I count 96, because I have got 96 in the case.
A note on weapon colours
You will see weapons described as “blue/black” throughout this checklist, and it trips up a lot of people, so it is worth explaining once.
Blue/black is not a choice between two colours. It is a single plastic that looks black in normal light and shows blue when you hold it up to a lamp. It happened because the dye was under-mixed or under-dosed during injection moulding, which is also why no two are quite identical. Solid blue and solid black weapons are genuinely separate variants, and they arrive later in the line.
That gives you a useful rule for the first wave. Every armed figure in the original Star Wars line came with a blue/black weapon. If a loose 12-back or 20-back figure turns up holding a solid blue or solid black blaster, that weapon started life with a later figure. It does not make the figure a fake, loose weapons have been swapping hands for forty-odd years, but it is not what came in the blister.
The other thing worth learning is the sculpts, because they are not interchangeable. The Rebel blaster is the small pistol Han carries. The Imperial blaster is the longer rifle-style one the Stormtrooper carries. The Bespin blaster arrives with Empire and has a distinctive angled grip. Leia has her own smaller sculpt, unique to her. Once you can tell those four apart on sight you can spot a wrongly kitted figure across a table at a toy fair.
Star Wars, 1978 to 1979
The 12-back
The first twelve. If you only ever own one group of vintage figures, make it this one. These are the figures that invented the modern action figure aisle, and Kenner famously sold them before they had made them: the Early Bird set shipped as an empty box with a certificate, and the figures turned up months later.
- 1. Luke Skywalker. Yellow telescoping lightsaber.
- 2. Princess Leia Organa. Leia blaster in blue/black, white gown.
- 3. Artoo-Detoo (R2-D2). No accessories, clicking dome.
- 4. Chewbacca. Bowcaster, moulded bandolier.
- 5. See-Threepio (C-3PO). No accessories.
- 6. Darth Vader. Red telescoping lightsaber, vinyl cape.
- 7. Stormtrooper. Imperial blaster in blue/black.
- 8. Ben (Obi-Wan) Kenobi. Blue telescoping lightsaber, brown vinyl cape.
- 9. Han Solo. Rebel blaster in blue/black.
- 10. Jawa. Jawa blaster, cloth cloak.
- 11. Sand People (Tusken Raider). Gaderffii stick, vinyl cape.
- 12. Death Squad Commander (Star Destroyer Commander). Imperial blaster in blue/black.
A few notes on that dozen. Luke, Ben and Vader all shipped with telescoping lightsabers, and the very earliest run used a two-stage version that is now worth more than most people’s entire collection. Get the blade colours right when you are buying loose: Luke’s is yellow, Ben’s is blue, Vader’s is red.
Han comes in small-head and large-head versions, and the small head is the earlier and more sought after of the two. The Jawa originally shipped with a vinyl cape rather than a cloth cloak, which is a story of its own further down.
The 20-back
Eight more, and the line starts filling out the cantina. This is where Kenner worked out that background aliens sold just as well as heroes, a lesson the toy industry has never unlearned.
- 13. Greedo. Rebel blaster in blue/black.
- 14. Hammerhead. Imperial blaster in blue/black.
- 15. Snaggletooth. Rebel blaster in blue/black, red outfit.
- 16. Walrus Man. Imperial blaster in blue/black.
- 17. Luke Skywalker (X-wing Pilot). Rebel blaster in blue/black, helmet.
- 18. R5-D4. No accessories.
- 19. Death Star Droid. No accessories.
- 20. Power Droid. No accessories.
The split is the same as the first wave. Greedo, Snaggletooth and X-wing Luke carry the Rebel blaster; Hammerhead and Walrus Man carry the longer Imperial one. All blue/black.
The carded Snaggletooth is the short one in the red outfit. There is also a tall blue version that never came on a card, and it gets its own section below. The Power Droid, meanwhile, remains beloved out of all proportion to anything he actually does.
The 21-back
- 21. Boba Fett. Imperial blaster in blue/black.
Kenner released Fett as the twenty-first figure a full year before The Empire Strikes Back, on the back of a couple of minutes of animated footage in the Holiday Special. He has been one of the most commercially significant characters in Star Wars merchandising ever since, and it started here.
The Empire Strikes Back, 1980 to 1982
This is where the line stops being a film tie-in and becomes a proper toy range. Twenty-nine figures across six card backs, including the bounty hunters, the entire Hoth roster, and a certain Jedi Master who arrived entirely on his own.
The 31-back
- 22. Leia Organa (Bespin Gown). Leia blaster.
- 23. FX-7 (Medical Droid). No accessories.
- 24. Imperial Stormtrooper (Hoth Battle Gear). Imperial Hoth rifle in blue, vinyl skirt.
- 25. Rebel Soldier (Hoth Battle Gear). Bespin blaster in blue.
- 26. Bossk (Bounty Hunter). Bossk rifle.
- 27. IG-88 (Bounty Hunter). IG-88 rifle and Imperial blaster, both in blue.
- 28. Luke Skywalker (Bespin Fatigues). Yellow hand-held lightsaber, Rebel blaster in blue.
- 29. Han Solo (Hoth Outfit). Rebel blaster in blue.
- 30. Lando Calrissian. Bespin blaster in blue, grey vinyl cape.
- 31. Bespin Security Guard (white). Bespin blaster in blue.
Note what has happened to the weapons here. The blue/black era is over. From Empire onward you are looking at solid blue, and that single fact will help you date a loose weapon faster than anything else. IG-88 is the odd one out in a good way: he came with two, a rifle and a blaster, so a complete loose IG-88 needs both.
The Snowtrooper’s skirt is vinyl and it hardens and splits with age. Check it before you buy, because a replacement is not cheap.
The 32-back
- 32. Yoda. Cane, snake, cloth robe, belt.
Yoda arrived alone, the only figure added between the 31-back and the 32-back, which is why he sits in a section by himself here. Boba Fett had done the same thing two years earlier, turning the 20-back into the 21-back. Being the sole reason for a card back reprint tells you how much of a moment each of them was. He is also, in my experience, the figure you most often see sold incomplete, because the snake and the belt are tiny and the cane gets confused with the Emperor’s. Orange snake and brown snake variants both exist, and mine has the brown one.
The 41-back
- 33. Ugnaught. Apron, tool box.
- 34. Dengar. Imperial Hoth rifle in blue.
- 35. Han Solo (Bespin Outfit). Bespin blaster in blue.
- 36. Lobot. Bespin blaster in blue.
- 37. Leia (Hoth Outfit). Blaster in blue.
- 38. Rebel Commander. Hoth Rebel rifle.
- 39. AT-AT Driver. AT-AT Driver rifle.
- 40. Imperial Commander. Imperial blaster in blue.
- 41. 2-1B. Medical staff.
The Ugnaught’s tool box is the thing to watch for. It is small, white and often missing.
The 45-back
- 42. Artoo-Detoo (R2-D2) with Sensorscope. Pop-up sensorscope.
- 43. See-Threepio (C-3PO) with Removable Limbs. Vinyl parts backpack.
- 44. Luke Skywalker (Hoth Battle Gear). Hoth Rebel rifle, backpack.
- 45. AT-AT Commander. Bespin blaster in blue.
- 46. Twin-Pod Cloud Car Pilot. Blaster and comm link, both in grey.
- 47. Bespin Security Guard (black). Bespin blaster in blue.
Two of these are the reason the figure count gets argued about. The Sensorscope R2 and the Removable Limbs C-3PO replaced the originals rather than joining them, with new product numbers, which is how you end up with 96 figures and a card back promoting 93.
The two Bespin Security Guards are a genuine trap. Same name, same card name, different figures: the white one is on the 31-back, the black one here on the 45-back. You need both.
The 47-back and 48-back
- 48. 4-LOM. 4-LOM rifle, chest armour.
- 49. Zuckuss. Zuckuss rifle.
- 50. Imperial TIE Fighter Pilot. Blaster in grey, the same sculpt as the Cloud Car Pilot’s.
A note on these two bounty hunters, because it confuses everybody including Kenner. The figure Kenner called 4-LOM is the insectoid one, and the one they called Zuckuss is the protocol-droid-looking one. The names were swapped relative to how the characters were later established in canon. Kenner’s cards are what they are, and this checklist follows them.
Return of the Jedi, 1983 to 1984
The biggest run of the lot. Thirty-one figures, driven by a film absolutely packed with background characters, which suited Kenner perfectly.
The 65-back
- 51. Admiral Ackbar. Staff.
- 52. Luke Skywalker (Jedi Knight Outfit). Blue lightsaber, later green, Palace blaster in grey, cloth cape.
- 53. Princess Leia Organa (Boushh Disguise). Boushh rifle, removable helmet.
- 54. Gamorrean Guard. Axe.
- 55. Emperor’s Royal Guard. Force pike, cloth robe.
- 56. Chief Chirpa. Staff.
- 57. Logray (Ewok Medicine Man). Staff, shaman pouch, headdress.
- 58. Klaatu. Skiff vibro axe.
- 59. Rebel Commando. Rebel Commando rifle.
- 60. Weequay. Skiff vibro axe.
- 61. Squid Head. Bespin blaster in grey, cloth robe, belt.
- 62. General Madine. Staff.
- 63. Bib Fortuna. Staff, cloth cloak.
- 64. Ree-Yees. Ree-Yees rifle.
- 65. Biker Scout. Biker Scout blaster.
- 66. Lando Calrissian (Skiff Guard Disguise). Skiff vibro axe.
- 67. Nien Nunb. Blaster in black, the same sculpt as the Cloud Car Pilot’s and TIE Pilot’s.
Jedi Luke is the one to pay attention to. The earliest release had a blue blade, switched to green later to match the film, and the blue version carries a healthy premium. He also came with a grey Palace blaster, which is a new sculpt for this wave.
The skiff guards share weapons in a way that catches people out. Klaatu, Weequay and Skiff Guard Lando all carry the same vibro axe. Nikto, Barada and Yak Face, further down, all carry the same vibro staff. Six figures, two accessories, endlessly mixed up in loose lots.
The 77-back
- 68. Nikto. Skiff vibro staff.
- 69. 8D8. No accessories.
- 70. Princess Leia Organa (in Combat Poncho). Endor blaster in grey or grey/blue, poncho, visor.
- 71. Wicket W. Warrick. Spear, hood.
- 72. The Emperor. Cane, cloth robe.
- 73. B-Wing Pilot. Endor blaster in grey or grey/blue.
- 74. Klaatu (in Skiff Guard Outfit). Skiff force pike.
- 75. Han Solo (in Trench Coat). Rebel blaster in black.
- 76. Teebo. Axe, battle horn.
- 77. Prune Face. Prune Face rifle, cloth cloak.
- 78. AT-ST Driver. Endor blaster in grey or grey/blue.
- 79. Rancor Keeper. Vibroblade.
Trench Coat Han is worth flagging for weapon spotters. He is the only figure in the line to come with a solid black Rebel blaster rather than blue/black or blue, so a black one turning up in a loose lot almost certainly belongs to him.
Two Klaatus exist, and they are different figures: the 65-back Klaatu and the 77-back Klaatu in Skiff Guard Outfit. Different sculpt, different weapon, both needed.
The 79-back
- 80. Lumat. Bow, quiver.
- 81. Paploo. Staff.
Two late Ewoks, both easy to overlook and both harder to find carded than the numbers suggest.
Power of the Force, 1985
The last gasp of the vintage line, and the one collectors chase hardest. Kenner was winding down, the figures shipped in smaller numbers, and several of them are now among the most valuable in the run. Every carded example came with a collector’s coin.
The 92-back
- 82. Luke Skywalker (in Battle Poncho). Palace blaster in black, poncho.
- 83. Artoo-Detoo (R2-D2) with pop-up Lightsaber. Green pop-up lightsaber.
- 84. Romba. Spear.
- 85. Amanaman. Amanaman staff with shrunken heads.
- 86. Barada. Skiff vibro staff.
- 87. Imperial Gunner. Endor blaster in black.
- 88. Han Solo (in Carbonite Chamber). Carbonite block.
- 89. Luke Skywalker (Imperial Stormtrooper Outfit). Imperial blaster in solid black, removable helmet.
- 90. Anakin Skywalker. No accessories.
- 91. EV-9D9. No accessories.
- 92. Warok. Bow, quiver.
- 93. Lando Calrissian (General Pilot). Palace blaster in black.
- 94. A-Wing Pilot. Endor blaster in black.
- 95. Imperial Dignitary. Cloth robe.
Solid black is the Power of the Force signature. Stormtrooper Luke’s blaster is a true solid black, distinct from the blue/black of the 1978 Stormtrooper, and the black Endor blaster only ever came with two figures, the A-Wing Pilot and the Imperial Gunner, which is why it is so hard to find loose.
Amanaman is the one everybody wants, and the staff with the shrunken heads is the reason.
Yak Face
- 96. Yak Face (Saelt-Marae). Skiff vibro staff.
The grail. Yak Face was never released on a card in the United States and turned up only in Canada and Europe, which is why he finishes the run and why a carded example costs what it does. Hasbro eventually made the point for us by releasing him as VC000 in The Vintage Collection, unnumbered, a nod to the figure that never officially existed over there.
The other vintage lines
Three more sets sit alongside the 96 and are properly part of the vintage era, even though they are not counted in the main run.
Droids, 1985
Twelve figures from the animated series, shipped in a single wave: Artoo-Detoo, See-Threepio, A-Wing Pilot, Boba Fett, Jann Tosh, Jord Dusat, Kea Moll, Kez-Iban, Sise Fromm, Thall Joben, Tig Fromm and Uncle Gundy.
A thirteenth, Vlix, was tooled for a second wave that Kenner never released. He eventually saw production in Brazil through Glasslite, in tiny numbers, and is now one of the most valuable Star Wars action figures in existence. The Droids Boba Fett is also worth knowing about: different paint to the vintage one, and genuinely scarce.
Ewoks, 1985
Six figures from the other animated series. The first wave was all Duloks: King Gorneesh, Urgah Lady Gorneesh, Dulok Scout and Dulok Shaman. The second added Wicket W. Warrick and Logray, both distinct from their Return of the Jedi versions.
Sy Snootles and the Rebo Band
Max Rebo, Sy Snootles and Droopy McCool, sold as a boxed three-figure set rather than individually carded. That is why they sit outside the 96, and why a complete boxed set in good condition is harder to find than any single figure in it.
The variants worth knowing about
This is where vintage collecting gets expensive, and where I have to be straight with you. Of the variants below, the only one I own is the Blue Snaggletooth. The rest I have handled at shows and read about for decades, but I am not going to illustrate them with someone else’s photos and let you assume otherwise.
Double-telescoping lightsabers
The earliest Luke, Ben Kenobi and Darth Vader figures had a two-stage lightsaber. A thin second blade slid out of the thicker first one, mimicking the ignition in the film. It was fragile and expensive to make, and Kenner replaced it with a simple single-piece saber very early in the production run.
“Very early” is doing a lot of work in that sentence. A carded double-telescoping Ben Kenobi sold for $79,178, one of the highest prices ever paid for a carded Star Wars figure. If you find a loose one in a job lot, that is your retirement.
The vinyl cape Jawa
The 1978 Jawa first shipped with a vinyl cape rather than the cloth cloak most of us know. The story collectors tell is that the vinyl version looked too cheap for the price, and Kenner swapped it quickly.
It is one of the most counterfeited figures in the hobby. The genuine carded version sits in a blister unique to that variant, with a flat clear plastic backing. If you are buying one, buy the card and the blister as much as the figure, and buy from someone who will let you send it for grading.
The Blue Snaggletooth
The one I have got. Kenner’s designers were working from a grainy black and white head shot and had to guess the rest of him, so the version that went into the Sears exclusive Cantina Adventure Set came out tall, in a blue uniform, with silver boots. He was corrected to the short red version for the carded release.
He was never available on a card. The Sears set was the only way to get him, which is why so many collectors have the red one and not this. Side by side they barely look like the same character.
The rocket-firing Boba Fett
The one that is not really a variant so much as a legend. Kenner planned a mail-away Fett with a spring-loaded firing rocket, then pulled the feature over safety concerns before release. The shipped figure has the rocket glued in place, and only a tiny number of working prototypes ever left the factory.
In August 2024 one sold at Goldin for $1,342,000, making it the most expensive toy ever sold at auction. Three months earlier a different example had set the previous record at Heritage for $525,000. The market more than doubled in a quarter of a year, which tells you something about where vintage Star Wars is right now.
Where to go from here
Ninety-six figures, eight years, and a line that ended in 1985 thinking it was finished. It was not, of course. Everything Hasbro has done with the 3.75 inch scale since is a conversation with these cards.
If you are collecting the modern equivalent, The Vintage Collection is Hasbro’s homage to exactly these card backs, right down to the Kenner logo, and the Retro Collection reissues the original sculpts outright. UK collectors will also want the history of Palitoy, who put these same figures out over here under their own name.
If you are missing something from the list above, tell me in the comments which one is holding you back. After forty years I am still convinced the last figure is the hardest, whichever one it happens to be.