Star Wars Special Edition 500th Figure Darth Vader, Meditation Chamber, Hasbro '05

A milestone release celebrating the 500th figure in the Hasbro Star Wars 3.75" line, released in 2005 during the Revenge of the Sith era — though the figure itself depicts Darth Vader as he appeared in The Empire Strikes Back, not ROTS. The star of this set is the meditation chamber accessory: a detailed recreation of the scene where Vader's helmet dome is lowered onto Anakin's scarred head, complete with a functioning lever at the back of the chamber that raises and lowers the dome crane over the figure's head. The outer packaging bubble is designed to double as the upper half of the chamber, making the sealed presentation an integral part of the display. The chamber lever is accessible without opening the package. Accessories include the chamber, lightsaber, removable soft-goods cape, removable helmet dome, and an interchangeable right hand with lightsaber grip. One known production issue: the figure leans noticeably to the right on all samples due to a calibration inconsistency. Articulation regressed slightly from the 2004 VOTC Vader by dropping ball-jointed shoulders in favor of swivel, though the ball-jointed knees allow the figure to seat convincingly in the chamber.