In the late 90s I popped into a comic shop in Clapham and under a table was a massive cardboard box filled with nothing but General Madine figures all carded and unopened. £2 each. I remember thinking 'Who the hell would want that?' and bought about five old starlord comics and an unopened Urusei Yatsura model kit. Side note. Power Droid and that other medical droid from the beginning of the video were two of my absolute favourites when I was a kid.
I had that with the Rebel Soldier (Hoth Battle Gear) in 1980. Before The Empire Strikes Back came out or I knew anything at all about the film, I got this new figure and it was so exciting!
Growing up in Germany we had a hard time finding StarWars figures so I never had a Luke Skywalker in any flavor; General Madine WAS my Luke for almost my entire childhood. His pointer was a perfect lightsaber if you add a little imagination! I never got a proper Luke until after I stopped playing with StarWars so Madine was in every single battle I had. I honestly think my Madine saw more action than anybody else's haha!
In the UK, Maxine was a shelf warmer in nearly all the toy shops. I once almost took pity on him and grabbed him only to see a Lando in Skiff disguise, hiding behind the endless Madines. Lando won.
I had this figure and I really liked it. He was a rebel and he looked smart. What more do you need? When playing, he was a bosom buddy of Luke, Han, Lando, Admiral Ackbar and "Rebel Commander" (bloke from Hoth with the moustache). He had "General" in his name. His white pointer stick could shoot out beams of energy at his enemies. In the films and expanded universe he was a defected Imperial officer. I was about 10 at the time, but like you, I loved this figure.
I always had a soft spot for general madine also. One of my first ROTJ figures and one of the first I re-purchased as an adult because I still had my original ‘weapon’ of general madine
That's so cool that you had the original weapon even though the figure was gone! I most of the time it's the other way around (have the figure, lost the weapon!)
I loved the general Madine figure! I thought he looked so much cooler than the actual actor! And yah he was full of untapped potential. I actually used him more with my gi joes than with Star Wars. His uniform wasn’t TOO spacey and he made for a great command figure, pointer and all! Most you tubers deride this figure, thanks for giving him the props he deserves!
Yeah, I think Kenner improved the character from the movie when they made this figure. I can understand thinking that the character didn't do much in the movie, but my figures lived out adventures completely different from the movies!
I know exactly what you mean. I still have my Andres Thomas 1988 topps card. Which is probably worth about 3cents in mint condition. But it was the first card from the first pack of 1988 I got that year. To me that 3 cent card is absolutely priceless!
Gen. Madine must have been one of the few figures I had bought myself directly from the store, instead of getting from friends -second hand- back in the 80ies. What stood out most for me was the high quality finish of this figure. I felt it was somehow better made than the others / earlier ones. Maybe the fact that it was a lesser known character in the movie also appealed to me?
It's fun to think about your speculations as kids before seeing the movies but just going on the figures and photos on the cards. i got a Luke Jedi and was worried that he had turned to the darkside because he wore all black.
@@Beedo_Sookcool I think a lot of minor characters were giving a real depth in other media...I know they were given more action when I played with them as a kid!
By 1985, I remember seeing a bargain bin at Sears or Woolco (in Canada) completely filled with General Madine action figures discounted to $1.99 each. :)
I didn't get Madine until my 40's. Back in 1983, my mother only allowed me so many toys. I only had one Stormtrooper, what a crime. As an adult adding him to my collection, I see his figure as showing the growth of the Rebellion as a military force. Rank bars, a uniform, and a swagger stick. He'd have been a great Brigadier-esque companion for Luke and Ben back in the day for me. Thanks for the video, I had that same card back with the blacked out figures on it. I had SO MANY QUESTIONS because of it.
My first ROTJ figure was Admiral Ackbar, he was a mail away figure before the movie came out. I had no idea who he was, and he came with that rod, so I thought he was some kind of magician.
My parents spoiled me in 84. I had almost all the return of the Jedi figures and play sets but I lost almost all of them with the exception of carbonite Han and general Maxine ironically enough.
Just like you, I remember buying him from somewhere (around about or slightly before the release of Jedi) and getting him home and having a tough time liking him. I really had to examine him and think about him to finally accept him as a figure with at least some potential, as I used to play within the guidelines of the story I eventually found ways to include him and bring him out as a character a bit more. It's strange that he should feature in his own UA-cam "We Had That" video as I too had a bit of a journey with him ! I love your videoa BTW.
As a kid, he functioned to me as a young Ben Kenobi (gave him a lightsaber) and his pointer moved up the ranks to an electro-truncheon... good times with Madine!
The same happened with the Phantom Menace figures when they launched before the movie was out. Everyone snapped up as many as they could and speculated the cool stories these characters were about to have. Oh boy, say no more.
I always liked the Gen Madine figure and like many others I had it before I ever saw ROTJ. I thought he looked like a fit, tough and wise leader and gave him a character similar to the wise, gruff, bearded captain from the Star Blazers cartoon. He actually looks far better as an action figure than in the film. In the movie he kinda looks like a depressed burned out alcoholic lol. More Sherman than Grant.
You managed to do what I thought was near impossible for almost 40 years; make Gen. Madine look cool! I love your personal story of how you got the figure and the importance of that to you and your play. In my case, I have zero recollection of how or where I got mine because he was of so little subsequence as a figure or character in the movie. (I personally think the action figure looks better than his real life counterpart, and that ridiculous hairdo). I do distinctly remember that he came to prominence in a few of my play scenarios precisely as the most unlikely hero -- defeating marauding aliens, taking out Jedi & Sith alike, finding himself as the last man standing for no other reason than I liked the absurdity of such a schlump beating the rest of the universe with his walkie-talkie! 😄 Good times.
Me and my sister had all the Star Wars figures and all the GI Joes so all of them would join forces to stop the forces of Cobra and the forces of the empire Jermaine Dean played an important part of leadership when he would be back in the base until the rebels where to go and what to do or how many Imperial forces were headed their way sometimes I put them aboard a spaceship commanded sometimes he did capture two so they have two Rebels had to go save him
Did receive general madine for either for my birthday or Christmas of 1983. Had many adventures with this figure along with my other star wars figures and Gi Joe's. Sadly I misplaced madine when I was a kid. But recently acquired another one, No Staff though. Great vintage toy content and toy photography as always. Thanks for sharing
Thank you! I'm lucky to still have the accessory. I did a decent job of keeping up with the little pieces, but a lot of them were still lost along the way.
Heya! I Love this Figure! Most people complain about him being a thoroughly dull Figure but I saw Him and still do as an essential part to the Rebel Alliance Set! This is how I see my Collection. Even as a Child. It meant adding a Figure to a Cohesive Group! It was like when I realised I completed my Bounty Hunter Set- they are viewed as such because of the role they played on board the Executor Flagship! And General Madine was just as Essential in terms of that sense of completeness. It is the same with the Ewoks. It was gratifying to have the complete set. The Bespin Cloud City Figures, from Lando to the Ugnaught it is that sense of fulfilment. I feel that the Figures were divided up that way as per film. But it was particularly clever as I could enact each scene! Not only that, the Figures were, are environment specific. Hoth for the Rebels and Imperials. Pilots for the Rebels, Imperials and Bespin. Bespin Cloud City Figures were a set unto themselves. Soldiers- Storm Troopers for the Empire- unfortunately for us Kenner only produced Rebel Hoth and Endor Troopers. Even Bespin had their own contingent in terms of the Bespin Security Guard Duo! So basically I saw, and still do see individual Figures being an essential part of the whole. It is sad that in the Vintage Collection that there was enough Rebels like the Fleet Troopers, Wedge and Captain Antilles? Kenner could have brought out a Battle of Yavin Pilot Box Set featuring every character from the attack on the Death Star as well as characters from the Rebel Briefing. But I’m going off at a tangent here and I’m utterly grateful for the effort that Kenner made back in the day! Besides, came the 90’s and the 2020’s, I more than made up for the initial shortfall of the previous decades that also includes a brand new iteration of the General which is just as cool as the Original!
How ironic that in the 'Star Wars' franchise full of lightsabers and laser beams, General Madine didn't use a LASER POINTER in 'Return of the Jedi'. ;)
Thanks for sharing! My general Madine would often pilot a rebel ship or even co pilot the millennium falcon. As a kid I missed his bit part in the one time I saw ROTJ in the theater so I just assumed he lead the Death Star assault with general lando. Just subbed and am looking forward to getting caught up on your previous videos.
I had him as a kid, but I don't remember playing with him that much. I DO recall a couple of instances where he personally led the Rebel forces on Endor. I didn't even see any of the OT movies in the cinemas; I had to wait until they were shown on network television. As a result, I just made up all kinds of weird adventures for the figures. I'm hoping they come out with a new version of this guy for TVC. His character got a lot of nifty backstory in the Expanded Universe stuff over the years, and NO, I DON'T CARE THAT DISNEY SAYS IT ISN'T "CANON" ANYMORE, DISNEY CULTISTS! >Ahem< Sorry. I'm fine, now. Really.
@@WeHadThat Yeah. I thought he was a cool looking figure when I was a kid and I needed someone to lead my Rebel soldiers since I didn't have Admiral Ackbar. It was easy enough to "requisition" a blaster from another figure. He certainly doesn't get the love he deserves.
I look at the General Madine figure as an impact on my Star Wars figure list like I look at that time I got a B in creative writing. Not terrible, not great, who cares.
None of my friends including myself had General Madine and only one person had FX7 and we didn't know that it was a Droid we thought it was a medical device
In the late 90s I popped into a comic shop in Clapham and under a table was a massive cardboard box filled with nothing but General Madine figures all carded and unopened. £2 each. I remember thinking 'Who the hell would want that?' and bought about five old starlord comics and an unopened Urusei Yatsura model kit. Side note. Power Droid and that other medical droid from the beginning of the video were two of my absolute favourites when I was a kid.
I had that with the Rebel Soldier (Hoth Battle Gear) in 1980. Before The Empire Strikes Back came out or I knew anything at all about the film, I got this new figure and it was so exciting!
YES!
Growing up in Germany we had a hard time finding StarWars figures so I never had a Luke Skywalker in any flavor; General Madine WAS my Luke for almost my entire childhood. His pointer was a perfect lightsaber if you add a little imagination! I never got a proper Luke until after I stopped playing with StarWars so Madine was in every single battle I had. I honestly think my Madine saw more action than anybody else's haha!
Wow! I love hearing this!
I’m in Canada, I never had Luke either. Instead I used the rebel commando as Luke and Madine was my Obiwan.
In the UK, Maxine was a shelf warmer in nearly all the toy shops. I once almost took pity on him and grabbed him only to see a Lando in Skiff disguise, hiding behind the endless Madines. Lando won.
I had this figure and I really liked it. He was a rebel and he looked smart. What more do you need? When playing, he was a bosom buddy of Luke, Han, Lando, Admiral Ackbar and "Rebel Commander" (bloke from Hoth with the moustache). He had "General" in his name. His white pointer stick could shoot out beams of energy at his enemies. In the films and expanded universe he was a defected Imperial officer. I was about 10 at the time, but like you, I loved this figure.
I always had a soft spot for general madine also. One of my first ROTJ figures and one of the first I re-purchased as an adult because I still had my original ‘weapon’ of general madine
That's so cool that you had the original weapon even though the figure was gone! I most of the time it's the other way around (have the figure, lost the weapon!)
I loved the general Madine figure! I thought he looked so much cooler than the actual actor! And yah he was full of untapped potential. I actually used him more with my gi joes than with Star Wars. His uniform wasn’t TOO spacey and he made for a great command figure, pointer and all! Most you tubers deride this figure, thanks for giving him the props he deserves!
Yeah, I think Kenner improved the character from the movie when they made this figure. I can understand thinking that the character didn't do much in the movie, but my figures lived out adventures completely different from the movies!
He has a pointy stick to make sure the Rebels pay attention in the briefings.
...but does it work? DO they pay attention, or do that just pass notes to each other?
I know exactly what you mean. I still have my Andres Thomas 1988 topps card. Which is probably worth about 3cents in mint condition. But it was the first card from the first pack of 1988 I got that year. To me that 3 cent card is absolutely priceless!
I can relate!
Gen. Madine must have been one of the few figures I had bought myself directly from the store, instead of getting from friends -second hand- back in the 80ies. What stood out most for me was the high quality finish of this figure. I felt it was somehow better made than the others / earlier ones. Maybe the fact that it was a lesser known character in the movie also appealed to me?
It's fun to think about your speculations as kids before seeing the movies but just going on the figures and photos on the cards. i got a Luke Jedi and was worried that he had turned to the darkside because he wore all black.
Woah, I'd never thought of that, but it's a valid concern considering all of Darth Vader's promises in Empire Strikes Back!
Great story - now off to ebay to purchase him.
Excellent! 🙂
I think he works nicely as a generic Rebel Commander for the Battle of Endor like how the Hoth Rebel Commander did for the Battle of Hoth.
Oddly I remember the character best from the N 64 Rouge squadron game
His character definitely got fleshed out nicely in those backstories!
That's wild! I didn't even realize he was in one of the games!
@@Beedo_Sookcool I think a lot of minor characters were giving a real depth in other media...I know they were given more action when I played with them as a kid!
By 1985, I remember seeing a bargain bin at Sears or Woolco (in Canada) completely filled with General Madine action figures discounted to $1.99 each. :)
Nice story. I would feel it same way
Thanks! 🙂
I didn't get Madine until my 40's. Back in 1983, my mother only allowed me so many toys. I only had one Stormtrooper, what a crime. As an adult adding him to my collection, I see his figure as showing the growth of the Rebellion as a military force. Rank bars, a uniform, and a swagger stick. He'd have been a great Brigadier-esque companion for Luke and Ben back in the day for me.
Thanks for the video, I had that same card back with the blacked out figures on it. I had SO MANY QUESTIONS because of it.
Oh yeah, those blacked out Ewoks were certainly a huge mystery to me at the time! I'm glad you finally were able to add Madine to your ranks!
My first ROTJ figure was Admiral Ackbar, he was a mail away figure before the movie came out. I had no idea who he was, and he came with that rod, so I thought he was some kind of magician.
Seeing the figures before the movies created quite a lot of speculation for me too!
Crix is a legend!
I don't know much about him outside of my action figure and his scene in Return of the Jedi.
My parents spoiled me in 84. I had almost all the return of the Jedi figures and play sets but I lost almost all of them with the exception of carbonite Han and general Maxine ironically enough.
It sounds like '84 was a good year!
4:00 Retroblasting did a video indicating that a lot of the Return of the Jedi action figures came with sticks.
That was certainly the case! Several of the Ewoks and aliens from Jaba's palace had sticks.
Just like you, I remember buying him from somewhere (around about or slightly before the release of Jedi) and getting him home and having a tough time liking him. I really had to examine him and think about him to finally accept him as a figure with at least some potential, as I used to play within the guidelines of the story I eventually found ways to include him and bring him out as a character a bit more. It's strange that he should feature in his own UA-cam "We Had That" video as I too had a bit of a journey with him ! I love your videoa BTW.
As a kid, he functioned to me as a young Ben Kenobi (gave him a lightsaber) and his pointer moved up the ranks to an electro-truncheon... good times with Madine!
who can argue with electric blue arms?
He was mine first figure I got from a store 😊too
The same happened with the Phantom Menace figures when they launched before the movie was out. Everyone snapped up as many as they could and speculated the cool stories these characters were about to have. Oh boy, say no more.
Haha! I think I had unrealistic expectations for Phantom Menace.
Ric Ollie was the General Madine of the Phantom menace.
I always liked the Gen Madine figure and like many others I had it before I ever saw ROTJ. I thought he looked like a fit, tough and wise leader and gave him a character similar to the wise, gruff, bearded captain from the Star Blazers cartoon.
He actually looks far better as an action figure than in the film. In the movie he kinda looks like a depressed burned out alcoholic lol. More Sherman than Grant.
Star Blazers! I loved that cartoon!
Ah... Crix Madine, whose last words were "not to you."
I had him as a kid, but he never saw much action.
I think that was a common tale for this guy!
You managed to do what I thought was near impossible for almost 40 years; make Gen. Madine look cool!
I love your personal story of how you got the figure and the importance of that to you and your play. In my case, I have zero recollection of how or where I got mine because he was of so little subsequence as a figure or character in the movie. (I personally think the action figure looks better than his real life counterpart, and that ridiculous hairdo).
I do distinctly remember that he came to prominence in a few of my play scenarios precisely as the most unlikely hero -- defeating marauding aliens, taking out Jedi & Sith alike, finding himself as the last man standing for no other reason than I liked the absurdity of such a schlump beating the rest of the universe with his walkie-talkie! 😄 Good times.
Haha, thank you! If you take his role in the movie out of the equation, he's a cool enough action figure.
Until I knew his role in ROTJ, I used him as a new Imperial officer.
That makes sense!
That’s ironic. Before he served the Rebellion, he WAS an Imperial Officer!
Me and my sister had all the Star Wars figures and all the GI Joes so all of them would join forces to stop the forces of Cobra and the forces of the empire Jermaine Dean played an important part of leadership when he would be back in the base until the rebels where to go and what to do or how many Imperial forces were headed their way sometimes I put them aboard a spaceship commanded sometimes he did capture two so they have two Rebels had to go save him
It's awesome to hear about the adventures that other kids had with these toys back then!
I had him and played with him some. But I like Admiral Akbar much better.
Please comment on the weird black blob Kenner put over the ewoks on the Jedi card back. How tantalising was it? What was under there?
Did receive general madine for either for my birthday or Christmas of 1983. Had many adventures with this figure along with my other star wars figures and Gi Joe's. Sadly I misplaced madine when I was a kid. But recently acquired another one, No Staff though.
Great vintage toy content and toy photography as always. Thanks for sharing
Thank you! I'm lucky to still have the accessory. I did a decent job of keeping up with the little pieces, but a lot of them were still lost along the way.
Deactivate the shield generator . Nice beard.
Thanks for watching! 😀
Heya! I Love this Figure! Most people complain about him being a thoroughly dull Figure but I saw Him and still do as an essential part to the Rebel Alliance Set! This is how I see my Collection. Even as a Child. It meant adding a Figure to a Cohesive Group! It was like when I realised I completed my Bounty Hunter Set- they are viewed as such because of the role they played on board the Executor Flagship! And General Madine was just as Essential in terms of that sense of completeness. It is the same with the Ewoks. It was gratifying to have the complete set. The Bespin Cloud City Figures, from Lando to the Ugnaught it is that sense of fulfilment. I feel that the Figures were divided up that way as per film. But it was particularly clever as I could enact each scene! Not only that, the Figures were, are environment specific. Hoth for the Rebels and Imperials. Pilots for the Rebels, Imperials and Bespin. Bespin Cloud City Figures were a set unto themselves. Soldiers- Storm Troopers for the Empire- unfortunately for us Kenner only produced Rebel Hoth and Endor Troopers. Even Bespin had their own contingent in terms of the Bespin Security Guard Duo! So basically I saw, and still do see individual Figures being an essential part of the whole. It is sad that in the Vintage Collection that there was enough Rebels like the Fleet Troopers, Wedge and Captain Antilles? Kenner could have brought out a Battle of Yavin Pilot Box Set featuring every character from the attack on the Death Star as well as characters from the Rebel Briefing. But I’m going off at a tangent here and I’m utterly grateful for the effort that Kenner made back in the day! Besides, came the 90’s and the 2020’s, I more than made up for the initial shortfall of the previous decades that also includes a brand new iteration of the General which is just as cool as the Original!
That's a cool way of looking at it! 😀
My first ROTJ figure was Admiral Ackbar. I got him in the mail by sending in proofs of purchase. My second was the Emperor (got him the same way).
Awesome vintage figure and great info bro!! thanks for sharing!! 👍👍✌
Before I saw the movie, you have no idea how cool my version of the character of General Madine was! Haha!
@@WeHadThat That's awesome man!! 👍🤘😁
madine seems like his outfit could build troops.
i found him dull but not his outfit.
He does have a pretty cool outfit.
My major issue was why did they give him grey hair? In the film he's ginger. If I was the actor, I'd be a little miffed at that.
I liked the figure as a kid...he was a rebel leader. I still have my original figure and pointer mint in my collection.
That's awesome! For me, there's something a little more special about the pieces from my childhood!
How ironic that in the 'Star Wars' franchise full of lightsabers and laser beams, General Madine didn't use a LASER POINTER in 'Return of the Jedi'. ;)
Madine awaits your answer on rare, medium or well done so he can flip the meats on the grill with his spatula.
😆😆😆
Thanks for sharing! My general Madine would often pilot a rebel ship or even co pilot the millennium falcon. As a kid I missed his bit part in the one time I saw ROTJ in the theater so I just assumed he lead the Death Star assault with general lando. Just subbed and am looking forward to getting caught up on your previous videos.
Thanks for the comment and subscribing!
I blew mine up with fireworks... .yes, I did regret that and bought another one 40 years later ;)
Well, it was probably fun at the time! I never blew up any of my toys with fireworks, but I did burn myself and my friends on occasion! 😯
I had him as a kid, but I don't remember playing with him that much. I DO recall a couple of instances where he personally led the Rebel forces on Endor. I didn't even see any of the OT movies in the cinemas; I had to wait until they were shown on network television. As a result, I just made up all kinds of weird adventures for the figures.
I'm hoping they come out with a new version of this guy for TVC. His character got a lot of nifty backstory in the Expanded Universe stuff over the years, and NO, I DON'T CARE THAT DISNEY SAYS IT ISN'T "CANON" ANYMORE, DISNEY CULTISTS! >Ahem< Sorry. I'm fine, now. Really.
Haha! That stories are still the stories...regardless of whether or not Disney considers them official!
I love General Madine. I’m army-building that figure!
Really!? That is absolutely awesome! :) Did you have him as a kid?
@@WeHadThat Yeah. I thought he was a cool looking figure when I was a kid and I needed someone to lead my Rebel soldiers since I didn't have Admiral Ackbar. It was easy enough to "requisition" a blaster from another figure. He certainly doesn't get the love he deserves.
@@ghostbustersquickresponseu5159 Oh yeah, my figures used each other's weapons all the time!
I look at the General Madine figure as an impact on my Star Wars figure list like I look at that time I got a B in creative writing. Not terrible, not great, who cares.
I suspect the character was a traitor. He knew the Rebellion was going in to a trap, but he lead them in anyway.
Him and akbar would beat up the emperial dignitary
☝power droid is cool
Oooo...You had an Imperial Dignitary!?
@@WeHadThat 🤣🤣🤣 the only figure I didn't have was anikins ghost
@@robertgriffiths1724 Wow! I didn't have any of the last wave of figures!
@@WeHadThat that sucks🤯
@@WeHadThat why?
Madine sucks
None of my friends including myself had General Madine and only one person had FX7 and we didn't know that it was a Droid we thought it was a medical device
When you think about it, it pretty much was a medical device!