Altha Prime?? whaaa?...

[Mitsukara]

According to the beloved Rebel Scum, the Imperial Sentinel seen in Dark Empire is takenfrom an unused concept sketch for the Emporer's Royal Guard. I can buy that, but it's what they say next that has me scratching my head:

"The Imperial Sentinel  was almost made as a vintage figure named Altha Prime,, in a series of toys designed to continue after the Classic Trilogy. Altha Prime and his Clone Warriors would have been a new challenge for our heroes, but the line was never developed past conceptual designs."

Is this true?? Granted, my knowledge of vintage figures is overall a bit limited and my knowledge of preproduction figures even more so (though I have heard and seen pictures, IIRC, that they had working prototypes of Chewbacca's family for the holiday special and for some reason a Luke figure clad in long jedi robes resembling Anakin's and Obi Wan's), but I found this quite interesting. If it is legitimate, does anyone have any further information on this unproduced line, or any others?

[Jeff]

Yes, it is absolutely true.

As is the case with many many things about the Vintage line, the answer can be found at www.ToysRGus.com.

If you've never seen it, head over there and read the 1985-1986 Line Extension Feature that they have over there.  It's a really cool look at what might have been if the line had continued...

[HWR]

It's also confirmed in Steve Sansweet's book The Action Figure Archive.