Hasbro 3.75" - 2008 Wave 4 (ToD)

[Matt]

Not much is known about this wave at this time, except that it will consist of six or seven figures and should be available in September (or thereabouts).

The only figure confirmed right now is the Giant Thuggee Guard:



There was this (puzzling) response, though, in this week's Q & A:

We've seen a number of UK Toy Fair reports which detail the 3 3/4" Indiana Jones line. Raiders, Last Crusade and Crystal Skull all seem to be represented - but Temple of Doom appears strangely lacking. Are you, like Lego, avoiding merchandise from this film due to it's darker tone? Will we ever see Willie, Short-Round and Mola Ram in plastic form? (TPU, 02/27/08)

     Wave 4 of the IJ basic figure line will be Temple-themed, and it will be a doozy of a wave. We showed one image at Toy Fair - of a Temple Thug - and we can tell you that this is one fine wave. As for specific characters, we will confirm Wave 4 at Toy Fair (if not before).....the remaining one(s) will be be in the first of the 2009 waves.

Now I don't know whether to make heads or tails of this answer.  They confirmed Wave 4 at Toy Fair, but none of the characters in it save the Thuggee.  It sounds to me like maybe they're saying two of the characters mentioned will be in Wave 4, but the last one will be in the first '09 wave.  I don't know.

If I were a gambling man, I'd say that Rope Bridge Indy, Mola Ram, Short Round, and some version of Willie Scott are a lock for Wave 4, along with the Giant Thuggee.

[Scott]

I bet they meant Comic Con

Here's my guess:

Rope Bridge Indy
Mola Ram
Short Round
Willie Scott (Club O-W)
Tuxedo Indy
Lao Che
Maharajah
Giant Thuggee

[Jesse James]

Yeah, I'm thinking SDCC as well...  My guesses are like this...

-Giant Thuggee
-Regular Thuggee
-Rope Bridge Indy
-Short Round (packed with something to even it out?)
-Mola Rahm

I would bet no Willie Scott, at least not yet.  I'd think a second Indy may even be more likely, actually.  Could be wrong I guess, I just think Hasbro has that stigma with female characters going on with this line.

[David]

I would bet no Willie Scott, at least not yet.  I'd think a second Indy may even be more likely, actually.  Could be wrong I guess, I just think Hasbro has that stigma with female characters going on with this line.

I don't think so. Elsa is rumored for Wave 3, Cate Blanchett and Marion are in Waves 2 and 1, I would think there would be a Willie in Wave 4.

[speedermike]

All I know is that there better be a deluxe figure with a mine car!

[Matt]

Yeah, I'm thinking SDCC as well...

Yeah, that makes sense, I guess.  But if Wave 4 is due in September, that's just five or six weeks after SDCC.  I bet we'll know it's contents much sooner than that.  June at the latest, would be my guess.

My guesses are like this...

-Giant Thuggee
-Regular Thuggee

You think they'd put two Thuggees in the first wave?  I bet we'll get a regular Thuggee at some point (packed in with a mine car in the Deluxe line, maybe?) but I doubt it'll be in the same wave as the Giant one.

-Short Round (packed with something to even it out?)

I'd like to see Shorty with a mine car pack in (although they're not doing any big accessory pack-ins in the first two waves, so that may be unlikely).  He could be packed in with the Maharajah or a slave kid (although those seem somewhat unlikely as well--the latter, especially so).  Aside from those things, I don't know what else they could put in with him.  Maybe they'll skip the single-carded release altogether and do a Shorty with Mine Car Deluxe set?

I would bet no Willie Scott, at least not yet.  I'd think a second Indy may even be more likely, actually.  Could be wrong I guess, I just think Hasbro has that stigma with female characters going on with this line.

I have to agree with my esteemed colleague Robo-Quack here.  I don't see any stigma with female characters.  I'd be more surprised if they didn't do a Willie in Wave 4, actually.  My only question is which outfit it'll be.  The nightclub dress is the most-interesting, visually, but it would make for a crappy action figure.  The other outfits are a little more bland but would probably play better.  Maybe we'll get a Willie in the sacrifice cage?  That'd be cool.

[Jesse James]

The stigma, I'm saying, comes from their Q&A's and things...  They claim any female character doesn't sell well...  Just going by what they say is all there.  I think Willie's the least itneresting of the Jones women personally, so I just have this suspicion she'll get shafted...  I could be wrong of course.

I really think the Thugee (regular one) could happen because he's an army builder, and so far they seem to want to have one army builder with every assortment.  The German, Russian, etc.  Even the motorcycle German in the deluxe assortment, who's sort of out of place since he's the only TLC figure out even.

Just guessing though...  We didn't get the German Mechanic so I'm sort of surprised at the big Thuggee.

[Matt]

The stigma, I'm saying, comes from their Q&A's and things...  They claim any female character doesn't sell well...  Just going by what they say is all there.

I hear ya.  I'm just going off of what they've done so far with this line, with at least three females in the basic line and one in the Deluxe.  I don't think they're ignoring the ladies at all.  And especially with Temple of Doom, which doesn't seem to have as many viable candidates for figures as the others, I don't know how they couldn't do Willie early on.

I think Willie's the least itneresting of the Jones women personally, so I just have this suspicion she'll get shafted...  I could be wrong of course.

I don't disagree with you there (you have to wonder how much better Temple of Doom would have been without her shrill shrieking and carrying on), but I wonder if this guy does:



(Maybe this is a dumb question but I wonder if her being Spielberg's wife will have anything to do with how her character is treated, toy-wise.)

. . .

(Yep, dumb question.)

I really think the Thugee (regular one) could happen because he's an army builder, and so far they seem to want to have one army builder with every assortment.

Yeah, I think we'll see a normal Thuggee at some point, I just don't think it'll be in the same wave as the Giant one.

Just guessing though...  We didn't get the German Mechanic so I'm sort of surprised at the big Thuggee.

We didn't get the Mechanic this year because Pat Roach was such a hulking behemoth of a man that Hasbro can only afford to do one of his characters a year.   

German Mechanic in '09, Giant Sherpa in 2010?

[Artoo]

Too bad he only had a minor cameo in LC.

I see TOD being like this-
Bridge Indy
Short Ram & (Maybe) Prince
Mola Ram
Lao Che Goon
Willie Scott
Giant Thugee

[speedermike]

I like the idea of a Loa Che Goon/Shanghia Gangster, but if that happens I want a Tuxedo Indy to go along with him.  Actually, that would make a great second TOD wave..

Tux Indy
Lao Che
Gangster
Willie in red dress.

[Jesse James]

A club Obi-Wan wave would be friggin' sweet actually...  A gangster, some of the main gangsters, Tux Indy, dress Willie, maybe Indy's waiter-assistant...  I'd dig that wave a lot actually.

We didn't get the Mechanic this year because Pat Roach was such a hulking behemoth of a man that Hasbro can only afford to do one of his characters a year.

So he's kind of the Ephant Mon of Indiana Jones?

[Nathan]

Yeah I think Tux Indy is the only figure I really need from TOD.

That and maybe Mola Ram.

[speedermike]

Actually, I really want them to make the guys that help Mola Ram n the Altar...the ones with the white skirts and skull make-up.  I officailly dub them Altar Goon.

[Jesse James]

Agreed...  TO be honest, I'd take a Colonial British Soldier, the skull make up guys, little thuggee's, some Chinese gangsters, a couple Indy's, etc. 

A cool railway mining car set would be really neat, but not hoped for.  Honestly, who would expect a playset from Temple of Doom?    Just doesn't seem likely unless it's something like a mining car with track pieces in the deluxe line.  That seems like "it" that anyone could hope for.

[CHEWIE]

I wonder if they'd go so far as to make the guy who gets his heart ripped out of his chest.

Maybe they'll make a deluxe of Willie with the cage she gets put in.

We might get Indy without a shirt on too, when he's possessed.

I'd really like to see an Elephant made as well.