Battlestar Galactica Action Figures Identification Tool with Pictures

The story of Battlestar Galactica

Despite their high hopes, they did not rush straight into a weekly series. Instead, audiences met the crew of the Battlestar Galactica as they fled from the destruction of their old homes. While humanity had once lived prosperously in twelve colonies, their homes were destroyed by the Cylon forces after one of their own, Baltar, betrayed them. Commander Adama led the survivors to seek out the legendary thirteenth colony, Earth, in hopes of a better future.

As the original movie proved successful, the production created two more made-for-TV movies. However, both the audience and Universal wanted to see more Battlestar Galactica. To meet this demand, the production changed gears and ramped up to create weekly television episodes instead. This change forced them to rush past certain plot points as the production became chaotic. With the high cost and unstable production, the series only lasted 17 episodes before being canceled.

Mattel signs on to create the Battlestar Galactica action figure toy line

At the height of the original run, the merchandise for the show was everywhere. There even was a Marvel comic book series that lasted 23 issues from 1978 to 1980. However, it all paled compared to the notorious toy line Mattel produced in 1978.

Mattel created two series of toys for the show in 1979, featuring 3 ¾” scale action figures. The first series had six action figures, while the second series had only four. There was also a complete five-figure gift set with the action figures of the main cast. Filling out the toy line were two 12-inch action figures, a talking Daggit, a Lasermatic Pistol, and an I.D. set.

Mattel also produced four vehicles for this toy line that featured firing missiles. Despite following all the safety regulations at the time, Mattel quickly ran into problems with these vehicles. The first signs of issues came when the Consumer Products Safety Commission relayed reports of children inhaling or swallowing these projectiles. Mattel responded by slapping a warning sticker on their remaining stock. However, that did not save them from what happened next.

The recall of Battlestar Galactica vehicles and other set-backs

After a child died by choking on one of these missiles, Mattel was forced to issue a recall. They offered free Hot Wheels cars to compensate customers for the loss of play value. Mattel had even more problems to deal with as they faced a lawsuit from the death. This event affected multiple toy lines for years to come, including Star Wars.

While Universal and Mattel witnessed moderate success from Battlestar Galactica, they faced several legal setbacks. 20th Century Fox and George Lucas quickly noticed their desire to create the next hit science fiction property. For several years, the two companies duked it out with various lawsuits, including ones over Mattel’s toy line.

Galactica 1980

Not long after Battlestar Galactica stopped airing, its fans began to demand the series’ return. The series had successfully become a beloved part of pop culture. In response to the outcry, Universal greenlit a follow-up 2-hour-long TV movie, Galactica 1980, which transformed into a 10-episode series. With only two actors returning and a plot set 30 years after the original, the follow-up quickly failed. Moreover, this series did not receive any new toys.

Despite the failure of the follow-up series, Battlestar Galactica retained enough popularity throughout the decades to warrant new merchandise years after its cancelation. The franchise returned with new stories with the comic books published by Maximum Press in 1995. These comic books also inspired a brand-new toy line.

Trendmasters Battlestar Galactica action figure toy line

Trendmasters introduced their take on Battlestar Galactica in 1996. These toys were not based on the original series but instead used designs from the comics, specifically Richard Hatch’s Apollo’s Journey arc. Trendmasters produced 5 6” action figures, three of which were Cylons that used the same mold. They also produced two vehicles.

The reboot series

The franchise got a brand new wave of popularity after USA Cable Entertainment aired a reimagining of the series. This new take began with a mini-series that loosely retold the events of the first TV movie from 1978 with some changes. This time, Baltar unintentionally helped the Cylons, now robots humans once created, wipe out Kobal’s 12 colonies. The survivors escaped on a fleet of ships to seek out the legendary 13th colony, Earth. The success of this mini-series led to a full series with 4 seasons. It also generated two made-for-tv movies, Razor and The Plan. With the reimagined series producing a new wave of popularity, many companies began producing new merchandise.

In 2005, Konami created a series of blind box figures to collect. These boxes contained the chance to find either 2 Cylon warriors or 4 ships. Each figure was around 2” to 5” long.

Then, Joyride Studios introduced a new round of action figures. These 6” action figures were released in two series. While Joyride had planned on a third series, the toy line was canceled before it could come out.

Majestic Studios also produced new Battlestar Galactica toys in 2005. Unlike the other lines, this line focused on creating detailed 12” action figures. Five different stand-alone figures and a 2-pack with Apollo and Starbuck were created for this line.

Diamond Selects Battlestar Galactica action figures

After the proven success of the reimagined Battlestar Galactica, Diamond Selects signed on to create toys for the series in 2007. These new toys were created around the 7” scale size with detailed paint jobs and articulation. There were 4 series planned for the line, and Diamond Selects only created 3 before canceling the line. They also produced 5 waves of toys that only appeared on the shelves of Toys “R” Us.

Even though the reimagined series officially ended in 2009, its legacy lived on. The franchise gained its first spin-off series in 2010 when Caprica aired on Syfy. A brand-new web series, Blood & Chrome, was also produced in 2012. NBC announced plans for another new series in 2019; however, it has had a rocky production, with its writer and producer leaving the project in 2021.