Everything you need to know about the Black Series Thermal Detonator from Hasbro – packaging, impressions, materials, aesthetics, and features!
First impressions and unboxing experience
The box is small-sized with 13cm width(5.2 in), and 15cm height (6 in). If you like to keep your boxes for displaying or because of the re-sell value you’ll find it more than easy to fit this box in a shelf or a small box.
It features multiple pictures of the Thermal Detonator from different angles and an image of Leia (Boushh) holding it.
The Thermal Detonator is inside a bag that protects it from scratches, while also being protected by a plastic “case”.
It’s decent protection for standard shipping and handling but a drop from a significant height or being squashed by heavy stuff will probably damage it.
Materials and features
This collectible is made of plastic, not metal, which I was actually expecting it to be made of metal, especially for that price, but it’s still a bit disappointing how close we got to having a perfect replica.
It has a paint job that resembles the worn-off look many things made of metal have in Star Wars, mostly weapons, speeders, and larger vehicles.
Despite being plastic, it feels fairly resistant. Very similar to my Bo-Katan Black Series helmet. However, I’m not confident enough to test its resistance against a wall or the floor.
This Thermal Detonator also has a red light that indicates its activation and three smaller white lights that blink when the countdown begins. This countdown lasts a whole minute and ends with an unmistakable explosion sound and all lights blinking.
If you don’t want to wait a whole minute to hear the explosion, you can move a throwing movement and the Thermal Detonator will explode after a few seconds.
The red light also serves as a button that, once pressed, changes the white lights to blue lights. This is to change from standard to “droid popper” mode. These lights’t are supposed to be LEDs but they actually look like small light bulbs that aren’t as bright as LEDs.
The sound quality is OK, but at this price point, it’s unrealistic to expect something amazing. The volume is more than enough in quiet places, but in convention centers or rooms with lots of noise, it’ll be inaudible for anyone who isn’t in close proximity.
While many things could be improved (with a respective price increase), this is probably the closest thing we can get to a real life replica. Its appearance, sounds, and lights make it feel almost like the real deal.
Is it worth it for the price?
The Hasbro Thermal Detonator has a retail price tag of $43, however, I had to pay an additional $20 due to import taxes and fees. $63 for a toy is a large amount of money, especially when the uses for it are so limited.
It’s not as fun as a lightsaber, and definitely not more versatile than a Black Series figure. In fact, the only thing that it does is making a few sounds and blink some decent lights.
However, I can’t deny how cool it looks and how similar it is to what we’ve seen in movies and series. I think its most iconic appearance is when Leia, disguised as the bounty hunter Boushh, threatens to blow Jabba and everyone else on Tatooine.
If you are aware of its limited uses but still want to have such a cool and unique piece, I’d say it’s definitely worth the price. Especially if you don’t have to pay the extra $20 like I did.
A possible problem at customs
Before discussing other related topics, I have to adress the possibility that some people might have a problem with customs when traveling in posession of this item. Even if you’re not a fan of Star Wars, it’s obvious that this item mimics an explosive device.
Once you look at it closely, it becames evident that it’s a harmless toy, but if for any reason you “activate” it in a place like an airport, the possibilities of triggering security alarms are extremely high.
A few years ago when Galaxy’s Edge opened at Disney, they sold Coca Cola and other sodas in bottles that were inspired by the thermal detonator but the reality is that they looked like grenades.
As you’d expect, this was a big issue in airports and many people who flew with these cool soda bottles had a bad time.
While this Thermal Detonator doesn’t look like a grenade, it could still pose a problem for anyone who travels internationally, especially to/from the US.
Final Thoughts & Review Card
As I stated above, this is an item with very limited uses. Because of this, there might not be that many people interested in acquiring it compared to something like a helmet or lightsaber.
I can think of three types of people who would buy the Hasbro Thermal Detonator:
- Collectors like myself who simply want to have a cool item to display.
- Fans who, every once in a while, like to wear costumes but don’t want to spend enormous amount of time and money.
- Dedicated cosplayers who pour their heart and soul into creating the most screen-acurrate costumes.
If you fit into any of these categories, I’d say that this Thermal Detonator would be a nice addition to your collection.
black series thermal detonator
brand
Hasbro
Series
Black Series
electronic
Yes
RELEASED:
October, 2026
Batteries:
3 (included)
Motion FX:
Yes
For:
Collectors/Cosplayers
Similar:
Black Series Lightsabers
Strengths
Looks great displayed
Competitive price
Almost feels like a pro replica
Weaknesses
Does not feel sturdy
Hard to replace batteries
Ratings
Final Verdict
4.4
Average of the 5 Categories
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