The Wookiee Roars - 08!

by Steve Rensi
on 2025-04-01, 10:22:59

"GRAIL TALE"

There are few phrases used in this hobby that are just simply overplayed, "grail", "holy grail" "grail piece" being one of them. In my so humble opinion, a grail piece should beyond rare. Maybe not one-of-a kind, but we're definitely talking like less than 10 - 20 known examples. If you can go on eBay and find that item or it's featured in at auction house twice a year, sorry that's not a grail. Expensive, cool maybe, grail no. Indiana Jones isn't traveling the desert and fighting a tank for a vinyl-caped Jawa... sorry, not happening.

But now and then, the journey to get an item can elevate that item to grail status. This is the tale of such a grail.

Out adventure begins in June of 2020. The Facebook Group Deal or No Deal was blowing up at the time with the country on lockdown and great pieces were routinely showing up online for sale. I don't remember if I saw it organically or was tagged in it, but regardless my eyes lit up when this post showed up in the group.

THEY HAD TO BE MINE!

Being an essential employee at the time, I had some extra cash to burn and so after some back and forth and direct negotiating with the seller, the set of 3 figures was mine for $350. Very Cool. The seller and I continued to chat after the sale and the conversation led to what else would be out there to complete the run. He informed me there would be a blue resin 1:1 hardcopy and a 2-Up. Bad News: He did not have the hardcopy. Good News: he had the 2-Up. Bad News: It was out of my budget. We parted in communication with the hint I would return one day for the 2-Up once I had the funds.

Fast forward to two months, ToysfortheAges was having one of its first shows in my hometown of Carlisle, PA at the expo center literally 5 minutes from my house (Sidebar: this has developed into a really nice show and I would encourage anyone within driving distance to come to it). My good buddy Andy Loney was setting up at the show and I volunteered to help him pack up at the end of the show. So as I waited for the show to end, I wandered up and down the aisles with nothing really catching me eye. Until... the last aisle. There in a glass display case was the blue resin hardcopy I needed for the Action Master Chewbacca Run. What a struck of luck, here in my hometown was the piece I had been looking for! Boom, $100 later and the piece was mine.

More time passes and the more I start thinking about that 2-Up that I had passed on. As I began to move into a higher tier of focus collecting, I felt I needed a run of something, of anything. I had been to and seen multiple collections and focus collections, and they had runs. If I was to be cool like them, I needed a run too. A run is when you own every step of the production process from prototype to final product. I didn't have anything quite like that in my Chewbacca Collection, the closest being the Action Master Run. But I was missing one final and key piece, the 2-Up... and lucky for me I knew where hopefully to find it.

So in August 2022, I reached out to the seller with the following message:

"Greetings, I know this out of the blue, but about 2 years ago I purchased 3 Action Master Proto Chewie pieces from you and you had mentioned you had the 2-Up. Would perhaps the 2-Up still be in your possession and if so, would you entertain any offers on it?"

And nothing... I got silence back. The idea of purchasing this 2-Up and completing the run began to form an obsession in my brain. My OCD and 'tism was locking in.

2 years pass.

In March of 2024, he finally responds. "Hi - I do believe I still have it. Yes it is available for sale."

BOOM! We're in business baby! A very short negotiation later and we settle for $800. I ask for free shipping, not that I care, but fuck it I need to feel like I negotiated some deal here.

Again no response... what the hell? Beginning of April, I send the following message:

"Hey I know you're a busy man, but I was wondering if you have considered my offer of $800 for the Chewbacca piece? This piece has become like a mini-grail ever since I was unable to afford it the first time around. I'm sorry if I'm being over persistent but I hope you understand."

Man, that sounded diplomatic as fuck. Surely I would get a response. Nope...

May comes, I send the same message. Silence. At this point, I'm nearly losing my mind. HOW HARD IS IT TO GIVE A MAN $800! I start reaching out to friends, trying to find mutual acquaintances to get him the message. I'm dropping messages on podcasts. Anything to make this deal happen and complete this Action Master Chewbacca Run.

Finally in the beginning of August I get a response. Life had gotten busy, things happen. He accepts the deal!

BOOYAH! I send the money off via PayPal and I'm on my way to wrapping up this saga.

And yes, thiis saga has a nice little ending as for my 40th birthday I made Great American Rensi Road Trip out to Yellowstone National Park. When I returned home, the 2-Up had arrived! After 4 years and litany of stubbornness and patience this piece was mine!

So yes, not a spectacular grail piece and nothing that would make too many waves with "Ooos" and "Ahhhs", but damn if the Action Master Production Run isn't a highlight of my Chewbacca Collection, the Bando-Lair. And that's my grail tale...