BARC TROOPER with BARC Speeder
Revenge of the Sith Vehicle Pack-In
Item No.: Asst. 85194 No. 85350
Number: n/a
Includes: BARC Speeder, ripcord
Action Feature: Ripcord Action1
Retail: $14.99
Availability: Spring 2005
Appearances: Revenge of the Sith

Bio: BARC troopers ride modified speeders into battle against the Separatist forces. These Biker Advanced Recon Commandos are elite clone troopers who go on highly dangerous missions during the Clone Wars. Launch a BARC speeder into battle and fight to save the galaxy! (Taken from the figure's box.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' toy shelves. And if you care BARC stands for Biker Advanced Recon Commando. Now you know!

Commentary: As the column progresses, you'll no doubt see some figures which you might debate if they qualify as a figure at all. This BARC Trooper is one of those figures. In 2005, Hasbro made figures with vehicles that, while removable, sucked. This isn't to say it's without merit-- if you ask me, the dirty green camo deco is better than the figure that followed, and the sculpt is actually quite good despite its limitations as a separate figure. The figure is posed in a permanently seated position, but his arms and neck are posable. Also, the deco is fairly good. All the differences that make this kind of trooper unique aren't present, but it does look distinctly different than a Scout Trooper painted up funky. The visor's a little bigger, there's no gun holster, and the pouches are wrong-- well, they're wrong for the BARC too-- but it's still a nice "driver" figure. The camo isn't perfect but it's pretty good, and if you're going to buy this BARC Speeder anyway-- and you should, it's a fun one-- this is a nice figure to get "stuck" with.

Collector's Notes: The figure was the first BARC Trooper, or the first figure of this style, but not the last. While it has yet to be released again, the "Elite Trooper" (as it would later be known) returned to stores in 2006 as a repainted Scout Trooper, and a brand-new version is about to hit any day now as part of the 2008 collection. This is still the best one to sit on a vehicle, as it was created for the job, but those looking for the best-ever BARC Trooper might want to see the 2008 one before deciding which one(s) to buy. I suggest a few of each, but that's the kind of guy I am. ( MORE IMAGES )

Day 589: December 16, 2007