CLONE TROOPER DVD Edition
Revenge of the Sith Wal-Mart Exclusive
Item No.: Asst. 85747 No. 85867
Number: 3 of 3
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Includes: 2 more Clones
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $9.99
Availability: Fall 2005
Appearances: Revenge of the Sith

Bio: These specially trained soldiers once served as the mighty Army of the Republic, fighting under the command of their Jedi generals in the Clone Wars. When palpatine executes his sinister plan and issues Order 66, the clone troopers brutally turn against the Jedi at the command of their new master, a betrayal that ushers in the first Galactic Empire. (Taken from the figure's box.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' TV tray, in front of a Pit Droids box and a half of a Destroyer Droid shield.

Commentary: The never-ending flow of Clone Troopers is both a blessing and a curse. Since 1995, Kenner (and later Hasbro) had been extremely stingy with most troopers. For whatever reason, be it the market or bad case ratios, there were never enough Stormtroopers or Clone Troopers or whatever. That is, there weren't until late 2005, when someone at Hasbro said "let's just repaint the Hell out of these little buggers." And so it was. This is one of those many troopers based on concept art, with a bunch of brown stripes-- if you believe the story-- representing Episode III. There's three of them, you see. I admire the concept, because it's always a good thing to give fans a group of new Clones in a box for ten bucks. Unfortunately, the "kneeling" Clone Trooper mold is about as fun to play with as a banana, minus the banana, and also minus the peel. It can kneel, you can kind of move its head and wrist, and the waist has a joint of little value. Even at $10, you do get your money's worth, but it's not as exciting as its descendant, the Engineer with a removable helmet which would see release in 2006 and 2007. This is a figure you get to complete your set, and a figure that's worth buying if you're compulsive about your purchases. If you're free of that particular affliction, odds are you can live a long, happy, and healthy life without ever adding this one to your collection.

Collector's Notes: As a one-shot deal that lasted all of forty-six seconds, it was easy to miss this one, and I can honestly say it isn't a huge deal if you did. There's such a rich selection of troopers these days that it seems almost a waste to spend any real money ("real money" being defined as "a nickel over retail") on figures with less than six joints per. I wish I could say this mold had an edge with certain vehicles, and I guess it sort of does look good on the Gunships' platforms. But other than that, it's probably going to be happiest on a shelf you don't touch much.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 734: May 9, 2008