Utapau Shadow Trooper - ROTS - Basic (Exclusive)

The Utapau shadow troopers have played an essential role in helping the Jedi fight the Separatist force's massive droid armies, but their allegiances change after the secret declaration of Order Sixty-Six. Armed with a sharp-shooting blaster rifle and protected by hard black armor, this Utapau shadow trooper commander is ready for battle!

Why did we get an Utapau Shadow Trooper before a regular 212th Attack Battalion clone trooper? The Utapau Shadow Trooper (described as a commander on the figure’s card back) is unique in many ways. But it’s perhaps most unique because it is completely a Hasbro concept. There is some rumored backstory (not sure if it’s official or unofficial canon) that these were the clones who reported back to the Jedi that General Grievous had landed on Utapau. But in all actuality this plot makes little sense because it was the Separatists that invaded Utapau first and it wasn’t until Obi-Wan Kenobi landed on the planet did the Jedi know that that Utapau was under siege by the Separatists. And it wasn’t until General Obi-Wan Kenobi confronted General Grievous did we see the 212th Attack Battalion invade the Separatists. So that storyline is a bit askew if you ask us. The rather generic description on the figure’s card back really doesn’t go into much detail. In fact, it states more information about Order 66 than anything else. So the Utapau Shadow Trooper is a little bit of a conundrum.

Utapau Shadow Trooper is a very cool looking clone. It’s essentially a negative of the 212th Attack Battalion clones that were vibrantly peppered throughout Utapau during Star Wars Episode III: Revenge Of The Sith. Solid black armor is broken up via the gray color flashes that adorn the plastoid shell. And what’s especially awesome is the Utapau Shadow Trooper comes with a red visor. (Actually – as cool as it looks, we wish it looked brighter). The figure looks fantastic overall and it’s a character that star Wars collectors are definitely going to want to army build for their collections. The figure comes with a DC-15 blaster and DC-15 blaster rifle. Both weapons are utilized well by the figure. And that’s because the figure is super-articulated. Hasbro was clever and reused 2005’s ROTS Clone Trooper (TARGET exclusive) to make the Utapau Shadow Trooper. This sculpt is essentially the 2003 CW Clone Trooper (’03 #50) figure with a new phase II helmet. You can attain a great deal of movement and the aesthetics aren’t half bad. Not only does the figure have great flexibility, it can be placed in poses you’d think would defy gravity. It’s a great sculpt for sure.

Created to celebrate the final Star Wars film ever, the TARGET exclusive Utapau Shadow Trooper is definitely one of the best exclusives of 2005. Still, we wonder why Hasbro didn’t give stores clones based on the film. With such a wide selection, so much greater than Attack Of The Clones, it seems that the possibilities were nearly limitless to give us some screen accurate clone troopers. Then again, Star Wars fans do like the stealthy and shadowy armor. Blackhole Stormtroopers have been around for years and now it’s seemingly time to throw clones into that mix. And surprisingly, the Utapau Shadow Trooper actually works. Packaged in a clamshell, it appears that Hasbro did all that they could to try to command the $12.99 price point of this action figure. We have a hard time swallowing that. Exclusivity is indeed a big deal, but it’s only one action figure and all the extra plastic packaging in the world won’t really diminish the sting of almost $13 per figure. The Utapau Shadow Trooper is a nice figure. We like it very much, but we don’t like the price. And we don’t like seeing this figure before the movie accurate clones. But other than that it’s a fine action figure.