Clone Trooper - TSC - Basic (SAGA 026)

By the time Revenge Of The Sith was released in theaters, collectors really didn’t have much of a choice for any of the movie specific Clone Troopers that actually appeared in the film for their action figure collections. Aside from the plain white clone troopers, it took quite a while before getting some of the more exciting color-flashed clones. In fact, we all had to wait almost a full year before the widely seen Utapau Clone Trooper made it into the basic figure line. Thankfully, Hasbro totally made the long wait worth it because they developed a wonderful super-articulated version of the 212th Attack Battalion clones with a stunning paint job (even if that orange is a little too “neon” looking. Thanks to the world famous super-articulated clone trooper body, we already had a superb base figure from which this and many other clones came. Hasbro utilized the ultra popular 2005 ROTS Clone Trooper (III 41) figure to make the Clone Trooper (SAGA 026) figure. To date, there has yet to be a better made clone trooper body. But to state that this action figure is without flaws or errors would not be accurate because it does have a few minor issues. For example, the belt has been assembled upside down. It unfortunately cannot be fixed without cutting it off of the figure. We are astounded that this is a problem and don’t know why Hasbro cannot fix this longstanding issue. Keep in mind however that the [Utapau] Clone Trooper is a figure that has been developed so well in every other light that it’s easy to forgive its few mistakes. That doesn’t mean we wouldn’t have minded seeing corrections made, but this figure is so enjoyable despite this.

This action figure has been wonderfully decorated. It’s essentially deco free on the dorsal side of the figure, but the lack of battle-damage on its back is more than made up for on the front. This [Utapau] Clone Trooper is loaded with carbon scoring markings. Instead of random brush strokes, Hasbro seems to have used a new technology. If you look at these markings closely, you’ll notice a dot matrix like application or pattern. It’s quite reminiscent of how photos in newspapers look. Whatever the method, it looks amazing and we think it’s one of the best ways to translate dirt, grime and battle-damage onto an action figure. One thing that we wish Hasbro didn’t do to this figure was package it in a running or action pose. If you’re a carded collector you probably won’t care, but the figure became slightly out of shape thanks to its aggressive pose. Thankfully, those of us who removed it from the packaging have witnessed it return to its original shape slowly over time. Those darn hip joints just don’t like to be moved on this figure, do they? This is hardly a setback because this figure just looks (and feels) wonderful and we’re so happy Hasbro created it with such love. If you have an affinity for the 212th Attack Battalion, look no further than this figure. It’s the best. (Editor’s Note: Hasbro released the Clone Trooper (212th Battalion) (VC38) in The Vintage Collection with the 2010 TVC Clone Trooper (VC15) body. It just isn’t the same. The added articulation isn’t as functional as it should be and the too-large helmet and clean paint job make the TVC figure inferior.)

When Hasbro is adamant about making great figures, they certainly can step up to the plate. And Hasbro has stepped up to the plate with The Saga Collection Clone Trooper. This figure may just be a repaint of an old sculpt, but it is a complex repaint and it looks better than any other figure that has used this sculpt so far. For a character that has so much screen time in Episode III, we’re so surprised that it wasn’t one of the first clones made for the basic figure line. But maybe if it was released when the line got launched it wouldn’t have been as good as it is now. Besides, who knows how much material Hasbro had access to when planning the Revenge Of The Sith line. Everything certainly happens for a reason. Hasbro really mastered the proportions of the phase II clone trooper perfectly with this sculpt. And it literally breaks our heart that Hasbro would see the need to redesign it from the ground up, save for including some well-functioning ball-jointed hips. We wouldn’t mind that at all. But gimmicky removable helmets and large weapons are no match for an inherently great sculpt that supersedes all others. It’s rare when Hasbro nails a figure right off the bat and we feel they have with this figure. Clone Trooper (SAGA 026) easily surmounts the competition and it will likely not age at all in the basic figure line. We hope it doesn’t because we have army built this figure in ridiculous numbers. We hope you have been enjoying this figure to similar levels as us. It’s wonderful in every way.