BARC Speeder With BARC Trooper - ROTS - Vehicles

Added: June 23rd 2014
Category: Revenge Of The Sith
Reviewer: Paul Harrison
Score:

Name: BARC Speeder With BARC Trooper
Collection: Revenge Of The Sith/Expanded Universe (Star Wars: Republic 83: Hidden Enemy, Part 3)
Number: N/A
Source: Revenge Of The Sith
Availability: April 2005
License: Hasbro

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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!

What came first? The chicken or the egg? That metaphorical question often comes up in the world of Star Wars collecting. And it especially applies to a release like the BARC Speeder With BARC Trooper. Evidently, the BARC Troopers are in Star Wars Episode III: Revenge Of The Sith. In fact, they may be the most prolific type of clone in the entire film. They’re EVERYWHERE on Kashyyyk. But none can be seen riding BARC Speeders on the planet. No, those were seen only during the Battle of Saleucami with Commander Neyo and his crew. Sure. Without a doubt, Hasbro doesn’t get the entire visual plans for the toys they make for a film, so they sometimes have to piece things together the best they can. Quite frankly, the combination of BARC Speeder and BARC Trooper admittedly works very well. Think of it as the Prequel Trilogy version of the Speeder Bikes and Biker Scouts, because very few differences exist between them anyway. But when the Expanded Universe extrapolated upon the Battle of Kashyyyk a little bit more via the Star Wars: Republic 83: Hidden Enemy, Part 3 comics, we learned a whole lot more about Bogey Squad and it is this battalion of BARC Troopers that ride the BARC Speeders. So think of this release as an advanced take on the comics.

BARC Speeder With BARC Trooper is definitely a bittersweet release. It’s the only release of the BARC Trooper in the Revenge Of The Sith line and it’s essential a pre-posed hunk of plastic. That being said, it has a pretty incredible sculpt and looks just like the characters in the film. What’s more, the paint job brings the figure to life. With only a swivel head and two swivel shoulders, you’re not going to get too much movement out of this figure sadly. But he does look pretty darn incredible piloting the included BARC Speeder (which also has a cool play feature of its own). There are incredible similarities between the Original Trilogy Biker Scouts and the Prequel Trilogy BARC Troopers (also known as Swamp Troopers). Part of the 41st Elite Corps under Commander Gree, they fight the overwhelming Separatist Droid Army alongside the Wookiees to protect their jungle home planet. In Revenge Of The Sith, they are seen more often on foot battling then inside or on top of the Republic vehicles seen on Kashyyyk throughout the film. It really makes us wish that Hasbro could have included a super-articulated version of this figure right from the start in the Revenge Of The Sith lineup. (Editor’s Note: A “holdover” version was released as 2007’s TSC Elite Corps Clone Trooper (SAGA 065) and then an accurate version was released as 2008’s TAC Kashyyyk Trooper (08 04) figure.)

The BARC Speeder comes with a rip cord. And while it’s easy to dismiss this as an unnecessary child’s play thing, admittedly it works very well and we think it was a wise inclusion here. Once the rip cord is removed, there is little to no evidence left that this vehicle has any play features. So we commend Hasbro on including a demure action feature that hardly interferes with the aesthetics of the toy. It’s simply painted, but it appears from the comics that all of the colors are accurately in place. And besides, it closely resembles the BARC Speeder seen in the Order 66 sequence of the film when Commander Neyo and company kill Jedi Stass Allie. If we’re honest, the BARC Speeder With BARC Trooper is a hit and miss release. It really needed an accompanying super-articulated rider. We understand that sometimes the static pre-posed figures can look entirely better than forcing unnatural movements with articulated figures (what an oxymoron), but since most people just care about the figures more than anything else, it would have been best to include a figure that can stand up on its own, literally. The BARC Speeder With BARC Trooper vehicle release isn’t terrible by many means, but it is definitely going to make you wish for more.

Collector Notes

BARC Speeder With BARC Trooper

Assortment Number: 85350/85194

UPC: TBD

Retail: $14.99 USD

Market Value: Click here to check the latest prices based on Click here to check the market value on eBay! listings.

BARC Speeder

Status: BARC Speeder is an all-new vehicle.

Articulation Count: 1

Articulation Details: rolling wheel (action feature via rip cord)

Accessory Count: None

Accessory Details: None

Date Stamp: 2004

BARC Trooper

Status: BARC Trooper is an all-new figure, but this isn't a BARC Trooper. This figure is a Kashyyyk Trooper, 41st Elite Corps Clone Trooper or a Swamp Trooper. (They're all the same thing.)

Articulation Count: 3

Articulation Details: ball-socket head, 2 swivel shoulders

Accessory Count: None

Accessory Details: None

Date Stamp: 2004





 

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