Cad Bane - TCW [SOTDS] - Basic (CW13)

Cad Bane is hired by Darth Sidious to break into the Jedi Temple and steal a holocron containing the secret names of future Jedi. The resourceful and cunning bounty hunter carefully puts his plan in place using schematics of the temple, a techno-service droid and an unscrupulous shapeshifter.

Hasbro has now pushed The Clone Wars line into its third phase. Dubbed The Clone Wars [Shadow of The Dark Side] line look, this new line look brings forth a ton of new, with a helping of old to help give Star Wars fans of all ages the best variety of figures possible. Amongst the glut of product produced was the repacked Cad Bane figure from the red second phase. A new villain in the popular The Clone Wars lore and a relentless bounty hunter, he now is part of the new line look launch. Cad Bane is a refreshing change in a clone-focused line and an amazingly manufactured action figure, although at this point we believe fans are expecting more from him. He seems a little too small and we want more articulation. He was impossible to find at retail when he was first released, so a re-release is wise just for this reason alone. Collectors tend to like a foe in Star Wars that has "bad guy" written all over his face. And this is the case with Cad Bane. His pupil-less eyes, a trademark of the Duros species, are baneful (no pun intended) and disturbing and you better reckon that he is indeed not one with whom you should mess. The frown on his brow attitudinizes that he possesses an imposing outlook on things and successfully drives home the point that he will be successful at hitting and capturing his target.

One of Cad Bane's most stellar characteristics is his thin frame. Hasbro expertly crafted a beautiful build. It is then only enhanced by the silhouette created by his trench coat. The trench has a nice flow and drape and although it can inhibit his movement a bit at the waist, there isn't a better way Hasbro could have tackled this. He has two silver gauntlets that have tubing and it drives home the term "space cowboy" quite well! He has two functioning holsters on his person that are not the least bit bulky and the two pistols that come in the package fit in there perfectly. His outfit is decorated with silver plates that serve as accents to his very rustic threads. His blue skin contrasts beautifully against his primarily brown clothing. His removable cowboy hat is a very nice touch and although it doesn't stay on his head as well as we had hoped, it serves its purpose. It too is colored in brown and detailed with some silver accents. Besides his two pistols, he also comes outfitted with a large rifle. The rifle is nicely designed and is also slim line and can be placed in his hands very well. Overall, there is not much to complain about with Cad Bane. He delivers little to no disappointment and we are more than thoroughly impressed with the final results.

Cad Bane may come with less articulation than most would have hoped, but his fourteen points (across 10 areas) make a little lacking in our books. Because of his limited movement, Cad Bane has an excellent stance and he can be posed and situated with great ease. He looks the best in a 'showdown' pose and his arms have the extra articulation needed for a 'quick draw' position or whatever look you wish for him to have. Expect Cad Bane to be a staple in The Clone Wars action figure line. In fact, another "better" version is due in the line at some point anyway. Additionally, expect to see a plethora of other bounty hunters continue to be introduced into the line as well. Star Wars can never go wrong with the inclusion of the obligatory bounty hunter and for the most part are universally adored by all. Cad Bane is another example of an original trilogy species reinvented into something new. Fans and collectors have a security blanket when it comes to characters like Cad Bane. Familiarity aids in opening up possible consideration for EU action figures into a collection that is focused on the films. But whatever your stance on The Clone Wars, we bet that you will undoubtedly like Cad Bane (and the apparent dark direction the that the television series has been said to go). Cad Bane obviously adds another shade of darkness to the storyline as well as your collection.