Phase I Clone Trooper Lieutenant - TBS [P4] - Six Inch Figures (AOTC01)

Added: September 22nd 2020
Category: Black Series [Phase IV], The
Reviewer: Paul Harrison
Score:

Name: Phase I Clone Trooper Lieutenant
Collection: The Black Series [Phase IV]
Number: AOTC01 (Walgreens Exclusive)
Scale: 6"
Source: Attack Of The Clones
Availability: September 2020
License: Hasbro

 

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Throughout the Clone Wars, Clone Troopers fought the Battle Droids of the Separatists across the galaxy. They were loyal to their Jedi generals and the Supreme Chancellor.

We finally have them all. There was 2014’s TBS [P1] Clone Trooper (#14) plain white infantry clone. Then Hasbro gave us 2014’s TBS [P2] Clone Trooper Sergeant (#07) figure. After that, we received 2015’s TBS [P2] Clone Trooper Captain (#13) figure. Then Star Wars collectors had to wait a while before Hasbro released the prominent Clone Trooper Commander. That figure was part of 2015’s TBS [P3] Phase I Clone Trooper Commander/Phase II Clone Trooper/Imperial Stormtrooper/First Order Stormtrooper Officer multipack. Now that we’ve reached the fourth phase of The Black Series 6” line, Hasbro thought it would be ideal for getting out the long-awaited Phase I Clone Trooper Lieutenant finally, as a Walgreens exclusive no less. Some clones are much more prominent than others in Star Wars Episode II: Attack Of The Clones. We mostly see infantry, captains, and commanders throughout the Battle of Geonosis. But we also see the rarer sergeants and lieutenants on Kamino as Obi-Wan Kenobi learns of the Grand Army of the Republic clone creation. Admittedly, while it’s excellent to have all of the various colored clones finally, the tooling used to make them is so old that it needs to be retired. The articulation functionality is eroding, and more than anything, it feels perverse to get this dang old figure repackaged with new paint in a new line look that is seemingly taking The Black Series 6” line to places it’s never gone until now. Before we get into the figure, we'd like to question the "red" packaging. They used yellow for Episode II in The Saga Collection and red was for The Phantom Menace.

Unlike the Clone Trooper Sergeant (#07) figure, the Clone Trooper Lieutenant comes with a brighter white armor color like the Captain and the Commander. And we feel that the blue color flashes look best on this figure than the other figures’ color flashes. Hasbro tweaked these paint operations, and it makes them look clean. Hasbro’s consistency has been quite rocky with this line, but now they’re fighting an uphill battle by reviving tooling that needs to retire. While it’s nice to see a prominently featured Clone Trooper produced in The Black Series 6” line, we’re not sure how collectors will feel about the Clone Trooper Lieutenant because it is too obscure in the film to fully appreciate. Thankfully, the Clone Trooper Lieutenant looks fantastic, especially since its tooling is old and tired. With a decent amount of articulation and a design that perfectly captures both the essence and silhouette of the character, the Clone Trooper Lieutenant completes the ranks of the Grand Army of the Republic. We can now finish off our Battle of Geonosis dioramas. As you know well by now, the Clone Trooper Lieutenant sculpt comes without a removable helmet. An ill-fitted helmet ruins a Clone Trooper action figure’s aesthetics because Hasbro can’t get the proportions right. It’s a nonissue when the helmet serves as the portrait. Still, it would have been nice is we got an interchangeable clone trooper human portrait included here. After all, we see most of the Clone Trooper Lieutenants without their helmets on their heads anyhow.

We don’t understand this phenomenon all that well, but, for us, the Clone Trooper Officers like the Phase I Clone Trooper Lieutenant tend always to look better than the all-white infantry Clone Troopers in the Star Wars toy line. We’re still inclined to rate this sculpt as being a little bit distant from perfect status, but there is no way you won’t be somewhat impressed with it or find something to admire about it. Hasbro included innovative articulation systems that give this figure an edge over many of the other figures in the line. Why couldn’t they have used the new Clone Trooper tooling to provide us with a stellar version of the lieutenant? The double hinge-jointed elbows aren’t ideal. Hasbro can do better now. The lower body movement isn’t the same anymore either, and you’re going to wish for more flexibility that this action figure offers. Admittedly, there is plenty of mobility courtesy of ball-jointed shoulders and wrists. The Phase I Clone Trooper Lieutenant can be posed in so many ways that all previous 3.75” versions of this character couldn’t come close to capturing. It’s time for Hasbro to deliver an all-new Phase I Clone Trooper body for the 6” line. They’ve locked down their deco issues with tighter paint operations, but it’s time to stop using tooling that’s aged out. More accessories would be appreciated too. Please give us some value for the high price tag! Overall, we are anywhere from impartial to enjoying this line now, if we can only get Hasbro to issue the Clone Trooper Captain and Clone Trooper Commander using the VC45 body! We digress!

Collector Notes

Phase I Clone Trooper Lieutenant

Status: Phase I Clone Trooper Lieutenant is a rework of 2014's TBS [P1] Clone Trooper (#14) figure. This time the figure has been given blue color flashes to designate it as a lieutenant.

Articulation Count: 28 points (16 areas of articulation)

Articulation Details: ball-jointed head (2), ball-jointed left shoulder (2), ball-jointed right shoulder (2), double hinge-jointed left elbow (2), double hinge-jointed right elbow (2), ball-jointed left wrist (2), ball-jointed right wrist (2), ball-jointed torso (2), ball-socket left hip (1), ball-socket right hip (1), swivel left thigh (1), swivel right thigh (1), double hinge-jointed left knee (2), double hinge-jointed right knee (2), ball-jointed/"rocker" left ankle (2), ball-jointed/"rocker" right ankle (2)

Accessory Count: 2

Accessory Details: DC-15 blaster, DC-15 blaster rifle

Date Stamp: N/A

Assortment Number: E9928

UPC: TBD

Retail: $19.99 USD

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

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