Phase I Clone Trooper - TBS [P4] - Six Inch Figures (AOTC02)

The Republic Clone Troopers represented the future of galactic warfare. So symbolic were they of the times, the galaxy-wide conflict that saw their debut took its name from their ranks: The Clone Wars.

Hasbro must keep their templates fresh and updated in all of their action figures line, but especially The Black Series 6” line. Evolving technology always brings action figures to the best place possible at any given point in time, and the same can be said for the Phase I Clone Trooper, part of The Black Series [Phase IV] lineup. Although it’s odd that the Phase I Clone Trooper is the third figure to utilize this tooling, you shouldn’t confuse this figure as the true “template” for the Episode II Clone Trooper. Everything, except the helmet, is the same here as 2020’s TBS [P4] Clone Trooper (Kamino) (TCW01), which to date is a subject of controversy as all collectors aren’t on board with the design of this action figure. Some called it a hybrid of sorts. It looks part animated and part realistic. But whatever your interpretations, we love the way it turned out, and the functionality the articulation system offers some of the smoothest movement we’ve seen in this range for some time. Admittedly, a plain white Phase I Clone Trooper is a boring choice for an action figure at this stage of the game. So many Star Wars characters from the new Star Wars Entertainment are infinitely more colorful and interesting, but as we’ve mentioned, the Phase I Clone Trooper is a necessity for the line, and the base figure for so many future characters that the count is nearly impossible to calculate. Hasbro is still going to pair these clones with the standard DC-15 blaster weaponry, but they can make the characters quite different by comparison. With the ways that Hasbro functions these days, we’re surprised this figure isn’t an exclusive somewhere instead of a major marketplace release.

The Black Series [Phase IV] line appears to be taking the 6” line to new and excitingly unprecedented levels. Things like “butterfly” shoulders and tightened up joints seem to be the new normal from now on, and those two updates are enough to change the landscape of the line. The Phase I Clone Trooper falls under the category of “Hasbro revisiting characters in a different light.” Instead of dusting off the sculpts from yesteryear, they’re creating modern tooling to include better-than-ever articulation and mobility that wasn’t possible in the past. Creating a new “buck” for a popular Star Wars characters always makes collectors wary and anxious. Will the new figures fit in with the rest of the line? Does new always mean better? They’re all valid concerns. We understand well that many collectors want uniformity in their collections. If you think about it, who wants two Stormtroopers or multiple Clone Troopers of varying scales, proportions and paint jobs? Trooper building uniformity is enormous, and it’s become a stumbling block for passionate collectors. But we believe that if collectors allow themselves to warm up to the Phase I/Phase II tooling, they’ll truly enjoy what Hasbro accomplished here. From kneeling to running to standing to aiming one of the two weapons, the Phase I Clone Trooper exceeds our expectations, and we’re waiting for Hasbro to produce more clones utilizing this sculpt. The angle you can pose the arms at the elbows is also mind-blowing. Hasbro developed ball-jointed articulation that attains sharp angles we’ve never seen possible until now. And that’s just one of the positives here.

At face value, you might not note how Hasbro approached the Clone Trooper sculpt, but it’s quite different from the 2014’s TBS [P1] Clone Trooper (#14) figure. Firstly, let us state from the start that the new Phase I bucket is excellent. As you probably know by now, it’s physically impossible to place the helmet as it’s designed over any human head. It’s something that George Lucas never explained to the Expanded Universe or canon, or the films for that matter. The Phase I Clone Trooper has simple but appropriate paint operations. Correctly scaled to fit the figure’s body, the new helmet shows us that Hasbro paid close attention to what they screwed up on with the older models of the Phase I Clone Trooper. Interestingly, there is an unpainted “clone head” underneath the helmet. This “upgrade” signifies that Hasbro has plans to make the most of this sculpt with future releases. But the addition of a ball-socket head with a reverse ball-socket neck give the Phase I Clone Trooper figure an impressive range of movement just in the head. Also, newly incorporated “butterfly” sliding joints incorporated with ball-jointed shoulders give the figure optimal movement. The shoulders don’t roll back as far as we’d hoped, but you do get additional movement thanks to the complex articulation in the shoulders. Gone are the double hinge-jointed knees (thanks to the Maker) and instead of a complex ball-jointed point of articulation that allows for a wide range of movement that is impressive beyond measure. Interestingly, the knee armor is attached to the thigh armor, but the knee is armor is detached from the ball-jointed knees. This articulation approach allows you to spin the knee as you need for action poses, while the knee armor plating stays in place to help with the figure’s aesthetics.

Phase I Clone Trooper is a rework of the Clone Trooper (Kamino) figure, which was an all-new figure at its release. As you know, it’s quite different than the 2014’s TBS [P1] Clone Trooper (#14) figure. Correctly scaled to fit the figure’s body, the new helmet shows us that Hasbro paid close attention to what they screwed up on older models of the Phase II Clone Trooper. Interestingly, there is an unpainted “clone head” underneath the helmet. Hasbro has plans to make the most of this sculpt with future releases. But the addition of a ball-socket head with a reverse ball-socket neck gives the Phase I Clone Trooper figure an impressive range of movement just in the head. New to the Phase II Clone Trooper tooling, the incorporation of “butterfly” sliding joints incorporated with ball-jointed shoulders gives the figure optimal movement. The shoulders don’t roll back as far as we’d hoped, but you do get additional movement thanks to the complex articulation in the shoulders. The angle you can pose the arms at the elbows is also mind-blowing. Hasbro developed ball-jointed articulation that attains sharp angles we’ve never seen possible until now. We don’t think we’re exaggerating when we say that the elbows achieve 45 degrees. The knee armor is attached to the thigh armor, but the knee is armor is detached from the ball-jointed knees. This articulation approach allows you to spin the knee as you need for action poses, while the knee armor plating stays in place to help with the figure’s aesthetics. This figure retails for $19.99.