Aqua Droid - SW [TPM 3D] - The Clone Wars (CW10)

Aqua droids battle Obi-Wan Kenobi on Kamino. These underwater droids are part of a Separatist plan to destroy the facilities that supply the Republic with clone troopers. Their legs adjust for land or sea mode, becoming feet for ground missions or rotating into propulsion fins in the water. They have retracting heads to become streamlined for swimming underwater.

Although 2011’s TCW [SOTDS] Aqua Droid (CW46) figure was a disappointment because of its loose articulation points, Hasbro remedied that with the 2012 Star Wars [The Phantom Menace 3D] The Clone Wars update. The old Aqua Droid wasn’t able to sustain its weight well and would fall over almost the instant you tried to stand it up. It’s a blessing to see the joints tightened up a bit so that the figure can finally stand unassisted. So we’re happy to report that 2012’s SW [TPM 3D] Aqua Droid (CW10) is a tremendous improvement from the original 2011 release. The Aqua Droid is a beautiful action figure whose sheer size and shape would intimidate any Jedi general or clone trooper who comes in contact with it. It has an alien like appearance and towers over pretty much every other action figure in The Clone Wars line. It’s pale blue color is the perfect disguise for when it is trying to capture you underwater. And it has multiple phases in transforming itself that have been beautifully worked into the figure to recreate its various phases. We’re fond of this droid design and felt it worked incredibly well in The Clone Wars television show. Hasbro is seemingly proud of this figure too, so it makes sense why we’re seeing it again in the basic figure line. At least it has been updated.

The back story of the Aqua Droid is that they were designed to fight on both land and water. What better place for the Separatists to use them than on Kamino, right? Their right arm has been fitted with one retractable laser cannon which is very reminiscent of the design of a Super Battle Droid (whose left arm is fitted with one cannon too). Designed with water in mind, their feet can transform into propellers. The Aqua Droid made its debut appearance in the fan favorite ARC Troopers episode of The Clone Wars. We can’t help but see the similarities of the Aqua Droid to the aquatic aliens seen in Alien Resurrection (1997). Interestingly, they both provided about the same intensity in drama and suspense as well. The coloring looks dead to rights and the details in the deco like the baby blue accents really make the figure pop. The figure has a lot of articulation (24 total points is what we counted) and kids and collectors alike will have fun playing with him. The figure incorporates many ball-jointed points of articulation and Hasbro found ways to mix swivel and pivot joints and make them all interact seamlessly. Oh, and the retractable head is the best part, a feature we initially missed. This feature also gives the figure some extra height.

While all of this articulation allows for optimal mobility, we found many of them to be a little stiff, almost to the point of being futile on the figure. This should definitely help keep the joints tight in the long run, but just be careful while trying them out. The Aqua Droid is very tall and menacing. Think of a large metal humanoid crab with legs. If that doesn’t paint a vivid picture for you, then think of the same chasing you underwater with a large gun affixed to its arm. That should instill some sort of fright. You can tell the Aqua Droid has a bad attitude and we suspect he will be a popular addition to many kids' collections. This droid will be wanted by many and we can assure you of that. Hasbro has captured the presence and stature of the Aqua Droid very well. Its legs and arms are thin yet they look muscular thanks to the widened shape of the armor. And its long arms and shorter legs give the Aqua Droid a very unique appearance which really looks cool. It looks stocky with those proportions and overall tougher than a standard Battle Droid. But it's important to note that the Aqua Droid looks like no other action figure to date, even in The Clone Wars line. The 2012 version also comes with a Galactic Battle Game card, a die and a display stand. They’re cool extras, but nothing out of the ordinary.