Inferno Squad Agent - TBS [P3] - Six Inch Figures (Exclusive)

In the wake of the Death Star's destruction, the Empire created the Inferno Squad to ensure that Imperial secrets would remain safe. Their fierce loyalty to the Empire and exceptional skills in both aerial and ground combat set this squad apart from the rank and file troopers.

One of the best things about collecting before the dark times (2015 onward) was that Hasbro would consistently (and out of the blue) throw in an awesome video game character or boxed set into the collecting mix. From KOTOR to Star Wars: Battlefront to The Force Unleashed, collectors of that era were treated to some amazing action figures. It is nice to see Hasbro following the trend (somewhat) in those footprints for The Black Series 6” line. We received the awesome Imperial Shock Trooper in 2015 as a Walmart exclusive. Now Hasbro is getting out their second video game figure which is based on Star Wars: Battlefront II: the Inferno Squad Agent. Based on 2014’s TBS [P2] TIE Pilot (#05) figure, Hasbro has now completely repainted the figure to add lots of red detail like a red pinstripe running down the right side of the flight suit. The right side of his helmet is also accented in beautiful red color and cleverly imitates the character we have seen in stills and other promotional materials for the Star Wars: Battlefront II game. A GameStop exclusive this time around, the Inferno Squad Agent is a decent looking action figure, but it’s not that much outside of the box. So don’t expect too much newness here. A cool figure by itself, the Inferno Squad Agent is familiar, yet has a strong sense of newness to it thanks to a beautiful paint job. If you love Star Wars: Battlefront II, this figure is for you too.

There are some tooling differences this time around too. The figure has been given an all-new belt, and it is dramatically painted in colorful details. The new belt is reminiscent of the one that came with the Stormtrooper (48) figure, but obviously different in tooling and color. It’s easily removable and when not in use gives the Inferno Squad Agent a different appearance. The figure is very much the same too. For example, the chest box cannot be articulated or removed from the figure yet the hoses can be removed from the helmet. A feature like this is still odd, and we’re not sure why the figure was approached in this manner. We’re of course happy that the helmet is once again not removable. It makes things so much easier and keeps things in perfect scale. Still, some 6” collectors still argue that the helmet is a tad too small, but we think the figure looks perfect as is. The belt is removable on this figure (unlike the regular TIE Pilot), but it fits loosely and can be rotated 360 degrees around the figure's waist. The holster hangs nicely down the left backside of the figure which can house the included E-11 blaster. It’s nice to know that with all of the different TIE Fighter Pilot versions in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope that Hasbro opted to go with a video game version of the TIE Pilot. It’s a nice change of pace. Hasbro likes to reuse tooling whenever possible, so we could all expect multiple future purchases of this sculpt with differently painted characters.

With a fantastic articulation system of 28 points, the Inferno Squad Agent can move and be posed in a variety of ways. His boot-like shoes provide a strong and stable anchoring for him to stand unassisted. Whether you’re having him run, stand, walk or crouch, the Inferno Squad Agent can do it all. It’s a very well-made action figure, and the joints are strong and solid. Exclusive to GameStop, there was quite a bit of drama surrounding its availability. Pre-orders went up April of 2017, and then news about the figure coming out went dead. Then after a few cancellations, orders began being filled. Then that just stopped out of the blue. The figure then went out of stock at GameStop. Then the figure appeared back in stock at GameStop, and it was at this point that the bulk of the figures began shipping. Most orders arrived in October, a full six months after it went up for pre-order originally. As a video game figure, it makes complete sense why the Inferno Squad Agent is a GameStop exclusive. Other figures, however, we’re not so sure we understand why GameStop gets the exclusivity they do. The Inferno Squad Agent won’t appeal to every last collector of The Black Series [Phase III] 6” line, but those that love variations like this, video game characters, or the Expanded Universe are surely going to want to add this figure to their collections. It’s a very nice figure, but it isn’t an essential one. It will be interesting to see how widespread its availability will become too.