What an astute bunch of readers we have! While feverishly working on this article, I have already received three emails from readers informing me of this bizarre action by Hasbro and the 212th Battalion Clone Trooper from wave 5 of The Vintage Collection! Click through because this one is mind-boggling!

It's true! Hasbro has torn open the bubble on the Clone Trooper (212th Battalion) (VC38) figure and replaced the "greening" helmets with sterling bright white helmets. But that's not the only change. The helmet is cast from a different (and seemingly more durable) plastic and the black paint used to decorate the helmet is shiny and not flat like the original release. The side blue detail is also differently applied and a different color and thickness too.

To close the figures back up, Hasbro has also taped the edges shut. Interestingly however, I have one sample with a new helmet and no taped edges. It has been heat sealed at the factory level, so I don't know exactly what to make of that. Perhaps this change was intended to go into effect a long time ago and since distribution is so screwed up that we're just seeing this update to the figure now. Who really knows anymore? Do you find this as shocking as I do that this effort was made so late in the game? They claimed to not even be aware of "greening" helmets for years!

Anyway, you could say the Five Below has an exclusive figure. The update is tremendously obvious in person, not so much in our photos sadly – but that's always the way it goes. If you don't really care and are just waiting for the new 2013 Droid Factory 212th Battalion figure, then I guess you can just move along now!