EDITOR’S NOTE:  We wish to thank LitzkyPR for kindly sending us this sample.

Yesterday, we reviewed VC172 ARC Trooper Fives.  If you read that review, you’ll get the general idea here, but I’ll still go into some additional detail.

The set was originally planned as an SDCC exclusive, but due the to COVID-19 pandemic, plans changed and it became part of Hasbro’s “Pulse Con” online event in September 2020.  It was available exclusively on Hasbropulse.com.  On the first day of pre-orders, which was open only to Pulse members, the set stayed available all day, apparently not selling through its allocated quantity.  But on Day 2, when pre-oreders were open to the general public, the balance of the inventory sold through in a matter of hours.  It’s not known if there will be any other opportunities to purchase this through official channels.  Fortunately for any collectors that missed out, the aforementioned Fives is simultaneously released as a singled carded figure.  Based on the recent history of such things, it’s not out of the realm of possibility that Echo and Jesse may also find their way into the basic line in the not-too-distant future.  As it stands, these sets are currently going for stupid money on Ebay.  It is what it is.

The packaging is not new, but still pretty special looking.  That’s nifty, considering they’re conveniently called “Special Action Figure Sets.”  Like the previously released 2018 Aphra and 2019 Skywalker sets, this one has the chrome finish, reminiscent of some of the chase figures of yore.  The three figures are displayed in a row in the package, in front of the yellow background.  These figures just pop in the packaging, and it’s a real shame to have to open it. 

This is the first time that Echo, Fives, and Jesse made it into the realistic collector-focused line.  All three characters exist in the animated styling of The Clone Wars-era figures, all of which were sculpted in their Phase I armor.  Fives and Echo have multiple variants out there, as well.  I was late to the Clone Wars party, but after finally watching the series, I really enjoyed these clones’ character arcs.  They served together in the 501st.  Fives and Echo were together from the very beginning and were promoted to ARCs at the same time.  Fives was there when Echo “died.”  Later, Fives had uncovered the implanted clone chips, but before he could share the knowledge with anyone, he was killed by Commander Fox after appearing to be dangerous and unstable.  Echo was later discovered to be alive, and in the hands of the Separatists.  He was rescued, and ended up joining “The Bad Batch,”  so it’s probable we will see him in the upcoming series.  Jesse had been promoted to ARC Trooper as well, and in an emotional moment, he led his company of 501st troopers against Rex and Ahsoka after Order 66 was issued.  He went down in a fiery crash on board a Republic Venator-class cruiser.  Rex buried his former comrades, using their helmets, including Jesse’s distinctive version, as grave markers. 

For these figures, Hasbro went all out and designed this new ARC Trooper base figure from the ground up.  All three characters use the same mold, but are painted differently to reflect their specific armor and helmet patterns, while their faces have distinct features as well.  The base figure is spectacular.  It’s better than the skinny VC45 mold, in my opinion.  However, I would definitely have preferred that Hasbro used that mold here, even sacrificing some of the most modern bits of articulation, because the sculpted plastic kama ends up restricting the lower body movement.  It’s extremely frustrating that an otherwise grand slam figure is disrespected in this manner!  Hasbro could have used VC54 as the basis for this figure as well as the recently released Wolffe and Rex.  But I already ranted about that yesterday in the Fives review. 

Echo has a clean-shaven face, but sports his blue-colored palm print on his armor.  This was carried forward from his earliest days fighting in the war, when Captain Rex placed his own palm, covered in the blue blood of a Rishi Eel, onto his comrade’s chest after he conducted a daring rescue.  For you non-Clone Wars fans, you may be confused and think this is Fives because of the five-finger emblem.  But you’d be wrong.  This is Echo, idiot.

Fives is the guy with a “5” tattooed on his forehead.  His clone number assigned at birth was CT-5555.  So as Consuela would say, he’s “CT Four Fives”.  He sports some facial hair on his chin.

Jesse was really into the Republic.  He not only painted the emblem on his helmet, but he also tattooed it on his head.  I have no idea what he would have done once the Republic became the First Galactic Empire, but I guess he just missed needing to make an emergency visit to his tattoo artist.  Jesse is bald, which further helps distinguish him from the other clones in the pack.

All the figures are painted slightly differently with regard to the blue and grey unit markings.  Apparently everyone in the 501st could just do whatever the heck they wanted.  Rex really ran a loose operation over there.

Again, this was all mentioned in the Fives review, but besides the plastic kama, the figures are a bit short, and the pistols aren’t a tight fit in the holsters.  Also, you might not like the very soft plastic used for the weapons. 

That aside, these are clearly amazing figures.  I let my love of the 501st, along with my appreciation for Hasbro making these characters, override the almost devastating plastic kama.  I give all 3 figures a 9/10 score.  I love this set.  I want to wallpaper my house with them.