Updateed Review by Chris (10/16/2021 7:05 AM):

Don’t you hate clip shows?  You know, when you tune in to your favorite TV program and one of the actors comes on and informs you that the following episode will be nothing but clips highlighting moments from the show’s history.  Well, here’s Nomad’s photos and review of the Echo figure from the 501st Legion ARC Troopers Special Action Figure set.

Original Review by Bret (10/7/2020 7:05 AM):

[The 501st Legion ARC Troopers Special Action Figure set] 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 ARC 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 {Editor's note: It's true! He is in The Bad Batch!  My powers of sorcery should be revered!].  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.  [Editor’s Note:  Obviously it wasn’t “yesterday.”  So what, wanna fight about it?]

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.

[Editor’s Note: Considering we now have both Echo and Fives as single carded releases in the main line, it seems only logical that Jesse will follow at some point in the not-to-distant future.  For those of you that missed out on the exclusive set, you should probably hold out for Jesse.]