In October of 2019, Star Wars celebrated Triple Force Friday across all of its licensees.  The “triple” referred to a trio of media properties:  The Rise of Skywalker, The Mandalorian, and the Star Wars:  Jedi Fallen Order video game.  The event promised product from all three.  The trailer for Jedi Fallen Order revealed a new trooper type, the Purge Trooper.  It appeared to be little more than an Airborne Trooper from Episode III wearing all black armor.  I was positive that Hasbro would repaint the 30th Anniversary Collection 30-07 Airborne Trooper as a Purge Trooper for the Vintage Collection’s piece of Jedi Fallen Order‘s Triple Force Friday action.  Unfortunately, little did we know that the Vintage Collection was about to enter “the year that TVC forgot”, and the line was virtually shut out of TFF save for one Rise of Skywalker wave.  I was disappointed and borderline flabbergasted that my prediction did not come true.  Hasbro loves repaints.  How did that not happen?

Perhaps Hasbro realized what I did not consider.  That Airborne Trooper sculpt from 2007 simply is not up to modern day standards.  In fact, I might go so far as to say that it stinks. Instead, Hasbro waited until they could tool up a new head sculpt and marry it to the far superior VC45 - Clone Trooper sculpt. I have to say that the results speak for themselves, and it was well worth the wait.  The VC45 mold was very much ahead of its time, and it borders on the “Jedi Level Articulation” that we get today.  Aside from the thigh swivel, which would have aided in the posing of this Purge Trooper, and rocker ankles (ditto on the posing helpfulness), the sculpt is very much on par with the modern Vintage Collection.  Perhaps the biggest upgrade over 2007 Airborne Trooper is the soft goods kama.  Soft goods kamas are the bee’s knees.  I TELL YOU!  This kama does not inhibit the articulation in any way.  In fact, the plastic molded straps hanging below the belt are floating and easily move out of the way as well.  I was able to pose the figure exactly how I had it pictured in my mind’s eye.  It just took a little extra finagling due to the lack of those premium articulation areas discussed above.  I love this figure.

One of the most amazing aspects of this Purge Trooper is the Electrostaff accessory.  It actually comes in three parts.  The two blades attach to the middle staff portion.  This means that this figure can double as a poor man’s Electrobaton Purge Trooper.  It’s not a perfect stand in for that particular flavor of Purgie for three reasons.  The first two are that the pauldron and kama would need to be removed.  That’s obviously doable with this figure (but I’m not sure it could be reversed).  The third reason is that the Imperial cog on the Electrobaton version is white versus the red of this Electrostaff Purge Trooper.  Regardless, it’s pretty neat to be able to come close to a second character with this figure’s load out.

If there’s a downside, it’s that, as a repaint, the figure and accessories are not perfectly matched.  The hands are sculpted to be able to hold the squared off grip of the Clonetrooper DC-15A blaster rifle and not the round Electrostaff.  It will hold the staff, but it takes a bit of work.  I had to pry the hands open to do so, and the hold isn’t completely firm.  It’s easy to accidentally knock the staff out of the figure’s grasp.  Sill I refer you back to the close from two paragraphs prior.  I absolutely love this figure.  It’s a solid 9 out of 10, and the definitive Electrostaff Purge Trooper.

At the time of this review, the Electrostaff Purge Trooper can still be ordered from site sponsor Entertainment Earth.

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