[Original review by Bret 7/25/2022 7:05 AM]

It’s been over 3 years since the VC140 Imperial Stormtrooper was released.  Chris handled the review back then, and he gave the figure a 9/10.  Despite the just-shy-of-perfect score, he called it “definitive”, as it was pretty much the best we could ask for given the Rogue One source - in that the figure lacked a working holster, which was more ubiquitous during the OT.  However, there were two other gripes that tormented him (and most of the rest of us):  The oddly sculpted “bell bottom” shins, and the gross lack of rocker ankles.  While such ankle articulation has existed in the line since 2013, it was only used a handful of times, and then almost completely forgotten.  As Chris stated, that functionality had “never been more missed than on this figure.” Throw all that together, and add in the fact that the Carded Cultists lacked the beloved O96 - nay, O12! - Star Wars double-racetracker cardback, and you get a figure that was almost as frustrating as it was great.

Fast-forward to today, and we have seen Hasbro re-use this excellent, but not perfect, sculpt a multitude of times for repaints and variants, particularly the inaugural 4-pack troop builder set.  It seemed Hasbro was all-in on this mold, and it would be a long time before they would consider revisiting it.  Lo and behold, VC231!

We finally have what may be the perfect 3.75” stormtrooper figure.  Everything that Chris picked on has been addressed - and then some.

First, a holster has been added.  It has been resculpted from the typical “flat” type holsters of the past.  You know, the ones that barely functioned, and usually looked ridiculous when in use.  Now it’s a full holster, which when empty, can look a little boxy (like a Volvo), but not overly so.  While it might be a little bulky, it it the best holster ever done on a stormtrooper.  The plastic is very soft and flexible, and looks and works great.  Bottom line - this was probably the most prominent aspect of VC140 that made it Rogue One-specific.

Second, the bell bottoms have been fixed.  This version has the more tapered shin armor, which is more familiar and more realistic to the on-screen trooper.  It was an aesthetic issue, and previous figures, while inferior, got this to look right.  It is now no longer an issue.

Third, and most important in my opinion, Hasbro has granted us ROCKER ANKLES!  It was the one type of articulation that was lacking from VC140, and it allows the figure to be posed in all the same poses (and more), but with just a tad more realism - and it makes all the difference.  Since Hasbro re-discovered this “technology” gem, they’ve been regularly adding it to most of the figures that collectors would say require it - and as Chris had previously stated, this figure benefits as much, if not more, than any other.

Fourth, the abdominal dots were repainted the accurate blue and gray (instead of the black on VC140), while also adding a paint blue dot to replace the black (should have been silver) horizontal rectangle.  These details are quite literally tiny, but to the fanatical collectors out there, it was a nice touch that Hasbro minded these minute concerns.

And fifth, Hasbro packed this figure on the glorious Star Wars double-racetrack cardback.  I’m not a carded collector, but I feel this is one of the best (and most nostalgic) cardback images available.

Kudos to Hasbro.  I don’t really think there was much more that could have been done differently or better.  This IS the definitive OT Stormtrooper.  The only complaint is that it is currently a Walmart exclusive (as is the repacked deluxe w/E-Web Cannon version that is imminently shipping).  Well, I guess you could also complain that Hasbro just recently used VC140 in the troop builder set.  I bought 5 of those, but would buy at least another five if they did that same set using this figure.  10/10.  I’d give it an 11 if it wouldn’t break the site.

[Updated Review by Bret, 8/19/24]

Here’s a short one.  I was going to try to review Jabba the Hutt, but it arrived too late for me to have it ready for this morning.  Instead, you get a review of a near-repack.

At the time of the first release of VC231 in 2022, it corrected the 3 biggest gripes of 2019’s VC140 Imperial Stormtrooper.  VC140 was far and away the best stormtrooper figure available in the 3.75” scale, but the missing holster, odd “bell bottom” shin guards, and lack of rocker ankles screamed for an immediate update.  VC231 was huge upgrade, even though the tooling needed was fairly minimal.  Suddenly, we had a perfect 10 stormtrooper in our collections. 

However, the problem with VC231 was that it was maddeningly a Walmart exclusive.  Probably the grandaddy of all army builder characters was difficult for many collectors to obtain.  Not only were there limits on quantities you could order, but the figure sold out online rather quickly.

So here we are, two years later, and Hasbro has granted us a mainline release of one of the best and most important figures in the line - except for one problem.  In 2024, we now are pretty much insisting that our figures should have the new “barbell” style hips.  Posing the figure is just a bit frustrating now, knowing what breakthrough technologies have graced TVC since the previous release, and it will likely make you feel that that this figure, which was nearly perfect just 2 years ago, is once again in need of an update.

The most noticeable difference seems to be the color of the armor.  The new version has a less bright white than the original release.  If you hold them side-by-side, you can see the difference.  It doesn’t really bother me, but I’m sure it’s going to bother some collectors out there.

Of course, the figure is still awesome,  but the less-than-state-of-the-art hip articulation means we can’t keep it as a perfect 10.  As such, it gets knocked down a peg to a 9/10.  New hips would elevate it back to perfect status…until the next leap in action figure technology.