I’m still reeling from the wild OT loss to Dallas.  I’m not sure I’ve ever seen anything like that 4th Quarter from the Giants.  It was thrilling and terrible at the same time.  Also, I’m pretty sure Brandon Aubrey is an alien.  Someone should look into whatever he’s got going on there, because it’s probably not legal in all 50 states.

I was pressed into service to do this figure because we are not quite ready with our Cantina review, for which there are approximately 7,831 photographs - give or take.  Chris and I are teaming up to handle it, and we’re probably still a few days away from completion.  We should have it ready this week, so hang in there.  I’m sure you’re all on the edges of your seats.

For today, we are taking a look at VC374 Imperial Shock Trooper.  For whatever reason, Hasbro decided to source it to The Clone Wars.  Just like VC240 501st Clone Trooper (Obi-Wan Kenobi) and VC269 Clone Trooper Phase II Armor (Andor), Hasbro opted to avoid Revenge of the Sith as the source material.  That probably bugs a lot of people.  I honestly don’t really care all that much, but I admit I do find it a little disappointing.

Also, I find the name to be inaccurate, although I’m probably splitting hairs.  In The Clone Wars final arc, we see them on board The Tribunal, but I believe the small contingent is last seen on screen getting punked by Ahsoka before Palpatine (in ROTS) establishes the First Galactic Empire.  It’s probably pretty close, as events are happening rapidly and simultaneously between the two sources.  They are probably more accurately called Republic Shock Troopers.  Hasbro could have just solved this nightmare by calling the figure “Shock Trooper” or “Clone Shock Trooper”, or something like that. 

You already know plenty about this figure’s sculpt.  We most recently described it when we looked at VC240 Clone Trooper (501st Legion) [2025].  It’s pretty close to perfect.  It looks great, and has the most modern articulation available.  The helmet sculpt is outstanding, and we get the preferable helmet portrait, instead of the removable helmet.  I suppose a swappable Temeura Morrison headsculpt would be nice, but I’m not losing any sleep over this.  For accessories, the trooper comes with a standard DC-15A blaster carbine as well as the standard DC-15A blaster rifle.

The paint applications are the real draw here, and are what make this figure special.  The Shock Trooper has striking red details, and Hasbro seems to have gotten everything right (let us know in the comments if you’ve found any inconsistencies in the patterns).  There are a few paint chips in the shoulder armor, as well as on the double bicep rings and the hip striping.  One thing of note:  just like the 501st, the helmet is missing the “teeth.”  It’s a minor detail to me, but the figure has a solid black “mouth.”

It’s a top tier figure, and while it was predictable that we’d get this guy at some point, it’s still a nice upgrade over the nonsensical VC45 sculpt that has plagued our collections for well over a decade.  While it’s a great figure, it’s the oddball in what may be one of the greatest case assortments in the history of the line.  Han Solo, Chewbacca, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Stormtrooper, and….this Shock Trooper.  Whatever.