Original review by Chris, 9/25/14

For many fans, clones are the star of both Revenge of the Sith and the associated action figure line.  For that reason, it was odd that so many prominent on-screen clones were not addressed during the ROTS movie line while so many off-screen clones were.  Admittedly, part of this is due to the fact that LFL can make quicker virtual CGI changes than Hasbro can make physical toy changes.  The red Clone Commander in the ROTS line was actually Commander Bly, but LFL changed the color scheme of the 327th Star Corps at the last minute to yellow. That aside, it was amazing that not a single 212th Attack Battalion clone was released in the movie line despite that unit’s on-screen prominence.

This Airborne Trooper, which fans referred to as the “beehive trooper” due to the shape of the helmet, wasn’t released until two years and two figure lines after the movie.  In an example of what is known as a “pre-paint”, an off-screen purple Airborne Trooper was released in 2006 as part of the “Mace Windu’s Attack Battalion” battle pack.  The figure was also repainted with 501st markings in another off-screen representation for the Anakin Skywalker & Airborne Trooper Order 66 2-pack later that year.  The unique helmet, and other armor and gear differences breaks the Airborne Trooper from the “just another clone” syndrome, so fans take special interest with the design.  That combined with the somewhat limited availability means that all three versions of the Airborne Trooper command a secondary market premium. 

The benefit of these throwback style reviews is that the distance between the review and time of the figure’s actual release offers a little better perspective.  I would have probably given this figure a 10 out of 10 grade when it was released.  It’s still good, but very far from our definition of the perfect clone.  I will say that today we would not see such nice paint operations (the Nike swoop eyebrows aside).  The intentionally distressed organizational markings and the battle damage are simply things that Hasbro does not attempt any more.  Presumably these are costly operations.  While the figure features the full 14 points of articulation, we’re now spoiled to expect all ball joint articulation including rocker ankles.  This Airborne Trooper sports standard ball jointed ankles and swivels at the wrist, waist and hips.  We’d also expect a soft goods kama like the “not Fordo” Clone Commander in the Vintage Collection.  But how can you argue against a figure with a man purse that conceals and interacts with the DC-17 hand blaster?  Even seven years later, this is still an 8 out of 10 figure. 

Updated review by Bret 9/3/19

Aaaand with more distance between this updated review and the first review, I think we can now safely say that while this is a great looking figure, it really fails as an action figure, particularly a dynamic trooper like a specialist clone trooper.  This figure, in 2019, would need an all new sculpt that allows for a much greater range of motion than it gave us in 2007.  The lower body is severely limited, and the range of the arms is also not great.  It would need ball jointed hips, waist, and wrists.  Rocker ankles would be great, but we’d have to assume that any clones that Hasbro might issue at this point would use the VC45 clone trooper body from 2010, which debuted about 3 years after this figure (a little longer if you take into account the TSC purple Mace Windu battalion version).  I have issues with the “skinny” look of VC45, but the articulation is generally pretty outstanding. 

This is actually a clumsy action figure.  My sample has a distinct lean to it.  But it can’t really be just my sample, because all of the Airborne Trooper repaint figures that I have (5, by my count) which are displayed in the lineup image #26 in the gallery above, have the same lean.  They almost look like they’re The Roxbury Guys.  The helmet, while faithfully representing that standout appearance on screen, is very loose fitting, and doesn’t fully cover the chin.

It may have been awesome in 2007, and Chris turned it down a couple of notches in 2014.  I’m going to penalize it again.  It’s a 7, and a weak 7 at that.  Again, it does look pretty cool as part of your 212th Battalion, and the paint is well done with the carbon scoring.  But it’s otherwise just barely acceptable by today’s standards, and just feels lackluster in 2019.  A soft goods skirt and a redone helmet applied to the VC45 mold would probably be pretty great, especially since the skirt would mask the skinny legs a bit, just like Not Fordo.