Editor’s Note:  This review has been updated with our second look at TVC…

Original Review:  Chris - 8/21/2012 3:35 AM

This is the mold that took swivel joints and punched them square in the mouth.  But I’m getting ahead of myself.  I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’ve been feeling clone fatigue for a little while.  I stocked up on the “#41” mold based clones through the various Saga Legend releases or mainline releases.  Clones sell well, but Hasbro really needs to give us a longer break before going back to this well.  I’m personally not going to replace my clone army after what was a sizable investment especially when the new figure isn’t a slam dunk improvement. 

So we know where the figure excels.  It’s in the brilliant articulation.  Like many modern figures, it has 14 points of articulation, but unlike most figures, this one forgoes the standard swivel hips and wrists for ball joints at those points of articulation.  All of the points of articulation have good range of motion which makes posting this figure a breeze.  The detailing on this figure is crisp and well executed with the exception of the helmet.  It takes a minor step backwards in detail from previous Shock Trooper releases.

And oh that helmet.  Uh boy.  It’s jarringly too large for the figure.  I just don’t get it.  Adult collectors are usually only in favor of removable helmets if they absolutely do not detract from the aesthetic of the figure.  In most cases, as in this case, they do detract from the aesthetic.  Kids admittedly love removable helmets.  But kids are not going to stop into Target and plunk down $10 for this figure. They’re going to ask their parents for one, and parents are becoming increasingly savvy with e-tail options.  If Johnny asks for a Shock Trooper, a parent is just as likely to head to Amazon and see the Anniversary Collection Legends Shock Trooper selling for $6.51.  This figure middles two audiences, but compels neither to automatic purchase.  The helmet is such a detractor that I want do deduct two full points for it alone, so I’m going to.  8 out of 10.

Senate pod on loan from the collection for Bossk_MR.

Updated Review:  Bret - 10/04/2018 07:05 AM

Welp, here we go again.  This is the 5th Clone Trooper to make use of this new body type that Hasbro came up with, starting with VC45 Clone Trooper (Phase I).  I’m not a fan, as I have expressed repeated throughout the various reviews of clones during our TVC retrospective.  I just can’t get over the spindly arms and legs.  While I can understand that it may technically be more screen accurate to the CGI troopers from AOTC and ROTS, I just think my mind can’t reconcile the fact that there is supposed to be a human being underneath that armor.  Unless all of the clones have eating disorders, there’s nothing that can get me past this.  The sculpt has not grown on me over time.  For VC45, Chris originally gave the figure an 8, but then nearly killed me when he had the unmitigated gall to upgrade that score to a 9.  Sigh.  FREAKIN’ SIGH!  I then took the reins on the VC60 501st (Phase II). Same sculpt same issues, but Chris dinged it for having an oversized helmet, and knocked it down to a 7.  I left that score alone out of deference to Chris, and my feeling that I am in the minority in my dislike for this sculpt.  But we both agreed it’s inferior to the Phase I version.  Then came the VC109 Clone Trooper Lieutenant (Phase I)which we just re-examined the other day.  This one went back to the Phase I helmet, and other than the added blue rank coloring on the armor, is identical to VC45, so I again reluctantly supported the original score of 9.  The one exception for me with this mold was the incredible VC45 ARC Trooper Commander (Hybrid).  Maybe it’s the nostalgia I have for the now “legends” Microseries, arguably the best Star Wars outside of the Original Trilogy.  Maybe it was the inclusion of so many accessories that made the figure one of the rare “two-fers” in the vintage line.  Or maybe it was that this particular figure didn’t give me fits when trying to manipulate the ball jointed hips just so he could stand upright for more than 2 seconds before tipping over.  That figure saved this mold. 

So here we are with the Shock Trooper variant of the same mold.  All the critiques of the VC60 501st apply here.  The red armor markings are striking, and very well done.  But the limbs are too thin, and the Phase II helmet is absurdly large and wobbly.  Unlike the 501st, at least this figure had the “high end” silver paint details applied to the weapons, so it won’t lose that extra point this time.  The figure can be posed well.  It can grip the blaster and rifle in a convincing manner.  Everything does look nice if you can get over the proportions.  Those thin limbs stand out more weirdly to me when the figure is combined in a display with older shock trooper clones that use molds with more robust limbs.

I wasn’t interested in replacing my clone armies with these newer molds.  It just wasn’t a slam dunk to me.  While the figure has merits, I wouldn’t grade this high.  I’m simply deferring to Chris for consistency’s sake on this one.  You may like this figure more than previous sculpts, and if so, definitely pick up multiples.  That clone fatigue Chris mentioned in the first sentence of his original review still holds today.  As I’ve mentioned in other reviews clones with this sculpt, the only thing that might justify Hasbro releasing more clones would be if it was some kind of limited commemoration of The Clone Wars revival.  Other than that, we should give clones a rest for a while, and focus more on those Rebel and Imperial troops from Solo and Rogue One.

This figure gets to keep the score of 8, although I’m not happy about it. 

As I’ve stated in my reviews for this sculpt, I don’t think it’s definitive, and needs to be tweaked.  The limbs should be a tad thicker, the hip articulation needs to be fully modernized, and the Phase II helmets need a complete overhaul - or better yet, scrap the removable helmets and go with alternate portraits.  Phase I, Phase II, and helmetless.  None of this should be done anytime soon (again, unless in some kind of special release associated with the new season of The Clone Wars.