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

Original Review:  Chris - 06/20/2011 01:49 AM

It’s good.  Very good.  But if could be improved some.  First off the holster is missing.  This is a pretty big oversight for Hasbro at this stage of the game.  Even the inferior Power of the Jedi offering had a sculpted holster albeit non-functioning.  Because of the gray hair, this figure is presumed to be Pello Scrambas.  Because of that, the head sculpt is somewhat unique.  This means a squad or army of these will look somewhat curious since the heads are so readily recognizable.  Lastly the vest somewhat limits the shoulder movement in front of the figure.  I wanted post the figure holding both arms straight out with both hands on the blaster.  This iconic Rebel Fleet Trooper pose is not possible with this figure. Even without the vest, this type of pose is difficult to achieve with ball jointed shoulders.

All that said, it’s still a very worthwhile upgrade.  The accessories allow us to complete a few different scenes and costume combinations.  This is very cool and will make you want to own more than one. 8 out of 10.

Updated Review:  Bret - 7/11/2018 07:05 AM

One of the more important aspects of “do your job” for collector grade figures is that they be able to achieve their most “iconic” pose from the films.  It’s why the collector line has not had a perfect ANH Kenobi figure yet, and why some people believe that the recent TLJ carded release of the 5POA Kenobi is the best option for display.  Here we have the Rebel Fleet Trooper, which has seen several releases and variants over the years, none nearly as awesome as this one.  However, the biggest negative of this figure is that it can’t achieve the outstretched, two-handed blaster grip seen used by all the nervous troopers as they braced themselves for the Imperial assault on the Tantive IV. 

Another negative which essentially prevents this figure from achieving definitive status is that it doesn’t have ball jointed hips.  This action-oriented soldier figure desperately needs this upgrade.  The included articulation does allow for a variety of nice poses, but the hips would take it to another level.  The lack of a holster is regrettable, as pointed out by Chris above.  And while not identified on the card name, most fans assume this gray-haired dude is Pello Scrambas.  Since he’s assumed to be a specific character, you can see where that takes us as far as army building goes.  It’s not quite as bad as having facial hair, but the face is recognizable, and could use some variants. Interestingly, this is something Hasbro did with past versions of the character, making several head variants which made for a great display, even with inferior sculpts.

The accessories are pretty cool.  Removable helmet, baseball cap, blaster, and scanner/scope make for a wide variety of display options.  If this figure was released back in the value-packed TAC line, it probably would have included the crow’s nest from Yavin.  As it stands, that would make a pretty cool accessory at some point down the line, especially since Yavin (and these soldiers) made another appearance in Rogue One.  In fact, I specifically created one of the diorama shots above to trigger one of our readers (who shall remain nameless, but rhymes with Shmoo Fight).  So let’s all hide in the other room and giggle until he sees it…

It’s a great sculpt, with a lot of detail, and loads of accessories.  You want this figure.  You want many of this figure.  There’s room to improve with ball jointed hips, a holster, and arm articulation designed so he can make the iconic THWG, but it’s still a figure you need to own.

Verdict: Re-sculpt (Low priority) 

It’s not definitive, so Hasbro should consider perfecting the figure.  Ebay prices are not cheap, but surprisingly not as high as I would have expected for a desirable OT army-builder.  Consider picking one or more up for your collection if you don’t have one already. 

Verdict Guide:
Re-sculpt = The figure is not definitive, and a new version should be developed.
Re-issue = This version is definitive (or close enough), and shows sufficient secondary market demand to warrant a straight repack.
No Action = This release does not require new attention.