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

Original Review:  Chris - 08/26/2012 12:01 AM

Boy, for a figure that wasn’t on my radar at all, I like this one, and as near as I can tell, it’s mostly recycled parts.  The Clone Pilot has been going through a slow…heh…heh…evolution since the Revenge of the Sith line in 2005.  The inaugural figure was crude even for the time.  The helmet was sculpted onto the head with a solid visor.  The elbows were swivel joints, which were admittedly still commonplace for a few more years.  It simply felt out of place next to the other clones in the line.  It was so underwhelming that I had to utilize Dan Curto’s handiwork to re-familiarize myself with the figure as I no longer own one.

That figure was tweaked in 2008 as part of the Imperial Pilot Legacy Evolutions set.  It took a nice step forward.  The swivel elbows were gone in place of ball joints.  The helmet was now removable marking the single biggest improvement for this iteration of the figure.  The previous sculpted helmet over a partially exposed face looked cheap.  The figure still lacked ankle joints, but it was a decent improvement.

Now with the specifically named Clone Pilot, Odd Ball, the figure reaches its full potential.  It didn’t take much to make a big improvement.  The most obvious change it the new lower legs which include articulated ankles.  The moon boots of the predecessor are gone in favor of footwear that definitely has a more aviator feel.  The head is new and does not have the sculpted skull cap of the previous release.  The face has an almost disconcerting vacant stare to it.  I’m not really sure if this is good or bad.  The helmet and control box are new.  The hoses no longer disconnect from the helmet which is a godsend as they tended to pop loose every time you tried to move the figure’s head.  The helmet portion itself is more substantial and better captures the details that foreshadowed the coming TIE Fighter pilot helmets.

The color scheme has switched from a very bluish gray and white to two tones of standard gray and white with black accents.  This feels more befitting of the coming Empire and the black accent paint apps add nice detail.  I hope that Hasbro keeps this color pattern and deco for future Episode III Clone Pilots.  This is a solid figure and makes a worthy upgrade.  8 out of 10.

** ARC-170 on loan from the collection of Bossk_MR which had to be recovered from his Raider’s of the Lost Ark like warehouse (his basement), so special thanks on this one. 
[Editor’s note:  This refers to the original gallery, which has now been replaced with new photos.  For posterity, the images of Bossk-MR’s ARC-170 can be found HERE and HERE.

Updated Review:  Bret- 10/15/2018 07:05 AM

Wow.  Chris went all wordy on us in his original review.  It’s as disconcerting as the vacant stare of this pilot.  He pretty much hit the key points, so there’s not much more I can add.  I agree that this was a worthy upgrade to previous iterations of this character.  It’s neat that Hasbro gave this pilot a particular name, but there really is nothing unique about him that prevents you from building out your Republic Clone Pilot corps with this figure.  Removable helmet, basic super-articulation (no ball jointed wrists or hips), and a decent sculpt and paint application make this figure a solid one.

Odd Ball, as he is depicted in this offering, is from Revenge of the Sith.  He was also a character in The Clone Wars.  During TCW, he was seen wearing both Phase I and Phase II pilot armor.  By the time Order 66 was issued, he donned this outfit, which more closely resembles that worn by Imperial TIE Fighter Pilots, and perhaps can be called Phase III.  No?  Well, who asked you?

The figure is essentially definitive, even though there may be room for more articulation.  I don’t think there’s a single person out there clamoring for a new Clone Pilot sculpt with ball jointed hips, so we’ll take this and just call it a day. It hits all the important notes, and hits them well.  Agree on the 8 of 10.

It’s definitive, so Hasbro has no need to update the sculpt.  It does go for a few bucks more than I would have expected.  Not outrageous, but it isn’t as cheap as most of the TPM figures we reviewed recently.  If you need pilots for your Republic ships, you should consider this one above all others.  Nevertheless, there’s just no need for Hasbro to consider a re-release any time soon…UNLESS...there’s a reason to do so in conjunction with the next season of The Clone Wars.  Perhaps as a pack in with some new ship - or even a re-release or repaint of the fan/collector favorite Republic Gunship?  That’s one of my favorite ships in the entire saga and also from Hasbro.  There are already 7 different paint schemes.  Why not 8 to honor of the number of wins Cy Young candidated Jacob DeGrom has as of this writing?  It all makes sense.