Figure of the Day: Day 282: Clone Trooper

CLONE TROOPER Target Exclusive
Revenge of the Sith Target Exclusive
Item No.: No. 26822
Number: n/a
Includes: Pistol, rifle
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $12.99
Availability: Spring 2005
Appearances: Revenge of the Sith

Bio: The Clone Troopers have played an essential role in helping the Jedi fight the Separatists' droid armies. Armed with sharp-shooting blaster rifle and protected by hard white armor, this clone trooper is ready for battle! (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: The toy shelves of Adam Pawlus.

Commentary: The back of the packaging may as well have had a crude drawing of someone flipping fans off, because this was the second figure in what was a fairly successful program of "premium" figure exclusives at Target. This Clone Trooper (along with Lava Reflection Darth Vader, Demise of Grievous, Lava Reflection Obi-Wan Kenobi, Lava Reflection Anakin/Vader, and the Utapau Shadow Trooper) cost more than twice that of an average figure and the only thing different about most of these releases were deco and a plastic clamshell. This particular Clone was based on concept art, and was the super-poseable Episode II Clone body with a newly sculpted head. So it's a little bit, a tiny bit, more bloated than other Revenge of the Sith Troopers.

The figure has a healthy amount of articulation and a good original design, but when you get right down to it, it isn't a figure that's worth $13-- and $13 was likely the least you would have to pay for it. There's nothing really wrong with the figure except for its price-- the designers did a good job repurposing an old mold for a new movie, and they deserve points for that. The ridiculous 160% increase in price over a basic figure stings, though, and collectors may be able to get this figure today at a far better price than at which it was originally sold in 2005.

Collector's Notes: Depending on where you lived, this was a hard figure to get. I never once saw one in stores and had to resort to-- you guessed it-- eBay, for a markup a bit higher than I would consider fair for an already expensive figure. The same mold was later reused for the Utapau Shadow Trooper. Today, the figure can be had on eBay for $9 or so before shipping, if you're lucky.

Day 282: February 12, 2007