Figure of the Day: Day 1,123: Commander Gree (2008)

COMMANDER GREE Second Attempt
30th Anniversary Collection Basic Figures
Item No.: Asst. 85700 No. 87543
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #0803
Includes: Helmet, blaster, binoculars, display stand
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $6.99
Availability: February 2008
Appearances: Revenge of the Sith

Image: Adam Pawlus' back yard.

Bio: Like all clones, Gree never questions his loyalty to the Republic. When told the Jedi are a threat, he immediately moves to eliminate Yoda. But he underestimates Yoda, who instantly becomes aware of the attack and acts swiftly to stop the commander. (Taken from the figure's package.)

Commentary: When the figure first came out in 2005, fans weren't too pleased and Hasbro went back to the drawing board to make a new Commander Gree. While an improvement, it seems almost as if Hasbro went out of their way to make an inferior figure so they could go back to the well for a third movie incarnation. The sculpt is a significant improvement, but the coloring is still off. The figure is far too yellow, the armor isn't quite grey enough, and the visor doesn't feel right-- this could be due to limitations of the medium, but geez, it'd be nice if it was just right. Is a glossy green visor too much to ask?

Thankfully, the sculpt improvements were quite significant for the time. He had ball-jointed hips, which were (and still are) something of a novelty. Other than that, he has the super articulated limbs you can hope for, and has the best available articulation on any Clone Commander figure so far. It's just a disappointment that the deco wasn't better. The 2005 version was made in a hurry using what was available, so it's reasonable to expect that it may be sub-standard. This version came out three years after we all saw the movie. It's the best there is, so far, but there's definitely an opportunity to do a repaint that improves the coloring, and maybe even incorporates Gree's unique hairstyle as seen in the cartoons. (After all, we never see his face on film.)

Collector's Notes: The figure (as a clone) was a strong seller and carried forward into the Legacy Collection, where he shipped for a while. As such, you can find him on at least two styles of basic figure package. A 2005 Commander Gree was released for the Revenge of the Sith line, and was a repainted Clone Trooper III-41.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,123: October 2, 2009