Figure of the Day: Day 245: Yoda (Clone Wars)

YODA Army of the Republic
Clone Wars Collection
Item No.: Asst. 84851 No. 84828
Number: 0344
Includes: Hoverchair, Lightsaber
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $4.99
Availability: Fall 2004
Appearances: Clone Wars

Bio: During the Clone Wars, Master Yoda takes on the role of General to lead battalions of Clone Troopers into battle against the Separatists' droid armies. Though previously used to roam the corridors of the Jedi Temple, Yoda's hoverchair has since been specially modified for combat situations. This allows the venerable Jedi Master to not only direct the Clone Troopers in tactical battles, but also to storm into the fight with speed and maneuverability, swiftly taking out the opposing battle droid armies with his lightsaber. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: The Clone Wars shelf of Adam Pawlus.

Commentary: Another new sculpt of Yoda? Wow! Few figures have so few costumes but so many figures, but Yoda was given a new, revolutionary (hah hah) costume that looks like it could stand to have a couple of six shooters and a sombrero. The figure has a waist joint, a neck joint, and the two arm joints-- that's it. There's not a lot of figure here, because in Hasbro's initial interpretation of Yoda At War, he used a hoverchair accessory. (In the cartoons, he was seen riding a Kybuck, a creature from Kashyyyk that is rumored to be coming with a new Clone Wars Yoda in 2007.) The hovering platform has several moving parts and a foot peg, and the Yoda figure can plug right onto it and it's fairly stable.

The figure's sculpt is pretty basic stuff-- he has his brown outfit that's been seen under the robe of Yoda figures since 1980, with a new vest and bandolier thing that I don't believe has been used much outside this action figure. It's a unique new costume, but hardly essential, and more goofy than it is cool. For fans wanting something unique and/or weird, this is a pretty great release. For people who just want the movie stuff, this is probably worth missing.

Collector's Notes: There are three major variations of this figure, if you care for such things. The first release had a lightsaber that wasn't entirely painted right, if you look at the blade (click more images to see this one), you can tell that there's an unpainted spot right above the black ring on the lightsaber. The second release was a Wal-Mart exclusive, with the same lightsaber but packaged on a unique cardback with a bonus exclusive yellow Clone Trooper Commander. Release number three was the basic carded figure, properly painted. The corrected release was, in my findings, the hardest one of the three to find-- although the bonus Wal-Mart version was pretty tough to get, too.

Day 245: January 6, 2007