Figure of the Day: Day 1,268: Shadow Trooper

SHADOW TROOPER Commander, more or less
30th Anniversary Collection Shared Exclusive
Item No.: No. 87879
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Helmet, blaster, additional figure
Action Feature: Removable helmet
Retail: $16.99
Availability: Summer 2008
Appearances: n/a

Bio: These specialized troopers pose as bounty hunters or mercenaries to slip in and out of locations, quietly gathering vital information for the Republic. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's desk.

Commentary: "Pose as bounty hunters," the packaging says. Sure. This particular Shadow Trooper uses the "Evolutions" Episode III Clone body and applies a brighter (and better) spin on the 2005 Utapau Shadow Trooper's deco. The red visor is much brighter, the grey is a bit sharper, and it just looks better, despite having a pretty goofy backstory. I mean, it's a dude who looks like another dude wearing the Clone Trooper armor which every one of these dudes wears for the largest army in the galaxy. These guys are as much bounty hunters as I am an expert on botany.

While not immediately obvious, these are surprisingly lavishly decorated for a Hasbro Clone Trooper repaint. The body is cast in a color which is, for all intents and purposes, black and has a very light grey brushing on it. The red really pops, and the grey for the body suit stands out against the dark armor. What's more, the back of the figure had a few details painted on it, which is downright amazing for these guys. While the set did command a higher price, Hasbro did put a little bit more into the deco and packaging. Unfortunately, they didn't put much into the tooling, and unless you're really careful the chin of the trooper's human face will likely jut out from under the black striped helmet.

Collector's Notes: This set was initially offered as a German exclusive for their fairly sizable Jedicon. However, a European convention cannot support Hasbro's minimums for an exclusive, so the rest got dumped in the USA at ShopStarWars.com. At press time, it is still available for $15.99. It's a pretty nice set, coming in the same canister-style packaging as Target's "Order 66" packs. I'd suggest getting it, it's one of the better looking Clone repaints and one of three figures to use this basic shadowy color scheme.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,268: April 23, 2010