BIKER SCOUT One of two in this set 30th Anniversary Collection Target Exclusive Battle Pack
Item No.: Asst. 87565 No. 87567
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Blaster, more figures
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $49.99
Availability: November 2007
Appearances: Return of the Jedi
Bio: A scout trooper was a member of the Imperial Stormtrooper Corps specially trained for scouting, reconnaissance, combat survival, and most times, sniping. (Stolen from Wookieepedia.)
Image: Adam Pawlus' desk.
Commentary: The Biker Scout (or Scout Trooper) is one of the molds that most fans felt like Hasbro nailed in 2006-- which works out well, as Hasbro has yet to update it beyond changing out the head. There have been some minor deco changes and I've been asked if these variants should be considered deco variants. I decided that they do look different enough and, in the movie, there are multiple troopers walking around-- so these are distinctive figures. In this particular gift set, Hasbro put in two different versions of damage on the figure, and this one seems to have its grit on the upper part of the torso armor, plus added stains on the boots. The figure has a great amount of detailing-- there's unique deco on the bits hanging off the belt. The soles of the boots are sculpted, and recorated. While much of the figure is black or white, Hasbro did make sure that most of the important detail is represented and colored correctly. With 14 points of articulation this figure is one of Hasbro's best-- but I dare not call it the best we'll ever get. The hip joints do have room for improvement, especially now that Hasbro has ball-jointed hips and can make figures which better sit on bikes. As free-standing Scout Troopers go this sculpt is about as good as they get, but there's going to be at least one more good opportunity for Hasbro to modify and rerelease the character.
Collector's Notes: Depending on your needs as a collector, you may want to skip this figure. If you like variety in your squads, this is a must-buy set-- the alternate damage deco should bring a little life to your otherwise mostly white shelves. There are other flavors of the trooper to get including a removable helmet version from a 2008 Battle Pack and a flip-up helmet version from a late 2006 collector's tin figure pack. There are no shortage of variations on this one, so do snag many or any as your budgets and opportunities permit.
--Adam Pawlus
Day 1,428: December 3, 2010
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