Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,546: Black Clone Pilot

CLONE PILOT V-Wing Starfighter
The Legacy Collection Wal-Mart Exclusive Evolutions Packs
Item No.: Asst. 87874 No. 91509
Number: n/a
Includes: Blaster, helmet
Action Feature: Removable helmet
Retail: $14.99-$24.88
Availability: August 2009
Appearances: Not quite sure, really

Bio: Imperial pilots emerge from secrecy as valorous warriors in the waning days of the Republic, then devolve into ruthless enforcers as an evil Empire is born. Clone pilots fly Republic Gunships during the Battle of Geonosis. In the final days of the Clone Wars, clone pilots in V-Wings battle the enemies of first the Republic, then the Galactic Empire. Imperial pilots rise from the ashes of the Republic to defend the new Empire and enforce the Emperor's orders. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's floor.

Commentary: Oh, the inevitable black repaint. Hasbro loves to do them, but not as much as they used to. This Clone Pilot hit in 2009 as part of the final, exclusive, and possibly slowest-selling wave of Evolutions figures. While the line started as a successor to 2004 Vintage as a showcase for high-end, high-articulation, high-price figures, it eventually morphed into repaints and head swaps like the main line... and 2010 vintage. The figure took the 2008 Clone Pilot from the previous Imperial Pilot Legacy set and painted it black, much like the late-2005 repaint sold in Revenge of the Sith.

As a straight repaint, no new tooling has been introduced. However, he does have ball-jointed elbows, knees, and shoulders in addition to swiveling wrists, a swiveling waist, and no ankle joints. (He's a pilot.) The figure is great at standing and sitting, so if you need a guy to outfit your growing V-Wing fleet, why not this one? Aside from the fact he's basically off the market, that is. The sculpt is good, the paint is good, and the price is right. I'm particularly fond of the other two figures which come in the set, even if the Imperial Pilot has since been packed with several vehicles and gift sets. Were I you, and I am not, I'd say it's worth picking up.

Collector's Notes: The complete set can be had for under $20, so don't overpay for this one.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,546: May 18, 2011