Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,750: Damaged Yellow Clone Trooper

CLONE TROOPER Damaged Yellow
Original Trilogy Collection Clone Trooper Troop Builder Four-Pack Assortment, Entertainment Earth Exclusive
Item No.: Asst. 85688 No. 85774
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Blaster Pistol, collectible poster
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $34.99 (part of a four-pack)
Availability: Spring 2005
Appearances: Primarily Star Wars: Attack of the Clones and The Clone Wars

Bio: Virtually indistinguishable from one another, clone troopers are identical in physical appearance, mental capability and stamina. Part of a clone army, they are grown in the cloning facilities of Tipoca City, a luminescent city of industry emerging from the raging seas of Kamino. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' desk.

Commentary: Many many years ago, I took a lot of pictures of figures to do "later" and this Clone Trooper was one of them. The funny thing is that while I actually take great joy from reviewing new Clone Trooper figures, I can't say I much care to talk about the older ones. (With other characters, it's the opposite-- I love writing about stuff from the 1990s.) This particular yellow clone is the one on the left-- he has some dirt on him, and this version was never sold anywhere but in the Entertainment Earth gift sets. (The yellow trooper debuted here, but would later be sold carded and with relocated yellow rank dots.)

The figure is made of the 2003 super-articulated Clone Trooper, but given new paint. Back then, it was the Rolls Royce of Star Wars figures and for quite some time seemed to be the untoppable high point of the line. The only thing that could make it better would have been more joints, and Hasbro basically finally did that in 2011. (Some may disagree that the new sculpt is better.) I like this figure for what it is, and from when it is, and so far it hasn't been brought back. Because of the black blast markings I'd suggest tracking it down, but if you're anything like me you realize that you have close to 200, if not more, different Clone Troopers and anything that isn't wildly different or totally new is hard to view as anything better than merely OK.

Collector's Notes: Today this set is worth $10 or so on eBay, making it a surprisingly good deal. Of the four sets, the color/dirty configuration was the first to sell out at Entertainment Earth every time.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,750: February 28, 2012