Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,324: 501st Legion Clone Trooper (The Black Series 6-Inch)

501ST LEGION CLONE TROOPER Vader's Fist
The Force Awakens The Black Series 6-Inch Figure Entertainment Earth Exclusive Set
Item No.:   No. C0495
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Pistol, rifle, more figures
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $99.99
Availability: November 2016
Appearances: n/a

Bio: An elite unit of clone troopers, the 501st Legion patrolled the grounds after their siege of the Jedi Temple on Coruscant.  (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Entertainment Earth now!

Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary:  As I've mentioned before, I was both disappointed and inspired when I saw a plain white Phase II Revenge of the Sith armored warrior.  On one hand, it was boring - but that also meant that the 501st Legion Clone Trooper couldn't be far behind... or so I thought.   It turned out there were no plans for it in the immediate future, so here it is!   Because it's a trooper and a clone, Hasbro used the same body and helmet for five figures to date - the big changes are deco, and boy howdy are they some big changes.

The pure white figure has been gifted a generous slathering of blast damage and blue rank marks.  Hasbro delivered a figure that's surplus to requirements, with molded blue shoulder pads that seem to match the painted stripes on his helmet, legs, arms, and torso perfectly.  Rather than just give you a plain version of the trooper, Hasbro pulled out all the stops to damage and scratch him up at the factory.  The blue paint masks are peppered with small holes and scrapes, allowing white plastic to shine through the squadron markings.  On the shoulder pads, white and grey paint were added to give the illusion of battle-worn acts of (I assume) heroism.  The helmet has a few scrapes on the front and back, while the arms and torso are almost clean - just a few scrapes.  The legs are amazing, with black streaks and smudges indicating that this warrior has seen some serious action.

What's more, the back of the figure has a panel that has been decorated blue as well.  The soles of his boots appear to be plain white, but if you're going to leave off a paint application that would be it.  The black gloves, the blue wrist stripes, the grey stripe on the back of the helmet, they're all here.   Articulation is exactly as good as the other clones, because they're all the same body - it's good.   Even though this is an exclusive at my place of employ, I almost wish we sold it individually so we could troop-build with it.  Alas, business reasons happen and it's a four-pack.  I'm glad to say all four figures are made with this much care, so if you feel like raising a few armies it's a snap to do so.   My biased comment is that this is the one I most wanted and I'd say it's the second best trooper in the set.   If opportunity and finances favor you, go ahead and get this set for this figure.  And get extras.  You've got an Anakin that needs an army, right?

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Entertainment Earth.   Where I ram-rodded its creation.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,324 December 28, 2016

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,828: Clone Trooper 501st Legion

CLONE TROOPER  501st Legion
The Vintage Collection Basic Figures
Item No.: Asst. 37499 No.  98526
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #VC60
Includes: Blaster, rifle, helmet
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $9.99
Availability: April 2012
Appearances: Revenge of the Sith

Bio: Celebrate the legendary Star Wars saga that changed the universe forever! This collection brings to life the incredible story of good versus evil that captured our imagination and took us to a galaxy far, far away. Iconic Star Wars heroes and villains are captured with incredible detail and premium features to commemorate each epic tale in the Star Wars saga. May the Force be with you!  (Taken from the figure's packaging.  No specific character information.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' photo area.

Commentary:  I don't know for certain how it will shake out, but so far this Clone Trooper may be one of the shortest-run Vintage Collection figures yet-- yes, shorter than Wedge, and somewhere around the Naval Trooper if he doesn't come back soon.  This figure (so far) only ships in a single revision case, so if you're sitting there saying "Well screw this figure, I don't want it" consider yourself lucky.  My stats show you guys really don't care about clone troopers much these days, and this one is pretty good.  Not great, but close-- the body is a reuse of the 2011 Vintage Attack of the Clones clone body with an existing, and not exactly superb, helmet. The figure has exceptional articulation with 14 joints, spanning bend-and-swivel wrists and ball-jointed hips.  Every joint has pretty much a full range of movement, and the deco is pretty good too.  Sure, it's "clean," but there's a little scuffing on the blue so it looks pretty good.   In this day and age, though, I expect a clone repaint to be great just because Hasbro has been doing such a bang-up job on the cheaper Clone Wars line's paint jobs these days.

If you bought the 2012 BARC Speeder with Clone Trooper, this is fundamentally the same figure with blue paint.   It's pretty good, it's the best overall 501st Legion trooper yet, but a new helmet.  While you no doubt have a vast army of this style of trooper by now... well, here's one more, and it's a little bit better.  Oh, and your chances of army-building with it are effectively zero unless the Asian eBay people get cracking and put these out.

Collector's Notes:  It's my sincere hope Hasbro reissues the snot out of it, because even though they say collectors don't buy troopers any more, all evidence says any non-plain-white trooper seems to sell just fine.  I haven't seen one in the wild yet, hopefully you are far luckier than I am.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,828: June 15, 2012

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,612: Airborne Trooper

AIRBORNE TROOPER Order 66
30th Anniversary Collection Target Exclusive Series 1
Item No.: Asst. 87356 No. 87359
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: 5 of 6
Includes: Pistol, satchel, rifle, helmet, Anakin figure with accessories
Action Feature: Removable helmet
Retail: $9.99
Availability: March 2007
Appearances: Revenge of the Sith

Bio: After he becomes a Dark Lord of the Sith and the Emperor's new apprentice, Anakin storms the Jedi Temple with his personal legion of clone troopers, including an elite division of airborne troopers. Together, they eliminate all the Jedi inside, sparing no one. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' old desk.

Commentary: You can put pretty much any figure in the 501st deco, even the Airborne Trooper, and it's going to look neat. This clone trooper never quite appeared on-screen, but it looks like it'll fit in with your legions of 501st-themed figures. Based on a modified Evolution Clone Trooper mold, the figure has good articulation and excellent deco. The 501st markings are present in their usual blue color, with lots of black scuffs and scrapes that, if you don't think about them too hard, look pretty great. Some white paint on this belt looks pretty awful, but if you can get beyond that it isn't all bad. 14 points of articulation await you, and due to the figure's kama he won't be able to do much sitting. His helmet fits-- thank the lack of a pauldron to get in the way-- and a spare hand blaster is tucked away in a satchel which hangs under his arm. It's a well-armored figure with a unique helmet design, so why not get one?

Collector's Notes: The set-- like most Order 66 sets-- aren't very expensive these days. Expect them at or under original retail, which was good for when they came out. (Two figures for ten bucks in 2007 or 2008 was still quite a deal.) This configuration of the mold (Airborne Trooper) also exists in purple for Mace Windu, orange for Obi-Wan Kenobi, and as a Battlefront II-inspired Sharpshooter.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,612: August 18, 2011

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,512: Clone Trooper

CLONE TROOPER Battlefront II Clone Pack
30th Anniversary Collection Diamond/Previews Exclusive
Item No.: Asst. 87561 No. 87466
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Blaster, Helmet, 5 more figures
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $39.99
Availability: November 2007
Appearances: Star Wars: Battlefront II

Bio: These genetically engineered soldiers are designed to fight the enemy with unrelenting and unwavering intensity until their mission is complete. (Taken from the figure's box.)

Image: My floor.

Commentary: If you're a fan of all things 501st, this Clone Trooper will be something you'll want to track down. It's based on the Combat Engineer Clone Trooper from early 2007, which itself was based on the Evolutions Clone Trooper from 2005. It has a swivel waist and a removable helmet, but other than that it's pretty much the same basic design as most Clone Troopers from 2005 to the present. SInce it is the Evolutions body type, there's as strap on the left bicep which you don't normally see on "plain" clones. There's a fair amount of weathering unique to this figure, and of course the 501st Legion markings in blue which, sadly, are rarely the same shade of blue on multiple figures. If you're looking to build an army I'd say this is a good figure to grab, but sadly it's in a big boxed set of six figures that'll cost you a few bucks. If you want to army-build a lot of different clones, it may be worth your while to grab a bunch of the boxed set. It's certainly a nice enough looking figure but with Saga Legends and other versions of the 501st readily available, odds are you'll be fine after only getting one or two of this particular release.

Collector's Notes: This figure (out of the package) can be had for about seven bucks. The boxed set of six figures is closer to $50. It's also worth noting a packaging variation-- Diamond/Previews had this set in 30th Anniversary-style package, while Toys "R" Us got a very short run of it in Legacy Collection blue-and-white. The figures are the same.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,512: March 31, 2011

Figure of the Day: Day 1,097: 501st BARC Speeder Clone Trooper

CLONE TROOPER and BARC Speeder Bike
The Clone Wars Figure & Vehicle Assortment
Item No.: Asst. 91349 No. 91361
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Figure, bike, rifle
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $16.99
Availability: June 2009
Appearances: Revenge of the Sith, The Clone Wars


Image: Adam Pawlus' place.

Bio: Clone troopers ride Biker Advanced Recon Commando (BARC) speeder bikes on scouting and escort missions. BAC speeders give the troopers greater range, speed, mobility, and firepower than foot patrols. They prove so useful to elite units like the 501st Legion that they are soon made available to the entire clone trooper army. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Commentary: While the first animated 501st Clone Trooper was a Wal-Mart exclusive in 2008, this one better matches Captain Rex. The same basic clone body type is recycled here to the same great success, and it sports the the 2009-style helmet with the notch in the chin and what seems to be a bigger forehead. All the same great articulation is here, no lateral leg movement or anything, so if for some reason you stumble on a cache of these and want to do some army building, if it's cheap, this is a good item to pick up en masse. With a basic black rifle, it's a pretty great overall release. Assuming you want the bike, of course, otherwise it's a pretty expensive set. If I had the means to get several of this figure for my army and vehicle-packing purposes, I would do so. Unfortunately, I'm too cheap.

Collector's Notes: In 2005, the same bike was sold with the first decent Stass Allie figure for $10. Wal-Mart had an exclusive of it with a pair of Saleucami troopers in 2007 for about $23. So at $17, you might not be smiling so much to buy it again with another repaint. This item is scheduled to ship for a short while, possibly extending into a long while.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,097: August 27, 2009

Figure of the Day: Day 819: 501st Legion Clone Trooper

CLONE TROOPER 501st Legion
The Clone Wars Wal-Mart Exclusive
Item No.: No. 87915
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Blaster, Blaster Rifle, Firing Blaster, Card
Action Feature: Firing Rocket Launcher
Retail: $6.94
Availability: August 2008
Appearances: The Clone Wars (presumably)

Image: Adam Pawlus' photo hole.

Bio: The clone trooper forces are gathering together for their next mission - and they want you to join them! With your very own Republic Army Identification Card, you can become a member of the most elite fighting force in the galaxy. Your destiny awaits - join today! (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Commentary: Hasbro must be absolutely bonkers for The Clone Wars. The line allows you to take one or two molds and repaint them into dozens of new characters, like this Clone Trooper 501st Legion figure. Based on a design from Attack of the Clones, animators at LucasFilm made some modifications and presto-- new figure. Unlike the basic carded clone on which this is based, the figure has no dirt and blue markings. Other than that, it's pretty much the same. You get extra weapons, of course, and all the great wrist articulation you need for piloting vehicles and aiming blasters. Still, this is essentially a glorified repaint, but when it comes to troopers this is a common and acceptable happening. What you see is pretty much what you get-- a super-articulated trooper, fun for all ages. Buy two, they're cheap.

Collector's Notes: Wal-Mart hasn't had many exclusive individually carded figures over the years. If memory serves, this makes six. It seems likely the figure would get rereleased in another capacity at a later time, but for now, it's this or bust. It's also worth noting that this figure's deco is pretty much the same as the blue-striped Clone Lieutenant from Attack of the Clones, minus the dots and the stripe on the forehead. At $7, it's a decent deal-- a full $5 less than Target's exclusive individually packaged figures. This same mold has been used to make the AT-TE clone, the basic clone, the Senate Security clone, and a number of clones that aren't out yet.


More images of this figure

--Adam Pawlus

Day 819: August 4, 2008

Figure of the Day: Day 204: Clone Trooper

CLONE TROOPER Jedi Temple Assault
Revenge of the Sith Kmart Exclusive
Item No.: Asst. 85837 No. 85838
Number: n/a
Includes: Blsater pistol, blaster rifle
Action Feature: Squeeze legs for quick-draw attack
Retail: $24.99-$29.99
Availability: Summer 2005
Appearances: Revenge of the Sith

Bio: Clone troopers were genetically engineered soldiers that served as the Grand Army of the Republic until the secret execution of Order 66. They now serve Darth Vader and the Emperor and are ordered to hunt down and destroy all of the Jedi. (Taken from the figure's box.)

Image: Adam's coffee table. The trooper with the dirty legs and battle damage on the stand is not the figure profiled in this review.

Commentary: In 2005, for some reason, Hasbro really liked Kmart-- or so we thought. Hasbro game the once mighty retailer the Jedi Temple Assault Battle Pack with the Clone Trooper from Darth Vader's own personal legion of Clone Troopers. Which also included the Jedi-turned-Sith as well as a completely random Clone Pilot. The three 501st Clones had blue markings similar to the film, but were missing the stripes on the sides of the legs as seen on the big screen and later versions of this trooper. Not surprisingly, the figure was a repaint-- a quick-draw Clone Trooper was sold in early 2005, and this redeco glued down the shoulder pad. Aside from that, there's not much different aside from paint, so what you see is what you get. Squeeze the legs, the hand goes up, and they fight. It's pretty cool.

Collector's Notes: Initially, this set was hard to get to the point where some collectors, yours truly included, haunted Kmarts daily after hearing it might be in circulation-- and during 2005, I saw a grand total of two of this set. It was easier to get in other markets, though, and in 2006 Hasbro and Kmart had a second run of this toy. And not one to waste a good opportunity, Kmart jacked up the price by five bucks. For 3 501st Clone Troopers, the Clone Pilot, and Anakin/Vader, $25 was a stellar deal, $27 wasn't bad (our Kmart charged $27.49 and it wasn't a sale, the store just charged 10% more on everything across the board). But $30? Well, it could be worse given the $7-per-figure prices of today's figures. If you see this set, you should probably consider getting one, be it for the figures or for the nifty window box packaging.

Day 204: November 26, 2006