Plo Koon - TCW [B] - Basic (No. 14)

A member of the Jedi Council and an intrepid warrior descended from a long line of Jedi Knights, Plo Koon has fought in many battles in the Clone Wars. An imposing figure, he wears special protective goggles and an antiox mask on oxygen-rich worlds.

Plo Koon is the epitome of why we like The Clone Wars animated line of figures. And he probably is a reason for why we have love for the television series as well. Not all figures in the line come out this good, but when they do, man oh man, they certainly deliver. We are big fans of Jedi here at JTA so our opinions of even the best well-crafted action figures could be tainted simply by our love of anything Jedi. But let's be honest, Plo Koon is a magnificent action figure. And we are not too sure where to begin raving about him because he shines from head to toe. When a three dimensional action figure is a dead ringer for a two dimensional screen character, it is eerie and wonderful at the same time. And while we can't figure out how Hasbro is able to knock Jedi likenesses out of the park in the animated line (while the clones have been seeming to do anything but impress us), we are nonetheless thankful that the Jedi do indeed get all of this fabulous attention. (Unless you are just tuning in to the Research Droids Reviews, you already know how bonkers we have gotten over 2009's TCW [B] Kit Fisto (No. 27) and 2009's TCW [R] Luminara Unduli (CW30) figures as well.) The same is true for Plo Koon. And deservedly so because we can't imagine a better place to have Hasbro focus and put all of their creativity and effort. It has all paid off tenfold. It appears that there is a new trend in place where The Clone Wars figures are impriving at a consistent rate. This is encouraging.

So let's talk about this figure. Plo Koon has a more than acceptable ten points of articulation. While you may clamor for more points of articulation, we would have to disagree with you. He is in need of no enhancements because that is how good this figure is. Only his paint job rivals his excellent sculpt. He has all the right color in all the right places. His lush dark brown Jedi robes look fantastic against his cream colored pants and then his outfit is finalized with clone armor on his forearms. This clone armor is also decorated with maroon insignias which seem to be specific to Plo Koon. (Many other "similar" insignias can be found on the other Jedi figures as well, but each seems to be unique in some way or another.) Every aspect of this figure's sculpt is perfect. His head is chiseled and delicate and his breathing mask is beautiful (and cast in a stunning bronze color, hanging down to two sharp points). His stance is wide and imposing, but don't be fooled, it is a perfect pose for him and allows him to stand up straight without issue. His boots are nicely crafted with ribbing and have been cast in a lighter brown than his robes but fits in well with the figure's color palette. His "skin" is very detailed on his head and has a wash that highlights every texture and detail. (And for the record, his head has incredible symmetry that is truly enhanced by a brilliant paint job which is only the icing on the cake here.) The design is simply stunning and we are thrilled with how much effort goes into the "art" aspect of these figures. It really enhances our collecting of "simple" plastic toys.

Plo Koon is loaded with accessories. In fact, we are thoroughly impressed by what Hasbro decided to include with this figure. He comes with a removable hood (up), removable hood (down), two lightsabers, and a double lightsaber gauntlet. But it is important to note how much Hasbro went all out with the mechanics of all of these accessory parts. For example, not only can they be held well and/or attached to the figure, the “loose” lightsabers can also be attached to the gauntlet for a massive and imposing four-bladed lightsaber beast! Take that General Grievous! Whether it's accurate or not, it is nonetheless cool. And it is nice to see Hasbro give a nod to something that began as concept art for Revenge Of The Sith. When the Expanded Universe gets tied to the films (even if it's only concept art), it makes for a much more special action figure. (But not that Plo Koon needs any help at all.) Part of a very awesome third wave of The Clone Wars line, Plo Koon is a standout and stellar figure of the entire wave. We would expect him to make a return appearance in the basic figure line, but he shipped very well and his availability has been quite good. Thus, he made a healthy stay at retail, and hence may not need another reintroduction into the line. But we will all have to see if he meets new demand as he continues to make new lead or cameo appearances in the television series. Plo Koon certainly meets our high expectations as one of the best The Clone Wars figures Hasbro has made to date. And we will continue to demand this level of brilliance for future Jedi. If you're on the fence, jump off and choose a side. And choose the side that will ensure his place in your collections. There is nor gray area for this figure. It is one of the best and that is without any doubt the best way we can put it.