Imperial Pilot Legacy - TLC - Evolutions

The legacy of the Imperial pilots twists and turns from its mysterious origins to grim reality and regained nobility. They are the best of the best; their skils are never less than superb, but their goals for which they fight are not always clear... or right. Clone pilots are heroes when they aid the Jedi during the Clone Wars, but these same clone pilots change from friends to foes after Order 66. Later, Biggs Darklighter aspires to be an Imperial pilot but gives up this dream for a greater one: freedom for the galaxy.

When the original Evolutions first hit our universe in 2005 during the Revenge Of The Sith line, it was one of the most thrilling multipacks collectors saw in a very long time. For Hasbro created collector-focused figures that were treated to ultra articulation, authentic details (like near perfect accuracy and soft-goods), wonderful accessories and superb paint jobs. The bonus was that we got three figures all with this quality at once! To sell it home, Hasbro also kept a strong theme running betwen the figures. They were linked by either being the same character across multiple facets of the Star Wars saga, or it was themed around a certain ideolgy, like Jedi or Sith. This stepwise progress from one figure to the next thoroughly interested collectors and made it a successful sub-line. As collectors, we love seeing the progression of our characters visually all at once, so the Evolutions line was a unique and beautiful concept. It also allowed us to army build rather quickly. Unfortunately, we only got four different sets in 2005. Hasbro confirmed that they were successful but were being put on the back burner (where they were resurrected in 2007 for the 30 (77-07) line). This is where it made the most sense to fit them back into the toy line. They maintained their promise by keeping them active for the next line, The Legacy Collection, where they attacked never before made concepts: pilots. These were warmly accepted by the collecting community. The Imperial Pilot Legacy is a very unique Evolutions set. Interestingly, the set itself is a bit of a misnomer because clones really aren't Imperials yet (well, not until Darth Sidious declares the universe his Empire), but we can confirm that the set is a very cool one and many collectors will be thrilled to get these three pilots. (We won't let our over-analysis throw review path off for you, don’t worry.)

The Clone Pilot (Clone Wars) figure is simply a rework of the Clone Pilot (The Clone Wars) from 2005's ROTS Clone Trooper To Stormtrooper Evolutions set but this time has been repainted in the Razor Squadron's colors. Although the design on the armor is based on the Republic Gunship that was seen in the opening sequence of Volume 2 of Tartakovsky’s Clone Wars, the figure itself is a Hasbro concept and was never seen in any Star Wars source (that we have been able to find). Other than that, there is not much else new on this figure. The Clone Pilot (Revenge Of The Sith) is a wonderful refresh of the 2005 ROTS Clone Pilot (III 34) figure. This time around, the figure has a whole new upper body, arms, and head with a removable helmet. This figure is such an upgrade from the ROTS figure and could nearly be the definitive version (if you can look past no ankle articulation). But we don’t think pilots need this flexibility. It even has a brand new wash that just brings the figure to life. This was a smart figure to upgrade (and so effortlessly) by Hasbro. The action figure is the clone pilot has a name and it is “Jag” as seen in Episode III during the opening Battle of Coruscant. We hope more clone pilots are on the way utilizing this mold. Lastly, the Biggs Darklighter (Star Wars: Empire) figure is basically Biggs Darklighter in TIE fighter pilot gear. If you're into the deep expanded universe stories like the one that Biggs appeared in here, then this figure is for you. Overall, the figure looks pretty good, but we are not fans of the open visor. And although his helmet needs to be better fitted, the figure has other smaller issues like having the old TIE Fighter Pilot legs from the 2004 figure. Again, we think this is enough articulation for a pilot, but your opinions may or may not vary.

This particular Evolutions set has many positives and just a few negatives. We think that the best pieces in this set are the clones. While one is not directly from a popular Star Wars source, Hasbro was clever to design the armor off of the vehicle. Simply put, it works very well. The “Razor's Squadron” markings seem to be getting a bit overused, but you have to admit it is an awesome design. And of course it is awesome to get an action figure of clone pilot Jag, this is a given. Biggs Darklighter suffers from having too many one-after-another versions of him released. The figure itself is not bad, but we do recommend checking his head paint before purchasing this set as it varies from good to terrible. Evolutions sales seem to have halted from what they were years ago and they have been a bit of shelf warmers. In fact, almost every set released in The Legacy Collection has had this status with some worse than others. Hasbro seems to be missing the boat on what an Evolutions set should contain. For example, the canceled Obi-Wan Kenobi set would have been a massive seller (although we admit we prefer to have the three Obi-Wan Kenobi figures as three individual carded figures). But that aside, we think if the focus is on one character or one military type character, the set would be much more compelling. Evolutions should be more about character development than the development of the uniforms we feel (hence the very definition of the word “evolutions”). Sets like the 2005 ROTS Clone Trooper to Stormtrooper Evolutions should be more of the protocol that Evolutions had followed previously. Otherwise, Hasbro would be better off to release them as three separate characters.