Special 4 Action Figures [Clone Captain Rex/Clone Captain Ballast/Clone Captain Grey/Elite Squad Trooper] - TVC - Multipacks

At the time of their introduction, clone troopers represented the future of galactic warfare. Ultimately, they proved to be the secret weapon in assuming control of the galaxy.

There’s was quite a bit of acclaim and adulation that bordered on the edge of hype over The Vintage Collection Special 4 Action Figures [Clone Captain Rex/Clone Captain Ballast/Clone Captain Grey/Elite Squad Trooper] Amazon exclusive set. And if we step back and assess how we reacted honestly, we could probably say now that our initial response was inflated or exaggerated. As collectors of The Vintage Collection line, we tend to get worked up when Hasbro throws us a bone. It's a vicious cycle. And while there are some excellent additions to the line included here, most of it is wash, rinse, and repeat. And we mean that literally because the same base tooling is represented here four times, with a new portrait, or different color flashes, or a new “hat.” You catch our drift. That said, there will still be unbridled praise directed at this overly expensive Hasbro Star Wars exclusive because we “almost” get a long-awaited “canceled” figure that Hasbro should have released a decade ago. Then we also get unique clone captains to join the clone army in our collections, and they remind us of clones released in the line from ages past. If you’re looking for our quick assessment of this set, here it is. The collection has an MSRP that we’ll describe as a rip-off. We cannot think of a better description. And then we’d say there is one “redeeming” figure making the set feel partially worthwhile (Clone Captain Rex based on his appearance on Bracca), while the rest of the inclusions range from average to poor. Oh, and another considerable takeaway here is that the cards are unpunched. So Hasbro CAN release these figures unpunched. So, now we’re pissed off at them for that.

Oh, and let us comment on these figures’ recipes from the start. We’re referencing 2019’s TVC 41st Elite Corps Clone Trooper (VC145) as the base clone buck used for all four figures in this set. If you collect The Vintage Collection line regularly, you know how different the 41st Elite Corps Clone Trooper looks and feels compared to the Clone Trooper (VC45) original release. (The re-release uses the updated 41st body, too.) The most significant differences that set the two figures apart are its joints’ “buttery-smooth” movement and the off-white and uniquely textured plastic Hasbro used. That said, let’s dig into this long-awaited release. It’s our firm opinion that Clone Captain Rex (VC208) is the MAIN REASON to purchase this set. You probably recall the unreleased 2013 Legacy Collection Clone Captain Rex figure in the Phase I armor that remains unreleased to this day. Although the VC208 figure is based on the Phase II armor, it may be the only time Hasbro gives us this character using the original Clone Trooper buck (which also means super-articulation and removable helmet). There are a few differences here. The belt isn’t removable, and the kama is a little shorter, but Hasbro did include the Phase II helmet and enough deco where we feel it meets our expectations satisfactorily. The figure comes with the tattered brown poncho as the 6-inch figure did, and the portrait underneath is a stunning representation of the realistic likeness of Clone Captain Rex. Hopefully, Hasbro will repaint this figure and include a Phase I helmet, and finally, give us that version of Rex we’re all desperate to see.

The following two figures in the set are nearly carbon copies of each other. After all, they are clones. Clone Captain Ballast is a colorful clone and comes with a new pauldron that falls on the character’s right shoulder. If you collected back during 2005’s Revenge Of The Sith line, you might see a resemblance to one of the figures released then. We think that Clone Captain Ballast looks a lot like the “unnamed” Clone Commander (III 33) figure with green color flashes (there were two versions released – the other was red and represented Clone Commander Deviss). Hasbro incorporated battle damage and “wear” to the armor plates, and you can see where the colorful aqua is scratched from various battles. The articulation points move well, and you can pose the figure in multiple ways. But we feel it’s time for Hasbro tool an all-new clone buck for the 3.75-inch action figure line at this point. Ballast comes with a removable helmet, removable pauldron, and DC-15 blaster. The other figure nearly identical to Clone Captain Ballast is Clone Captain Grey. Although called Grey, the figure’s color flashes are green. The character served under Jedi General Depa Billaba and was numbered CC-10/994. Clone Captain Grey only appeared in one episode of The Bad Batch, so you can see that he’s a minor character in the series. You can’t help but feel that Clone Captain Grey looks a lot like a Phase II version of Clone Captain Lock. They share the same color, green, and the placement of the color flashes are also similar. We get variety in the Special 4 Action Figures [Clone Captain Rex/Clone Captain Ballast/Clone Captain Grey/Elite Squad Trooper] set.

The last figure in the set is the most disappointing to us. Hasbro lazily included the Elite Squad Trooper, which is nothing more than a “shadow” clone trooper we’ve seen since 2005. The figure’s armor is dark charcoal, and the figure has a metallic green visor. We accuse Hasbro of being lazy with this figure because they decided to glue down the helmet. But they only attached the adhesive on the back of the portrait’s head. The helmet was so loose and the head underneath freely moved, so when we pulled off the helmet, we didn’t realize we broke the glue holding it to the head sculpt. But when removed, you’ll find a charcoal gray cast of Captain Rex’s head. It looks a bit humorous. The helmet seems EXTRA LARGE on the Elite Squad Trooper for one reason or another. Keep in mind all the helmets are too large on these figures’ heads, but this figure’s helmet looks the biggest to us. Hasbro included on DC-17 blaster pistol and a DC-15 blaster rifle. Thankfully, the figure’s excellent articulation system allows you to pose the figure as needed, whether running into battle or kneeling while eyeing a target to take down. All four figures look nice when displayed together, but please remember these characters are from all across The Bad Batch series. They’re not necessarily intended to interact with each other. As mentioned, all figures come unpunched, and it kills us that Hasbro doesn’t make this an option for other exclusives and those in the mainstream basic figure line. With an MSRP of $62.99, Amazon is charging us $15.75 per figure. That’s a lot of money for figures with mostly existing tooling. But if you’ve waited for characters from The Bad Batch, this was designed for you.