Sergeant Kreel - TBS [PP] - Six Inch Figures

Sergeant Kreel, formerly undercover Agent 5241, serves as the leader of an elite group of stormtroopers, Task Force 99 – better knows as SCAR squadron – under the direct command of Darth Vader.

To save on tooling costs, Hasbro must implement the reuse of parts by way of repaints, retools, and kit-bashes in The Black Series 6-inch line. While they do their best to keep the basic figure line as fresh as possible with all-new figures, most of the rehashing comes in the form of Fan Channel and retailer-exclusive program additions to the rich lineup. One facet of the line introduced during the 50th Anniversary of Lucasfilm LTD. was the Comics and Books sub-line. These figures come in a packaging style to look like a book and depict scenes from the colorful comics where these characters are inspired. At first glance, Sergeant Kreel may seem like another Stormtrooper repack, but thanks to some new parts and interesting accessories, the figure feels fresh, albeit repetitive, but welcomed addition to the line. How often do we get stormtrooper characters wielding lightsabers? It’s not that often. A little too pricey for our tastes, the Sergeant Kreel action figure is a Fan Channel exclusive.

Sergeant Kreel is based on 2020’s TBS [P4] Imperial Stormtrooper (TM02) figure. The only new tooling given to Sergeant Kreel is the belt, which incorporates a holster and leg strap to help complete the costume. To make the retooling seem “more than it is,” Hasbro added two removable accessories, one for the forearm and one for the thigh, to help distract from the mostly all-white outfit. Lastly, they designed a new pauldron with a Galactic Empire symbol and a new all-black backpack device which is a first for the Star Wars action figure line. We’ve never seen this thing on a stormtrooper action figure to date. Oh, and then, of course, including a new hilt with a detachable green lightsaber blade is the icing on the cake here. With all of the latest gear, Sergeant Kreel is legitimately a fresh character in the 6-inch action figure line. No one can comment that the figure is dull because it isn’t. And if you’re looking for a distinct way to add Stormtrooper action figures into your collection, this is an intelligent way to do it.

Sergeant Kreel comes with an incredible 30 points of articulation thanks to its base, the Imperial Stormtrooper 6-inch figure. The portrait still has buttery-smooth movement thanks to its double barbell joint. The fluidity of the movement is fantastic, and you can tilt the head at every angle possible, thanks to this ingenious design. The design of the helmet is still impressive. Hasbro came far with their tooling technology, and Sergeant Kreel takes advantage of this well. Although not new for the stormtrooper action figures, the wonderfully installed “butterfly” joints are still a blessing when posing these figures. They allow for an entire lateral movement of the shoulders. Hasbro combined this enhancement with updated ball-jointed shoulder joints, and the figure’s range of motion from these points is astounding. When fully outfitted, Sergeant Kreel looks dang cool. We don’t know who wouldn’t be at least mildly amused with this engaging “Expanded Universe” Star Wars character.