Rebel Commando - TVC - Basic (VC26)

How awesome is it that the Return Of The Jedi wave of The Vintage Collection is knocking out the original vintage Kenner line updates at such a brisk rate? In fact, over a dozen figures just in the first three waves of The Vintage Collection have given us a modern updates of the original Kenner line. (And it appears that quite a few more are on the way.) The Rebel Alliance military is a group of characters that Hasbro loves to pepper throughout the basic figure line and with each release they seem to get better and better. The first “Rebel Commando” (although he was called Endor Rebel Soldier) was released in 1998 as part of The Power Of The Force Freeze Frame collection and it was pretty awesome for the time. And between 2002 and 2006 four more were released (but two of them were running changes of the other). Those were all significant upgrades from the 1998 figure. With each release, Hasbro consistently built upon the previous efforts to include more authenticity and detail that really created an amazing progression of growth for the Rebel soldier’s evolution. All previous efforts can be rendered obsolete thanks to the new 2010 model in The Vintage Collection. With the inclusion of a ton of accessories and wonderful soft-goods, the new Rebel Commando should make most collectors thrilled.

We will need some running changes however to help build our armies. Are you listening Hasbro? But as good as the figure is and how excited we are to get a highly developed version of an Endor soldier in the basic figure line, we sadly have to report that the figure has a few unfortunate setbacks. The figure’s legs are on loan from 2009’s LC Major Panno (BD20) figure. Major Panno was a wonderful figure, but he looked best posed as is right out of the package. While his legs are super-articulated, they really don’t allow for a great deal of movement. We became quickly frustrated while trying to pose our Rebel Commando figure for the photo gallery. In fact, we had to bend his right leg “back” to the point where the knee is bent in the opposite direction to make him stand up unaided. Plus, the backpack doesn’t help the situation much at all. Still, it isn’t impossible to achieve a pose that will satisfy you. But you better believe you may not have much hair left on your head trying to meet this goal. He has an all-new backpack and rifle and he also comes with a blaster pistol (that looks recycled to us) that fits in a holster that lies underneath his trench coat. And yes, the trench coat is a newly dyed version of the coat that came with 2006’s VTSC Han Solo (In Trench Coat) figure.

We also are a little disappointed with the head and neck interaction of this figure. The neck stem on the Rebel Commando is at a very awkward angle and no matter how you try to position his head it looks as if he is always looking down. The head sculpt is simple but we like it and we love the bald head that fits the removable helmet beautifully. Rebel Commando is super-articulated, but we fear you will quickly realize that all of this articulation does not offer as much flexibility as you may wish. We know we have pointed out some criticism about this figure, but we do want to leave you with an overall summary that we do indeed love this figure. We don ’t think it is a hit-it-out-of-the-park figure, but it’s still a pleasure to own. Ball-jointed hips are a necessity for any Endor themed soldier, if you ask for our opinion. If Hasbro can somehow include this on the next version of a Rebel Commando and fix that bizarre neck stem, then this will indeed be definitive. And even though this version of Rebel Commando are missing these important pieces, there is enough here to pacify even the harshest critics. It’s easy to pick apart a figure’s faults, but it is also important to see how much further a character has come too.