"This is the Clone Wars"
The 2023 Ahsoka series featured a series of flashback scenes taking Ahsoka back into the events of the Clone Wars and giving us a close look at live-action variants of several Clone Troopers. These included a Phase I Clone Lieutenant, a trooper not seen since the wide shots of the grand army of the Republic were leaving Kamino during Attack of the Clones. And there was also a look at one of Ahsoka's own 332nd Clone Troopers as seen during the final season of The Clone Wars.
Hasbro now has an extensive catalogue of Clone Trooper variants and while both the Phase I Lieutenant and the 332nd Trooper have been released before these flashback appearances provided an opportunity for re-releases inclusive of the more recent improvements to the Clone Trooper figures. And so was created the exclusive 2-Pack sold by Walmart in the US and available through Fan Channel retailers in the UK. Here in the UK, it began shipping in May, arriving in a double window box with its slanted side featuring a combined artwork panel showing both figures. It uses the Ahsoka colour scheme on the artwork and supporting text, but it is not numbered nor does the montage art connect to any other releases.
The C|one Lieutheant was first released in 2020 on the original pinned Clone Trooper body, with this new version getting a full update to the newest iteration of the Clone Trooper body inclusive of upgraded looks and articulation. The Trooper is constructed with white cast armour pieces connected by black joints representing the undersuit, with the blue of the Lieutenant added as additional paintwork across the armour and with a worn finish inclusive of scratches to reflect this as a Lieutenant who has seen action. It is based on the first of the Flashback scenes during the Battle of Ryloth so the markings are updated to the specific Ahsoka scenes, losing the circular symbols on the chest armour.
The Phase I helmet uses the same principles as the armour with a white cast base with blue painted decor and a black gloss visor. It is removable with a fully sculpted Temura Morrison clone head beneath complete with facial print technology to enhance the likeness. The helmet is a good fit without being too tight and also holds its proportions well with no obvious signs of warping which can present as an issue.
The 332nd Clone Trooper uses the exact same body as the Lieutenant with markings in the same blue but with a differing pattern and again reflective of what we see during the latter Flashback scenes of Ahsoka (Episode 5) as she re-lives the events of the Siege of Mandalore. This includes solid blue on the two shoulder pauldrons, an inverted 'V' pattern on the chest and blue trim down the leg and around the knee armour. Like its fellow Clone, the 332nd Trooper's blue paint is chipped and scratched to add wear and tear.
The 332nd features a removable Phase I helmet, cast in white with black visor and grey trim. The orange markings aligning the 332nd Troopers to Ahsoka are overpainted onto the helmet and also feature some scratching and rougher edges but not to the extent of the blue colouring. Under the helmet, we have the exact same head as the Lieutenant, the Temura Morrison Clone Trooper generic look with flat top black hair and facial print tech to enhance the realism.
As both figures are essentially identical, you can swap the helmets between the two Troopers if you want some variation in any Troop building activity using this set. The blue on both figures is identical and while not strictly screen accurate, the variation looks impressive.
Our Troopers are armed with the standard DC-15S Blaster and DC-15A Blaster Rifle included for our pair of Clones to wield. Both weapons are the newer sculpt featuring crisp details, but no paint apps with each blaster left in the base dark grey plastic. The newer body now thankfully includes trigger fingers on both hands allowing both weapons to be held in either hand. Articulation allows for two-handed grips for both weapons both in a slung or firing position.
The articulation across the newer Clone body is the best combination to date, with 21 points of articulation plus two hinged pauldrons allowing the arms to be fully raised and lowered. The arms include the return of a bicep swivel as well as a new butterfly joint and this is what gives the extensive options for holding either of the two weapons. The elbow armour remains fixed and while this doesn't impede articulation it can create a slightly odd aesthetic.
Similarly, the legs have a wide range of options, including the ability to kneel. The earlier Clones using this body type had fixed knee and elbow armour which did look peculiar when posed. Unlike the arms, the leg knee armour has now been left mobile within the joint and is no longer fixed. This helps the look of the leg when the knees are bent by allowing the armour to be aligned to the movement rather than sitting extended outward and away from the other half of the leg.
This new Clone Trooper two-pack has very few flaws to speak of, providing Black Series collectors with upgraded models of the Lieutenant and 332nd Trooper and more Clones for their Clone Army with the option of some variations by swapping helmets across both figures. This newest version of the Clone body is impressive. The price point too is good with the set retailing as low as £42 at Fan Channel retailers and Hasbro Pulse themselves listing at £45.
The only significant odd choice around the set is the packaging and the initial choice to sit it in the Ahsoka collection. I understand the flashback context, but like Commander Appo the figures would be better suited within The Clone Wars collection - unless of course, we do have a younger Ariana Greenblatt Ahsoka incoming to display with this Clones? Once that decision was made, the secondary decision to not number this within the Ahsoka collection or provide it with connected artwork is also a bit disappointing for boxed collectors.
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About Me : As a child of the 70's and 80's I grew up in a golden age for action figures and in my youth bought and sold myself through collections of Star Wars, G.I. Joe (Action Force) and M.A.S.K. while also dabbling in He-Man, Transformers and Ghostbusters. Roll forward and I am now reliving that Youth with the action figures of today and am a collector and fan of the larger 6-8 inch figures from my favourite movie and TV licences - including the ones mentioned above, but also the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Doctor Who and the Aliens. I launched The Mephitsu Archives in 2015 with a view of creating a UK focused site or these figures where fans can pick up the latest action figure news, read reviews and get information on where to buy their figures and what is currently on store shelves. I hope I am delivering that to you guys...