Here we have the most recent versions of the Clones in-hand. These two use an updated buck that refined the proportions and alters the articulation somewhat. I'll compare this to the older version with Appo in a moment, but in terms of looks, this new buck captures the look of the armor accurately. Then again, the Black Series team does a better job of late with physiques than the Marvel Legends team does with their comic characters. I also value that the shade of blue on Appo's armor is a good balance between the lighter and darker shades, as it varies depending on the lighting.
Their helmets are updated to better match their on-screen appearances in the movies, with thinner visors and better proportions all around. The sculpt work is also crisp, as are the paint apps and the alignment on them. Kudos!
Articulation is the same for these two, with ball jointed necks, shoulders that move front ane back as well as in and out while the pads flex somewhat, the biceps swivel, the elbows bend somewhat past 90 degrees, wrists hinge up and down on the right hand while they hinge in and out on the left hand. There is a diaphragm joint, hips are on limited ball joints due to the armor but you can swivel them so they can move forward, and they move outwards okay. The thighs can swivel somewhat, but the range is found from the swivel above the knee, and said knee bends past 90 degrees like the elbows. The feet can hinge up and down as well as pivot. Both of them come with the standard blaster as well as a rifle, giving fans the option to use either weapon if you want variety for your army.
Removing the helmets reveals their well-made likenesses to Temuera Morrison, the actor who played Jango Fett and all of the Clones in the movies. Reusing this noggin makes sense given that they are, you know, clones.
For a 501st Clone comparison, the one on the left is the Archive version. The new Appo blows the Archive guy out of the Kamino oceans in terms of aesthetics, especially with the helmet. However, articulation is pretty comparable since the elbows on the new guy have the same range or movement as the previous version. Also of note, the torso armor is a separate piece from the inner body on the new guy while the original had it as part of the sculpt.
Up next, we have Commander Jesse. A character well-known for his appearance in The Clone Wars, this Arc Trooper has even more additional armor than his series-finale foe in Order 66, Rex. Two pauldrons, added chest guards, skirt flaps, straps on the belt, and blue shin guards, almost making this feel like a fully Phase 2 Rex. Maybe that's what inspired the beef they had when Rex defended Ahsoka after his inhibitor chip was removed. The blue may be a bit incorrect in terms of the shade...
...but the helmet is where things screech to a halt, as it has the Phase 1 fin and the rangefinder, neither of which where present on Jesse in the end of the series. Not awful, but not accurate to the show.
Otherwise, the articulation is the same as before, though the skirt flap materials are stiffer than on Rex's, likely because one is fabric and the other is PVC. His head proudly displays the symbol of the Republic, which is more significant than the helmet he wears in battle since it proves how loyal Jesse really is to the galactic heroes of Star Wars. Almost like tattooing the flag of your home country, usually something we see with the most patriotic if Americans (or if we're talking religion, Latin Americans with tattoos of God).
And finally, we have Commander Gree, who met his demise on Kashyyyk since he failed to kill Master Yoda. This guy uses the older Clone Trooper buck, meaning we have pinned elbows and knees as well as having the torso armor as part of the sculpt rather than a separate piece. I like the camouflage on him, further giving him more identity amongst the rest of the Clones on the planet while they resolved the droid attack on the Wookies. If you noticed already, he should have an antenna on the backpack, but it's missing because it's thin, it barely stays in place, and there are no extras for it.
His helmet is given some metallic colors for the visor and parts of the helmet, but I really hate how misaligned the paint apps slightly are. Articulation is still the same, only with double-jointed elbows and knees that feel more like single-jointed elbows, much like that one Mattel Josstice Flash I covered in 2020. He comes with his rifle and blaster in slight gunmetal coloring as well as some binoculars.
And one more thing I want to say: all older Clone releases don't have removable helmets with human heads underneath, so while Jesse, Appo, and Shiny all have their handsome mugshots present, the same cannot be said for Gree. Makes sense since Yoda decapitated him.
And here we have a group shot! While they look pretty good as a set, there may or may not be more room for Clones, be it main ones or standard troops. I wonder if Rex, Cody, and Gree will be updated since the former first guy was in Ahsoka, and the latter two were in Revenge of the Sith, which is set to turn 20 in 2 years. We'll see if Hasbro is willing to make those nostalgic boxes for Episode III the same way they did for Episode I (but not II for some weird reason). These clones I covered are solid but have articulation issues overall, and Gree could be improved.
Final ranking: ⭐⭐⭐ and a half out of ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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