Clone Pilot Odd Ball - TCW [SOTDS] - Basic (CW14)

Clone Pilot Odd Ball, who received his nickname during advanced training, has participated in many significant missions in the Clone Wars. Odd Ball is a starfighter pilot trained in flying V-19 Torrent starfighters, ARC-170 fighters and other standard Republic fighters.

The first phase I clone pilot we ever received was 2002's SW [S - P1] Clone Trooper (Republic Gunship Pilot) ('02 #49) figure. An immediately popular figure, it didn't offer great articulation or an accurately scaled bubble-turret (in fact, it was only a fraction of the true size). Hasbro attempted him again and improved the character by leaps and bounds in the 2005's ROTS Clone Trooper To Stormtrooper [Version 2] Evolutions set. And after a few more subsequent releases here and there, Hasbro released an animated version of this character in the 2008 The Clone Wars [Film/Season 1] line. But interestingly, he was labeled with the character-specific name "Odd Ball" and not as a generic pilot. Nothing about this figure would allow you to identify him as "Odd Ball" so it causes a little bit of unnecessary confusion. It may have been wiser to name him generically so people felt free to army build him in their own collections. Now they have that opportunity again as Clone Pilot Odd Ball has been carried forward into The Clone Wars [Shadow Of The Dark Side] line look. There are no discerning marks or insignias on his helmet, nor are there any identifying characteristics to set him apart from the rest. While we understand that this is what Odd Ball looks like, perhaps it would have been wiser to give this figure a removable helmet with a portrait that identifies him as such. We can confidently tell you that the figure is pretty cool and a real treat to have in our collections.

Clone Pilot Odd Ball has caused some debate on the topic of what previous parts were used to make him. Without causing too much controversy, we believe he is essentially the 2008 TCW [F/S1] Clone Trooper (No. 5) figure with repositioned legs (for what we assume is for better seating capabilities) and a new head of course. Super-articulated with 25 points across 14 areas of articulation, the figure is clearly loaded with premium articulation throughout its very mobile body. The figure has a very bright dark yellow stripe (almost looking like a Mohawk) coming down from the top of his head and it lies atop a lighter yellow and thicker stripe. The Republic insignia is emblazoned on both sides and he has the standard phase I visor that we have seen 100 times already. Then Hasbro utilized a bold dark charcoal line to outline the contour of the helmet. It is very nicely executed. If you have the regular Clone Trooper figure, then you pretty much already own Clone Pilot Odd Ball. But this is also something you have learned to accept in this facet of the hobby. Clones are clones and there is an understanding that many of the action figures will be almost identical from each other. Since we know that Odd Ball is a clone pilot, we are perplexed by his heavy artillery. Clone Pilot Odd Ball comes outfitted with a DC-15 blaster, rocket launcher and a rocket projectile. For someone who is steering a large Republic Gunship, we find it strange that he would be carrying around these big weapons, but now you have added play value.

If you recall back in 2008, Clone Pilot Odd Ball had the distinction of being the figure to start Hasbro down the new "clean" path for their action figures. In fact, they even went back to the first figures that were released and cleaned them up too. The same approach has been taken with this 2010 version. The beautiful dirt washes and battle-damage markings were stripped clean from these clone trooper figures unfortunately. It is a trend that Hasbro will seem to be going with from here on out. But if this is something that doesn't bother you, then Clone Pilot Odd Ball is once again a great candidate for your collection. And if you want to split hairs, it really makes sense that characters like Clone Pilot Odd Ball would have clean armor. They're inside vessels flying them. Simple in design and complicated in articulation, this action figure won't be the best you will ever buy, but it does meet our expectations. Odd Ball was first seen in this fashion in The Clone Wars movie, but we would expect repaint after repaint of this figure. There are a lot of clone pilots in The Clone Wars television series so it is inevitable that we will be getting more later on down the road. And we will welcome them with open arms. We truly can never get enough clone troopers, can we? The phase I looks of these clones are suprisingly simple, but they are looking more and more delightful. Oh, and this time you get a Galactic Battle Game to make things more interesting. These Game Cards are in and of themselves collectible and collectors are going crazy trying to acquire them all.