Clone Trooper (With Speeder Bike) - CW - Deluxe

Ten years after the fight to save Naboo from invasion, the galaxy is on the brink of civil war. Under the leadership of a renegade Jedi, thousands of solar systems threaten to secede from the Galactic Republic. A courageous Jedi Knight, his impulsive and headstrong apprentice, and a queen-turned-senator are drawn into the heart of the conflict... and the beginning of war.

The Clone Troopers use speeder bikes for reconnaissance and fast-strike attacks during the Clone Wars battles. Small and swift, the speeder bikes provide the Clone Troopers with an excellent means of gaining information on the Separatist forces by approaching close to the opposing armies and retreating quickly with valuable intelligence. Their streamlined design and highly reactive maneuverability allows Clone Troopers to coordinate surprise attacks on small units away from the main Separatist armies.

It’s quite remarkable how much retooling Hasbro put the Speeder Bike through for the Clone Wars Clone Trooper Deluxe figure set. As expected, there are little to no changes on the included Clone Trooper figure, but the Speeder Bike has gone through quite the transition, almost making it an all-new vehicle in the Star Wars toy line. In 2002’s Star Wars “Saga” [Phase I] line, Hasbro enhanced the Speeder Bike with new handlebars and a couple of small changes here and there in addition to a completely repainted color scheme. But for the Clone Wars release, Hasbro tooled new parts altogether which gives the Speeder Bike a unique style and look, which we assume is specific to the Clone Wars multimedia event. We haven’t been too successful in finding examples of this exact styling of the Speeder Bike in the Clone Wars micro-series or other forms of media. But the toy is a fun addition to the toy line, and we’re glad Hasbro change things up, so it doesn’t feel like we’re repurchasing the same things over and over again. With a different design and an all-new paint job, the Clone Trooper (With Speeder Bike) is a welcomed addition to the line.

This set intends to focus on the Clone Trooper figure, but all attention is lost on it because you’re completely focused on the vehicle. Repainted but otherwise identical, the Clone Trooper features a kid-influenced action feature that works well but ruins the aesthetics of the character. He comes with snap-on armor, and although we typically loathe accessories like this, the figure looks great with it on him, admittedly. The Clone Trooper can sit on his Speeder Bike with or without the armor on him seamlessly, and that’s another feature we are thankful to see implemented so well. In addition to the six armor pieces to cover his body glove, the Clone Trooper also comes with a DC-15 blaster and an ion grenade. Because of the loose joints caused by the action feature, the Clone Trooper can’t do much with the blaster, but we never fault Hasbro for including more accessories than needed with the figures they produce. The ion grenade is an interesting accessory here, and we’re not too sure why it’s here, but it helps bring the figure a different perspective than we see in Attack Of The Clones. The Clone Trooper comes with nine points of articulation and utilizes all points well.

OK, let’s talk about the Speeder Bike. The maneuvering control unit of the vehicle is almost the same as the one that comes with 2002’s Star Wars “Saga” [Phase I] Clone Trooper Deluxe figure, but it retooled to accommodate the new parts. The vehicle comes with a completely new outrigger. It attaches via two plugs into the bottom of the main section of the vehicle. It’s a tight fit and will stay in place, but the new outrigger is made from a pliable material, and it’s in danger of bowing over tie thanks to gravity. Also new to the Speeder Bike is a snap-on cannon with a projectile. It fits underneath of the Speeder Bike nicely. It’s a large accessory, and it also comes with a handle that the Clone Trooper can hold if you decide to use it as a standalone accessory with the figure. Lastly, Hasbro tooled a new storage case and added it to the back of the vehicle to give it that unique “Clone Wars” vibe and feeling. It looks great. The Clone Trooper (With Speeder Bike) Deluxe set is much different than the previous version, and we don’t think enough collectors will take note because the two releases are almost identically packaged. But if they do take notice, it will be worth their while to get both.