Shoretrooper (Carbonized) - TBS [P4] - Six Inch Figures (Exclusive)

During the height of the Empire, shoretroopers would patrol the beaches and bunkers of the Imperial military headquarters. With the Empire in decline, they find themselves asigned to less glorious postings.

The Black Series 6-inch line is truly lacking with new releases as of late, so Hasbro is filling in the dead space with repacks and repaints through both The Black Series Archive line as well as exclusives through The Black Series [Phase IV] collection. Hasbro created more figures for the Carbonized sub-line and gave Hasbro no less than three more of them, including the Scout Trooper, Paz Vizsla, and the Shoretrooper. The Shoretrooper is the shiniest of all, and admittedly, if you like gimmicky action figures, you’ll love the shimmery gold of the action figure. It almost impersonates fine jewelry in that regard. But if glossy packaging and reflective action figures aren’t your bags, you’re probably going to find nothing but disappointment with the Shoretrooper’s release. Novelty figures have a time and place in the Hasbro Star Wars line, but they shouldn’t be overpopulating the line when there aren’t many all-new figures available to help create a better ratio of balance between new and rehashed collectibles. The Shoretrooper is pretty, but is it necessary? And does it mean that we have many other Carbonized action figures coming shortly in the line since Hasbro appears relatively addicted to them? It's also duller than The Vintage Collection Shoretrooper (Carbonized) figure. Let’s take a closer look at the Shoretrooper (Carbonized) Target exclusive release, and let’s begin by revisiting its history because it’s an interesting one.

One of the biggest missteps made by Hasbro in 2016 was relegating The Black Series [Phase III] 6-inch Scarif Stormtrooper as a Walmart exclusive. This release is the base figure for the Shoretooper (Carbonized) figure. How could they make an infantry member a retailer exclusive item? It made no sense. To make matters worse, Walmart also has exclusivity for the 3.75” The Black Series [Phase III] Scarif Stormtrooper [Squad Leader] figure too. So the only way you could purchase this character in any super-articulated scale was to visit your local Walmart and hope it was in stock when you went. Years later, collectors exclaimed that Hasbro didn’t come close to meeting demand. So, they reissued the 3.75” figure as 2018’s TVC Scarif Stormtrooper (VC133), and now, part of The Black Series Archive line, they’ve reissued the Shoretrooper, thankfully. And it probably could have ended there, but Hasbro decided to take another stab at the character via the Shoretrooper (Carbonized) release. The Shoretrooper (Carbonized) figure is everything we expected it to be. It is still an excellent figure, no matter how Hasbro paints it. The Shoretrooper has amazingly sculpted armor. The detail etched into the figure is superiorly executed. But now that is put on the back burner in place of metallic paint operations. And despite the tones, the color palette is relatively similar.

Since exclusives are typically based on previous sculpts, it’s evident that Hasbro hasn’t deviated when compared to the original release. The Shoretrooper (Carbonized) figure has excellent articulation, but one point where it’s inhibited is the lower skirt. It inhibits the hip movement, which still disappoints us a bit after all of these years. Regardless of the figure’s setback, it’s gorgeous. And despite the wonky paint job, the Shoretrooper (Carbonized) figure still feels like a timeless action figure. The best parts of the Shoretrooper (Carbonized) figure are the upper body and arms. You get the most movement from these areas, and the figure can hold the included blaster rifle with one or two hands remarkably well. And you can make the figure “run,” all thanks to this outstanding balance and functional articulation. We’re letting the issue of a single accessory go because it feels like this concern falls on deaf ears every single time. Also, we’re tired of rising prices on The Black Series figures. It’s ridiculous a Carbonized version of the original costs more. But you’ll pay $24.99 for an action figure that you can’t use in your dioramas or displays, but only with other Carbonized figures from the line. Again, this is an action figure for you if you like gimmicks. But if you think Hasbro should refrain from releasing so many at once, then this release will fill you with chagrin.