Republic Clone Trooper (212th Attack Battalion: Utapau) - 1:6 Scale Figures

At the time of their introduction, the Republic clone trooper represented the future of galactic warfare. Far superior to the battle droid armies of the era, the clone troopers formed the backbone of the Republic's new military initiative that battled against the forces of the Confederacy of Independent Systems. So pervasive and symbolic were they of the times, the galaxy-wide conflict that saw their debut took its name from their ranks: the Clone Wars. It would be a long and bloody conflict in the years to come, but the efficiency of the clone trooper infantry would be proven time and again on many scattered worlds.

Identical in form, physical prowess, stamina and mental capacity, each of the first generations of clone troopers were fully encased in hard white armor, each identical face concealed behind a t-shaped visor. Color-coded flashes on the armor denoted rank and eventually came to signify individual units, who often became more customized with mission specific gear and armor modifications. Units such as the Galactic Marines, the Shock Troopers, the Attack Battalion and the Star Corps had distinct armor variations that made them stand out.

Denoted by the orange flashes on their armor, the 212th Attack Battalion operated under the orders of Clone Marshal Commander Cody and High Jedi General Obi-Wan Kenobi. General Kenobi led the 212th Attack Battalion to the Utapau system, storming the stronghold of Pau City in the hunt for General Grievous. While Obi-Wan battled head to head with Grievous, the 212th was able to gain the advantage, though not without heavy casualties.

We finally have our first 1:6 Scale Utapau Clone Trooper! It was an excellent first choice for an Episode III clone trooper. The joy this figure brings is very special to Star Wars collectors in general since these clones played such a prominent role in the final prequel film. But while this is the first 1:6 Scale attempt on this figure, Sideshow has done so with such high quality standards and incredible attention to detail that is already making this figure definitive. Ranking in almost equal popularity to the Imperial Shock Trooper and 501st Legion clone troopers, the 212th Attack Battalion are another fan favorite flavor of clones and it is truly wonderful to have such an impressive figure of tremendous stature finally in our collections. Sideshow continues to impress us with their commitment to authenticity and their uncanny ability to capture likeness almost flawlessly in the 1:6 Scale Figures line. Such authenticity and "clone like" exactness from a character that appeared two dimensionally in the film (whose sources never existed in 3D form) into a three dimensional collectible is not a simple task. But Sideshow always steps up to the plate and delivers unprecedented constitution to their figures. We are so blown away by this figure we are actually overwhelmed on where to begin raving about it! It is a 1:6 Scale figure that is unique in the fact that Sideshow has been extremely aggressive in paint operations (for accuracy's sake) and design (incredibly well-fitting armor). First and foremost, the weathering, yellowing, and battle-damage on this figure is nothing short of stunning. It looks as if it has been pulled right out of the film from the Battle of Utapau and right into your hands. Every speck of carbon-scoring is perfectly placed and looks phenomenal and realistic while every piece of armor has been fabricated to show these signs of multiple battles. Yet, the overall impression of this figure allows the viewer to see just how well this armor functions on the clone troopers and how effective it is for war. It apparently ages quite gracefully but yet picks up more and more character with each battle.

But the armor isn't the only thing to rave about, even though it is easily the most significant accomplishment of this figure. The body glove is also detailed very nicely. Finished off very nicely with a pin stripe pattern (just like in the film in alternating black and gray), the only small complaint here is that it looks a tad bit bulky in some spots. There are some spots on the figure where it looks as if this body glove bunches up a bit. This is no doubt due to the nature of the material used. It is not some spandex-like material but rather a stretchy plastic or soft vinyl that looks awesome, but sometimes fails with fit. Please let us iterate immediately that this can be quickly overlooked and does not detract from the overall quality of the figure. But the issue does exist a bit. The sculpts of the hands and boots are stunning and because they worked with Hot Toys to develop the ultimate "soldier" body type, those awful pins on the wrists of the Art S. Buck figure are gone and now replaced with hand attachments that have a nice large plug that fit into a hole on the figure's wrist (the male and female parts have been switched and function much better). You will not have to fight with the figure any more to change his hands. Thank you Sideshow! This is a fantastic upgrade. The orange "Utapau" markings are colored perfectly and the trooper's shoes have a wash which show every crease and crevice. The orange designation which shows membership to the 212th Attack Battalion is matched perfectly to what was seen in the film and we are extremely excited of the exact match! Early on in this figure's development, there were some concerns with sharp-eyed collectors that the helmet needed some additional work to be exactly the way it was in Episode III. Sideshow listened and tooled the helmet and the final product is a marvel! We tend to get nervous when there are blatant issues with the prototype. But it is nice to know that Sideshow is receptive to our panic. The only thing we can nitpick is the visor, but even that can be debated. We researched this trooper on Wookieepedia and have determined that the final version of it is nearly identical to the film version. So we offer kudos to Sideshow for nailing this first time (not that there would ever be a second attempt). This mold is an excellent template for the rest of the clones no doubt coming soon to our collections!

The Sideshow exclusive version of this figure came with a 212th Attack Battalion specific figure stand. We are not too keen on this exclusive, but we do not know how others feel about it. It seems that something better could have been included, but we actually come up empty for any suggestions of a better exclusive accessory. We really don't know what that exactly should be. But we do know that the clone troopers are colorful enough themselves. We don't think that we need a battalion-specific figure stand. And Sideshow didn't even include the regular stand in addition to the exclusive one, so we are actually lacking a part (in our own opinions). Both the regular and exclusive versions are sold out but if you get on the Wait List at Sideshow Collectibles, you never know what they may find in their warehouses, even years after the fact. We believe that over time, all of these awesome clone troopers and stormtroopers that Sideshow makes with an edition size of lower than 5000 pieces will be tough finds as time moves forward. Once people start realizing what they are missing with this incredible line, we believe they will have regrets and end up trying to add these figures into their collections, albeit a little late. Since the Republic Clone Trooper (212th Attack Battalion: Utapau) only has a combined run of 4000 pieces coupled with never being available in 1:6 Scale form before, we expect that this piece will be one of the harder ones to find. If you put this edition size into perspective with other high end collectibles, it is quite small. And since 1:6 Scale figures transcend beyond what only high-end collectors would buy (because they are still a large action figure - this adds a larger audience), we are surprised that the overall production doesn't significantly overshadow the Gentle Giant Ltd. Mini Busts and other collectibles (generically speaking). But it is what it is. We just think it is a small shame that many of you are not enjoying this figure, but we also realize that this figure retails for $89.99. That is certainly more than a few pennies. We expect to (and hope to) see the rest of the Episode III clone troopers announced before the end of the year. We recommend that you start saving your pennies now, these figures are just unbelievable!