Stormtrooper Commander/Hera Syndulla - R - Mission Series (MS19)

Hera is the ace pilot on board The Ghost starship and supports any mission that undermines the authority of the Empire's Stormtrooper Commanders.

She is finally here. There is one figure in the Stormtrooper Commander/Hera Syndulla Mission Series set that is going to overshadow probably most of the figures in the Rebels lineup. And that’s because Hera Syndulla was ironically wrongfully overshadowed by Hasbro as part of a set and not her basic figure. We’ll get to the Stormtrooper Commander in a moment, but this figure is quite a bore when compared to the long-awaited Twi’lek ace pilot of The Ghost from Star Wars Rebels. Longtime collectors are going to look at Hera and see a modern take on Cesi "Doc" Eirriss (the Twi’lek Rebel pilot from 2008’s TLC Rebel Pilot Legacy (Series II) Evolutions set). They have similar flavors and looks, and both look fantastic. Yes, Hera Syndulla has only five points of articulation, but the sculpt is there, and the likeness is even better. It’s no secret Hasbro has been struggling with paint operations. Hera Syndulla has her share of them, too, but for the most part, collectors are going to be happy with the copies they receive. As the last final member of the “main gang” from the Rebels television show, Hera Syndulla deserves to one day be packed separately (along with Sabine Wren) in the single Saga Legends line to meet better the demand and not to diminish their importance in the line (and incidentally the TV show). They're main players in the show. Therefore they need to be main players in the basic figure line.

Hera Syndulla finishes off the Rebels crew very nicely. The biggest thing here is just owning since it took over half a year to get her as a basic figure. We understand the chagrin collectors have felt about the long wait. It is ridiculous indeed. Hera Syndulla comes with a tiny blaster pistol. Sadly, unlike Sabine Wren, there is no functioning leg holster (because the holster is smaller than the gun really). We’re of course disappointed by this. As a result, expect her small gun to get lost, as there is no place to keep it unless you have her holding it. One expected issue that we’re thrilled to report is not an issue is the dullness of her skin tone. Thank the Maker her skin tone is bright green and glowing. And even more important, the skin pattern on her lekku are neatly applied and match the onscreen character beautifully. It is so interesting to see how many elements of the X-wing pilot have been brought forth to complete the look of Hera Syndulla. Just the same, she has her distinct appearance that sets her apart from all previous Star Wars characters we have encountered as fans. It’s quite the perfect balance if you ask us. This is going to be a hot Mission Series set. We guarantee it. And it’s all because of this leading lady. We can’t emphasize enough how wonderful it is to finally have the complete The Ghost crew in all one spot. Check out our gallery images for some of these examples.

Although he is overshadowed by Hera Syndulla, it would be a crime to overlook the Stormtrooper Commander in this set as well. There isn’t much new brought to the table here. However, don’t think for a minute that this is just the Stormtrooper with an orange commander pauldron on his shoulders. (Well, that’s what it is, but the pauldron isn’t removable at all.) This figure has POTF2 technology written all over it, as you don’t have the option to make the Stormtrooper Commander and plain old Stormtrooper by removing the pauldron. Also of note, the white plastic used to cast this figure is drastically different in the shade that was utilized to cast the white plastic for the regular Stormtroopers. It’s duller and more off-white than white. Had Hasbro added some dirt and battle-damage, you might easily mistake this character for a Sandtrooper. Whether the tooling is getting old already, our Stormtrooper Commander has great difficulty standing upright without falling to the ground. Maybe it’s just our sample, but one leg is slightly bowed and ruining its center of gravity. It’s minor, but still present. Together, the Stormtrooper Commander and Hera Syndulla complement each other wonderfully. The shared orange color makes them pop in the packaging, and the combination of these two characters is the perfect pairing of good and evil. Whatever you do, be sure to grab this set for Hera. She is the reason to buy it. You won’t be disappointed.