Poe Dameron/First Order Riot Control Stormtrooper - TBS [P3] - Six Inch Figures (Exclusive)

An ace pilot, Poe Dameron is a leader in the Resistance's fight against the evil First Order. He soars into battle behind the controls of a modern X-wing fighter.

Armed with specialized weapons, the First Order's Riot Control Stormtroopers are trained to subdue crowds in the most ruthlessly efficient manner possible.

This multipack doesn’t “officially” exist and there is no “official” proof that it’s a TARGET exclusive, and you should know we’re being immediately facetious. Once again, leaks from retail “insiders” via Star Wars fan site connoisseurs are really the major players helping to break the news of the latest Star Wars merchandise. We don’t believe Hasbro has yet to announce ANYTHING officially at this point which completely befuddles us. (And you wonder why we don’t seek them out for confirmations to all of our rumor mongering? That’s OK, other fan sites will do that....) We digress. Of course we started off this review a bit sarcastically, but how in the world, after all of the pictures that leaked in various international catalogs that an Argos two-pack was coming (and then rumored to likely be a TARGET exclusive shortly thereafter because of other products tie-ins between these retailers), has Hasbro STILL not officially announced this set? Why wasn’t it presented at the ‘Twas The Night Before Preview Party? Why do we not get official announcements anymore? Is anyone else outraged by this? Also, how is it possible that Star Wars collectors all over the USA are using the DPCI magic trick to dig these puppies out of the TARGET stores’ backrooms even weeks before the official November 1st reset (i.e. NOT street) date? We’re being honest with you here. The Force Awakens product launch is the single most disorganized, confusing and misinforming product launch we have ever experienced in our entire collecting careers. And it looks as if the silence on new products and upcoming releases will disappointingly continue because even now we don’t even know what has really come and gone and what is still yet to come anymore. It is such a hot mess that you either just have to go with it, or be left in utter confusion. We’re trying to forge ahead.

We say all that to hopefully impress upon you in a much greater way the true silver lining here. Despite horrid communication from Hasbro (OK, we’re letting that go NOW), the fact of the matter is that the Poe Dameron/First Order Riot Control Stormtrooper is a pleasant surprise, and contains a duo of figures that will likely be a hot commodity for the 2015 holiday shopping season (that’s if enough units make their way to retail to support the demand). Poe Dameron, for us, is the star of the set because the head sculpt is a tremendous update to the one that came with the basic release 2015 TBS [P3] Poe Dameron (07) 6” figure. There are no wonky eyes here and the head sculpt is handsome, unlike the “ogre-ish” styled cranky expression that the basic release seems to possess. Poe Dameron is a completely all-new figure. Hasbro didn’t get lazy here thankfully by using the 2015 TBS [P3] Finn (Jakku) (01) figure and the drive to create an all-new sculpt from the ground up is honestly a dream come true. And we’re tickled that this was handled correctly. We often get worried at the shortcuts Hasbro takes currently, but we fully respect what they’ve done here instead. Really, the only issue we have is that the X-wing pilot Poe Dameron and this version aren’t the same height. We’re not so sure if we understand Hasbro’s inability to keep the same exact character the same height in the same line. We really hope they work out those kinks. The last thing we’ll fault about Poe Dameron is the texture of the materials used to cast him. The figure once again has that wobbly “rubbery-ness”. If you look at the photo gallery, you’ll see how his legs are bowed. This is directly related to the softness of the cast. It’s very disappointing. Thankfully, Poe Dameron can attain his poses easily and the softness doesn’t seem to inhibit him in this way much, if even at all. But it’s a slippery slope and we want Hasbro to produce better quality figures. We should probably also mention that his five o'clock shadow leaves something to be desired. Maybe Hasbro should just ignore this altogether?

As much as we love the Poe Dameron in this set, we also love the First Order Riot Control Stormtrooper almost as much. Who would have thought that after almost 20 years since Hasbro released The Power Of The Force “2” Deluxe Riot Control Stormtrooper figure that we’d be getting a super-articulated 6” version in The Black Series [Phase III] line, albeit different and Episode VII specific? The last time Hasbro attempted a “riot control” character it was in The Clone Wars [Shadow Of The Dark Side] line. The 2011 TCW [SOTDS] Riot Control Clone Trooper (CW49) was an instant hit and we’re sure that most Star Wars fans are extremely interested to see how these specialized stormtroopers perform in The Force Awakens. Because of the extra gear, the First Order Riot Control Stormtrooper has a very McQuarrie-esque vibe to it and we fell in love with it for that reason alone. The new accessories, which include a baton and a shield (essentially welded to the Stormtrooper’s left arm) which interact beautifully with the figure. Almost a straight repack of either the 2015 TBS [P3] First Order Stormtrooper SDCC exclusive or the general 2015 TBS [P3] First Order Stormtrooper (04) figures, the First Order Riot Control Stormtrooper has been slightly repainted. He too has been cast in that rubbery plastic which sadly gives him unnecessary looseness and warped limbs. But these “defects” aren’t terrible and you’ll likely be able to overlook them as we have, whether or not we should HAVE to overlook these types of shortcuts on premium collectors’ items like these figures. But both Poe Dameron/First Order Riot Control Stormtrooper figures have turned out extraordinarily well and we think this is a great set that Hasbro has assembled, whether or not they’ve officially announced it.