Master Sev/ARC Trooper - TAC - Order 66 (Series 2) (6 of 6)

It’s sometimes amazing just how deeply Hasbro will delve into the Expanded Universe to make some new Star Wars characters not seen anywhere else. In 2006, a Clone Wars Adventures: Volume 5 story called The Order Of Outcasts was published and introduced readers to a new Jedi Master called Master Sev. Like 2006's TSC Sora Bulq (SAGA 015) figure, Master Sev was a Weequay Jedi who fought valiantly in the Clone Wars to protect the Republic. It was a very good story and it makes perfect sense why Hasbro would choose to develop two of the characters in it into action figures for the Order 66 (Series 2) sets. It also marks the first time we see a true ARC Trooper Commander (although the packaging refers to him as an ARC Trooper). This combination of Jedi and clone is cool, but Master Sev could have used a bit more tweaking before being finalized. Hasbro’s artists created a realistic interpretation of Master Sev for the packaging of the Order 66 set, but before this, Master Sev only existed as an animated pencil sketch. Hasbro was faithful in the realistic interpretation and you can see not much deviated from the original concept into both the packaging art and the action figure. The coloring and styles are really well done.

Master Sev is mostly based on the 2005 ROTS Kit Fisto (III 22) sculpt. He has obviously been significantly repainted and comes with an all-new head sculpt and newly cut Jedi robe (but cut from the same material we have seen 100 times before it). Master Sev appears a little too short and stout in our opinion and we think Hasbro could have used a taller and slender body sculpt to make him. Even reusing 2006’s TSC Sora Bulq (SAGA 015) figure may have been a better option here. In all fairness, Master Sev does come with plenty of articulation, but some of his joints are loose, including the knee joints, and it makes it a bit difficult to stand him up without the action figure falling over. The soft-goods robe fits him nicely and Master Sev has the distinction of being the only Jedi in the Order 66 (Series 2) group that comes with a detachable lightsaber blade from the hilt. While this feature is notorious for snapping off the plug at the bottom of the blade that attaches to the hilt, it is a nice option to have a Jedi just hold the lightsaber hilt at the ready. The figure ranks as good, but we would have liked to see a slightly different approach taken in making him. This figure is dynamic and stands out from the other Jedi we have seen released to date. We guarantee you that you'll be impressed with Master Sev.

The included ARC Trooper is technically an ARC Trooper Commander as designated by his yellow color flashes. The figure looks pretty good, but you’ll need to carefully look at various packaged samples to find one that has a spotless paint job. The black portions and the outlines on the visor have been consistent in looking sloppily applied. And the yellow coloring sort of disappears into the mess. If you look carefully however, you’ll find clean samples and they look fantastic. For the third time in the Order 66 series, Hasbro utilized everything except for the legs on the ARC Trooper from 2007’s TAC Obi-Wan Kenobi/ARC Trooper (No. 07) Comic Packs set. This of course is a great figure to utilize developing new ARC Trooper kinds. Additionally Hasbro brought in the legs of 2005’s ROTS Clone Trooper (III 41) figure and the kama of 2005’s ROTS Commander Bacara (III 49) figure to complete it. With all of the parts combined collectors are left with a remarkably unique and awesome ARC Trooper. We're assuming he's a commander. The yellow ARC Trooper looks wonderful and is probably one of our most favorite clones in the Order 66 series. Interestingly, this was one of the phase I clones to kill a Jedi during Emperor Palpatine’s direction of enacting Order 66.