Clone Commander Rex (Bracca Mission) - TVC - Basic (VC317)

Presumed dead at the dawn of the Empire, Rex operates in the shadows – helping any clone brothers who remain separate from the Imperial ranks.

If you’ve been collecting a long time, you likely recall a Captain Rex figure Hasbro announced that they intended it to be part of the second run of the Legacy Collection in 2013. But that line aligned with the 3D release of Star Wars Episode II: Attack Of The Clones, and that was canceled. Likewise, Hasbro canceled this new Droid Factory line and transitioned it into a 3.75-inch version of The Black Series 6-inch line. (Don’t worry, we won’t relive the terror of those times.) Hasbro managed to get most of the action figures announced for the Legacy Collection into The Black Series 3.75-inch line. Still, they somehow overlooked a couple of characters, one being Captain Rex, much to the chagrin of the entire collecting community. Fan sites brought up this MIA Captain Rex numerous times to Hasbro throughout the following years. And no matter how much we asked, Hasbro never added it to their parking lot list or pipeline. Over a decade later, Hasbro gives collectors the consummate Clone Commander Rex action figure, which is, unfortunately, based on the Disney Star Wars The Bad Batch series but a strong figure nonetheless. Mostly made from 2023’s TVC Clone Trooper (Phase II) (VC269) figure, Hasbro added a new portrait and belt and repainted the buck to make it specific to Clone Commander Rex (Bracca Mission), and we feel the final result is a fine addition to The Vintage Collection.

The buck of the Clone Trooper (Phase II Armor) (VC269) figure is fantastic. From the start, we’d like to point out that Hasbro utilized matte white plastic for this figure, which makes us happy. The flat matte color of the armor is perfect here, and we’re glad they avoided a shiny finish instead. With the added deco of hash marks and blue color flashes, the existing tooling feels made new again, thanks to the beautiful paint operations. The articulation system on this figure is astounding. Including ball-socket hips and “rocker” ankles do wonders for army-building action figures like this. Plus, Hasbro figured out the proper way to keep the friction intact so that the hips don’t get loose after articulating them several times. Hasbro did a job well concerning that. It also works well for Clone Commander Rex (Bracca Mission). They added unnecessary, yet appreciated, details like outlining the bottom of the boots on the Clone Trooper, but Hasbro eliminated these accents for Clone Commander Rex (Bracca Mission). The figure is noticeably smaller than most clones we’ve previously received, including past Rex figures. But it’s also the most accurate as clones are average height and do not tower over most other characters in the Star Wars universe. Instead of including a suitably sized bucket, Hasbro opted for an interchangeable helmeted portrait, and as you know, this feature makes most collectors inordinately happy.

The fairest thing Hasbro could have done was to issue this figure on a The Clone Wars card. We get easily frustrated when they ignore Disney Star Wars sources. We’re tired of the Disney Star Wars Entertainment logos. But, if you can let that go, you should be able to appreciate one of the many accomplishments Hasbro achieved by producing this latest version of Clone Commander Rex. The head sculpt of Rex is superb. Hasbro may have previously reused it. Also included with Clone Commander Rex (Bracca Mission) are two weapons, including two DC-17 blaster pistols. Both guns fit well into the figure’s hands, and thanks to outstanding upper body articulation, you can have the figure hold both simultaneously. The fluidity in the body movement allows you to pose the figure in various positions. You can accomplish all these positions without issue, whether standing, running, or kneeling. Please understand us. We’re thrilled to have a super-articulated version of Clone Commander Rex that we can use interchangeably with The Clone Wars and The Bad Batch, but we would have preferred Hasbro to change the card art to The Clone Wars. Clone Commander Rex (Bracca Mission) comes in the same case as the newly updated Darth Vader figure based on Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope and Princess Leia Organa. Admittedly, we must concede it’s a beautiful wave of action figures.