Running commentary on the "winners"
from round one of "All Hail Caligula's Horse":
Power of the Force 2
1) Death Star Droid
2) Pote Snitkin
3) Oola and Salacious Crumb
4) Zuckuss
5) Ree-Yees
6) 2-1B Medic Droid
7) Ishi Tib
Aunt Beru Lars
These figures are all POTF2 and should therefore be ineligible to EVER be rereleased. The protocol droid-esque body has been perfected recently and I'd much rather see a resculpted DSD than see this one rereleased. Pote Snitkin is okay, but the "bib" overcoat would need to be fixed at the very least. Oola is not up to today's standards, and Salacious Crumb is a joke. Ree Yees, again isn't up to today's standards, and neither are 2-1B (who we need resculpted, period, at which point they can give us the droid from Vader's rebirth as a repaint; after all the original 2-1B didn't exist from the waist down). Ishi Tib is the only one out of those eight who might be acceptable, but again, he has the "bib" overcoat, and that would absolutely need to be redone. I'd rather see a totally resculpted Ishi Tib from Jabba's Palace than the Rebel version that they couldn't even find a photo of at the time to use for his cardback or Freeze Frame.
Oh, and it goes without saying that Zuckuss needs to be redone from scratch, as well. If they're going to give us (more or less) SA versions of Fett, Dengar, Bossk, and IG-88 (presumably), we need a matching 4-LOM and Zuckuss to go with them.
Episode I
1) Bonus Pit Droids 3-pack (3 colors/2 poses)
2) Battle Droid 2-pack (4 versions)
3) TC-14
4) R2-B1
5) Sio Bibble
6) R2-R9 (Naboo Royal Starship)
7) Graxol Kelvyyn (Watto's Box)
Darth Sidious (Holograph)
The Pit Droids I understand completely. I have no problem with that. I think the main reason people want more Battle Droids (these in particular) is because the recent ones have sucked so badly, plastic-quality wise. TC-14, R2-B1, Sio Bibble, and R2-R9 have "retail suicide" written all over them. Graxol Kelvyyn's too big for a standard card, so I'm sure he'll conveniently lose if he makes it to the final grouping. The Holographic Sidious is a great figure, but if the current sales of holographic figures is any indication, he'd be DOA too.
Power of the Jedi
1) R2-Q5
2) Dak Ralter (Snowspeeder Pilot)
3) Paploo (Speeder Bike Thief)
4) Battle Droid (Security) 2-Pack
5) Imperial Officers (3 versions)
6) FX-7 Medical Droid
7) R4-M9
Amanaman
Okay, R2-Q5, Dack, Paploo, and R4-M9 aren't up to today's standards. Amanaman is dirt cheap on the secondary market and warmed pegs big-time upon initial release (and still is warming pegs in some areas according to other sites). The Battle Droid Security figure is a good choice, as the plastic was good and the articulation was good too. It still holds up, as does FX-7, although I'm not so sure how FX-7 would do at retail now. The Imperial Officers would be nice to see again, as I'd love to have two more to pilot my Shuttle.
Star Wars Saga
1) Ephant Mon
2) Clone Trooper (Republic Gunship Pilot)
3) R4-I9 (Imperial Forces)
4) R3-A2 (The Battle of Hoth)
5) Battle Droid (Arena Battle) (2 versions)
6) Coleman Trebor
7) Sandtrooper Troop Builder (4 versions)
AT-ST Driver (Imperial Forces)
Ephant Mon, yes, but again, like Graxxol Kelvyyn, I'm sure he'll conveniently lose if he makes it to the finals. The Gunship Pilot Clone Trooper would be better served by rereleasing the Evolutions Clone with both helmets. R4-I9 and R3-A2 aren't bad ideas, actually, but only if Hasbro doesn't intend on updating them. The AB Battle Droids have the worst plastic of any figure and I seriously doubt that Hasbro will correct this should they "win." Coleman Trebor is a pure fanboy choice and was never difficult to find to begin with. The Sandtrooper Troop Builder thing is a horrible idea, especially with the TSC Sandtrooper being as good as it is. It's like going back and continuing to release the CommTech Stormtrooper when you've got the VOTC...oh wait. The AT-ST Driver isn't a bad idea, but I'd prefer to see them use a new head with a removable helmet at the very least.
The Original Trilogy Collection
1) Boba Fett (VOTC)
2) Clone Trooper (Troop Builder)
3) Clone Trooper Lieutenant (Troop Builder)
4) RA-7 (Sandcrawler Droid)
5) Clone Trooper Commander (Troop Builder)
6) Clone Trooper Captain (Troop Builder)
7) Clone Trooper Sergeant (Troop Builder)
Wedge Antilles
Boba Fett, absolutely. Paint him in ESB colors and I'd be thrilled to death. The Clones are a definite, although I'd drop the Sergeant, Captain, and Lieutenant, and just go with the white Clone and a randomly packed Commander. RA-7, like the DSD he's based on, doesn't hold up, and Wedge sucks. Next.
Revenge of the Sith
1) Coruscant Clone Commander (Evolutions)
2) Clone Trooper Commander (Evolutions - AOTC)
3) Sandtroopers Sergeant (Evolutions)
4) Sandtroopers Squad Leader (Evolutions)
5) Clone Trooper (Evolutions - AOTC)
6) Covert Ops Clone Trooper
7) Saleucami Clone Trooper
Utapau Shadow Trooper
First of all, I find it funny how the top 5 are all Evolutions figures (six if you count the ROTS Anakin, which I think Hasbro is intentionally making a bitch to get multiples of). I've got to say I don't think they should do the Sandtroopers though, since the TSC version is much better, deco and articulation-wise, and I'd rather they repaint their pauldrons/mix up accessories than the Evo version. The AOTC White Clone (with a Pilot helmet) is a decent choice, as is the Saleucami Clone Trooper. The Covert Ops and Utapau Shadow Troopers are EU Hasbro creations and, as such, suck.
The Saga Collection
1) Biker Scout (VTSC)
2) Captain Fordo (The Hunt For Grievous)
3) Heavy Gunner Clone Trooper (The Hunt For Grievous)
4) Clone Trooper 442nd Siege Battalion
5) Shocktrooper (Skirmish in the Senate)
6) Clone Trooper Fifth Fleet Security
7) Sandtrooper Corporal (Escape from Mos Eisley)
Death Star Gunner
Biker Scout, undoubtedly. The Shocktrooper isn't bad, either, and given how many GB/H&V figures are clogging the pegs, making finding new figures nigh impossible in some stores, the rereleases of the 2 "final 22" Clones might not be such a bad idea. I would forgo Fordo for a (hopefully) more accurate version down the road, and the same goes for the Heavy Gunner. The DSG and Sandtrooper I fully endorse (or as much as I can/will endorse rereleasing something currently at retail in a lot of areas).
Expanded Universe - Shadows of the Empire, Clone Wars, Star Tours, & more
1) Darktrooper (Dark Forces)
2) Spacetrooper (Heir to the Empire)
3) ARC Trooper (Clone Wars) (2 versions)
4) Durge (Clone Wars)
5) Asajj Ventress (Clone Wars)
6) Luke Skywalker (Dark Empire)
7) Imperial Sentinel (Dark Empire)
Kyle Katarn (Dark Forces)
None of these eight figures (9 if you count the ARCs separately) hold up today. The only one who might work is Durge, and that's only if they reissued the one that came with the Swoop Bike, and that's still pushing it for an EU character. I'd like to meet the people who thought reissuing the Imperial Sentinel was a good idea, though. Listen to Mr. T and stay off the drugs, fools.
As for the biggest piece of crap on there (that being Hasbro's slipshod reasoning to YET AGAIN keep the VOTC Stormtrooper off shelves), it doesn't surprise me. After all, all they would really need to do would be remove the pauldron from the Tin Sandtrooper and say it's a Stormtrooper. I also won't be the least bit shocked if the RH (Removable Helmet/Revisionist History) Stormtrooper still has the backpack hole in his back, doesn't include the thermal detonator (but will still have the hole in the belt), and has some kind of battle damage on his armor to make a clean Stormtrooper an impossibility yet again.
Seriously, what the ******* hell Hasbro? People are clamoring for the VOTC Stormtrooper to be released on a wide scale and all we get are excuses, "new" versions of it with extraneous bull****, and endless reissues of ROTS figures in its place. If you simply rerelease the VOTC Stormtrooper as-is, I promise you the world will not implode.
