Review: Star Wars Black Series Clones of the Republic Exclusive Release of Plo Koon and Clone Commander Wolffe
"General, we’re outgunned!"
"When you ask for trouble, you should not be surprised when it finds you."
Clones of the Republic is an exclusive sub-line of the Star Wars Black Series, sold via Hasbro Pulse with limited and time-delayed stock, then heading to Disney stores and parks. The premise of the line is a series of two-packs featuring a Jedi and a Clone Trooper as seen in the prequel era, notably the Clone Wars animation, but in a realistic style, as is the treatment for all animated characters released in the Black Series.
To date, we’ve had four releases which have ranged from impressive updates such as a General Mace Windu with an 187th Legion Clone, to Yoda complete with Jedi Council Chair and a variant of Commander Gree. Other releases have been closer to repacks, with a welcome re-release of Clone General Obi-Wan with Cody, to a Clone Wars Anakin and Rex, with Anakin the same figure as released just a few months earlier and Rex not updated to the newer body. It was therefore interesting to see where the 5th set in the series went, with an updated release of Plo Koon and his Clone Commander, Wolffe.
This is the first Clones of the Republic set for 2026, arriving in the Spring from Hasbro Pulse, with the Shop Disney stocks due later in the year, but there is no defined timeframe as yet. Despite the rest of the Black Series using the updated square boxes for Phase 4, the Clones of the Republic set are still using the slanted sides of the original Phase 1 figures. This does mean all five sets are consistent in their packaging, but look out of line with the other figures releasing at the same time. The base box is matt block, with the series given a light blue accent colour, which is used on the text. With two slanted sides, there is blue-hued artwork on either side, Plo Koon on the left and Wolffe on the right. These art panels are used again on the back of the box with text underneath that focuses predominantly on Plo Koon and his leadership of the Wolf Pack and his Clone Commander, Wolffe.
The figures and accessories sit into an inner tray, but as this is the older format packaging, they do not get a colour-coordinated backing card, and instead this remains plain grey.
We start with Jedi Master Plo Koon, who was first released in 2020 during Phase 3 of the Black Series. This time around Plo Koon has received a similar treatment to the COTR Mace Windu, repurposing the original figure but with tweaks. This includes replacing the forearms with Clone armour, gloss white and decorated with red Jedi sunburst designs. Apart from this armour, Plo Koon is wearing standard Jedi robes with a brown cast tunic with a different shaded brown belt and silver buckle.
The upper half of these robes are a rubberised plastic jacket over a base torso, while the lower section is a similarly executed softer plastic skirt. The arms are a similar, but not an exact match, brown, extending into the Clone bracers and then with Plo Koon’s claw-like hands in black and orange. The legs, sitting predominantly under the skirt, are a tan finish and are then tucked into the knee-high red/brown boots.
The head is a replication of the Kel Dor we see on screen during the prequels, a realistic style despite the origins of the set sitting in the animated Clone Wars series. Plo Koon’s orange ski and head tails are washed in a darker finish to add depth, while the eye visors and breathing mask are a jet black gloss finish.
vs 2020 Plo Koon release (right)
Compared to the original figure from 2020, we have lost the soft goods robes, and while the forearms are different, the rest remains identical other than the colour, with changes made to make both the robes and the facial mask and goggles much darker.
As an older figure, the articulation on Plo Koon is slightly dated. There are still 19 points in total, but if you look at the legs, he does feature visibly pinned knees, although these are double-jointed as a trade-off. Above the knee we still get a thigh swivel, and the issue where the upper thigh is a different colour to the lower section persists. In Plo Koon’s case, this is not an issue as this is all covered by the skirt. The skirt does limit leg movement, but there are splits at the side to allow wider stances for battling with his lightsaber
The upper joint set is more recognisable and includes butterfly shoulders to expand the arm range and the ability for two-handed saber posing. The waist is ball-jointed to add ab-crunch, the ability to lean back, and the usual rotation. The neck is dual-jointed, but the bottom end is more or less fixed, allowing movement via the top segment only.
The sole accessory is Plo Koon’s lightsaber, a simple piece in silver with a gold central band, black pommel, and black emitter. Unlike most other Jedi, there is no holstering option for Plo Koon. The saber has no loop or peg, and the belt has no option to secure it. It will fit in either clawed hand for left or right hand positions and can be displayed as lit by inserting the usual translucent blade, blue in Plo Koon’s case.
Clone Commander Wolffe was originally released before his Jedi General Plo Koon, arriving in 2018 and also part of the Phase 3 collection. This 2026 release completely replaces that figure in its entirety, moving Wolffe onto the newest Clone Trooper body (something that they didn’t do for the Rex release last year).
This new Clone body uses cast white gloss armoured parts that connect at the joints, which are cast in black ribbed pieces. This means there is very limited paint decor and the paint lines between armour and undersuit are crisp and clean. The markings of the Wolfpack from the 104th Battalion are painted over the white plastic, with the bulk of this on the shoulders, forearms and boots. The two shoulder pauldrons feature decal applied symbols with a wolf on the right shoulder and the same Sunburst design as his General on the left.
As a Commander, Wolffe features a twin-holstered belt in plain white and a kama skirt in black with grey trim. This is a soft goods piece.
The helmet is Wolffe’s chosen BARC Trooper format with a narrow mouth and visor. This, like the armour, is cast in white. The visor is painted black as are the vent pieces over the nose and mouth areas. The Wolfpack markings are added in grey with some further red and orange symbols on the main ridge above the visor. A hinged rangefinder in silver sits to the right-hand side.
vs 2018 Commander Wolffe release (right)
When you compare Wolffe from this 2026 Clones of the Republic Set to the original 2018 release, we can see the variation in proportions. However, the older version still holds its own with the weathering and battle damage with the 2026 version very much a shiny with no dings or scratches.
Wolffe was one of the first Clones in the Black Series to feature a removable helmet, and the new version, as is now more or less standard for Clones, includes the same. The unmasked head is a sculpted likeness to Temura Morrison with facial printing and aligned to a live-action look rather than animated. Wolffe’s scarring is visible from the right forehead and down over the eye, but the eye itself is not quite executed as the milky white damaged eye we expect.
vs 2018 Commander Wolffe release (right)
Again, comparing this new release to the old one, there are arguments that the older figure did a better job of capturing Wolffe in a realistic style, while also retaining his injuries and wild nature that we see during the Clone Wars appearances.
Wolffe has twin DC-17 blaster pistols for weaponry; these are the same as released across previous Clone Commanders and ARC Troopers. They are simple in their design and casting and come in black plastic. The new Clone bodies do now feature trigger finger hands on both left and right, allowing Wolffe to wield and fire the blasters in either or both hands, another improvement on the original release. When not in use, they sit in the belt holsters.
The new Clone body for Wolffe gives him 19 points of articulation in total and a much broader range of motion than perhaps the earlier pinned joints could provide. He can kneel, sit and brace himself into firing positions with arms that can also extend out to fire, be sat hovering over his holstered weapon, or even adjusting his helmet or the range finder, which is also hinged to swing down over the visor. This most recent configuration of the Clone Trooper body also features the floating knee armour, allowing the central piece to be positioned appropriately to the knee rather than jutting out at an unnatural angle when the knee was bent.
These Clones of the Republic sets have a UK retail price of £44.99 via Hasbro Pulse, and that does make them cheaper than the standard price of two single releases. The Plo Koon and Wolffe set enhances both figures from their original releases, giving Plo Koon a specific Clone General look with armoured bracers, while Wolffe moves to the newer Clone body for improved articulation. Despite this, Plo Koon’s colour scheme has moved to a darker finish which does contradict with his live action appearances, and Wolffe does lack the weathering and battle damage of the original while also not quite nailing his facial injuries in the head likeness.
This COTR collection continues to confound collectors with its variation in direction, and while it has remained true to bringing us Clone Wars era Jedi and their Clones, it has deviated several times from improving and enhancing figures with newer Clone bodies to full on repacks with no improvements.
The line also continues to persist with the older Phase 4 slanted packaging, and for box collectors this will be frustrating while also not giving the sets the visual impact of the newer artwork and colour-coordinated card backs. Plo Koon and Wolffe are very much a pair that you could skip if you are happy with the originals; otherwise they provide a neat Clone Wars display update to sit alongside the corresponding Mace Windu, Obi-Wan, Anakin and Yoda (and their Clones) to battle the Separatist threat.
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About Me : As a child of the 70's and 80's I grew up in a golden age for action figures and in my youth bought and sold myself through collections of Star Wars, G.I. Joe (Action Force) and M.A.S.K. while also dabbling in He-Man, Transformers and Ghostbusters. Roll forward and I am now reliving that Youth with the action figures of today and am a collector and fan of the larger 6-8 inch figures from my favourite movie and TV licences - including the ones mentioned above, but also the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Doctor Who and the Aliens. I launched The Mephitsu Archives in 2015 with a view of creating a UK focused site or these figures where fans can pick up the latest action figure news, read reviews and get information on where to buy their figures and what is currently on store shelves. I hope I am delivering that to you guys...
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