Retaliation COBRA COMBAT NINJA

Uhhh...I think it was called COMBAT NINJA...maybe trooper...eh...the ninja bit was a add-on for the toy line anyway...who gives a crap?!

One of the few Retaliation villains that actually not only appeared in the film, but looks somewhat accurate! We had gotten a Cobra trooper early on in the first wave that looked NOTHING as it was supposed to for the movie...NOTHING! I kinda liked it as a goofy, non-movie version since it reminded me of something kitschy in the GI Joe sense...like form the 90s or something. I did, however, hope to see a more realistic movie version. Most fans hated the first trooper and could not wait to see a toy like this. Well, patience paid off...we got one...late...and underproduced. Bummer. Still and great figure...AND...we DID actually get it, even if he is hard to track down in bulk.

Now, I like the classic Cobra troopers...this movie version is actually a little too realistic for my tastes. However, in the film, Cobra was (at the time) supposed to be "good guys" that were replacing the GI Joes, so they weren't supposed to look too bad-guyish. Aside from the odd helmet design and the Cobra patch, these could be real-world soldiers!

We get the usual pile of guns, removable helmet and webgear, PLUS this cool rocket launcher AND Cobra flag! Those two accessories alone are too cool for school. Admittedly, the cannon works better with your "classic" Cobra figures since it's all blue (and red).

Underneath that helmet is your standard head in a cloth face mask. You can also add the extra swap-out head. This head is that of someone in an armored helmet with one green electronic eye in the center. You also get a sword and sheath that plug into the figure's back...in other words: ninja mode!

Such a freaking shame that these got a very limited release. I troop builded with these, but it cost me dearly. I only got four, though I wanted eight. Even if you don't dig these in comparison with the classic Cobra trooper look, they could even pass as normal troops in winter gear if you take 'em out of their movie context. The Flag and cannon are top-notch, fun accessories. The interchangeable heads make for extra coolness. One of the best figures from the whole "super wave", if not the entire movie toy line!

DATA VIPER

From the ashes of cancellation comes......DATA VIPER!!!

Oh, yeah.

This guy was released in the Retaliation line. He was not in the Retaliation movie. There...enough of that! Anyway, this guy apparently was gonna be part of the normal GI Joe line, but it became cancelled, then got revived and slipped int the movie line. Done and done!

Many fans gushed over this figure when previews were flashed around. Then, the same fans cried tears of blood when it was supposedly cancelled. Well, we got him. One of those gear-heavy figures with a lot of crazy accessories. Meant to be some type of walking, armored, data-gathering trooper. Very cool look. Most of that armor is pretty stable. You can remove his odd, almost triangular helmet, and then his huge chest/shoulder piece. The antennae/satellite dish can pivot and are actually removable. The missile pods on the front of the armor really make him look bad-ass! The arm things are another story. They come in three pieces and don't hold together during play. I imagine they are meant to be some type of guidance controls...in theory. They clip on his arms and have a pivoting front which hold (via handles) in the characters hands. The pivot points come off rather easily, as do the red wires. The only real annoyance about this great piece.

Aside form the bulky armor and what not, Data Viper comes with this sleek drone which can attach to the back of his armor when the wings are folded. Reeeeally neat! This is the same drone mold used with Ultimate Duke. The guns can detach and even be brandished by the figure. What more could you want?!

So nice to see a cancelled figure get brought back from the brink of death...SOOOO NICE! Great looking with cool accessories. Some may not like the bulky armor or the annoyance of the arm controls, but the figure itself is fantastic. Troop build him if you can, but be warned that he was indeed part of the "super wave", so he's tough to find...or just expensive!

Retaliation ULTIMATE ROADBLOCK

For all intents and purposes...Roadblock was the star of GI Joe Retaliation. We got a few versions of the movie character (played by The Rock or Dwayne Johnson), but this is truly the ultimate one! I'm pretty sure this figure has the same sculpt as an earlier one (Battle Kata Roadblock, I think), but recolored and modified a bit. He comes with a big ol' machine gun and still has a few carry-over accessories from the Battle Kata version...yeah, that gimmick was played up and soon dropped by the toy line. Roadblock had these handle things that had various attachments. You could make them guns, knives, or even a nightstick...kinda dumb and pointless. Neat, but unnecessary. Looks-wise, he's just plain great. Spot-on likeness.

Lastly, in accessories, Roadblock has this...uh...thing. Again, we had alot of zipline and grappling hook gimmicks and accessories in this toy line due to the whole mountain scene in the movie. They really played that up! The figure itself is great and so are the other accessories. We've gotten better zipline stuff with other figures. Eh. I think we got this same one with Mouse in that three-pack. I played around with this thing a bit. It's okay. What else can I say?

Honestly, the movie figures are great...ESPECIALLY these "ultimate" versions. It's just sad that Hasbro waited to the end (basically) to give us the best stuff. It's doubly disheartening knowing that the wave these were in was not seen at major retailers.

Retaliation ULTIMATE DUKE

Much like Flint, we got a version of Duke in earlier waves. He's a movie version for sure. Now, not to beat a dead horse, but most fans already know the hub-bub surround the release of GI Joe Retaliation. I won't go on unless someone messages me to...and I doubt that! Anyway...big spoiler...Duke dies early on in the flick. He's not really a main character in this one at all, aside form the beginning of the film.

Unlike the version form the first wave, this Ultimate Duke is not as simply designed. He also doesn't have some odd giant weapon with real launching projectiles. Just a highly detailed military figure with LOTS of gear! Aside from a shit-ton of guns and such and a little knife, he has removable armor and a helmet. He also comes with this cool aerial drone. He also comes with an alternate swap-out head. This extra head can instantly turn a stand-alone character into a troop builder! GREAT!!! Sadly, since the "super wave" he was in had a very limited retail release, you probably can't live your dream of having an army of these...unless you have big bucks and/or a mental problem.

Not much else to say. Again...great figure...lots of cool accessories. Honestly, if these had a wider release, you'd see about six of these in my collection!

STORM SHADOW

This version of the famous Cobra ninja was released in the Retaliation movie line. He was one a several "classics" released along with actual movie characters and new "in the style of" movie toys. Unlike his Snake Eyes counterpart, this latest version of Storm Shadow rocks! He just...well...looks great! Very classical, and has a ton of (mostly) cool accessories.

He has a ton of stereotypical ninja gear and weapons! Bow and arrow, sai, nunchaku, various bladed thingies, and even what appears to be a blowgun set! Oh, and this cool fan! Awesome. Just awesome. You actually can get those accessories between that figure's nimble figures, but it does require some patience since they are verrrry tiny!

Aside from a cool alternate unmasked head, we get this big honker of a thing. I originally assumed it to be just a backpack, but it's actually an action feature thing designed to RESEMBLE a kind of jet pack. Hence, the figure is mounted on the front on the clip-on harness...you press it to make Storm shadow spin around and do ninja tricks and what not. Eh...I'd have rather a back-mounted backpack, but whatever. I guess Hasbro felt the need to add a goofy accessory to an otherwise awesome new (yet classic) Storm Shadow.

Great figure. If you are gonna redo a character...make them better. This is probably the best Storm Shadow out so far if you are into his classic look. The jet pack might have been cool if it was just that and mounted flat on the figure's back. Otherwise, superbly done.

...yet another SNAKE EYES

AGAAAAAAAAAIN?!?!

Yep...another version of our old pal, Snake Eyes.

Yeah, yeah...the commando/ninja is back once again in his seemingly millionth appearance in the GI Joe toy line! Snake Eyes get a lot of figures. As a matter of fact, I think he probably has the most versions and variations...I gotta check on that...but yeah. He was released in the classic style within the movie line's "super wave" which had little to no actual retail release.

If you are gonna do another Snake Eyes, you gotta wow the fans. This version isn't really that original or outstanding. Just another Snake Eyes. He seems like a obligatory figure to me since we got a classic Storm Shadow in this wave. Nothing new or special about this Snake Eyes. Even the sculpt is pretty standard. Comes with the usual guns and a sword...oh, and Timber!

Not a bad figure...just...when you have ANOTHER version of a character you probably have twenty of, he doesn't stand out. Just sayin'.

Retaliation FLINT

Wow...a GI Joe Retaliation figure that was ACTUALLY in the movie! Ha ha! Honestly, I'll be blunt...as a character in the flick...Flint blew...HARD. I hated the fact that he got absolutely ZERO characterization and had NO charisma. That sucked. They pulled that sorta junk with Jinx in the movie as well. Eh. Anyway, the earlier version of movie Flint was comparatively dull compared to this "ultimate" version (as it was so billed). This Flint has a better overall look and better accessories. More guns and gear, a parachute instead of a dumb bow-and-arrow-looking zipline apparatus, and cool armor! Only downside is that he has a helmet instead of a classic Flint beret. However, if you have the first Flint with removable beret like I do...just...uh, remove it! Give it to this version! Ha!

Not much else to say. Great military figure. I'm not a gun nut, so I can't comment on the weaponry too well. The parachute works fine. The figure looks great if you dig realistic Joes. Aside form the character sucking in the film and therefore making the toy a tad less exciting to newer fans, it's a great figure.