Welcome back to your GI Joe headquarters! We hope you enjoyed your Labor Day Weekend because we're jumping right back into the thick of things with more awesome toy reviews. Today we're covering one of the popular GI Joe: Resolute figures that has yet to see a single card release. Although this figure came in a 5 pack, we're doing the single review here. Be sure to check out our reviews of the new Walmart 2 Packs starting with Monkeywrench and Tunnel Rat. InfiniteHollywood.com is one of the first sites reviewing the new Walmart exclusives so be here all week for a first glimpse at these incredible figures.



Up for your amusement today though is the Resolute version of the Battle Android Trooper. The Cobra BATs came around in 1986 and quickly became a favorite of toy collectors and comic fans alike. As the Cobra armies had been in battle (mostly losing) with GI Joe for several years, it only made sense that Cobra would invent a cheaper mindless disposable trooper. Following off the success of the test S.N.A.K.E. armor, the brilliant scientist minds at Cobra came up with the B.A.T.

Although the BATs did not appear in the actual Resolute cartoon, they did get a release as part of the Resolute 5-pack that came out earlier this year. If you still look around in the right places, you can track down these packs in stores that haven't completely gotten rid of them. The BATs that were released for the new generation 3 or GI Joe 25th style figures were one of the highlights and the Resolute B.A.T follows that same tradition.

Packaging:
I won't spend too much on the package. If you've seen these collector sets in stores, you know what these 5 packs are all about. They are similar to the first ever GI Joe 25th Anniversary box sets, although the cardboard used on them is much flimsier. These feature the Resolute logo, a small cartoon on the front and a very bland back.



On the inside you have the five troops displayed very well. In this set you get Resolute Jetpack Duke, a black version of Cobra Commander, Resolute Trooper in red, Resolute Officer in red and what we're looking at today, the Resolute Battle Android Trooper.



Articulation:
The BAT has the same high level of articulation that you've come to know and love from these figures. Since this BAT is a complete repaint of the Version 17 BAT you don't gain or lost any articulation as a result.



The BATs have the same articulation as most figures in the line, but each arm is removable. The original BAT only had one removable arm, but this version offers both hands removable as well as three different attachments. If you get more than one of these BATs you can swap attachments and have double claw arm or double laser arm, etc, BATs.



Sculpt:
There was always something charming about the 1986 BAT. The second BAT tried to replicate that in the early 1990's but it didn't quite capture the essence. Every BAT from that point on never seemed to nail the intricacies that made the Battle Androids so cool. Certainly some of the later designs were visually appealing, but none hit that sweet spot until the Version 17 came along.



Thankfully this repaint of that mold really brings out the seriousness of the sculpt and turns the already cool robot trooper into something even more. There is just an intangible that radiates from this BAT that makes it seem like it fits right into the Resolute world. GI Joe: Resolute is supposed to be slightly more adult than the regular Joe stories and these BATs with their added black tones, red highlights and dark warh really help to set it apart from the bright yellows and silver of the classic BATs.


Ready to assimilate and annihilate.
The chest plate is even full darkened in. You can still see through it to get a bit of that hologram style effect, but everything is duller and the glass plastic is smoked. It just oozes a violent robot killing machine. The shiny cherry apple red also looks as if you could imagine the blood of innocent bystanders splattered all over it.



This figure is dark, head to toe. It definitely obscures some of the minor delicate sculpting elements, but the areas it does highlight really stand out against the dark backdrop. This is a very unique and different take on the BAT but it works on many levels.



The accessories all feature a similar dark black wash and it's even darker than the original troopers. As time has went on the other versions of BATs have omitted much if not all of the wash, but these Resolute BATs dish it on even darker. There is also a light gun metal brushing on some of the black elements to really help it stand out.



More muted than the original BAT it's hard not to like the Resolute design. Even just a simple repaint can sometimes be most effective. That's definitely the forces we see at work here and it makes a solid figure from beginning to end.



The whole sculpt is virtually flawless to begin with and the dark deco just completes the look. The only thing to be on the watch out for is some of the limbs can be a little looser from the swapping. Still that's mostly minor isolated ingredients and doesn't appear to be a flaw with the sculpt itself. It's a tad back heavy too, but the front chest plate does help some with the balancing if you're got the full backpack on him.



Accessories:
Since this figure isn't sold individually, you might expect him to get shorted on some of the attachments. The recent 7 pack release of the BAT doesn't come with any of his arm attachments. Not so here. We get two regular arms, one claw arm, one torch arm and one laser arm.



The claw arm is improved from the classic version as now it can open and close. Be careful though as the mechanism is a bit flimsy. He also includes his patented backpack to hold it all, but it can actually only hold two attachments. A minor nitpick and in fact it's not really a nitpick to me at all. Few figures can carry all their accessories at once so I shouldn't expect the BAT to be held to a higher standard.



Of course you also get a pistol with working holster. The belt is removable too, but I don't really consider that an accessory. Many of the Joe figures now have removable belts, straps, etc which just add more to the value.



Finally he has the stand with the Cobra logo on it and a file card. Nice thing about these 5 packs is that the file cards come precut. This helps save you from making any unnecessary errors if you're clipping them out. I wish all the file cards looked this uniform.

Additional Notes:
I have hopes that eventually we'll see a BAT in the Rise of Cobra line. The BAT sculpt is so perfect that it can just be a repaint. In fact I wouldn't mind them sneaking in the Resolute BAT into the ROC line. They've snuck other Resolute figures into the line. Since this guy came in a 5 pack, it's hard to get too many of them and he makes a perfect army builder.



For now I'll have to settle for a small army of them. I don't mind that if I don't get another, but the army builder in me finds it hard to resist the urge. I know I'm not alone in that mindset.

Value:
You'd pay $25-$30 for the full 5 pack of Resolute. That's not a bad value but unfortunately two of the figures aren't army builders. That becomes a bit of a hassle because you'll end up with more extra Cobra Commanders and Dukes. Although this Duke could pass off as Rollbar or also a Cobra trooper himself. The Resolute troops are in red as well. They look cool, but most would have preferred blue. Still it's a good value and if you're only picking up one, then the BAT is worth the 1/5th you'll pay out of that $25 for him.



Score Recap:
Packaging - 6
Sculpting - 8
Articulation - 7
Accessories - Claw Arm, Laser Arm, Torch Arm, Backpack, Pistol, Stand
Value - 8
Overall - 8 out of 10

It's rare a repaint will score so high. However when you repaint one of the coolest figures in the entire modern GI Joe line and it's a good deco, you get good results. The regular BATs are a 9/10 in my view, if not a complete 10/10 but these guys fall a tad bit shorter. Mostly because they don't come available on a single card.



If you're just collecting Resolute stuff, you need a few of these guys. If you are just collecting Rise of Cobra stuff, these BATs would fit in nicely. However if you're just a regular GI Joe collector, there is definitely no reason to miss out on a few of these robots.