Jun 65 min read

Let's Discuss: Hasbro G.I. Joe Retro Series: Scarlett Action Figure

Greetings and welcome to Dan's ToyBox! Today, we are excited to talk about the G.I. Joe Retro Series Scarlett Action Figure. As much as I love the Classified series, I'm shifting more toward the Retro figures, simply because they bring back so many awesome memories of the old 3.75-inch Joe figures. Plus, it's nice to have a File Card on the back of the packaging again!

Shana M. O'Hara, code named Scarlett, is a founding member of the G.I. Joe team. Renowned for her martial arts and marksmanship prowess, Scarlett is crucial to the team's victories. Hailing from Atlanta, Georgia, she was an accomplished athlete before her military career. She excels in hand-to-hand combat, mastering various martial arts forms, and is an adept archer, favoring a crossbow. Scarlett debuted in "G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #1" in June 1982. Initially, her Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) was intelligence, and she held the rank of E-5, Sergeant. As the series progressed, her MOS evolved to Counterintelligence, and in the IDW Comics, she ascended from enlisted ranks to officer status, achieving the rank of O-6, Colonel.

Once again, Hasbro shows us the good things they can do, when it comes to a property that they own. So, without further ado, let's discuss: Hasbro G.I. Joe Retro Series: Scarlett.

Accessories: 8/10

As happy as I am with the amount of gear that Scarlett comes with, my biggest issue is the warping of the rifles and her crossbow. I really dislike the way these are packed in the plastic shells. I don't like having to bend the item in order to pop it out of the plastic... Hasbro... just put a piece of tape over the accessory as you do with hands and some of the other pieces. The stock on her crossbow and on the M-16 are slightly warped which I've been working on straightening. Anyhow, Scarlett comes equipped with: XK-1 Power Crossbow, with three normal quarrel and a grappling quarrel, the XMLR 3A Laser Rifle, an M-16, an M1911A1 Pistol, a Ka-Bar combat knife, a backpack which can store both rifles, two ponytails, a pair of trigger finger hands and a pair of fists. Additionally, she has a black display stand which pegs into the holes in her heels. The knife fits easily into the sheathe on her left side and all four quarrels can fit into her quiver and the crossbow itself has a channel that can fit a single quarrel. They don't snap into place, so be careful to not allow one to fall into and be devoured by the carpet monster. The quiver is free floating, which means it won't hinder articulation. The ponytails are interchangeable and plug into a small hole at the back of her head. One hands relatively straight down, while the other is curved, to indicate action and movement. The flowing ponytail works better if you have the backpack in place. It looks more natural, rotated to flow to the side, rather than sitting awkwardly atop the backpack. I think the only minor issue I have is that there is no holster for the pistol, which would have been a nice addition for extra storage.

Appearance: 9/10

The Hasbro G.I. Joe Retro Series Scarlett Action Figure impresses with its faithful resemblance to the original character, updated for a modern military look. The clean paint applications enhance the figure's appearance, while the detailed sculpting captures the essence of Scarlett beautifully. The fact that her hair has a wash to it, helps bring out depth and detail, though I would have liked a "fuller" sculpt to give the hair just a bit more volume. Otherwise, the figure really looks incredible. The skin tones on her face have some highlight to them to give her cheeks a rose-like glow to them. Her eyes are very cleanly applied and centered exceptionally well. Her mouth is in a neutral expression, but slightly tilting her head conveys a whole new look, one that can be disapproving, stern, or concerned. Posing and body position can greatly enhance any neutral expression and carry an entirely new demeanor for your figures. Moving down through the figure, the red shoulder piece stands out nicely against the yellow/custard look of her body suit and the shuriken and hold out pistol sculpted on her forearm are very character accurate. There are enough small details on the figure that finding each one is a delight. Her equipment is in the military olive drab and really looks good. I do think that some wash for detail would have been better, but overall, the sculpted detail and paint on her three firearms and knife are done very well. Scarlett stands out very nicely on my G.I. Joe display and posed next to my Commando Snake Eyes makes the shelf look even better.

Articulation: 7.5/10

Generally, Hasbro's engineering for the G.I. Joe line is solid. Scarlett is no exception, however there are some issues, at least with mine. Her head has excellent range of motion, can look up and down, turn side to side and has some tilt. Neither of the ponytails impede motion at all. Her shoulders rotate easily the full 360-degree range and can raise to slightly over a T pose. Scarlett does have butterfly joints, which have minimum function but do move. The bicep swivel is fine, and the double-jointed elbows are good enough. They have excellent range, but the forearm section is a bit tough. Her wrists hinge nicely and can pivot easily. Her upper torso joint has good side to side range and rotation, but the crunch leaves something to be desired. I really couldn't get her into as deep a crunch as I've done with other Joe figures. Her lower joint will twist as well, but again, crunch range of motion is minimal as well. She can do amazing splits and kick her legs forward very high. Her thigh rotation is fine, her double-jointed knees bend in very, very deeply, there is a boot cut rotation, and her ankles hinge up and down. They do have pivot, but mine is very tight, so loosening them up with heat or hot water may be necessary. Greater range in the torso and butterfly joints would have improved this score, but overall, I'm fairly pleased with Scarlett's pose ability.

Affordability: 9/10

The G.I. Joe Retro Series Scarlett retails for $24.99. I found mine at Walmart and, once again, feel that the price is reasonable, given the number of accessories, decent range of articulation, and excellent appearance. The value included in the G.I. Joe toy line helps justify the pricing for these figures, over other toy lines that Hasbro sells. If you're a fan of G.I. Joe, you'll find this Scarlett figure to be worth the price.

Overall, in spite of the few areas of concern I have, this is a fun figure to own. I'm a huge fan of the Retro Series, as well as the Classified line but objectively, I'm still happy to give the Scarlett Action Figure: