Resolute Cobra Commander

By KansasBrawler

When Resolute Cobra Commander was first released as a single carded figure, I wasn’t really that interested in him. Sure, he was a bit of a different than the standard Cobra Commander, but unlike Duke, I didn’t feel there enough changes to warrant adding him to my collection. After all, I already had a lot of Cobra Commander figures in my collection, so I really didn’t need one more. However, thanks to the Resolute seven pack, I wound up with a Resolute Cobra Commander anyway. He’s an okay figure, though I’m glad I passed on the carded release since they’re essentially unchanged. I know I would have been a bit more annoyed if I had to get the same figure I already purchased to get a box set of stuff I really wanted.

Resolute Cobra Commander’s design is pretty strongly inspired by the vintage figure. He’s got a bit more flair, but it’s still pretty close to the look Cobra Commander has rocked since 1982. When this figure was released on a card, it used a surprising amount of new tooling and that new tooling is all here because this figure’s construction is unchanged from its carded counterpart. The legs are a combination of 25th Anniversary Red Star’s lower legs, some new knees (with metal kneepads) and the upper legs of 25th Anniversary Cobra Commander. These parts work surprisingly well together and honestly, the three different sources of parts means that they look very different from the other figures that shared these parts. I was surprised to learn from YoJoe’s parts listing that the lower legs weren’t new, but after looking at Red Star, they are his, you just don’t notice it because they’ve been paired with other good parts. Cobra Commander’s torso is all new, though it’s clearly designed to evoke the original Cobra Commander’s look. He’s still got the overcoat the buttons off center, but unlike the vintage Cobra Commander, he’s got a leather strap running diagonally across his chest. It’s a nice addition and helps him look just a little more different from all the 1982-inspired versions of Cobra Commander I have already. To help separate the looks even further, Cobra Commander has a pair of added on pieces. Around his waist, he’s got a belt and heavy skirting piece. I don’t know what function it would have in the real world, but it does help make Cobra Commander look kind of fancy and dictatorial. The belt also has a built in scabbard for his saber and I really do like it when Cobra Commander has a weapon like that for some reason. Up top, Cobra Commander also gets a cloak over his shoulders. The design is great on this. It drapes effectively over his shoulders and doesn’t impede his shoulder articulation. The Cobra sigil that’s used (in the “real world”) to hold his cloak together looks great and it’s very well detailed. The arms are shared with the other 25th Anniversary versions of Cobra Commander, though Hasbro wisely swapped out the closed fisted left hand for the open left hand that was tooled up for the Pyramid of Darkness Cobra Commander. They’re decent pieces and I’m glad to have a Cobra Commander that can hold things in both hands. The head was first used for the Best Of… DVD set and I really do like that head. It’s larger and more in proportion with the rest of the body. Over the helmet, Cobra Commander gets the same removable helmet designed for the first Resolute Cobra Commander release. It fits snugly on his head and I really like the more angular look. It makes Cobra Commander look just a bit more sinister. Construction wise, this figure is exactly the same as the carded version, so I’m sure there are quite a few people with doubles of this figure. I’m kind of glad I was initially uninterested in this figure just because it meant I didn’t wind up with two of them. It’s a good figure, but it’s not good enough to have doubles of.

Resolute Cobra Commander also draws inspiration for his color scheme from the vintage version. That means there’s a lot of blue on this figure. This version uses two tones of blue, and thankfully, neither of them is powder blue. The main blue is still light, but it’s a light bluish gray and it’s a pretty great color for Cobra Commander. It’s used extensively on the figure, but thanks to the use of some darker bluish gray, the figure doesn’t look that boring. The darker color is used on the cloak and the trim on his skirting. It’s not a lot, but it’s enough to break up all the blue. Black is used on Cobra Commander’s boots, belts, and gloves and helps sell the dictatorial look. The piping on his gloves and the Cobra sigil on his cape are both red. The red is good, but I wish it was a bit more vibrant. It’s just a little dull for my tastes and I kind of wish it popped a little more. The faceplate of Cobra Commander’s helmet is silver (though I wouldn’t have minded seeing some vac metal plastic here to make him look a little more different from the carded release) while the helmet itself is blue and gray. Silver is also used on the buttons of his coat, his belt buckle, and his kneepads. It’s a very sharp look and everything hangs well together. My only real complaint is how similar it is to the carded release. According to YoJoe, this version uses a lighter blue, but looking at the side by side pictures on the site, they’re still very similar. I kind of wish Hasbro would have gone with something a bit more drastic. Yes, it would have meant he might not have been on model with the animated character, but it would have added a little value to the figure if he hadn’t been a straight up repaint that looks almost identical to the original figure.

Resolute Cobra Commander also shares his accessories with his carded compatriot, however, this time Hasbro did add in something extra to make him stand out. Starting with the shared pieces, I really love this Cobra Commander’s accessories. His primary weapon is a great pistol. It looks quite a bit like a German broomhandle Mauser. It’s got a bit of a Nazi vibe and I like seeing that here with Cobra Commander. It’s a great, well-detailed piece and it fits with Cobra Commander’s character. It’s a small, easily concealable weapon but it packs a pretty substantial punch. Cobra Commander also has a saber to fill his scabbard. It’s a decent, if somewhat simple piece. However, I do have to gripe about the fact that the plastic it’s molded from is awfully soft. It was pretty crooked when I first got it, and years in the scabbard haven’t really fixed that. That’s okay, though, because this version of Cobra Commander has one additional accessory that I think looks way better in his hands anyway. The Resolute cartoon opened with a body being found on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial with a cobra-handled dagger stabbed through the chest. I won’t say who the unfortunate victim of Cobra Commander’s wrath was, but I will say I love that Hasbro gave us this artifact from the cartoon in the box set. It’s a solid piece, though I do think the detailing on the hilt is just a tad soft. The blade itself is quite large and it looks like they pulled that prop from the screen and put it in Cobra Commander’s hand. While we may not have ever actually seen Cobra Commander carry this dagger in the cartoon, we knew it was his and I think Hasbro did add a little value to the figure by including it with the Resolute Cobra box set.

I still find Resolute Cobra Commander to be a bit of a tough figure for me. I really didn’t care that much about him. That’s why I passed on him quite a few times on the pegs. However, getting him from the Resolute box set, I have to admit, he’s a better figure than I gave him credit for. He’s nothing earth-shattering, but he’s still a great take on Cobra Commander. I do wish the Resolute designers had done a little more with him, but it’s still a great updated version of Cobra Commander’s classic look. Unlike the 1982-inspired versions of Cobra Commander, the Resolute version actually is pretty interesting and he’s a nice addition to my Cobra ranks, even if I wasn’t initially that sold on him.