Scarlett

Rounding out the first wave of G.I. Joe: Classified, we’ve got Scarlett.

And that’s pretty cool. Technically, the Baroness is the first female character seen in G.I. Joe #1, back in 1982, and over a year before the cartoon launched for the “A Real American Hero” toyline. But Scarlett also debuted in the first issue. Besides being the first female Joe, she was the first and only female figure in the first year of the toyline, also in 1982.

Besides all of the above, her original toy stood out too because of her design. ARAH got really colorful really fast, but of the original thirteen Joes, Scarlett & Snake-Eyes were the only ones not wearing semi-generic army green gear. Scarlett’s classic design was a yellow/gray suit. Classified brings that forward, but makes it look more tactical. Similar to Roadblock & Duke, down to what looks like golden armor plating and some kind of blue electronic device on her vest.

A cool nod to her classic design are these molded throwing stars on the inside of her left arm. The original figure had them on the outside. Would have been neat if they’d kept the small pistol on the other arm, but she’s not under-equipped. And maybe it’ll be present on the Retro figure.

Articulation & sculpting continue to be highpoints for this line. Only things missing compared to the guys are swivel biceps & double-jointed elbows. Nice to have, but not essential. She’s perfectly fun as is.

For accessories, Scarlett comes out of the box wearing a belt and a chest harness. The harness has some arrows, but function-wise, it has three sheaths between the front & back for her knives. She’s not a ninja like Snake-Eyes, but martial arts are a big part of her background & skill set.

She also has a crossbow. It looks good, but it’s actually two pieces. Which is my one gripe. It doesn’t take much to come apart, so I’ll glue it together at some point.

Next to the rest of the team so far, she looks good. She fits. She’s on par. Other than if you want less of the sci-fi element, I’m not sure one could ask for anything else.

And that’s Wave 1 of G.I. Joe: Classified. Scarlett does it again, playing the roles of action figure & update to a classic character and toy all at the same time. And for $20+? Pretty nice.

She was a pain to find in the beginning, but she’s out there now if you want her. Something interesting about Classified as a line too is how much Hasbro has listened to the feedback. They heard the noise on the tech stuff and made adjustments going forward. I forget when they came out, but Duke, Scarlett, & Roadblock all got redecoes that toned those elements down. So, you’ve got options if you’re on the fence.