Sci-fi has been in my collection since about 1986. I have picture of what must have been a birthday for that year, and here you can see Sci-fi before he was opened for many battles to come:
Here you can also see that 1986 L.A.W.. Makes me wonder if whomever bought me these put "laser trooper" and "laser artillery weapon" together to make that purchase, or if this is pure coincidence? (Cy-kill.....YEAH!)
Sci-fi was really one of THE go-to troopers for me back in the day (1986 being my "big" year for the start of Joe...). I don't remember specifics, but between Sci-fi, Low-light, and Hawk, (Cutter and Wet-suit to an extent, too) these were the most used for quite awhile. (fun fact: Tiger Force Frostbite was probably the next GIJOE member to join this motley crew.)
I don't think the 1986 Sci-fi I have now is my original one. I know I had one broken thumb on mine, but I can't remember if I just swapped parts from a 2nd one I acquired, or if I just kept the second one in place of my (most likely) well-used Sci-fi.
That laser-rifle and pack was a fairly futuristic weapon to me. And Sci-fi was essentially all armored-up, in a sense, and often was out doing battle against Cobra. I was always "shooting," but I couldn't tell ya "what" I was shooting out of that rifle and power pack.
But, as time moved on, and as I acquired more GIJOE figures, Sci-fi really filtered into the "back of the box." In many ways, I wanted to get more "realistic" looking figures, you know, like Lt. Falcon; all in camo with a normal gun and backpack with a knife. My collection wasn't the most straight lined looking "army" guys collection for many, many years.
And Sci-fi really got neglected over the years. Even in my "department" project, I wasn't sure where to put him.
Is he a "tech." guy? A sniper? A forward air-controller helping to guide an aircraft's payload? Or a guy that simply shoots laser beams?
I searched the web a little to see what a "real" laser trooper might do, but there's not much out there.
How do you use Sci-fi?
I have 3 different versions of Sci-fi. Left to right, 1986, 1991, and 1993
The 1993 Star Brigade pilot version was my 2nd Sci-fi, however, and interestingly this figure stayed in his baggie up until just a couple years ago. I never used Sci-fi as a Starfighter pilot.
I did assemble and sticker up the Starfighter, though, but it mostly sat on the shelf under a dust-repelling plastic baggie.
I was going to wait and open up this Star Brigade Sci-fi along with other unopened Star Brigade figures (if and) when I found a Defiant with crawler. I never did find one, and I never opened up all the Star Brigade guys even when I got a very nice Crusader.
I'm not sure where the 1991 Sci-fi came from. I am assuming a trade, but I can't remember. How bad is that?
I prefer the overall color of the 1991 uniform to the others, but I still think the 1986 uniform has a lot more interesting details. But, the 1991 does have a removable helmet. So, ultimately the 1991 Sci-fi has gotten more use.
But still, not a lot of use, especially compared to many other GIJOE figure characters in my collection.
As of now, I am contemplating the role that Sci-fi will play in my little GIJOE team.
It draws back on the questions I asked above. What's his MOS, for instance?
1986:
Laser Trooper
mos: Infantry
smos: electronics
Slow-motion, has to hold the laser beam on target long enough to burn through....
1991:
Directed Energy Expert
mos: Laser Weapons Systems Operator
smos: electronic instrument repair
hits targets at extreme range with private arsenal of laser weapons, and can use his beam for air-strikes....
I also consider that Heavy Duty (1991) is a Laser Weapons Systems Operator, as well. Heavy Duty uses his laser beam to guide his missiles in at a tank.
So, Sci-fi is part sniper, part laser gun shooter, part laser-guided weapon system pointer.
And consider that he points big ordnance to where it needs to go, is he also a little bit of an anti-armor trooper, too? Or does that 1991 figure really shoot "energy" from his cannon (search for full carded art)?
I think the "Infantry" MOS is kind of strong, yet, kind of weak, in helping me to create a role for this figures characterization. I mean, look at who else has "Infantry" for a specialty. There's many, like Mutt, Beachhead, Recoil, or Muskrat, to name a few. Sci-fi stands out as a figure visually in all his incarnations, though, from those guys.
