Imperial Trooper - OTC - Basic (OTC #38) [Fans’ Choice]

Added: February 13th 2013
Category: Original Trilogy Collection, The
Reviewer: Paul Harrison
Score:

Name: Imperial Trooper [Fans' Choice]
Collection: The Original Trilogy Collection
Number: OTC #38
Source: A New Hope
Availability: October 2004
License: Hasbro

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The Millennium Falcon is caught in a tractor beam and brought onto the Death Star. Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Chewbacca and the two droids hide from the Imperial scanning crew, who are sent onto the Falcon to find and capture its crew. After escaping capture, the heroes continue their mission to rescue the imprisoned Princess Leia.

The behavior of Star Wars fans is mind-boggling at best. In a very surprising move, Hasbro decided to add a last minute 38th figure to The Original Trilogy Collection lineup. Not an official Fans’ Choice Poll exactly, Hasbro wanted to illicit collectors’ opinions and set up a voting center on their website for Star Wars collectors from all over to choose their own poison for the final figure in the collection. Imperial Trooper unbelievably stole the show with 28.21% of the vote running up against the likes of 1998’s POTF2 [FF/TKC] Death Star Trooper, 1998’s POTF2 [FF/TKC] Ree-Yees, 1999’s POTF2 [FB/CT] R2-D2 (With "Holographic" Princess Leia), 2000’s POTF2 [FB/CT] Admiral Motti and Han Solo (in Stormtrooper disguise) from 2003’s SW [S - P1] Death Star Trash Compactor (Luke Skywalker & Han Solo) (1 of 2) Screen Packs set Walmart exclusive. Inexplicably, collectors rushed to support the Imperial trooper (who was added late into the voting competition no less) with nearly a third of the vote. That’s quite staggering from our perspective. This minimally articulated and disproportionate action figure was so hard to find that collectors felt it necessary to have Hasbro release it any way possible. What they didn’t know at the time was that Hasbro was going to repaint the heck out of it thereby making the original release still wanted and extremely difficult to acquire. (If you’re interested, the results were: Death Star Trooper (5.84%), Ree-Yees (11.54%), R2-D2 (With "Holographic" Princess Leia) (14.27%), Admiral Motti (16.77%), Han Solo (in stormtrooper disguise) (23.36%) and Imperial Scanning Crew Trooper (28.21%). Obviously his name changed prior to release.)

The poll ran from February 23, 2004 through March 5, 2004 and the Imperial Scanning Crew Trooper, now dubbed the Imperial Trooper swept the competition. The Original Trilogy Collection exceeded Hasbro’s expectations in many ways. As a result, they decided to make case ratios “thicker” for last dozen or so figures in the collection, especially since many had paint operation enhancements made to them like the Gamorrean Guard and Bib Fortuna. However, a case assortment which included one of each of the last figures in The Original Trilogy Collection lineup did make it out before it was “canceled”. Then Hasbro made three unique remix cases available so that three of each of the “new” figures in that wave was more widely available. Although initially hard to find, the Imperial Trooper started popping up at retail more frequently. It even made its way to discount retailer KB Toys in 2005 for less that $3 a figure too. It was more plentiful than most collectors realized and this is really a shame quite honestly. Thinking it was going to be a straight repack of the pack-in figure that came with The Power Of The Force [Red/Green] Millennium Falcon Carry Case/Imperial Scanning Crew Trooper set, collectors were shocked (although it should have been expected at this point in the OTC lineup) to find out that Hasbro gave it a drastic all-new paint job. News like this is both good and bad for collectors that simply must have them all. But because distribution was very poor on this particular release of the Millennium Falcon Carry Case/Imperial Scanning Crew Trooper set, it’s likely collectors would never have another stab at this version of it.

If you compare the 2004 OTC Imperial Trooper against the 1998 POTF2 ]R/G] Imperial Scanning Crew Trooper (from the Millennium Falcon Carry Case), you’re probably not going to believe your eyes. They can easily pass for two unique characters. In fact, this was so ingeniously played out by Hasbro that if you study stills of the two Imperial Scanning Crew members, you’ll find that both have no been represented in the Hasbro line now. (Interestingly, Hasbro used an incorrect image on the front of the figure’s card insert.) The 2004 OTC Imperial Trooper has been given an all-new black wash which collects in every nook and cranny on the figure. You’ll see creases, folds, pockets and stitching you never knew existed thanks to this added application of color. The Imperial Trooper has also been given blonde hair and green eyes. We could probably count on one hand how many action figures have been given green eyes. Green eyes in the Star Wars basic figure line are rarer than green eyes in the earthly human population apparently. Even the Imperial Trooper scanning box has been cast in a different color of blue plastic. The only item not carried forward is the blaster. All in all, the figure still suffers from having a buff physique and the lack of decent articulation is always a bone of contention for releases today. Still, the figure is a marked improvement and he’s likely a figure you have culpability in bringing to the masses. Get this figure for posterity if nothing else. It represents the fruit of your labor and is evidence that Hasbro listens to fans, no matter how cranky we are to them.

Collector Notes

Imperial Trooper

Status: Imperial Trooper is a rework of the pack-in figure from 1998's POTF2 [R/G] Millennium Falcon Carry Case/Imperial Scanning Crew Trooper set. The new paint job is dramatic and meant to be the "other" Imperial Scanning Crew Trooper character. The paint job on this figure is fantastic.

Articulation Count: 6 points (6 areas of articulation)

Articulation Details: swivel head (1), swivel left shoulder (1), swivel right shoulder (1), swivel waist (1), swivel left hip (1), swivel right hip (1)

Accessory Count: 1

Accessory Details: scanning trunk

Date Stamp: 1998

Assortment Number: 85447/84715

UPC: 653569028222

Retail: $4.99 USD

Market Value: Click here to check the latest prices based on Click here to check the market value on eBay! listings.

The Original Trilogy Collection Wave 7

Darth Vader (OTC #29)

Gamorrean Guard (OTC #30)

Bib Fortuna (OTC #31)

Lando Calrissian (OTC #32)

Princess Leia (OTC #33)

Darth Vader (OTC #34)

Han Solo (OTC #35)

General Madine (OTC #36)

Lando Calrissian (OTC #37)

Imperial Trooper (OTC #38)



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