Stormtrooper - TBS [P3] - Six Inch Figures (48)

Added: October 12th 2017
Category: Black Series [Phase III], The
Reviewer: Paul Harrison
Score:

Name: Stormtrooper
Collection: The Black Series [Phase III]
Number: 48
Scale: 6"
Source: A New Hope
Availability: September 2017
License: Hasbro

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Stormtroopers are elite shock troops fanatically loyal to the Empire and impossible to sway from the Imperial cause. They wear imposing white armor, which offers a wide range of survival equipment and temperature controls to allow the soldiers to survive in almost any environment.

The Black Series [Phase I] Stormtrooper (#09) figure was a figure that new 6” figure collectors were dying to see get re-released. Thankfully, Hasbro made this a reality for them when the Stormtrooper got released as part of The Black Series [Star Wars 40] line, or 40th Anniversary line for short. Despite the release of an Original Trilogy era focused film (Rogue One: A Star Wars Story) and the Stormtrooper character being a foundational army builder, Hasbro still couldn’t figure out a way to get this action figure back out into the mainstream. So it took the 40-year celebration of Star Wars to makes its re-release a reality. Now this revised version has been carried forward into The Black Series [Phase III] line look to make an even bigger impact at retail and make army building fans happy once again. The Stormtrooper has always been an exciting release in 6” scale. There is just something powerful about the Stormtrooper character, and no matter how it comes it always seems to steal the show with each successive release. The Stormtrooper is stunning, and it is gorgeous. And you’re going to want an army of them for yourself. You wouldn’t be wrong for feeling this way. We don’t care if there is an issue with where the helmet sits or any other potential issues. This figure is well-proportioned, exquisitely detailed, nicely decorated and appropriately accessorized and for us, these are huge accomplishments. The Stormtrooper proves that Hasbro possesses the ability to bring collectors a stunning Stormtrooper action figure in 3.75” scale (and we’d love to know when they’ll do this for us). But once you see how much more can be sustained in the larger 6” scale, you may forget about your 3.75” desires for the moment.

This figure is a straight repack of 2017's TBS [SW40] Stormtrooper figure, but of course the latter figure is a slight repaint of 2014’s TBS [P1] Stormtrooper (#09) figure, but its origins are still further back as it was made from 2013’s TBS [P1] Sandtrooper (#03) figure. If you recall, the Sandtrooper was given a newly tooled abdomen section, a new lower left leg and a new foot. There were obvious differences in accessories too. Hasbro also paid attention to this detail in the 3.75" scaled line, but it may have already been a concern for you because Hasbro has been guilty of interchangeably using the Stormtrooper and Sandtrooper sculpts. But Hasbro thought about that in advance. Instead of a big old nasty slot adulterating a rather excellent design. they “drilled” a hole in the “O” shape on the back of the armor. It is this "camouflaged" hole where the survival backpack gets attached via a plug, and it’s where “nothing” goes on the Stormtrooper without compromising the integrity of the sculpt. We do feel however that a tiny plug could have been included to “plug up the hole, ” but that wasn’t in the plans here. But it’s OK. It’s a tiny hole, and the Stormtrooper still looks excellent nonetheless. Not only does the look of the 6” Stormtrooper remind us of a scaled down version of Sideshow Collectibles’ Imperial Stormtrooper from their Militaries Of Star Wars line, the look and feel of the armor are nearly cast from the same exact materials. This texture was compromised a bit on the 6” Sandtrooper because of the final wash (it gave it a much smoother feel), but on the 6” Stormtrooper there is nothing to change the original feeling of the plastic, and that’s what it reminds us of exactly.

The Stormtrooper comes with the same 30 points of articulation as the figure from which it was created, the Sandtrooper. You can get a great range of motion from many of the joints, and it can attain almost any pose you desire without any difficulty. We tried extra hard to come up with some pretty unique poses and gravity-defying stances, and we think we have accomplished that in our photo gallery. Lightly accessorized, the 6” Stormtrooper comes with an E-11 blaster, and larger blaster rifle, the same one IG-88 used in The Empire Strikes Back. He can hold both guns excellently, and the E-11 blaster can be placed in his functioning holster when not in use. As the premier army builder in the Star Wars saga, we have honestly been perplexed that Hasbro hasn't reissued him until now. But in all honesty, he isn’t commanding expensive premiums on the aftermarket, so perhaps the demand isn’t there yet. In 2014, the Stormtrooper (#09) figure was one of the most popular figures of the year. And it’s easy to see why this was so. Figures like the Stormtrooper reinvigorate fans’ passions for The Black Series 6” line. We likely haven’t properly articulated how incredible this figure is and what it does inside of us to make us want more characters in this scale. There is so much more they can do with this sculpt. Heck, they could do something simple like tweak it to give us a Spacetrooper from A New Hope as well. Whatever they decide next, know that you should make it a mission to get this awesome 6” action figure. It’s nice to see this figure again. Honestly. This figure was re-released once again to interact with the Centerpiece Collection figures also part of The Black Series [Phase III] line.

Collector Notes

Stormtrooper

Status: Stormtrooper is a straight repack of 2017's TBS [SW40] Stormtrooper figure.

Articulation Count: 30 points (19 areas of articulation)

Articulation Details: ball-socket head (1), hinge-jointed neck (1), ball-jointed left shoulder (2), ball-jointed right shoulder (2), swivel left bicep (1), swivel right bicep (1), double hinge-jointed left elbow (2), double hinge-jointed right elbow (2), ball-jointed left wrist (2), ball-jointed right wrist (2), ball-jointed torso (2), ball-socket left hip (1), ball-socket right hip (1), swivel left thigh (1), swivel right thigh (1), double hinge-jointed left knee (2), double hinge-jointed right knee (2), ball-jointed /"rocker" left ankle (2), ball-jointed /"rocker" right ankle (2)

Accessory Count: 2

Accessory Details: E-11 blaster, blaster rifle

Date Stamp: N/A

Assortment Number: C2382/B3834

UPC:630509554614

Retail: $21.99 USD

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

Stormtrooper

The Black Series [Phase III] Wave 12 (Wave 21)

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