Stormtrooper - LC - Basic (BD46)

Stormtroopers are the military enforcers of the Emperor's will. They strike with speed and accuracy to quell any uprising against the Empire. From Coruscant to the Outer Rim, they maintain order with an iron fist, serving as ground forces and a space-based Imperial fleet.

Where does one draw the line to decide whether a figure is a repack, a rework or a repaint? We doubt we can even answer that question any more since it seems that every figure coming from Hasbro has been changed in one way or another despite how insignificant or minimal the change is. We tend to err on the side of caution and do our best to alert you of every tiny detail so you can make the decision for yourself and it is with this philosophy that we report that the new 2009 Legacy Collection Stormtrooper falls closer to "different" than the "same". While this Stormtrooper is [clearly] a repaint of 2006's TSC Shadow Stormtrooper, new plastics have been utilized, as the figure now looks brighter and cleaner than ever before. Because the materials used are absolutely different, this neo-classic figure has been cast in a very brilliant white plastic and the black details look a tad bit sloppier than previous versions. Also (and not on every sample), we have found yellowing on limbs proving that Hasbro may have returned to a more inferior plastic that yellows instead of just dulls over time. (So, don't be fooled because this new Stormtrooper definitely has some problems of its own.) While it's nice to get this Stormtrooper released for the first time as a basic figure (using this mold and for $7.99 or cheaper), we wish that Hasbro would have exerted more energy perfecting it. (And we are simply talking about manufacturing them with better materials and not necessarily enhancing the sculpt here.)

If you have the vintage-styled figure, then you pretty much know what you're getting here. The figures only have mildly different variances. Stormtrooper has 23 points of articulation, can hold his weapon well and is very authentic to the film. Yes, we are thrilled to get another super-articulated (or re-released) Stormtrooper, but these characters desperately need ball-jointed hips. We have felt for quite some time now that troop builders must come with ball-jointed hips now. There is almost no reason to waste money on extra knee or ankle joints when swivel hips will inhibit optimum movement. It was great technology for 2004, but now that this figure was released in the 2009 line, we want more from him! We think this is wasted commentary here, but we are very curious about how many of you out there in cyberspace feel similarly about this needed articulation. Currently, the articulation (of the legs) only benefits the action figure in that it allows it to be seated (and seated realistically of course), but it doesn't allow for an unlimited amount of action poses. How many Stormtroopers just sit around? They are always engulfed in action! Until this feature is added into a Stormtrooper action figure, we will say that this isn't the definitive Stormtrooper figure (and we will wait indefinitely until we get it). Hope is on the horizon however, since the figure from the new Dewback With Imperial Sandtrooper set has ball-jointed goodness in the hips, so it is a logical assumption that a regular Stormtrooper can't be that far behind.

On a side note, we prefer our Stormtrooper action figures to have a slight white space between the black rim and the visor (as seen below in the movie still). If you recall the 2007 TAC Imperial Stormtrooper (30 20), the visor and black rim are seamless and it makes for a very different looking Imperial (an inferior one in our opinion). Many other collectibles have followed this format, including Sideshow Collectibles' 1:6 Scale Imperial Stormtrooper figure and we are thankful that most are. We are grateful that most collectibles are modeled after this look. If you're looking to build your Stormtrooper ranks with an excellent sculpt, this is your second chance at this great sculpt! While this is not necessarily the Stormtrooper you are looking for, he will certainly suffice for now. Zealous Original Trilogy fans will not need to stress about finding a Jango Fett head underneath the helmet because this Stormtrooper was made prior the unofficial 2006 Lucasfilm, Ltd. law that all Imperial are clones. (We suspect that more future Stormtroopers are in danger of coming with a removable helmet just like the 2007 figure.) Hopefully Hasbro will meet us in the middle and show a little respect to long time collectors (and give us a non-removable helmeted Stormtrooper again). While we wait for an unknown amount of time, we will certainly enjoy this “new enough” figure in our collections. As a side note, this figure comes with very tight joints. This of course makes posing it much more easy, which in turn makes it much more fun!