Admit it, the first time you saw them they were pretty scary. They looked like battle hardened skeletons blasting through those doors. Sure a few minutes later an even meaner bad guy walked on screen but our first few minutes with the Stormtroopers were pretty intense. As the Star Wars trilogy went on they became just guards, target practice for our heroes and even a musical instrument. Now with the prequel trilogy and the Clone Wars the original Stormtroopers have been replaced with Clone Troopers, Black Hole Troopers and Troopers featuring all the colors of the rainbow. I believe it is time to appreciate the finer points of Star Wars. To go back to where it all started and enjoy the original trilogy over again. The prequels are fine, but if you think about it they took Darth Vader and made him into a whiny bitch and a bit of pussy. This week the Toy Maniac is saluting those faceless heroes of the Empire. The dog faced grunts that took whatever the Rebellion dished out and asked for more. My tribute to the finer points of Star Wars is the top 10 best Stormtrooper action figures ever.
Now with any top ten list there has to be some guidelines. I have left off any and all Clone Troopers. Nothing against them but this is all about Stormtroopers. Biker Scouts and At-At Drivers also remain off the list. Sure they are cool and all but they are not foot soldiers. So let’s get to it and count down the Toy Maniac’s top 10 Stormtroopers.
10. Star Wars 30th Anniversary Stormtrooper Action Figure
It is nice to know that they still make a good old plain Stormtrooper figure. He is packed with enough articulation to place him at the heart of any conflict. Despite the fact that he seems a little flimsy I like this figure and it is nice that Hasbro remembers its Star Wars roots.
9. Sandtrooper Power of the Force
After years of waiting and for a different Stormtrooper figure, outside of a Snowtrooper or Biker Scout, Hasbro’s new (now old) Power for the Force line released a Sandtrooper. Sure they would release another on a Dewback and another with a gray shoulder pad but this original Sandtrooper was long in coming and worth the wait. For the first time, before there were Army Builder packs, you had two different Stormtroopers.
8. Power of the Force Luke Skywalker in Stormtrooper Disguise ‘84
Today it might seem odd but back in 1983 a Luke or a Han in Stormtrooper disguise was a pipe dream. Now Hasbro and Lucas have released every incarnation of the character as they appeared on screen. Luke in Stormtrooper disguise makes this list for his rarity; many people stopped buying Star Wars figures when he hit the shelves. Plus it was nice to have at least one of the two Stormtroopers you were pretending to be Luke and Han take off their helmet. In 1984 when this Luke appeared we all hoped that a Han wouldn’t be far off. Eleven years later we would finally get our wish.
7. Joker Squad Entertainment Earth Exclusive
Set in a time 137 years after the Battle of Yavin the New Republic is more like the Old Empire and the Stormtroopers have returned to the ranks of the military. Joker Squad made its debut in Dark Horse Comic’s “Star Wars Legacy issue #4”. The issue was titled “Noob” and gave this new breed of Stormtroopers a “Band of Brothers” type feel. Joker Squad is on a mission with Sith Lord Maleval (he is a Squid Head or a Quarren depending on your level of Star Wars knowledge) and not a nice guy. This mission goes “soul of cheese” and the troopers have to make hard decisions about their duty and where their loyalties lay. Joker Squad stories have been too short in number (see “Star Wars Legacy 16 and 17: Claws of the Dragon” for more). Dark Horse needs to go back to John Ostrander’s story and expand it to its own series. It was absolutely perfect and why Joker Squad made the list. Visit Entertainment Earth to pick up this exclusive.
6. Star Wars Force Unleashed Stormtrooper
Todd McFarlane and his McFarlane Toys put all other action figures to shame when they debuted. It was often beyond me why Lucasfilm never broke ties with Hasbro and went after McFarlane to do their figures. Because of McFarlane all toy companies realize what fans, collectors and kids want. Hasbro released their Star Wars Unleashed line in 2002 and the Stormtrooper joined the line in 2005. He is poised and already kicking ass. The Unleashed line seems to be dying off but this Stormtrooper is modern classic.
5. Spacetrooper Expanded Universe
The Spacetrooper was in the original film, if only a mere dot on screen. It would take almost two decades for the figure to be made and he would be a part of the Star Wars Expanded Universe Collection. Good luck trying to get one of these figures on the cheap, or any of the Expanded Universe line. Fear not, Hasbro is releasing another version of the Spacetrooper but in a totally different likeness (with removable helmet). Look for him in the Build a Droid 2009 wave 1 series.
4. Han Solo in Stormtrooper Disguise Mail Away
When I was kid there were always mail away Star Wars figures; Admiral Ackbar, Bossk and of course Boba Fett. When Hasbro re-lunched the Power of the Force I never thought they would go back to the mail away figures again. The first mail away figure in the now modern era was Han Solo in Stormtrooper disguise. To get as many as possible I ate a lot of boxes of Fruit Loops. Sure he didn’t come with a gun and they would eventually release him again in as a packaged figure but getting anything in the mail that isn’t a bill is always fun. This rebirth of the mail away figure easily puts Han Solo in Stormtrooper Disguise on the list (see #8 for further reasons).
3. The Original 1977 Stormtrooper
His head didn’t turn. Yours and mine both faded with time and turned all sorts of colors. Outside of all of your figures he probably died more than any other action figure in your collection. The first deserves the number the one spot but the final two are just two damn good.
2. Stormtrooper Deluxe Statue
I know that it says “action figures” in the header of this column and Gentle Giant Ltd. lists this figure as a statue. It is a 12" deluxe, poly-stone statue features a "modular" aspect that allows the owner to display the character in a variety of poses with interchangeable arms and weapons. Sounds like an action figure to me! Don’t believe me? Check out the picture on their site that shows it is fully poseable (see here). The price may be a bit much but he literally stands out above all the rest. Look for him in June of this year. Check out the full details on the Gentle Giant Ltd. web site.
1. Ralph McQuarrie's Stormtrooper Concept Figure
Immediately hard to find when originally released, Ralph McQuarrie's Stormtrooper Concept Figure easily takes the top spot on the list. Complete with shield and Lightsaber this bad ass Stormtrooper erases the bad taste that the prequels put in your mouth. He brings it all back to when it was just a brilliant idea about a boy, a girl and a galaxy.
not a figure, yet:
With all the Star Wars figures Hasbro has made over the years from production concept drawings to characters from the comic books and novels, there is a character that still remains unproduced. In the old Star Wars Marvel comic of the mid 1980’s, issue #86 titled “The Alderaan Factor” a Stormtrooper did the unthinkable and rescued Princess Leia. This unnamed Stormtrooper gave a new dimension to these, at the time, faceless characters in the Star Wars universe. So Hasbro where is our Alderaan Stormtrooper? Check out his bio on Star Wars Wookieepedia.
You missed one. When I was young there was a series of action figures that were 12 inches tall. I had C-3PO, Vader, and Boba Fett, and my brother had Luke and Han with some of their Stormtrooper accesories. Plus our buddy down the street owned the 12 inch Stormtrooper and Leia (Yeah, I always wondered about that dude). Anyway his stormtrooper was awesome. That to me should be on the list.
MacheteYetti, You are right! If I only I had a prize to send you!
almostunbiased, the 12 inch trooper was on the list, he was bumped for the Spacetrooper. Did you ever see the 18inch (?) IG88 that was a sweet 12 inch figure too. I have Chewy, Vader, Obi-Wan, C3PO and a Jawa.
As for both of you, it's time well spent when you write about things you love! ~Robert
With a few exceptions I pretty much only collect Sideshow PFF which are 1/4 scale for which I have the entire SW line. But they have a line of action figures by Hot Toys and Medicom that are pretty sweet along with environments.
Ummm, just one problem, Stormtroper Han wasnt the 1st modern mail-away figure, Spirit of Obi-Wan was, he was all but unposeable, had no accessories, but damn was he cool, and damn did I also eat alot of friggin' Fruit Loops to get him. Stormtrooper Han was available maybe 6 months later.
samurai1138, according to the Star Wars action figure Archives book by Sansweet Han Solo in Stormtrooper outfit was released Nov. 95. Spirit of Obi-Wan was released in January 97. The cantina Band member was in May of 97 and B'OMarr monk was relased in Sept. 97. Page 52 and 53. ~ Robert
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You guys have a lot of time on your hands.