Presenting the Star Wars Black Series Stormtrooper – this is not to be confused with the 6” Black Series Stormtrooper that was released in 2014.
I am not a fan of the way Stormtroopers are portrayed in the Star Wars Universe. Particularly the way they are portrayed in the Star Wars Rebels cartoon series. Early on the series established the rigorous regimen that Stormtroopers have to undergo to become members of the Empire’s elite. But throughout the series we are treated to just one reality “Stormtroopers can’t hit the side of the barn.” That and they are tactically stupid.
It doesn’t make sense that the entire Universe fears an army that can’t hit you with a BlasTech E-11 Blaster Rifle if you were standing right in front of them.
A quick check at the Stormtrooper wiki reveals that The Imperial Department of Military Research produced Stormtrooper helmets that had Multi-Frequency Targeting and Acquisition System (MFTAS) that helps with the Stormtroopers' perception in darkness as well as smoke and other visibility obscuring conditions.
Yet still they can’t hit anything.
PROS
FIRST: I like how Hasbro decided to give the 3.75” Black Series Stormtrooper the same weapons that his larger Black Series cousin has: The Standard Blastech E-11 Blaster Rifle, and a DLT-19 Heavy Blaster Rifle – the rifle based upon the German MG32 and which is favoured by the bounty hunter 4-LOM.
SECOND: This particular Stormtrooper is, to my knowledge, only the second Hasbro Star Wars figure to bear the folding stock for the Blastech E-11 Blaster Rifle. Maybe that’s why the Stormtroopers can’t hit anything, they never properly deploy their weapons. The only other figure that I know of that has this is the Star Wars 3.75” Black Series Snowtrooper Commander.
THIRD: The Star Wars Black Series Stormtrooper comes with excellent articulation. He’s what we’ve come to expect from the series. The Black Series Stormtrooper interacts well with his weapons, and is a joy to pose.
ARTICULATION:
Head is mounted on a ball joint on a neck hinge
Upper torso is also on a ball joint allowing it to swivel and tilt fore and aft.
Ball jointed shoulders with bicep swivel
Single direction elbows, no forearm swivel
360° wrists
No waist swivel
Ball jointed legs with split ability
Single jointed, single-direction knees
Boot/ankle tilt and swivel
CONS
FIRST: The helmet. There is something about the Star Wars Black Series Stormtrooper’s helmet that reminds me of Stan from American Dad. At first I thought it was because you could remove the helmet which is why the lower portion seems bloated, but no, you can not remove the helmet. It just seems so distorted.
SECOND: The Star Wars Black Series Stormtrooper’s belt – for two reasons: a) It’s loose. As a result it keeps moving around his waist. There were times that we had to stop our shoot upon realizing that the canister holding the Stormtrooper’s explosives was now in front of the Stormtrooper and not at the small of his back; b) The new Blastech E-11 Blaster Rifle’s expanding stock prevents it from being placed into his side holster. You have to remove the stock in order to slip the rifle into the side-holster.
BUYER/COLLECTORS RECOMMENDATION: Most collectors get Stormtroopers off the shelves to serve as troop-builders. If that’s your reason for wanting to buy this particular figure, it’s a bit pricey given what it’s capable of and the weaponry that comes with it. It would look better as a squad of Stormtroopers with stocks extended or bearing a DLT-19 Heavy Blaster Rifle. As a group such a squad would make a wonderful conversation piece and people would wonder where you got custom weapons for 3.75” figures.
or that purpose alone I am trying to score at least 8 of these Star Wars Black Series Stormtroopers. But now I need to get a Stormtrooper Commander as well. This particular Star Wars Black Series Stormtrooper was purchased at the local retail Toys"R"Us for $15.55 USD and it’s available online for $12.99 USD. Others are available online here.
For Dad.