Review: 40300 Han Solo Mudtrooper
Posted by CapnRex101,
40300 Han Solo Mudtrooper is the latest in a series of exclusive Star Wars minifigures, each packaged with a display base, which have been released during the last couple of years. I have really enjoyed this range so am delighted that one of the Solo: A Star Wars Story polybags is now widely available.
This polybag does not include a brand new character but it does take inspiration from an important scene in the film, during which Han Solo encounters Chewbacca for the first time!
Minifigure
75211 Imperial TIE Fighter contains a Han Solo minifigure wearing his Imperial Mudtrooper garb and this figure evidently takes inspiration from the same source. However, his attire is now almost entirely covered with dark tan mud, presumably reflecting the awful conditions in the underground pen where Han is condemned to fight a Wookiee named Chewbacca.
The muddy texture looks absolutely fantastic in my opinion, continuing all the way from Han's dark tan hair piece to his feet. There is no printing on the arms which is somewhat disappointing, although I like the rest of the minifigure. The double-sided head is particularly impressive, featuring a grimace on one side and a worried expression on the other. Both designs capture a great deal of emotion and suit the character perfectly.
The Completed Model
A simple display stand accompanies the minifigure and its design is consistent with others in the series. Technic pin holes allow you to connect the stands together and they all feature a lovely name plaque. It is interesting to note that official images show a sticker which reads 'Han Solo Mudtrooper' but the final version spells Mudtrooper as two separate words. This is unfortunate as it should be a single word, although that is a relatively minor detail.
Han Solo stands against a muddy backdrop that features a fallen AT-DT on the Mimbanese battlefield. This presents a clear contrast with the dark tan mud on the minifigure's armour and definitely captures the atmosphere of Mimban in the movie. Moreover, the copyright information is now concealed behind the base, following the example of 40298 DJ which was released earlier in 2018.
Overall
I was surprised to learn that LEGO were going to produce a muddy version of Han Solo in his Imperial Mudtrooper guise but this is a brilliant figure. The mud looks suitably slimy and it has been realistically mixed with a few areas of visible armour, remaining faithful to the source material while also capturing the slightly cartoonish quality that makes LEGO minifigures so popular.
However, exclusive characters are always preferable to new versions of existing minifigures and there are others who might have been more appealing. Dryden Vos, for example, is a notable absentee from the Solo: A Star Wars Story range. Even so, this is still a great polybag and I would recommend adding it to your collection.
I hope you have found this review informative. Let us know by liking this article and share your thoughts on the set in the comments below.
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19 comments on this article
I have ordered R3-M2 and picked up the Han Solo & Kessel Mine figures, so I should have all five of these 'minifigure with backdrop' sets as soon as R3 arrives!
Interesting printing on his body. I like the texture of the mud.
Good figure from a design standpoint but of little personal interest to me. The trainwreck that is DIsney Star Wars has made me rather apathetic to LEGO SW.
Hopefully this becomes available to buy on its own at my local Lego store like the Scarif Trooper was. I definitely would not go out of my way to get him otherwise.
Neat little guy for sure.
I was just thinking as I ordered my last lot of Lego to get this..... I also have all 4. But struggle to think why you would display them together, as they are clearly designed to do so. Is there ANYTHING in common that links them, apart from all having a stand and backdrop and being star wars........?
Worth noting that in the US, Barnes and Noble currently has a GWP to get the other one of this duo: the Kessel Mine Worker.
It gets automatically added to your cart on purchases of $29.95 or more.
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/h/free-lego-star-wars-minifigure
I have the wig in his traditional brown but i like it in that colour too, nice minifig for a freebie, i also like the scarif trooper aswell..
I'm not a fan of 'dirty' printing on minifigs. Nor do I much like 'yet another variation' of a common character being part of the 'line'. I'm sure there are plenty of more obscure characters that could have been made instead.
Having the first 3 does give me a bit of a dilemma & I'll probably end up getting it at some point - hopefully for the same price my last DJs cost me (Tesco clearance)
I would love to know the logic, if there is any, behind why the characters are chosen for this ‘range’. I can’t see even the faintest link between any of them and side by side they just look odd.
I'd guess they're figures that don't really fit anywhere else.
I feel like the "mud trooper" typo is more than a minor detail when it's the only sticker on a 22-piece set and it's prominently displayed!
I only own R3-M2, and am not going to go out of my way to get this one, although it is nice to see them making minifigures absent from the sets.
You can actually just buy the Kessel worker at Barnes and Noble for $1.29. mine was behind the counter. Yes, I only bought one--I didn't want to be the guy who bought their entire stock.
This and Cake Unikitty and Cake Puppicorn. Is why I want this.
Anyone know where and when the Kessel mine worker will be available in th UK.
I still wonder why they made R3-M2 and yet another Shoretrooper instead of Saw for Rogue One...
When and where was 40299-1: Kessel Mine Worker available i Europe?
So it looks like the promo of a free mudtrooper when spending £30 on Lego store online is over. No mudtrooper added to a qualifying order in UK anymore. It appears online stock ran out fast on this one. Hopefully that will mean ebay and bricklink gets flooded with the mudtooper and the price drops in the coming months.