Star Wars Advent Calendar - Day 22
Posted by CapnRex101,
Following four days dominated by Hoth, I hope something completely different emerges today. Traditional minifigures have been exceptionally noticeable by their recent absence.
Perhaps one will appear today...
Twelve days have passed since Rey, our last standard minifigure, emerged from this Advent Calendar and today's Stormtrooper is excellent. Characters for army building are perfect for Advent Calendars and Stormtroopers are perhaps the quintessential example. The modern dual-moulded helmet has not proven universally popular but includes outstanding detail and closely resembles the onscreen soldiers.
The decorated torso and legs appear equally accurate, featuring realistic shading around the midriff and appropriate shapes across the chest. Unfortunately, the knee protectors terminate quite abruptly because the printing does not extend to the feet. However, this minifigure looks perfect when viewed from behind, including the famous cylindrical thermal detonator.
Clone Trooper heads have been used for Imperial Stormtroopers since 2014, swiftly following their introduction during 2013. I imagine this will be its final appearance because more varied heads were available inside the helmets of Imperial personnel during the summer. The black blaster rifle remains unchanged though.
Overall - 4.5 - Stormtroopers are perfect for army building and these minifigures are extremely detailed so more are always appreciated!
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26 comments on this article
When the new helmets were first released, I couldn’t stand them. After having a couple in person, they look great. If you don’t have one of the new stormtroopers, and you don’t like it, find a cheap set with one in it, you may find they actually look good.
This is my first new Stormtrooper, and I have to say that I am impressed. The pictures and general opinion showed the helmets to be clunky and awkward, but I think this design to be much sleeker while adding a lot more detail.
Very happy with it but would’ve hoped for a more festive minifigure like Poe and swapped the days around. Can’t complain too much with the Gonk Droid yesterday though.
Another thing I’ve noticed is that these helmets put the troopers slightly taller than the older ones. I guess that means we can use the old helmets for disguised Luke on the Death Star : “Aren’t you a little short for a Stormtrooper?”
Wish they included something green for Christmas, such as SW0129, or SW0518.
Only Poe's sweater, D-O's nose and highlights, and Gonk's arms.
I didn't know there was this little green in the whole galaxy.
I like the figure. Nice printed details and I like the new helmets. Probably should have come much earlier in the month but that's a minor gripe.
Guns are soooo Christmassy.
If all Stormtroopers are equipped with thermal detonators, how come you never see them deployed in any TV show or movie?
Hopefully the last Angry Clone I will ever have to see.
Still don't like the new Stormtrooper helmet. They look like they ran into a wall and squashed their face in.
@Rare_White_Ape said:
"If all Stormtroopers are equipped with thermal detonators, how come you never see them deployed in any TV show or movie?"
Stormtroopers have usually been killed by the time they would be deploying their thermal detonators!
Off the top of my head, you see Shoretroopers and Death Troopers using their detonators during Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and R2-D2 borrows a thermal detonator from a dead Clone Trooper during Star Wars: The Clone Wars. However, I cannot immediately recall any occasions where standard Stormtroopers have used thermal detonators.
@Rare_White_Ape said:
"If all Stormtroopers are equipped with thermal detonators, how come you never see them deployed in any TV show or movie?"
Maybe it’s out of concerns for blowing their team mates up? They already can’t see out of those helmets very well!
You can never have enough of these. For those of us who watched the first movie at the theater in 1977, these will always put a smile on our faces.
Ah yes... Family Guy Stormtrooper ;)
I’m super happy to get this. Surprised it didn’t show up earlier in the calendar. I like the helmet—it has great detailing!
@Rare_White_Ape said:
"If all Stormtroopers are equipped with thermal detonators, how come you never see them deployed in any TV show or movie?"
Stormtroopers have no game.
@Rare_White_Ape:
No stormtrooper has ever lived to tell the tale...
@Rare_White_Ape said:
"If all Stormtroopers are equipped with thermal detonators, how come you never see them deployed in any TV show or movie?"
If they can’t hit anything with a blaster do you really want them flinging grenades around?
Is it me or is the white helmet colour slightly different to the white body colour
I reeeeeally want an inventory of which figures have appeared in Advent Calendars at this point. Is this our second or third classic Stormtrooper? (I know we've had a Clone Pilot, Phase 1 and Phase 2 Clone, at least two Snowtroopers, a Biker Scout....)
Heck, maybe I'll write one up and post on Day 24.
This is my first of the new storm trooper helmets, and I gotta say, they look weird. Almost like the Family Guy parody versions. They're very detailed, sure, I won't argue against that. The dual molding is also really neat. But they just don't feel like they have (to me, at least) the "LEGO Look." just my 2 cents.
@watermelon123 said:
"Ah yes... Family Guy Stormtrooper ;)"
More Phineas and Ferb to me, but good observation.
@Brickalili:
I suppose that depends on what side you’re on. In ANH:SE, Han might have been thrilled if someone chucked a thermal detonator at him when he ran into that room full of Stormies.
@ResIpsaLoquitur:
I was about to collect a link to post, and then I realized how difficult it is to do so. Most of the minifigs in these sets aren’t exclusive, or even original to, their respect advent calendars, so they get cataloged as regular minifigs with no way to quickly pick out which ones showed up on this side of the North Pole. It’s not too hard to dig through the set listings to find them, but it does get a bit tedious once there are more than a couple calendars to check.
@kipper147:
I’ve said it before, but they look like someone chopped the heads off Hasbro action figures and hollowed them out until they’d fit on a minifig head.
The death troopers also use theirs in The Mandalorian. I don’t ever remember any regular stormtroopers using theirs.
Personally I don't collect Imperial Stormies but I am in awe at the level of detail as regards the helmet. Prior to reading the various messages above about the helmet details I didn't realize there is controversy about the helmet details but as far as I am concerned this is flawless.
Tomorrow is probably gonna be Vader’s castle and then vader after that, on the last day. They’re the only ones left on the packaging that we haven’t gotten, and there is only two days left. It wouldn’t make sense for Vader’s castle to be last, and they also don’t put two figures in a row.
@Rare_White_Ape said:
"If all Stormtroopers are equipped with thermal detonators, how come you never see them deployed in any TV show or movie?"
Waaay less effective
I don't deny it's more accurate, but like the new rebel pilot helmet that was also more accurate, I can't help but think that aiming for accurate proportions on a minifig that's twice as wide as it is thick is always going to look goofy.
Wee Billy Bigchin.
@Rare_White_Ape said:
"If all Stormtroopers are equipped with thermal detonators, how come you never see them deployed in any TV show or movie?"
Can you imagine the amount of paperwork that entails with the use of Empire-issued ordnance? Better to just keep shooting.
BTW, I can't believe no one mentioned in yesterday's post about the Snowman GONK that it is straight out of the Lego Star Wars Holiday Special.