First Order Stormtrooper - SW [TLJ] - 12-Inch Figures

Equipped with sleek armor and powerful weapons, the Stormtroopers enforce the will of the First Order.

Subtle changes to characters we love are just part of the Star Wars experience. We would begin to question if our most favorite characters in the films didn’t go through subtle metamorphoses. Whether it be completely different facial structures (like Kit Fisto and Stass Allie) or just the slightest costume enhancements (Darth Vader and Boba Fett), change is the name of the game to make the story as good as it can be. Troopers also experience these changes. Most recently, the shape and style of the First Order Stormtrooper’s helmet have received a bit of an update. Less flattened this time around, the change in the contour of this prop has created a healthier look for the First Order army, and Hasbro has been proactive about adding this enhancement to the toys based on these characters. In 2015, Hasbro released the First Order Stormtrooper in The Force Awakens 12-Inch Figure line. Because this character appears in Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi, Hasbro has also added them to this year’s 12-Inch Figures lineup.

But this time the figure also receives the helmet update. Based on 2015’s TFA First Order Stormtrooper 12-Inch Figure, 2017’s SW [TLJ] First Order Stormtrooper 12-Inch Figure is a retool and repaint of the 2015 figure but now comes with an all-new head sculpt. The result is a helmet style that is higher and more pointed than the previous style. But other than a couple of different paint job updates and changes (barely noticeable), the rest of the figure is the same. Part of the kids’ focused 12-Inch Figure line, the First Order Stormtrooper comes with only seven points of articulation. The addition of two swivel wrists helps with posing the figure with the included blaster, but overall these figures can’t do much of anything but stand around. The plastic was cast in a beautiful shiny white color, but it also easily picks up the scuffs and defects caused by the production process. You’ll also find imperfections like paint splatters here and there which affect the aesthetics of this toy. Why must paint operations be such a major issue for the Star Wars line?

As mentioned earlier, the First Order Stormtrooper comes with a blaster. We found that he doesn’t hold it all that well, but it possible to situate it in his hands. He just doesn’t have a firm grasp on it which we find a bit disappointing. We don’t know anyone who army builds the 12-Inch Figures Hasbro makes, but we imagine that it might look like March Of The Wooden Soldiers if you have whole battalion/lineup of them. Collectors often pan Hasbro’s 12-Inch Figures line because of its simplicity. It's an easy target to attack. These aren’t exquisite collectibles, but they serve a purpose for kids that like larger toys. The figures allow them hours of play while developing motor skills while introducing them to articulation and how action figures can move. Also, some kids just like having larger representations of the characters they see in Star Wars films too. Hasbro’s 12-Inch Figures line seems to be doing well despite the criticism it receives. They could liven up the line with more obscure characters, but that doesn’t look like options for a line with limited releases.