Stormtrooper - POTF2 [FF/TKC] - Basic

The Imperial shock troops are infalteringly loyal to Emperor Palpatine and his wishes. These elite corps are deployed to neutralize resistance to the Empire and placed aboard Imperial vessels to ensure lower officers stay true to the Emperor's vision.

Ten years separate the vintage Kenner Star Wars toy line from the modern Kenner/Hasbro The Power Of The Force “2” line. Where did the decade go, and how did it pass us by so quickly? Ten years gave the Star Wars brand a much-needed rest, the refreshment so new ideas could spring forth, and a plan for what the Star Wars line was to become in 1995. The thought of Star Wars figures appearing on store shelves for a new era of collecting after a decade of nothingness was almost too much to absorb. It came to fruition, however, and in the summer of 1995, longtime Star Wars fans and collectors rushed to Toys R Us and other retailers that sold toys to scoop up the first batch of modern figures. The return of the 3.75” scale was exciting. Kenner/Hasbro started with characters mostly from the very first Star Wars film, but soon other characters from the Original Trilogy followed. The inaugural case assortment contained eight action figures. A ninth figure, C-3PO, although pictured on the card back, wouldn’t make its way to retail until a couple of months later because of production delays. But one character, the Stormtrooper, became a point of interest for Star Wars collectors, and also became the first Star Wars figure that collectors were buying in multiples to build their armies! Hasbro gave collectors ample opportunity to buy multiples of the Stormtrooper. It was part of the “Red” and “Green” card backs, and now it is part of the “Freeze Frame” lineup.

Sadly, it didn’t take long for collectors to realize how poorly designed the Stormtrooper action figure was. And in some bizarre twist of fate, Kenner/Hasbro kept releasing it (and other tweaked versions of it) acting like it faithfully represented the onscreen character. By the time The Power Of The Force “2” [Freeze Frame/The Kenner Collection] line came to be, Kenner/Hasbro chose the same Stormtrooper figure to help round out the line. It would be the final time this figure saw a re-release in the modern toy line. This time, the Stormtrooper comes packed with a Freeze Frame Action Slide bonus, and sports a classic Lucasfilm promotional shot from Star Wars of three Stormtroopers in various poses on the Death Star. For collectors, the inclusion of the Freeze Frame Action Slide was reason enough to purchase the figure another time. Although intended to be a simple straight repack of the 1995 figure, time, in this case, three years, has allowed this version of the Stormtrooper to feel somewhat different. The legs look slightly repositioned, and the deco and the color of the white plastic all seem to have differing looks. But that could be the making the same figure at two different points on the Kenner/Hasbro timeline. And also, packaging greatly affects the shape and stature of the action figure too. Overall, you can consider this a straight repack of the 1995 release, but at the same time you will also notice subtle differences.

The Stormtrooper is perhaps the finest example to why the bulkier style of Star Wars action figures does not work. As exciting as it is to see a modern Stormtrooper action figure, we have to admit that the final product leaves a lot to be desired. The likeness of the Stormtrooper is what bothers us most. The helmet, in particular, looks nothing like the on-screen character. But for the first time, it is articulated. Between this and the added waist articulation, the modern Stormtrooper has two extra points of articulation that the vintage Kenner figure does not have. But that’s not all that is wrong with the Stormtrooper. The bulkiness of the armor and the “walking” pose of the action figure make this figure a completely bittersweet re-release, especially when so many of the 1998 action figures come with significantly updated approaches. Originally Introduced with a $4.99 price point, the MSRP for the Freeze Frame figure is a dollar more: $5.99 each. You get a repacked action figure, two weapons, and a Freeze Frame Action Slide pack-in premium. You could do a whole lot worse. Unfortunately, the same problems that afflicted the original release are once again present here. The center of gravity is nonexistent. The figure has an awful balance. And while the paint applications should be simple here, it’s hit or miss how cleanly applied they are, from the helmet to the soles of the boots leaking onto the white part, to the dots on the torso.