Snowtrooper - SW [SOTDS] - Saga Legends (SL23)

These specially trained stormtroopers wear customized armor well suited to the climate extremes on ice planets such as Hoth. These cold environment specialists stormed the Rebel Alliance's base at the Battle of Hoth, brandishing blaster rifles with precise skill and undeterred by the subzero conditions.

Hasbro knew they created the definitive Snowtrooper action figure when it was first released in the 2007 wave of the VTSC line. And we quickly knew that we would see this great action figure get released and rereleased time and again. And it certainly has been! Since the original 2007 VTSC Imperial Stormtrooper (Hoth Battle Gear), this sculpt in some form or another has been released no less than a half a dozen times. These versions include the figure from 2007’s TAC The Battle Of Hoth Ultimate Battle Pack, 2009’s TLC Snowtrooper Saga Legends (SL25), 2009’s LC Snowtrooper (BD55), 2010’s SW [SOTDS] Hoth Assault Battle Packs set (and this same figure was first packed as the first version of the 2010 Saga Legends figure), 2010’s SW [SOTDS] Attack On Hoth TARGET exclusive. But it didn't stop there. A second release in the 2010 Saga Legends line was released at the end of the year and includes yet another all-new paint job. This version made its way into later shipments of the 2010/2011 Saga Legends waves, yet interestingly brings the Snowtrooper full circle to how it looked when first released in 2007. We reported on this second release HERE. As you can see, we definitely have a big palette of Snowtrooper figures from which to choose, but it’s a good bet that you have all or most of them already in your collections just out of sheer army-building necessity. Although this Snowtrooper sculpt has gone through quite a metamorphosis by way of its deco, Hasbro has done little (and only improvements) to affect the integrity of the sculpt which is great because it's nearly perfect as is. And we even believe that the best and most definitive version of the action figure is this updated Saga Legends figure.

Not only has the figure been updated with an excellent paint job (both versions of the Saga Legends figure are great), Hasbro also tweaked the stance of the legs. The sculpt became a little bit adulterated in the 2009 Legacy Collection (BD55) version. The update here is wonderful work because that figure had a ridiculously wide stance which is now gone and in its place are redesigned/repositioned and properly placed legs. This gives the Snowtrooper a natural (and remarkable) look. We reported this update and it was subsequently confirmed by Hasbro in a Q&A session (found HERE). But the changes don't really stop there. The helmet has a very distinct paint job and you’ll be able to tell it apart from all other versions. While we thought we were partial to the heavily dark wash on the first version (which was the style they used in 2010's SW [SOTDS] Hoth Assault Battle Packs set, the second (and much cleaner) version is evidently the better one because it looks so much more authentic to the film, to a much more satisfying degree. The Snowtrooper is obviously the perfect candidate for the Saga Legends line because it appears that collectors cannot get enough of this action figure for army-building. And if Hasbro is to continue tweaking them every time they see rerelease, they won’t become boring. This makes us want them more and more. There are sure to be purists out there that may not appreciate the removable helmet, but it has a pretty snug fit and if you keep it on his head. So it should not cause that much distress. Besides, there are so many details in the uniform to appreciate so keep your selves occupied with all the positivity this figure possesses. Be sure to make note of all of the changes this Snowtrooper has experienced in our report found HERE.

Hasbro successfully produced a definitive sculpt for the Snowtrooper right from the start. Sure it's gone through a series of updates and slight retools, but it's always been a great action figure. There hasn’t been a need for a resculpt from the ground up since (aside from the previously mentioned slight but very important retool of the legs). It goes without saying that it is rare when a sculpt that is over three years old is still shining and remains the "go to" mold when a rerelease is needed. And it's quite amazing that it still looks as incredible as it did when it was first released. But still, while we’re thrilled to have the opportunity to purchase him again in the Saga Legends line, we think it would have made more sense to get him back into the vintage line look via The Vintage Collection, especially since 2010 marked the 30 year anniversary landmark of The Empire Strikes Back. Hasbro has other things in mind it seems. Many collectors are partial to the very first version of this figure released in the VTSC line, but we bet if you take the time to compare that figure to this one that you’ll be able to see that the 2010 version is unequivocally the better figure. Expect the Snowtrooper to make repeat appearances in the line for quite some time. While we don’t expect Hasbro to tweak its paint job every time they rerelease it, we think that is a cheap and cost-effective way to ensure its continual sell through and maintain its success. We’ll just have to revisit this and see where we are in a few years. But we hope that this figure will at the very least still be available to purchase in some form in the basic figure line because it’s an incredible figure. Oh, and be sure to check out our comprehensive report on the overview and evolution of the 2010 Saga Legends line right HERE.