Star Wars: The Black Series Amazon Exclusive First Order Stormtrooper

 There have been a number of exclusive Black Series figures over the last three years, ranging in value from Must Have to Could Have Passed On, but this one may be the most superfluous. The Amazon Exclusive First Order Stormtrooper is basically a $30 accessory package.

But, that shouldn’t be misconstrued as meaning that the figure is a dud. The chances are rather high that by this point, your collection contains a First Order Stormtrooper, as there have been plenty of chances to get one, even if it was a low priority of yours. The base figure here is no different from any of the previous releases of the standard Stormtrooper.

But, included in the absolutely awesome box with the standard Stormtrooper is a bevy of accessories, likely each one that has been produced for First Order units, minus the clearly specialized parts like the Flametrooper backpack. The box is excellent, and is packaged in a slip cover with the by-now-standard grey illustration on the glossy black background. The innermost packaging is a simple plastic shell, but the opening panels are very cool. Add this to the list of Black Series special packaging that’s staying in the closet, even now when throwing away the box has become a common practice. Man, sometimes exclusives for this line come in the neatest package, and that adds so much to the total experience. This packaging really makes the trooper seem special, despite it being a figure that has made it into my collection five times already.

The Stormtrooper is the same old guy as before, no different from the regular, or Riot Trooper, or Executioner, or FN-2187, or Commander versions. It even has the feet that never seem to be able to support or balance the figure, and the elbows that aren’t able to bend to even a 45 degree angle. Why not fix that after so many uses? Seriously.

But the accessories here are what makes this figure different. Yes, it comes with the First Order blasters, both rifle and pistol versions, as well as some other parts we’ve already gotten, like the riot gear; although this is an improved set of riot gear, as the shield is not stuck on the troopers arm, as is the case with the dedicated Riot Trooper, and the baton is the extendable version that came with First Order Officer Finn, and not the weaker, static version that came with the Riot Trooper.

What is new, however, allows you to turn this run of the mill Stormtrooper into a Heavy Stormtrooper! The backpack and web gear both bulk the figure out and give it a different enough look to make it a different unit, and not just a trooper with a different weapon load out. The set is completed by a large, heavy blaster and mounting components. The blaster and parts form a stationary blaster, but turning the piece upside down allows it to be carried by hand. Sort of. There is a grip molded into the back end of the part, but the troopers’ hand cannot hold it. The weapon ends up being held by a part that looks like it could be a handle, or maybe even some sort of sight, and turning the blaster upside down allows the trooper to hold that part while wedging the back end of the blaster into the chest/bend of the arm does actually let the figure hold the large, heavy, blocky weapon. It’s a workaround, but it works.

Another completely new accessory that comes in this set is a pair of collapsing binoculars, which look excellent. The limited elbow bend means the trooper can’t exactly hold them with both hands up to his face, but the piece is a neat accessory. It’s not a repainted version of the binoculars that came with Gree, which you’d be forgiven for thinking they would be, but an entirely new part. Not sure if this means that it will start coming with other troopers or Black Series figures in the future, but that wouldn’t be a bad thing. The only issue with them, since the trooper elbow issues are the figures’, not the accessories, is that the piece is connected by a simple joint in the center, and too much movement causes the joint to separate. All that needs to be done is the two halves be popped back together, but still. It is slightly annoying to have such a cool accessory constantly splitting in half.

I am having some trouble remembering what the original cost of this figure was, but I think it was something like $35. So really, only a moderate mark up from the standard Black Series $20. The high accessory count accounts for the extra money; that, and its status as an exclusive, which generally adds $10 to a figure. The question ends up being whether or not the figure is worth the extra cost, seeing as it is just a First Order Stormtrooper in a really cool package with some extra pieces, most of which you may already have. The answer is found in how you choose to view this as an individual figure.

I know, I know. I’ve gotten some criticism in the last couple months for being too accepting of toys, like I like everything. Why don’t you dislike anything, Moby Richard? Aren’t you supposed to complain about toys? This whole “it depends on how you look at this figure” bit isn’t supposed to be some wishy-washy statement. It’s true.

If you look at this figure and just see a First Order Stormtrooper (correctly) AGAIN, then it is not worth the extra cost. But, if you look at it as a First Order Heavy Trooper, which is a figure that has not been released in the line yet, then it really IS worth the money. This isn’t a Stormtrooper with extra parts; it’s an exclusive Heavy Trooper with extra parts. The Heavy has made an appearance in the 3.75” class, but not the 6” class. So, in that sense, this is a new figure, and now its status as an Amazon exclusive Black Series figure is more easily justified. Said Heavy Troopers are distinguished from the standard version by their web gear and large blaster, both of which are included in this set. Everyone loves having each trooper that appears on screen, and here’s one that you didn’t get. It also ends up filling that niche that the Amazonexclusive Praetorian Guard does: was on screen, so owning one doesn’t end up being a random figure on your shelf, but rather a unit that was seen in the movie.

 

If, however, all you see when you look at this figure is another Stormtrooper, but one that comes with some extra blasters, it should be a pretty easy pass.

For the Coffin’s shelves, this is a Heavy Trooper, FINALLY, because that guy has been in two Star Wars movies by now, and never got a figure.