Figure of the Day: Day 999: Snowtrooper

SNOWTROOPER with stand
The Saga Collection Basic Figures
Item No.: Asst. 85770 No. 85931
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #011
Includes: Blaster, stand, bonus holographic figure
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $6.99
Availability: February 2006
Appearances: The Empire Strikes Back

Bio: The snowtroopers escort Darth Vader as they storm into Echo Base. Once inside, they find that most of the Rebels have already fled. Only the Millennium Falcon remains, hampered by persistent electrical problems. As the snowtroopers mount their heavy repeating blasters, Han Solo quickly deploys a secret blaster on the Falcon's underside to keep the attackers at bay. . (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam's junk table.

Commentary: Hasbro sure likes to recycle parts! While it can get annoying with some figures, I actually quite like to see it with the likes of the Snowtrooper. Why? Well, if you're the kind of person who likes having a small army, it's really great when not every figure is in the exact same pose. This one takes the figure from the waist-up from 2003 and bashes it together with the legs from the 1997 edition, resulting in a release that actually stands up better and is a little more stable. In other words, Hasbro engineered this figure to be superior from its predecessors without using any new tooling. That's really impressive.

For 2006, this figure didn't have great articulation. You've got shoulders, neck, waist, and hips-- that's it. As such, this figure may not be ideal for all dioramas, but if you need troopers to fill out a scene or to fill out an AT-AT cargo hold, this is a good one to pick. The deco is great, there's not a lot of mud or brown here unlike the early modern Snowtroopers. Oh, and his blaster fits into his holster-- a nice touch!

Collector's Notes: A fairly strong seller in 2006, this figure has since been rendered obsolete by future releases-- namely the "Vintage" Snowtrooper, which was just reissued on a basic cardback with more accessories. As such, don't get this one as your main Snowtrooper, but if you're wanting multiples make sure you get one or two of these to fill out the ranks.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 999: April 13, 2009