Range Trooper - TBS [P3] - Six Inch Figures (64)

The Imperial expansion requires the settlement of vital operations on remote outpost worlds. These frontier Stormtroopers form a backbone of stubborn defense against would-be thieves and pirates.

One thing Disney Star Wars gets right are the troopers. The standalone films have brought fans some of the coolest and most interesting troopers to date. Some rival the ones from the Original Trilogy in their “awesomeness” factor. Despite the preconceived controversy of Solo: A Star Wars Story (that some fans don’t want to see Han Solo explained), it appears that Disney is following in the similar footsteps of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. They're doing this by creating interesting and intriguing new “bad guys” to interact with younger versions of established characters we already know and love. Take for instance Hasbro’s The Black Series [Phase III] Range Trooper. Sure, at a glance he is reminiscent of what an Imperial space pimp might look like, but beyond the first impression, the character brings together elements of the Shoretooper with the Snowtrooper but also breaks new ground with gear that makes him look superhuman and robotic. (Editor’s Note: For all we know, this could be a robot and not a human inside. It's doubtful, but we’ll have to wait until the film is released to know for sure.) Essentially a “Stormtrooper to the next level,” the Range Trooper enters the Hasbro Star Wars toy line with beauty and excellence. It has its share of issues, but it looks so great that you may not care.

The Range Trooper has been approached like mostly all The Black Series 6” figure are with regards to its articulation. However, most of the figure’s joints (especially in the lower body) experience inhibition because of the inherent design of it. Hasbro sculpted a beautiful parka for this figure. It’s molded, but looks real and like fabric. And because it’s a three-quarter length coat, it interferes with waist movement, hip movement, and knee movement. It’s cast from a pliable material, but even the most pliable plastics possess give that prevent a collector from making the most out of the articulation system. No doubt exists how fabulous the Range Trooper looks. The use of soft-goods, rubbery goods and plastic goods flow seamlessly together. But despite how great the figure looks, it isn’t functional. It’s quite frustrating in fact how the figure is unable to achieve some of the simplest poses possible. It’s safe to say that the complex articulation system that graces this figure is rendered almost completely useless, and that’s a shame because visually it’s another one of Hasbro’s greatest action figures. Once you get past the frustration of the inhibited upper body and waist movement, you’re going to be just as disappointed in the lower leg movement. The mechanics prevent any reasonable movement as well.

As far as accessories are concerned, Range Trooper comes with two. One is a faux fur collar (which completes the look of his molded parka). Hasbro utilized a luxurious fabric. And it’s not oversized or cut inappropriately. It looks great. It’s a pain in the butt to remove. (You must remove the portrait in order to get it off and that is not as easy as it may seem.) But if you decide to remove it, you get a series of new looks for the Range Trooper, something that this figure needs because it is so lightly accessorized. The other accessory is some minor variation of the E-11 blaster that we have seen for years in the Star Wars films. He can hold it well. But that’s the only way he can interact with it. We have suggested this for years now, but we wish Hasbro would start including more accessories with figures that cost $20+. We don’t think there is a full value when there could be so much more offered. Anyway, we’re excited to see how the Range Trooper’s role is executed in Solo: A Star Wars Story. We feel that the Disney Star Wars standalone films are infinitely better than the episodic films. And if they keep the films out of any politics (both sides of the spectrum, but especially the left side) and continue telling good stories, we think Disney Star Wars has a chance at leaving an indelible mark on a significant portion of the currently jaded community of fans.