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Review |
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| Sculpt: |
| The Imperial Troopers that comprised the scanning crew assigned to the MILLENNIUM FALCON in STAR WARS: A NEW HOPE, are the basis for this sculpt. Originally released in 1997 as the second figure packed into the Kenner MILLENNIUM FALCON carrying case, this was a fairly good representation of the character at that time. Today, however, it's pretty mediocre. It suffers from the typical bulked-up sculpts of the POTF2 early line, as it was believed that only ultra-muscled figures (a la Mattel's Masters of the Universe figures) would appeal to kids of the time. While the costume is fairly accurate, no attempt was made to get the facial likeness of either actor playing the scanning techs; the faces were just generic. The hands are sculpted in the typical "weapons-ready" stance, even though the figure never came with a blaster. This means that the figure can't even properly hold the scanning equipment box it comes with: 7 out of 10. |
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| Paint: |
| Like most OTC figures, the Imperial Trooper is molded in the primary colors of his uniform, then paint is added appropriately. The torso, arms, pelvis and legs are molded in the bluish-gray of his uniform, with black paint added for the boots and belt. There are silver accents on the belt, as well as on the left arm where the metal insignia bars are. His hands are painted to match his flesh-colored head. The entire uniform is then given a dark gray wash to bring out sculpted details, and there is a painted Imperial Seal applied to each shoulder. The head is molded in black, with the face painted the same flesh-color as the hands. The hair on this figure is a light brown, and there is a silver accent on the black cap. Overall, there are five colors used on this figure. 8/10. |
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| Articulation: |
| Back to basics for this POTF2-era repack. Standard planer-cut joints at the neck, waist, both shoulders, and both hips, for the 1995-1999 standard of six points of articulation. What a difference a few years makes, huh? 7/10. |
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| Accessories: |
| The Imperial Trooper comes with a scanning box and the same gunmetal gray "Star Wars"-logo figure stand that most OTC and 2005 Transitional figures are given: 7.5/10. |
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| Packaging: |
| The same OTC card as the rest of the series, with a character-specific background image--in this case an interior corridor of the MILLENNIUM FALCON. The insert shows a close-up screenshot of the light-haired Imperial Trooper from the scanning crew, and has the logo for STAR WARS: A NEW HOPE on the far left, then the figure's name and OTC collection number (OTC #38) on the right flange. The cardback shows both scanning techs carrying the equipment box up the FALCON's entry ramp, and explains how the techs were sent aboard to scan for life signs after the ship was captured by the Death Star: 8.5/10. |
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| Availability: |
| As of this writing, the figure has been appearing at retail for about four months, and is also available from most online sources: 8/10. |
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| Conclusion: |
| So, after all the fuss of the Fan's Choice Figure Poll #6 that WASN'T the actual Fan's Choice Figure Poll #6, the repacked, repainted Imperial Scanning Technician that was the second pack-in figure offered with the fairly lame POTF2 MILLENNIUM FALCON figure carrying case, ends up being worthy of mention only because this figure has blond hair. The original POTF2 version had black hair. Gee, how collectible! OK, do I sound jaded? Well, when it comes to making a big deal out of this figure, maybe I am. It's anti-climactic, and accentuates one of the biggest drawbacks to the entire OTC line -- repaints of old figures still does nothing but put out figures that are outdated by modern collecting standards, even if the new paint jobs are pretty spiffy: 7.7/10. |
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