Amidst all the new imagery for Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, what seems to have captured collectors’ imagination the most is the look of the new Deathtroopers, perhaps because they were the very first major new thing revealed in that early, five-second trailer-for-a-trailer. But who are we kidding – it’s because they’re shiny black Stormtroopers. Like, maybe these are the goths of the Stormtrooper world, constantly brooding about how easily their brethren get killed or fooled by farmboys from desert planets. It might be fortunate for them that, barring new information, they don’t apparently stick around long enough to see fellow troops lose to teddy bears in a forest.
Or maybe they are around, were just being badasss on the wrong planet when the Endor battle happened, and will return to harass Finn and Rey. You never know–the way Lucasfilm is trying to tie everything together more closely now, it’s a distinct possibility.
Here’s what we do know: both Sideshow Collectibles and Hot Toys, who create the most detailed figures out there, have made some elaborately crafted renditions of the scariest Imperial infantrymen to date, the elite soldiers of Director Krennic. Which one should you buy? If you can’t afford the obvious answer, “both,” it depends what you prefer. Sideshow’s Premium Format version stands over 18 inches tall, and is a stunning display piece with its environmental base, armor that sits atop a detailed body suit, and a fabric tactical chest rig that holds sculpted grenades and other accessories.
If you prefer to pose your figures and play around with them a bit, Hot Toys’ 12″ figure has all the same level of detail in a slightly smaller scale, on top of a fully articulated body. It also includes an LED light-up function! Only one image has been revealed so far, but it’s a doozy:
Sideshow has released a few more images of theirs, which you can see below. Their Deathtrooper is already up for preorder at Sideshowtoy.com; the Hot Toys version–like all Hot Toys, distributed domestically by Sideshow–should follow suit in the next few days. And if you ask why you must pay Sideshow, we can truly and accurately respond, in our best protocol droid English accent, “Because he’s holding a thermal detonator!” [He is. It’s just plastic, though.]
Do you need one of these Deathtroopers in your life? Don’t we all? Leave your thoughts in comments.
Don’t miss our breakdown of the newest Rogue One trailer:
Images: Sideshow/Hot Toys
