Imperial Stormtrooper

An Imperial Stormtrooper, also referred to as just a Stormtrooper, is a minifigure first released in 2001, based on the soldiers of the Galactic Empire from the Star Wars universe. To date, a total of ten different variants of Stormtrooper have been made with appearances in over twenty sets. Stormtroopers have also appeared as playable characters in all four LEGO Star Wars video games.
== Description ==
The first Stormtrooper, released in 2001, has plain white legs with a black leg joint. It also has a white torso with white arms and black hands, and features grey and black printing on the front and back of the piece to depict the armour, belt, thermal detonator attached to the back, and the black gaps between the armour plates around the shoulder and neck areas. The Stormtrooper has a plain unprinted yellow head, with a Stormtrooper helmet, a piece newly made for this minifigure and the original TIE Pilot which was also released in 2001. This white piece has printing for various features which make up a Stormtrooper's helmet- black visual sensors around the eye area, with a black horizontal strip above the sensors which represents a rubber guard. At the end of each side of the guard is a grey area, each repesenting a filter. Below these in the ear areas are grey rectangles for the auditory sensors, and below the visual sensors are grey, curved shapes depicting heat dispensation vents. Around the mouth area is a small black curved shape representing the mouth grille, and black printing is used on the bottom of the helmet at the front with three dots (one large in the middle, one smaller one to either side), and five stripes on the sides of the bottom of the piece, which represents further filters for breathing and airflow. In each appearance it makes, this Stormtrooper comes armed with a blaster, made up of a black piece commonly used as a megaphone in the City theme, with a transparent reddish-orange stud attached to the narrower end.
In 2005, a new variant of the Stormtrooper was released, and was exclusive to the set 7264 Imperial Inspection. This Stormtrooper again featured a yellow head, and the torso design remained the same, however, all grey printing was changed to the newer medium stone grey colour. The Stormtrooper's helmet was also changed, with a larger mouth grille, larger visual sensors around the eye area, larger heat dispensation vents below the eyes, and longer but thinner filter printing at the top of the piece with more of a curve towards the front. It also includes a change to the leg piece- this one has both white legs and a white leg joint, and features printing- black areas on the inside areas of the legs depicting gaps between the armour plating, and two different designs for each leg around the knee area- the right featuring several rectangles outlined in black, depicting the armour's power cells, and the left featuring a small armour plate, based on a knee plate designed for a Stormtrooper's comfort when firing from a kneeling position. Four of these minifigures were included in 7264, two were armed with the same megaphone blasters as the original variant, while the other two were armed with blaster rifles, made from large black camera parts with transparent reddish-orange cone pieces attached to the ends.
In 2006, the design changed yet again. This version of the Stormtrooper retained the same torso and helmet, but the legs were changed back to the same as the original- plain white with a black leg joint. In addition, the yellow headpiece was replaced with another plain one, but this time with a flesh-coloured tone. This variant is exclusive to the set 6211 Imperial Star Destroyer which includes two of these Stormtroopers, both armed with a blaster made from a black megaphone piece and a transparent orange stud lighter than the original variant's weapon.
The following year, the same features of the previous Stormtrooper's version was carried over, except the flesh-coloured head was replaced with a plain black one. This variant always came armed with a black blaster piece, a piece newly made in 2007.
While all of the other pieces remained the same as its predecessor, the 2008 variant of the Stormtrooper had its helmet updated. The primary change was to make the mouth grille more accurate, with it being changed from black to dark grey, and had black vertical lines running along the inside of the grille. This variant came armed either with a blaster or a blaster rifle.
A new variant was released in 2009 which was released only in a magnet set, while other sets released in 2009 and 2010 had the variant which was first released in 2008. This one-off variant remained the same as its previous version, but had a plain flesh-coloured head instead of a black one. It came armed with a blaster rifle.
A promotional Stormtrooper was also released first 2009. This Stormtrooper is entirely chrome silver in colour apart from the black head and hands. It features similar printing to the standard Stormtrooper armour design, but features a darkened area in the centre of the chestplate not found on other variants. When it was first released in 852737 LEGO Star Wars 10th Anniversary Stormtrooper Magnet, it came with a blaster rifle, but in 2010 when it came in a polybag, it was armed instead with a blaster.
Although the helmet and legs remained the same, 2012 saw the first major change in the Stormtrooper's torso design since it was first released 11 years earlier. Still keeping the white colour scheme with black hands, instead of shading below the chestplate, an outline is used instead, and grey lines run down off the chestplate giving the armour a more angular look. The stomach area features a more detailed design of the various controls on the armour, featuring outlining in grey and with black and blue buttons. The belt also features a buckle in the centre. Both the back and front of the piece have clips at the shoulders, and the backplate's design was also updated with clearer lines. What was previously a circle and two vertical rectangles in the centre of the backplate was changed to a gear-shape with three connected vertical rectangles. The thermal detonator was also significantly shortened, and also had some detailing around the detonator for the clips to hold it in place. This variant also marked the first time that a Stormtrooper was given a face- the headpiece was black, but featured printing for a grinning face with some stubble around the mouth area. The 2012 version of the Stormtrooper came armed with a black blaster, except for in 5002888 LEGO Minifigure Year by Year: A Visual History, where it came without any weapons.
The second wave of 2014 saw the introduction of two new variants of the Stormtrooper, and both of them feature leg printing, the first Stormtrooper variants to do so since 2005. First appearing In 75053 The Ghost, this Stormtrooper has its likeness based on the troopers as they appear in the upcoming Star Wars Rebels animated series. Like most variants, the Rebels Stormtrooper has a black leg joint with white legs, and a white torso with white arms and black hands. The leg printing uses black for outlining the knee areas- the power cells on the right knee and knee plate on the left. Grey printing is also used for armour detailing. The torso printing has the same basic structure as previous designs, however, grey detailing is used to give the chest plate a more raised appearance, and a more noticeable curve is used at the bottom of the upper body armour. The controls located in the stomach area is simplified with three panels, the largest in the middle, and unlike all other versions of the Stormtrooper, the belt has a smoother, rounder design as opposed to a ridged and angular one, with a circular buckle in the middle. The back printing features a simplified backplate with a circular area on the backplate instead of a gear, the continuation of the belt, and a thermal detonator with a grey area for holding the detonator itself. The head piece is the same as the one used for Clone Troopers since 2013: a flesh-coloured piece featuring black eyes with white pupils, black eyebrows, a mouth with white gritted teeth outlined in black as well as dark flesh outling for cheekbones, a crease for the chin and a mark between the eyebrows. This version of Stormtrooper's helmet has a new printing scheme, with black outlining for the dark grey sensor areas for the first time, blue breathing filters on the sides of the helmet instead of the standard black, grey filters at the front of the bottom of the helmet with black outlining as opposed to the plain black used on previous variants, and grey lines underneath the visor for detailing. However, perhaps the most notable difference is a more angled mouth grille, reflecting the animation style of the television series. In 75053 The Ghost, the Stormtrooper was armed with a black blaster rifle, but in 2015, this variant will be armed either with a black blaster or a black heavy blaster with a dark grey firing pin, which fires transparent red studs.
The second 2014 variant, in 75055 Imperial Star Destroyer, is yet another film-based redesign. Like the Rebels design, this Stormtrooper's leg printing depicts power cells on the right leg and a knee plate on the left. However, the power cells have a ridged appearance to them instead of a straight line, and there is also a black gap between the armour showing above the cells. The knee plate also has a sleeker look to it than the other 2014 variant. Two lines on each leg run up the legs from the power cell or knee plate. The torso piece has a similar design to the 2012 variant, however there are several changes. The belt has some slight differences in design, and the control panels above the belt are more centralised, and are plain black. The upper part of the armour is made more dominant, taking up a larger portion of the piece than before, and the black areas representing gaps between the chest and shoulder plates are smaller. The detailing for the chest plate is similar to the 2012 version, but the lines below the main chest plate area are more angled. On, the back, the thermal detonator has been made smaller, and includes a belt for the clips for the detonator to hang off. The black gaps for the shoulder and neck areas have again been made smaller. The Stormtrooper's helmet printing has also been updated from the 2012 variant. The mouth grille is now black with dark grey stripes (as opposed to dark grey with black stripes). Outlining is now present around the eyes, and also all grey areas on the helmet. Like the Rebels variant, the stripes on either side of the helmet representing breathing filters have been made smaller, with many more stripes present. This new variant is armed with a black blaster.
In 2015, a new version of the Rebels Stormtrooper was released. This Stormtrooper is identical to the original Rebels variant, except for the head piece, which was first included in the first wave of 2015 sets. It is a flesh-coloured piece with black dot-eyes, facial outlining, eyebrows with the left eyebrow slightly raised, giving an overall calmer expression than the angrier head used for the other Rebels version. Two of these Stormtroopers appear in 75078 Imperial Troop Transport alongside two of the original Rebels Stormtroopers, and are armed with stud-shooters with transparent red studs.
=== Video game variants ===
Stormtroopers have appeared as playable characters in all four LEGO Star Wars games. In LEGO Star Wars: The Video Game, the Stormtrooper is unlocked alongside Darth Vader after completing the mission "A NEW HOPE", which is unlocked after completing everything else in the game. This Stormtrooper is based upon the early variants of the minifigure, and was armed with a megaphone blaster. He has the ability to jump and fire his blaster.
In LEGO Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy, Stormtroopers had much the same appearance, abilities and weapons, but were also able to unlock Imperial character doors and areas. In addition to being a playable character, Stormtroopers appeared as enemies in several levels. These characteristics of this Stormtrooper were also carried over to LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga.
"Stormtrooper (Classic)" was an unlockable character in LEGO Star Wars III: The Clone Wars, which could be used after collecting the ten minikits in the level "Liberty on Ryloth", then going to the minikit bay in the hub, defeating the Stormtrooper, then purchasing him for 50,000 studs. This Stormtrooper is based on more modern variants than the other characters and has a grey and black mouth grille, but before the major redesign of the torso piece in 2012. This character, armed with a black blaster, has similar abilites to his previous incarnations.
In LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens, the Stormtrooper's abilities consist of the following:
* Can shoot LEGO targets
* Can grapple LEGO plugs
== Background ==
Stormtroopers were the troops who made up a significant part of the Galactic Empire's military. Originally formed from the Galactic Republic's clone troopers, the Stormtrooper Corps eventually included clones from sources other than Jango Fett, and later other humans who had completed their training at an Imperial Academy. Stormtroopers took part in numerous battles during the Galactic Civil War, and were stationed on various planets, Star Destroyers and space stations throughout the Empire.
Some time after the Battle of Endor, Stormtroopers served the First Order, an organisation which was formed from the remains of the Galactic Empire.
== Appearances ==
* 6211 Imperial Star Destroyer 
* 7139 Ewok Attack 
* 7146 TIE Fighter 
* 7201 Final Duel II 
* 7264 Imperial Inspection 
* 7659 Imperial Landing Craft 
* 7667 Imperial Dropship 
* 8087 TIE Defender 
* 9489 Endor Rebel Trooper & Imperial Trooper Battle Pack 
* 10123 Cloud City 
* 10188 Death Star 
* 10212 UCS Imperial Shuttle 
* 10236 Ewok Village 
* 30005 Imperial Speeder Bike 
* 75053 The Ghost 
* 75055 Imperial Star Destroyer 
* 75060 Slave I 
* 75078 Imperial Troop Transport 
* 75083 AT-DP 
* 75090 Ezra's Speeder Bike
* 75097 Star Wars Advent Calendar 
* 75157 Captain Rex's AT-TE Walker
* 75165 Imperial Trooper Battle Pack 
* 852553 Magnet Set Stormtrooper, Rebel Pilot and AT-ST Driver 
* 852737 LEGO Star Wars 10th Anniversary Stormtrooper Magnet 
* 2853590 Chrome Stormtrooper 
* 2855057 Stormtrooper Kid's Watch 
* 4560075 Silver Stormtrooper Magnet‎ 
* 4591725 Chrome Stormtrooper 
* 5002888 LEGO Minifigure Year by Year: A Visual History 
* 9002137-9002922 Stormtrooper Clock and Watch Bundle 
* Celebration IV Set 
* K4479 TIE Fighter & TIE Bomber Kit 
=== LEGO Time Appearances ===
* C001 LEGO Star Wars Clock
=== Video game appearances ===
* LEGO Star Wars: The Video Game
* LEGO Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy
* LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga
* LEGO Star Wars III: The Clone Wars
* LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens
=== Movie appearances ===
* LEGO Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Brick
* LEGO Star Wars: Bombad Bounty
* LEGO Star Wars: The Han Solo Affair
* LEGO Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Out
===Television appearances===
* LEGO Star Wars: The Resistance Rises
** "Hunting for Han" 
=== Other items featuring Stormtroopers (no minifigure included) ===
* 8008 TECHNIC Stormtrooper
* 852244 Stormtrooper Army T-Shirt
* 9002113-9002137 Darth Vader and Stormtrooper Clock Bundle
* 9002137 Stormtrooper Digital Clock
* First Order Stormtrooper (set)
* Stormtrooper LED Lite
== Gallery of variants ==
=== Video game variants ===
== Gallery ==
Rapidfire!.jpg|Stormtroopers as seen in LEGO Star Wars: Bombad Bounty.