Snowtroopers. The First Order's foot soldier of choice for ice and snow-like conditions. The armor and outfits of the First Order Snowtroopers were first seen in Anaheim, California at Star Wars Celebration this past April. On the upper level of the Anaheim Convention Center awaited an exhibit with all new costumes and props from the highly anticipated film, The Force Awakens (which comes out December 18, 2015). Under blue display lights, the First Order Snowtrooper stood tall and looked menacing while it was enclosed in the glass display case. The symbol on the chest plate is a symbol that Ralph McQuarrie used in concept art on the helmets of the Empire Strikes Back Snowtroopers.
In addition to seeing the armor at Celebration Anaheim, fans got another look at these "Snowies" in the June 2015 issue of Vanity Fair. The photos in this article were taken on-set by the infamous Annie Leibovitz. Annie has an uncanny ability to capture the emotion of whatever she is shooting. Although we don't know the name of the snowy world, JJ Abrams did reveal that their secret base is called "Starkiller Base" (clear homage to Luke Skywalker's concept name).
Annie Leibovitz captures two First Order Snowtroopers following closely behind Kylo Ren (played by Adam Driver). Vanity Fair-June 2015
The third teaser trailer we received (which was released on Instagram), reveals Snowtrooper Officers flanking other First Order members who apparently have elite status. You can tell they are Snowtrooper Officers from the red pauldrons that hang off their right shoulders. Besides the fact that we know the scene takes place at Starkiller Base, fans have been left with questions.
Screen shot of Lucasfilm's 15 second teaser released on Instagram.
Over the last few years, Hasbro has gotten more active in making action figures that measure six inches tall with many points of articulation. One of the most recent figures currently available is the 6-inch Black Series First Order Snowtrooper Officer. Yes, it's a mouthful, but this figure is incredible. Let's start with the packaging. The packing looks very similar to the rest of the figures in this series with a few minor differences.
The first, and most obvious difference, is that this figure is exclusive to Toys R Us. Because of this, Toys R Us has their own silver sticker on the front of the plastic. An exclusive figure (especially one with a sticker declaring it so) is always a more attractive figure to collectors. Secondly, because this figure is exclusive to one store, it is not given a number as a part of the core set. Each figure in this line will have a number located on the top of the right panel. As this figure is not considered to be a part of the core set, it is not assigned a number.
The figure comes fully posable. This means that it's wrists, elbows, shoulders, hips, thighs, knees, ankles, torso, and head all either rotate or bend. The blaster, known as an F-11D, fits very well in the figure's hand and the backpack fits snuggly in the trooper's back. The backpack comes unattached to the Officer, but all you have to do is push it into his back and it'll stick. You can pose the trooping in a running position, commanding position, shooting position and many others. This Snowtrooper Officer has at least 16 points of articulation and retails for $19.99 at Toys R Us stores.
Whether you're a kid who plays with the toys or you're an adult who collects them, this figure is for you. The accuracy of the armor, the amount of articulation points, and the utter "awesomeness" you feel when owning this piece is enough to want to snag one off the shelves. Even if you plan on keeping this figure in the box and on display, having an exclusive figure is always a highlight point when showing your collection to other fans.
If you are a fan of First Order Snowtroopers, you may also want to check out what's available in the 3.75 inch line. Wave two of the 3.75 inch TFA line includes a First Order Snowtrooper and if you're feeling really crazy, you can even find a Snowtrooper Speeder which comes with a First Order Snowtrooper Officer.
For more on collecting, toys and reviews, continue to check back to Twin Suns Outpost.
By: Eric Pfeifer