Sideshow Collectibles Star Wars Utapau Shadow Trooper Preview

The brainchild of Armand Isard, Director of Republic Intelligence and Director-General of the Senate Bureau of Intelligence, the shadow trooper division was created mainly as a reconnaissance tool. Designed to augment the dwindling number of ARC troopers, shadow troopers operate singly or in pairs. They operate covertly, yet still in armor, posing as mercenaries of bounty hunters to slip quietly in and out of locations while quietly gathering intelligence.

Shadow trooper armor is based on standard Phase II clone armor. Strategically placed magseals allow the attachment of deceptive plating that alters the appearance of a shadow trooper. Different styles allow the shadow trooper to appear to be Hutt-hired mercenaries, Black Sun operatives, or independent bounty hunters. The plating is primarily cosmetic; it does disguise a clone trooper's sensor signature against detection devices. The plating also alters regular movement, preventing observers from recognizing the characteristic "clone gait."

When the Confederacy of Independent Systems stronghold was discovered on Utapau as General Grievous' hideout, a platoon of shadow troopers was assigned to infiltrate six sinkhole cities and place jammers that would allow the Republic army to invade without notice. Success of the shadow trooper division led to the creation of the Storm Commandos, as well as Blackhole's elite stormtrooper forces.

The Utapau Shadow Trooper 12 inch Figure features: Articulated Armored Body with over 30 points of articulation, Detailed Fabric Bodysuit, Highly Detailed Full Body Clone Shadow Trooper Armor Set, Phase II Helmet Portrait, One (1) pair flat palm hands, One (1) pair thumbs up hands, One (1) pair closed fists, One (1) pair trigger grip hands, One (1) pair C-grip hands, One (1) right hand with one finger point, One (1) left hand with two finger point, One (1) left hand with two finger spread, One (1) pair standing boot, One (1) pair action boot, BlasTech DC-15A Long Range Blaster Rifle, BlasTech DC-15S Blaster Carbine, Lower support extendable figure stand with Star Wars logo

Basically another clone trooper figure repainted. Sideshow should charge less for these since they already have the basic mold and they only have to paint each figure differently. They can mass produce these by the tens of thousands and then paint each batch differently. There isn't any new innovation in design, no research and development costs, no new product or accessory (every Sideshow Star Wars 1/6 scale clone trooper 12-inch figure comes with the two rifles - one short & one long - and a lot of hands since there really isn't anything else they can include) so the only cost is paint!

If Sideshow Collectibles had given a different base i.e. a dynamic diorama-type display base with each figure, then at least there's something to look forward to with each new release. Otherwise, it's going to be orange, red, grey, blue, black and camouflage colors. Let's get creative, Sideshow! Make us excited!!