Hot Toys MMS385 Rogue One Death Trooper Specialist

[Wor-Gar]

To anyone that has this -- does the head seem small?

I keep hearing 'pinhead' thrown around. It looks like it could be.

 

[momaw]

Aside from explaining that Rogue One director Gareth Edwards approved the design of the deadly string bean troopers from a stormtrooper design by original trilogy concept artist Ralph McQuarrie, the Art of Rogue One books also explains that Edwards wanted the Death Trooper design to be much weirder, but still recognizable to fans of The Empire Strikes Back.

“He wanted to make it clear through the design, to show that the brain was gone by giving them helmets that no human could actually wear,” concept artist Christian Alzmann says in the book. “They’d be like Lobot from Cloud City and could be controlled.”

https://www.inverse.com/article/26034-death-trooper-rogue-one-helmet-communications

 

[Wor-Gar]

https://www.inverse.com/article/26034-death-trooper-rogue-one-helmet-communications

So.... they wanted a pinhead look?

I get the desire... yet onscreen they didn't particularly look like string-beans, nor did they look like 'no human' could wear the helmet (because a human did wear the helmet while filming).


So my question stills stands to the brave who can answer honestly without protecting their egos: is the Death Trooper helmet a wee bit itsy-bitsy in hand?

 

[momaw]

I think the 'thinner' design contributes to the pinhead look. This is the Anovos prop replica which apparently some purchasers have had issues fitting on their heads.

But I agree that when I saw the film I didn't think "wow, what small heads" but rather "cool, they have voice scramblers".

 

[Wor-Gar]

But I agree that when I saw the film I didn't think "wow, what small heads" but rather "cool, they have voice scramblers".

Yeah, me too. Wish HT had put voice function on these guys. "Bar-marda-moo-bedak"

No wait -- scratch that. They no good with electronics.

Anyway, I'm still going back and forth on deluxe or naked DT. Partly because the extra gear accentuates the pinhead.

 

[momaw]

Yeah, me too. Wish HT had put voice function on these guys. "Bar-marda-moo-bedak"

No wait -- scratch that. They no good with electronics.

Anyway, I'm still going back and forth on deluxe or naked DT. Partly because the extra gear accentuates the pinhead.

It does. But I had to have the Stormtrooper doll. And the deluxe is the same price as the reg at popcultcha (my local store). Figure I can strip him down if need be.

 

[Wor-Gar]

Figure I can strip him down if need be.

That's what I hope. But I don't trust HT not to glue down the gear on the deluxe. Remember the non-working (glued) swingline on Luke Taooine's trooper belt?

 

[KoruptData]

I heard about the pinhead look before I received the figure. So I looked it over when I got it and noticed it was small but nothing that put me off by the figure. I still believe them to be quite imposing. Reading the explanation above and seeing them in the movie and reading about them in the Visual Dictionary, I'm inclined to say Hot Toys hit the design just about perfectly.

 

[Wor-Gar]

I heard about the pinhead look before I received the figure. So I looked it over when I got it and noticed it was small but nothing that put me off by the figure. I still believe them to be quite imposing. Reading the explanation above and seeing them in the movie and reading about them in the Visual Dictionary, I'm inclined to say Hot Toys hit the design just about perfectly.

Good to know.

I was fearful this might be another HT mistake like they did with the FO TIE pilot's pinhead. That actually put me off the figure when I saw it in person.

 

[FlyAndFight]

Wor-Gar, you gotta go big or go home with this one. I'll be ordering the "Deluxe" version when available.

 

[Wor-Gar]

Yeah, I know, and he's the only one I have on preorder at BBTS.

Truthfully I could care less about the little trooper doll and rocky base though. But I do want the rangefinder on the helmet and that big trident rifle.

 

[FlyAndFight]

Yep, HT did make it difficult in keeping the rifles unique to each release.

 

[Wor-Gar]

I assume the standard rifle will be easier to pick up loose as its in 2 of the three sets.

 

[K1NG J0RDAN]

I have this version on order, and my plan is to get the other one IF they make Krennic. Without him, I feel only one is necessary.

 

[screamingmetal]

Aside from explaining that Rogue One director Gareth Edwards approved the design of the deadly string bean troopers from a stormtrooper design by original trilogy concept artist Ralph McQuarrie, the Art of Rogue One books also explains that Edwards wanted the Death Trooper design to be much weirder, but still recognizable to fans of The Empire Strikes Back.

“He wanted to make it clear through the design, to show that the brain was gone by giving them helmets that no human could actually wear,” concept artist Christian Alzmann says in the book. “They’d be like Lobot from Cloud City and could be controlled.”

https://www.inverse.com/article/26034-death-trooper-rogue-one-helmet-communications

So.... they wanted a pinhead look?

I get the desire... yet onscreen they didn't particularly look like string-beans, nor did they look like 'no human' could wear the helmet (because a human did wear the helmet while filming).


So my question stills stands to the brave who can answer honestly without protecting their egos: is the Death Trooper helmet a wee bit itsy-bitsy in hand?

I heard it elsewhere and mentioned this earlier in the thread, but that confirms it Momaw, these guys are intended to be decraniated.
EDIT: I just read about them in the DK Rogue One Visual Guide, it doesn't outright say that they're Decraniated, but it does say they have "classified augments" and their name Death Trooper "stems from a rumored project from the Advanced Weapons Research Division designed to animate necrotic flesh. Though the troopers do not appear to be derived from the scheme, the use of the name gives them a macabre reputation among the Imperial ranks".
But that's from a DK book so you should take it or leave it.

The helmets do look a little on the small side in pictures to me as well, the SW Titanium Death Trooper Helmet though looks larger but I don't own both of them to compare the two.

 

[KoruptData]

I just noticed that the Hot Toys promo pics have the "IM-40 three-slot ammunition and tool pouch" too high on the shoulder, actually overhanging the armor. Every pic in the Rogue One Visual Dictionary has them much lower.

 

[Imperial Jack]

I just noticed that the Hot Toys promo pics have the "IM-40 three-slot ammunition and tool pouch" too high on the shoulder, actually overhanging the armor. Every pic in the Rogue One Visual Dictionary has them much lower.

I think it is just an elasticated band so you can move it round the arm.

 

[TonTon]

I feel like compared to the regular Stormtrooper helmet they do look a bit pinheaded (meaning moreso than I remember them in the movie), sounds like they're supposed to have narrow heads. But if you imagine no dome on Vader I guess the helmet size isn't that different.

But then when I see photos of the actual trooper or costume it never looks pinheaded, so it still sort of bothers me--I'm probably still down for the deluxe, will just position the head to the side a bit:

 

[Wor-Gar]

No pinhead there. Strange too, not one of the "deluxe" troopers have the rangefinder... only the regular.

Hot Toys really wants you to mix and match to make an accurate trooper.

 

[TonTon]

They all seem to have the big gun there except the regular. But I need that rangefinder, makes the helmet that much wider.