Imperial Scout Troopers rarely get the respect they deserve. Riding their speeder bikes at ridiculous speeds, scooping up force-sensitive children, and repeatedly punching them in the face takes a lot of guts. The first season of Disney’s The Mandalorian showcased a pair of these heroic bikers, and Hot Toys has given one of them the high-quality 12-inch action figure they deserve.
In what I consider the funniest sequence in Star Wars history, episode eight of the first season of The Mandalorian opens on what the Rebellion might consider a low note. Nick Nolte’s character, Kuiil, has been murdered by a pair of somewhat competent Scout Troopers, who abscond with pre-Grogu Baby Yoda with plans to deliver the child to the sinister Moff Gideon. After quietening down the angry baby Yoda with a few well-placed punches, the speeder bike pilots—voiced by comedy actors Jason Sudeikis and Adam Pally—take a moment to reflect on life, weird little aliens, and the need for speed.
This, of all the moments in recent Star Wars canon, is the one I want to be immortalized somewhere in my home. Enter Sideshow and Hot Toys, makers of incredibly detailed 12-inch Star War action figures. They’ve put together a $455 package that includes not just Jason Sudeikis’ Scout Trooper, but an entire 1/6 scale speeder bike. And yes, it includes a bag full of Baby Yoda.
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