Best versions of Star Wars minifigs?

[KingPixels]

Which do you think are the best versions of Star Wars minifigs so far? I'll start us off with one.

Luke:

The 2011 version of Luke is my favourite mainly because of the new one's awful face printing.

[James Wellington]

2014 Imperial Navy Trooper compared to the Death Star old one, and the 2012 one.

[atlas]

The 75055 stormies are far and away the best of the lot. Also: how can I attach images? It isn't letting me.

[AudiBobaR5-D2]

For me, it has to be the 2009 version of Darth Vader, and 75052 SandTrooper.

Edited January 26, 2015 by AudiBobaR5-D2

[Mangetsu]

It really depends on the criteria. I do like the old ones for reasons of nostalgia (first droidekas, first clone pilot) or rarity (kashyyyk scoot trooper from Turbo Tank, Clone Siege battalion, Jango Fett...). For some I prefer the recent ones (clone Phase I), for others the old ones are the best (blue super battle droid). It also happens that I like both the old and recent version. For exemple : Luminara Unduli has 2 versions, but they are both great in their own way. It's hard to choose when one collects every versions of minifigs ^^

Edited January 26, 2015 by Mangetsu

[Raskolnikov]

2014 Imperial Navy Trooper compared to the Death Star old one, and the 2012 one.

I don't think the 2014 one and the 2012 ones are supposed to be the same uniform, though. There's two kinds of dudes with gigantic black helmets. Some seem to be in black jumpsuits. Others have utility belts and double-breasted black coats with mandarin collars. The former type seem to be crewmen of some sort, while the latter type seem to be infantry/guards. You can see the "crewman" sort at control panels in scenes of Star Destroyer bridges, etc. You can see the guard sort at entryways, doors, in the detention area, etc. I think Lego mislabeled the new "crewman" style one in Star Destroyer 75055 as a "Navy Trooper."

[James Wellington]

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I don't think the 2014 one and the 2012 ones are supposed to be the same uniform, though. There's two kinds of dudes with gigantic black helmets. Some seem to be in black jumpsuits. Others have utility belts and double-breasted black coats with mandarin collars. The former type seem to be crewmen of some sort, while the latter type seem to be infantry/guards. You can see the "crewman" sort at control panels in scenes of Star Destroyer bridges, etc. You can see the guard sort at entryways, doors, in the detention area, etc. I think Lego mislabeled the new "crewman" style one in Star Destroyer 75055 as a "Navy Trooper."

No, I did not. The Imperial Navy Troopers are the guys with the black helmets and jumpsuits. I was saying that I like the 2014 Star Destroyer Version, compared to the 2012 TIE Fighter one, and the even older Death Star/Battle of Endor one. The Imperial Crewmen are the grey jumpsuit crewmen of an Imperial Star Destroyer, Base, Battle Station, etc. However there was a microfighter one with the same jumpsuit and face, a black Imperial kepi hat, instead of a large helmet a Navy Trooper bears. They are, however different. There are two types of Imperial Crewmen, the black microfighter one that looks a lot like a Navy Trooper, and the 2014 Star Destroyer one, which is grey and has a newer Imperial Officer kepi.

Edited January 26, 2015 by James Wellington

[Raskolnikov]

Not trying to argue, but I don't mean the gray ones. Regardless of whatever Lego has labeled them, there are two kinds of black-uniformed imperials in the movies who have the big bowl-shaped helmet. The picture below shows both:

It's not entirely clear what the uniform denotes. I'd guess the double-breasted uniform (close to us) is some kind of officer in this situation, although in many other situations you see the guys in double-breasted uniforms acting as guards or infantry. I mean, they both could be different types of "Navy Troopers," but I think that's beside the point. All I'm trying to say is that the ones that came with the Death Star and the TIE Fighter are intended to be the double-breasted style. The one that came with the Star Destroyer is intended to be single-breasted "flightsuit" style - the kind that is often seen in front of a control panel. I think that is the first time we've received a minifigure with that uniform.

If it helps, another picture of the double-breasted style is below.

Edited January 27, 2015 by Raskolnikov

[James Wellington]

Not trying to argue, but I don't mean the gray ones. Regardless of whatever Lego has labeled them, there are two kinds of black-uniformed imperials uniforms in the movies who have the big bowl-shaped helmet. The picture below shows both:

<snip>

It's not entirely clear what the uniform denotes. I'd guess the double-breasted uniform (close to us) is some kind of officer in this situation, although in many other situations you see the guys in double-breasted uniforms acting as guards or infantry. I mean, they both could be different types of "Navy Troopers," but I think that's beside the point. All I'm trying to say is that the ones that came with the Death Star and the TIE Fighter are intended to be the double-breasted style. The one that came with the Star Destroyer is intended to be single-breasted "flightsuit" style - the kind that is often seen in front of a control panel. I think that is the first time we've received a minifigure with that uniform.

If it helps, another picture of the double-breasted style is below.

<snip>

Those are the guys I'm talking about. Yes, I do agree with you. They are sort of Guards, and crewman that work at control panels, etc. Although the 2012 Version may look a bit more like them, I somewhat like the newer one, just because to me it looks a bit nicer. I just ordered the newer one on Ebay, in fact. I have the face and older uniform to see what they both look like in real life, and then i'll really compare them to the movie ones, and I'll see which one looks closer. They are both guards, and control panel crewmen, but the black and grey crewman down in the pits of the Star Destroyer bridge are a bit different. Some of these guys might be in the bridge, too, only guarding the door to the bridge.

Edited January 28, 2015 by MKJoshA
please don't quote pictures

[Venkefedo]

Those are the guys I'm talking about. Yes, I do agree with you. They are sort of Guards, and crewman that work at control panels, etc. Although the 2012 Version may look a bit more like them, I somewhat like the newer one, just because to me it looks a bit nicer. I just ordered the newer one on Ebay, in fact. I have the face and older uniform to see what they both look like in real life, and then i'll really compare them to the movie ones, and I'll see which one looks closer. They are both guards, and control panel crewmen, but the black and grey crewman down in the pits of the Star Destroyer bridge are a bit different. Some of these guys might be in the bridge, too, only guarding the door to the bridge.

The 2014 one in the 75055 Star Destroyer is not what you're talking about, then... those are the jumpsuit-wearing INTs, wearing DST helmets, and generally work consoles and assist in Death Star gunnery I think... they need a better name. 'Proper' Imperial Navy Troopers/Death Star Troopers wear the big black helmets as well, but black tunics & trousers, much like Black Tunicked Imperial Officers (like Commander Praji or Lt Childsen in ANH, only with gloves, perhaps different belt-box arrangements, and no badges or code cylinders).

There are also those wearing the helmets with gray uniforms, commonly called (thanks to the old Kenner action figure) Death Squad Commanders... this is a silly title for them, as they're only shown in ANH standing in the console-nests in the Death Star observation room (where Tarkin forces Leia to watch Alderaan's destruction, and where Tarkin watches the progress of the orbit of Yavin). Certain pictures reveal they wear shoes (or boots UNDER trousers) like certain other uniformed functionaries on the Death Star, and no gloves common to DSTs or later movies' officers.

The 2012 TIE fighter Imperial Navy Trooper/Death Star Trooper is the best version of that figure to date... but the only alternative was the Death Star/Endor Bunker version with the AT-ST Driver/AT-AT Commander helmet.

The 2014 Imperial Navy Trooper is the best version of the DST-helmeted jumpsuit-wearing console-jockeys who don't really have a proper name of their own.

The 2014 Microfighter SD pilot is the best version of the black-jumpsuit crewmen visible in the lineup when Vader is walking & talking with Jerjerrod at the beginning of ROTJ and in the Star Destroyer pit crews

The Crewman in the Star Destroyer is the best version light-gray jumpsuit SD Pit Crew so far... throw a black hat on them and a non-headset head, they become Scanning Crew from ANH as well

[Phoib]

I think the 2012 one is better than the 2014 one.

2012

2014

[TheBear]

I don't think you understood what Raskolnikov was saying, those are two completely different uniforms with the same helmet. If you look at the first picture he posted you can see them both.

[Bolingbroke]

I tend to prefer the less is more approach. Few of the minifigures from the last wave constitute improvements on previous versions, I think. Firstly because of the excessive face printing, secondly because of the silly way the printing ends abruptly on the legs. Id rather we didnt have any printing at all, on the legs, than that. It totally ruins the OT stormtroopers for me.

Favourites: the sandtroopers from Droid Escape, much better than the new one found in the cantina set.

The stormtroopers from the endor battlepacks (having said that, i think the ones found in the DS are perfectly fine

Most figures from the 2012 waves. C3po, luke, han ...

Scout trooper, the old one definitely. The printing's bad on the new one.

Edited January 27, 2015 by Bolingbroke

[Raskolnikov]

the sandtroopers from Droid Escape

I don't mind the new Stormtroopers and Sandtrooper but yeah, the leg printing issue bugs me, too. The Droid Escape Sandtroopers have perfectly printed legs -- you get the whole kneecap armor. I think they also have the newish style torsos, which I like better than the older ones with shading on the breastplate.

Overall, I guess I still prefer the newest OT Stormies over all other versions, since there is no Droid Escape-style Stormtrooper. I just wish the new ones had better leg printing.

[James Wellington]

Why is there so much talk about Imperial Navy Troopers? All I'm saying is that I like the 2014 one better, however, the 2012 one is more accurate to the movie ones (except for the other side of the face with the visor, I never saw them with that).

[Raskolnikov]

Just being nerds, no biggy. This is Star Wars and Lego, so you had better believe it's serious.

Suffice it to say, I interpret the topic as asking to discuss what are the "best versions of Star Wars minifigs so far." The 2014 "Navy Trooper" is the best (and only) version of the Imperial dudes with black jumpsuits and bowl-helmets. The 2012 "Death Star Trooper" is the best (and latest) version of the Imperial dudes with double-breasted black uniforms and bowl-helmets. I believe they're two entirely different minifigures -- not different versions of the same minifigure. That's all.

[Venkefedo]

Why is there so much talk about Imperial Navy Troopers? All I'm saying is that I like the 2014 one better, however, the 2012 one is more accurate to the movie ones (except for the other side of the face with the visor, I never saw them with that).

There is so much talk about them because they're both "more accurate to the movie ones", because there are two types: the tunic ones and the jumpsuit ones. 2012 is the tunic type seen as guards and, in ROTJ, as the 'primary' console-jockey; 2014 is the jumpsuit type mostly seen in ROTJ working consoles in the background, and standing next to a DSG on the platform next to the DS main laser tunnel.

The alternate goggle face is simply the result of reusing the AT-ST Driver head in all its chinstrapped glory.

Edit: Ninja'd! 'swhat I get for tabbing out to look up photo ref while typing...

Edited January 27, 2015 by Venkefedo

[Mr Man]

2012 version on the right, with the double breasted tunic, 2014 version on the left with the jumpsuit.

[Artizan]

this yoda(from 2002):

[GallardoLU]

this yoda(from 2002):

*SNIP*

ah yes the glorious stoned Yoda, best version for sure.

[James Wellington]

Death Star Troopers are hand picked Imperial Navy Troopers to work on the Death Star. Also, I see now that they're both accurate. However the 2014 one is still my favorite.

[Wat Tambor]

My favorite SW minifig is the pilot from the Micro Fighters X-Wing Fighter, because he is perfectly detailed.

I hated the old Rebel pilots because they had nearly no details on them and every single pilot looked the same, it's really great to see that LEGO gives all the new orange pilots a different printing.