For weeks, fans have been speculating as to what character(s) would be revealed as the first Hot Toys The Last Jedi figures on Force Friday II. Would it be the first unmasked Kylo Ren, a new training Luke Skywalker and Rey, or the inaugural Poe Dameron…? Predictably, it’s none of the above! Get ready to gag, because the first Last Jedi Hot Toys figure has now been revealed–the Executioner Trooper goes up for order at midnight tonight for Force Friday!

Given what Hot Toys has debuted the last two years for Force Friday I and Rogue Friday, I never really had much doubt as to what they were going to unveil first for The Last Jedi, but I tried not to be cynical anyway.

Alas, as most fans (okay, maybe all fans) expected, it’s just another Stormtrooper variant. But hey, at least it’s a new variant originating from the new movie, right? This time it’s the Ilyn Payne of the Star Wars universe: the Hot Toys Executioner Trooper!

After the First Order Trooper figures from The Force Awakens rotted off of shelves (many of which Sideshow ended up giving away for free), I was hoping Hot Toys might take a more cautious approach with their Episode VIII The Last Jedi lineup. Whether or not they will remains to be seen, but a generic trooper as the first announcement is not encouraging.

What is encouraging, however, is that Hot Toys has confirmed a newly-developed body and undersuit for this figure that have been designed for “increased articulation”. The articulation on the TFA FO Stormtroopers was a nightmare, so hearing the undersuit has been redesigned is like a chorus of angels.

Along with a new-styled figure display base and nine interchangeable hands, the First Order Executioner Trooper Hot Toys figure will include his huge electric axe (with electricity effects pieces) and a black-and-white blaster rifle.

In case you couldn’t tell, I’m not overjoyed about this figure’s reveal–but I do think I’m going to buy it. I really dig the new black and white helmet and the electrical axe, and I’m dying to see firsthand how much the articulation has been improved. I don’t expect to buy a ton of FO Troopers from Hot Toys, but I’m probably in for this one.

The Hot Toys Star Wars Executioner Trooper goes up for order on Sideshow Collectibles at midnight PST tonight, and is expected to ship out before the end of 2017 (as limited quantities of the figure are actually being physically sold at Hong Kong Toys R Us tonight, believe it or not). I’ll update with the U.S. price once Sideshow confirms it.

Thoughts on the inaugural Episode VIII Hot Toys figure, Star Wars Collectors? Will you be adding this Executioner to your collections, or are you all First Order Trooper-ed out after the flood of them over the past two years?

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