The First Order Continues to Grow With The Hot Toys TIE Pilot

So far, Hot Toys' Star Wars: The Force Awakens line has been and endless array of bad guys. Well, at least we think they're the bad guys. We haven't seen the movie yet, but everything we've read and seen so far seems to indicate the First Order is taking the place of the Empire in the new film and universe. Though we've gotten figures based on the supposed heroes of The Force Awakens from a few other companies, Hot Toys has been reticent to show off characters like Finn, Rey or Poe to this point. Instead, it's been First Order soldier after First Order soldier.

The Stormtroopers and Snowtroopers can now count the TIE Pilot amongst their numbers. Revealed this week for the first time, Hot Toys' First Order TIE Pilot brings the sleek, black spacesuit you might recall from the original trilogy into a more modern era. Like the standard Stormtroopers before him, the TIE Pilot draws quite a bit of inspiration from the classic design. The helmet ditches the "mouth," instead opting for a cleaner faceplate. He does have a weird top on there, which doesn't appear to serve any purpose. If it was a flip down visor, there likely would have been at least one picture with it flipped down so we could see what it looked like.

Unlike the Hasbro Black Series TIE Pilot, the Hot Toys version lacks the red paint accents on the helmet. It actually looks a little better this way, as the red markings distracted a bit from the purity of the design. The oxygen tank has also been reduced dramatically from the original trilogy. The general vibe is still the same, but instead of a massive chest plate, the streamlined look actually means this guy might just be able to fit in a cockpit. I always found the idea that the TIE fighter pilots wore the equivalent of a scuba diver's air tank on their chests a little ridiculous. Yes, that was the ridiculous thing in a film series with space wizards.

He doesn't come with very much from an accessory standpoint, which makes sense given that he spends most of his time inside a ship and not on the frontlines. The armor is appropriately shiny, and the tailoring on the fabric portions is on point, as usual. The market for TIE Pilots isn't quite the same as it is for regular Stormtroopers, but that this guy is already getting a shot at a figure bodes well for how deep Hot Toys is willing to go on this Force Awakens line. Now if we could just start seeing some of the good, human characters.

The First Order TIE Pilot is available for pre-order from Sideshow Collectibles for $199.99, and it's due to arrive between May and March next year.

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