The Imperial
Stormtrooper is immensely popular. He enjoys the largest fan club in the
world! Though he is nearly forty years old his popularity has never waned. His
success is amazing; especially when you consider that he is a lowly, anonymous
and expendable henchman.
The Imperial
Stormtrooper wears a full suit of useless armor and is notorious for poor
marksmanship. He is known for bumping his head or falling off of ledges. Heroes
readily slaughter him with remorseless impunity. He lost an entire legion to a
primitive tribe of little teddy bears. Why is this hapless goon so interesting?
He has a catchy name, a sleek look and a dramatic story.
The faceless Stormtrooper can be anyone, male or female.
Because he (or she) is a “villain” he (or she) is uninhibited. Because he (or
she) is meant to die he (or she) need not fret the petty things. Because his
(or her) name and face are that of the Imperial
Stormtrooper he (or she) is immortal so long as there are Imperial
Stormtroopers.
The least is indeed the greatest and the greatest least.
The Imperial Stormtrooper inspired
the world’s greatest fan club by being the inept and hapless foot soldier of
villainy. His poor aim (when targeting heroes) and the uselessness of his armor
are indispensable qualities of his distinct appeal. He is loved for being the
easy victim of heroic violence. The
Imperial Stormtrooper is a Keystone
Cop of gritty action scenes.
The “useless henchman” is the plentiful, anonymous and
expendable foot soldier of villainy. His purpose in adventure fiction is to be
a readily available goon to be commanded by bosses and fought by heroes. He is
the victim of choice for the silencing
the sentry and hero versus throngs
scenarios. Because his niche is inglorious by design he is seldom made
interesting. The Imperial Stormtrooper is
an example of how such a typically unsung type can be a wonder in his own right
should his creator bother to craft him.
A lot of the Stormtrooper's appeal comes in the sleek armor that he wears. That, along with their martial demeanor, inspires us to mimic their signature look. Against normal people, they are quite formidable. Against heroes, they are not...
ReplyDeleteStormtroopers, unlike most people, are dedicated and efficient. They are as sleek as their armor!
DeleteWhat an awesome blog, like a little well deserved tribute to the unsung hero's here. I agree entirely with your comments and feel the same way. Thank you :)
ReplyDeleteThanks! The Imperial Stormtrooper has inspired so many for so long that I felt he deserved a tribute.
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