While Star Wars is an unstoppable cinematic juggernaut, the movie theater isn't the only place that the franchise owns the competition. Where Star Wars really owns pop culture is in the merchandising. With every new film, we know there will be a lot of new toys and other licensed products to go along with it. However, the newest trademarks might take things a little too far. Lucasfilm has registered for trademarks for some pretty lighthearted stuff, using one of their darkest new creations, the Death Trooper.
Some of the objects that TMZ is reporting are associated with the new European trademark filing make sense. Of course, there are going to be Death Trooper toys. You can't have Star Wars without action figures, and you have to have somebody for your Jyn Erso figure to shoot in the face. However, some of the items that have apparently been specifically mentioned in the trademark paperwork seem a little odd. A Death Trooper Christmas tree stand? Is the all black Stormtrooper who sets fire to things in the trailer for Rogue One: A Star Wars Story really something you want in your home at Christmas time? Honestly, the scariest one is the Death Trooper birthday party hats. The image of two dozen 8-year-olds all wearing black Stormtrooper hats on their heads sounds like the world's most terrifying cult. Please don't drink the Kool-Aid.
Of course, the other thing that makes this interesting, and unusual, is that this is the second trademark filing that Lucasfilm has made in the last few months for, what we thought, was the same character. Earlier this year, the studio also filed the trademark for the Shadow Trooper. Thus far, the black-clad Stormtrooper has not been given an official name. When the first trademark was filed, we assumed that meant that they were Shadow Troopers. Now we're not so sure. Apparently, both troopers will exist, which implies that maybe there's a class that we haven't seen yet.
It's possible that one of the trademarks isn't even being filed in relation to merchandise that will be coming up in the short term. With several more Star Wars movies planned, and even more that we know are coming eventually, it's possible that Lucasfilm is just filing for these trademarks now to make sure they have them when they need them. It's even possible that there aren't even any specific plans to use the trademarks, just a desire to make sure they have them in case they decide to use them down the road.
Will you be in the market for a Death Trooper Christmas tree stand this holiday season?
