How Have LEGO Star Wars Clone Troopers Changed Throughout the Years?
Since their debut in 2002 alongside the release of Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones, LEGO Star Wars clone troopers have undergone a fascinating evolution in design, detail, and collectibility. These figures have become iconic among LEGO and Star Wars fans alike, with each new iteration reflecting advances in LEGO's printing technology and a growing commitment to authenticity.
2002-2007: OGP1 and OGP2 The Early Years
The first clone troopers featured simple helmet molds and minimal torso printing. Their visors were part of the mold itself, lacking separate printing or detailing. The torso designs used basic line art with subtle gradient shading to imply armor depth. These early figures had no leg printing for the most part featured solid black hips, and used a more uniform, less detailed aesthetic. These figures were blocky and less accurate to the on-screen appearance but remain nostalgic favorites for many collectors.
These LEGO figures were designed in a time before Star Wars: The Clone Wars gave clone troopers distinct and likable personalities. As such, they were portrayed more like soulless soldiers—interchangeable and faceless, much like the stormtroopers they would eventually become. The solid black heads beneath the helmets reinforced this idea, giving them a more anonymous and utilitarian feel. The helmet molds, while iconic, lacked individualization and carried a stiff, mechanical presence that reflected how the clones were initially perceived: not as people, but as tools of war.
2008-2012: AP1, The Clone Wars era
In 2008, LEGO introduced the animated Clone Wars line. These figures had stylized facial features and unique helmet molds to match the show’s aesthetic. However, the exaggerated eyes, angular expressions, and animated styling of the faces are now seen as dated and often clash with the traditional LEGO minifigure look. This has made them controversial among fans—some appreciate their uniqueness, while others find them jarring.
Around this time, LEGO also began improving torso and leg printing, adding more detail to the armor. They started shifting away from using gradients in their print designs, opting for sharper, more solid colors and defined lines that aged better visually. A notable improvement was that the helmets no longer used a cutout for the visor, which had previously exposed a blank black head underneath. Instead, the visor was fully printed on the helmet, allowing the troopers to have proper faces beneath—helping to humanize the figures and align more with the direction the show was taking in developing the clones as individual characters. Helmets now included more defined shapes, and specialty troopers like ARF and bomb squad clones expanded the lineup.
2013-2019: AP2, RP2, and RP1 The Modern Era
During this period, LEGO began to diversify its approach, producing two distinct styles of clone troopers. One continued the animated style of The Clone Wars, maintaining the angular designs and stylized features to stay consistent with the show's aesthetic. These figures reused molds and printing styles from earlier Clone Wars sets, providing continuity for fans of the series.
Simultaneously, LEGO introduced a more realistic design language to better represent the live-action appearance of clone troopers from Episode II and Episode III. These figures featured new helmet printing with more accurate proportions and complex print detail, including battle wear, back attachments and armor accessories. Printed leg armor became the default.
This design language was arguably the strongest LEGO had achieved for clone troopers, though not without flaws. A common issue was that knee pads were awkwardly cut off due to limitations in LEGO's leg printing process. The figures also continued using outdated black hips and lacked arm printing, which left some fans wanting more realism and consistency. TrooperLabs' RP2+ template addresses these shortcomings, offering collectors a way to upgrade and refine figures from this era while preserving their unique aesthetic.
2020-Present: 20P2 and 20P1 The Present Era
In 2020, LEGO shifted away from maintaining separate animated and realistic styles, instead choosing to merge them into a single, stylized interpretation of clone troopers. This new unified design reflects a cleaner, more streamlined aesthetic that draws from both the animated series and live-action films, resulting in a distinct LEGO identity for modern clone troopers.
In addition to torso and leg printing, troopers now include toe detailing, and fully realized knee pads—elements that add depth and a premium feel. Some clone troopers also include arm printing. LEGO also transitioned from using black hips to white hips to better match the clone trooper armor, giving them a more seamless and screen-accurate look.
However, this period hasn’t been without controversy. A significant point of contention among fans has been the inclusion of helmet accessory holes onto the older P2 helmet molds. These holes were intended to accommodate attachments like visors and rangefinders, but many collectors feel they were not thought out enough and where they are placed disrupts the clean look of the helmet. Additionally, the visor print on many helmets has appeared more squished together in physical form than in official renders. This led to speculation about alignment and scaling issues in LEGO's helmet printing process.
Despite these issues, the overall quality and availability of clone troopers in this era have reached new heights. New battle packs, such as the 501st Legion and the Clone Trooper & Battle Droid packs, have allowed fans to build armies more easily than ever before, and LEGO’s continued focus on this faction signals strong ongoing support for clone fans.
Custom Clone Trooper Brands: Spotlight on TrooperLabs
As LEGO clone troopers have grown in popularity, a robust custom market has emerged to fill in the gaps left by official releases. Among the up-and-coming names in this space is TrooperLabs—a brand dedicated to producing high-quality, custom-printed clone trooper minifigures and accessories.
TrooperLabs specializes in designs that are both screen-accurate and stylistically aligned with LEGO Star Wars' 2013-2019 aesthetic. They offer enhanced printing accuracy, improved helmet molds, and figure templates like the RP2+ that address long-standing issues in LEGO’s own RP2 designs, such as incomplete knee pads, outdated black hips, and lack of arm detailing. They care about features that cater specifically to collectors and fans aiming for maximum authenticity.
In addition to figure upgrades, TrooperLabs also supports the broader community through tutorials, exclusive releases, and an active Discord server where fans share figures, showcase collections, and collaborate on custom projects.
For fans who want to push beyond what’s officially available and dive deeper into the world of clone customization, brands like TrooperLabs represent a new frontier in collecting.
image credit from: u/NobodyQuiteLikeMe on reddit