How AT-AT Walkers crushed my love for Star Wars
The AT-AT Walker is undoubtedly the coolest weapon in the Galactic Empire’s arsenal.
The Rebel Alliance could just about handle the snow of Hoth but when the All-Terrain Armoured Transport walkers turned up, it was time to catch the nearest X-wing out of there.
And who could blame them? The AT-AT is more than just a tank on legs, it’s a towering 20m metal wolf gobbing lasers as it stalks and crushes its prey.
Yes, Luke tossed a bomb inside one and yes, Wedge toppled another by wrapping his harpoon cable ‘round its legs — but the Rebels knew they’d met their match.
Walk-on parts
The AT-ATs had regular walk-on parts in the Star Wars movies and animated series following their Empire Strike Back debut. They even made the evolutionary leap into last year’s The Last Jedi, inspiring the AT-M6 or Gorilla Walker — basically an AT-AT on steroids.
I was an eight-year-old Star Wars fanatic when the AT-ATs first appeared in 1980, and my action figure collection was growing by the month. Kenner (Palitoy in the UK) was fully realising the potential of the franchise by drip feeding us new figures, vehicles and playsets between movies. I loved the Star Destroyer playset, the Snowspeeder and the Tauntaun With Open Belly Rescue Feature — my friends and I played with them so much we almost wore them out. But surely Kenner’s AT-AT Walker would be the best thing ever?
It wasn’t.
Cramped cockpit
To fit onto the 1981 toy store shelves, the most heavily armoured ground vehicle in the Imperial Army was downsized out of all proportion. Barely the height of six action figures, its body (which carried dozens of Stormtroopers in the movie) was merely twice the size of its cramped cockpit.
Its pulsing machine guns were fun but if you tilted or waggled its head as instructed, it was easy to topple this precarious and creaky imitation.
Instead of a mighty Imperial wardog, it was just a cute puppy.
I tried to like the AT-AT but — even knowing how incredibly lucky I’d been to receive it for Christmas — I rapidly lost enthusiasm for it and for Star Wars toys in general. The designers had given it their best shot but even plastic has its limits.
In the intervening years, much more impressive AT-AT toys have been produced, including Hasbro’s 2ft Super Deluxe and Thinkway’s remote control versions.
I’ve also realised that my experience with the AT-AT was a good lesson: you can love different things over time, and that’s OK.
I’d later become as excited about Judge Dredd, the ZX Spectrum and Citadel Miniatures as I had been by Star Wars figures. In my childish way, I worked out what I was passionate about and explored that. It was a good habit to get into I think.
Besides, everyone can spot fake enthusiasm a mile off.
Thankfully my AT-AT walker went to a better place (a Swindon charity shop) and yes — I loved everything about Return of the Jedi. Even if I didn’t buy the action figures.
