This Hot Wheels model recreates that pivotal moment from Return of the Jedi, when Han Solo and Princess Leia are seemingly trapped by an AT-ST, only for Chewbacca to open the hatch and reveal himself as the machine’s driver – after having hijacked it.
The All Terrain Scout Transport (AT-ST) is one of the most memorable ground-vehicles in the Star Wars film series, alongside the much larger four-legged All Terrain Armored Transport (AT-AT).
This Hot Wheels model recreates the pivotal moment from Return of the Jedi, when Han Solo and Princess Leia are seemingly trapped by an AT-ST, only for Chewbacca to open the hatch and reveal himself as the machine’s driver – after having hijacked it. Image courtesy of Mattel.
History Speedrun: The Star Wars AT-ST
In the Star Wars cinematic universe, the All Terrain Scout Transport (or AT-ST) was developed by the Galactic Empire as a lighter and more mobile counterpart to the larger, armored AT-AT. The idea was to create a smaller ground vehicle capable of reconnaissance, infantry support, and quick-response actions where an AT-AT’s size would be impractical.
The roots of the AT-ST are said to go back to design studies seen during the Clone Wars, where similar two-legged walkers were employed by the Republic, giving the Empire a template to refine into a standardized machine of war.
By the time of the Galactic Civil War, the AT-ST was a familiar sight on Imperial-occupied worlds. With its distinctive bipedal “chicken walker” stance, it stood over eight meters tall, and was crewed by a pilot and a gunner. Unlike the AT-AT, which could carry troops and heavy munitions, the AT-ST was developed more for agility, scouting ahead, and providing support.
Its weaponry usually included a chin-mounted twin blaster cannon, a light blaster cannon, and a concussion grenade launcher, giving it reasonable versatility against infantry and light vehicles. That said, its light armor left it vulnerable to concentrated fire, explosives, and even primitive traps, as demonstrated during the Battle of Endor in Return of the Jedi (1983) when ewoks were able to take out a few with various log traps.
On the battlefield, the AT-ST was often deployed in coordinated groups, working alongside AT-ATs, stormtrooper units, or speeder bikes. It had a maximum speed of around 90 km/h on open terrain, making it fast enough to cover ground quickly while still stable on uneven surfaces. Its legs allowed it to step over obstacles that would halt tracked or wheeled vehicles, though this same design flaw left it susceptible to tripping or destabilization, a weakness famously exploited by the Ewoks.
Outside of its in-universe role, the AT-ST made its first cinematic appearance in The Empire Strikes Back (1980) during the Battle of Hoth, although it was only briefly visible among the larger AT-ATs. It became a more central feature in Return of the Jedi, where Industrial Light & Magic developed more advanced stop-motion models to show it in extended sequences.
The Hot Wheels Chewbacca AT-ST Shown Here
The Hot Wheels model you see here isn’t a car or a motorcycle, as you’d probably expect, but rather it’s a die-cast scale model of the AT-ST hijacked by Chewbacca in Return of the Jedi – it even includes a model of Chewbacca calling to Han Solo from the top hatch.
This model comes inside special diorama-style packaging that unfolds to recreate the scene on the forest moon of Endor, where the famous battle between the Rebels (and Ewoks) and the forces of the Empire.
This model comes inside special diorama-style packaging that unfolds to recreate the scene on the forest moon of Endor, where the famous battle between the Rebels (and Ewoks) and the forces of the Empire. Image courtesy of Mattel.
Many collectors will keep it inside the packaging to preserve its value, but some will take it out and keep it on their desk or shelf as a happy reminder that sometimes certain doom isn’t so certain, just so long as there’s a friendly Wookiee at the controls.
This Hot Wheels model is now available to buy direct from the official Mattel Amazon store here for just under $30 USD.
Images courtesy of Mattel
Articles that Ben Branch has written have been covered on CNN, Popular Mechanics, Smithsonian Magazine, Road & Track Magazine, the official Pinterest blog, the official eBay Motors blog, BuzzFeed, Autoweek Magazine, Wired Magazine, Autoblog, Gear Patrol, Jalopnik, The Verge, and many more.
Silodrome was founded by Ben back in 2010, in the years since the site has grown to become a world leader in the alternative and vintage motoring sector, with well over a million monthly readers from around the world and many hundreds of thousands of followers on social media.
