As Darth Vader’s formidable soldiers, they are used to travelling to galaxies far, far away.
But one unsuspecting stormtrooper struggled to make it as far as Dundee at the weekend after police diverted a ScotRail service over a safety threat.
Dan Gillespie was heading from Aberdeen to a comic convention wearing his full Star Wars regalia when another passenger reported him to police.
They had mistaken his plastic blaster for a ‘firearm’. Mr Gillespie heard sirens from his seat on the train and was initially unaware of what was happening until he was approached by a guard.
Moments later the train returned to Aberdeen where the stormtrooper faced the wrath of firearms officers and British Transport Police.
The Grampian Stormtrooper posed with two police officers at a train station back in April 2018
The Grampian Stormtrooper poses with Chewbacca at a comic convention last month
The officers soon realised it was a false alarm. But the 50-year-old said he was still ordered not to travel until he had the toy concealed in a bag.
And he claims he was also told never to step on a train wearing the £1,000 outfit again.
Mr Gillespie told the Scottish Sun: ‘I heard sirens from the train along with an announcement, not knowing why we stopped. ‘I’m sure passengers on the train were annoyed with me.’
Mr Gillespie, known as the Grampian Stormtrooper, is often out and about in his outfit and has never experienced any problems before.
Police diverted a ScotRail train service from Aberdeen over a safety threat (file picture)
He said: ‘The blaster was holstered so it wasn’t even out. Two weeks ago I was a trooper on the bus. No issues. [It’s a] crazy world we live in.’
A British Transport Police spokesman said officers received reports of a man with a ‘firearm’ entering Aberdeen station just before 9am on Saturday.
He added: ‘Officers attended alongside colleagues from Police Scotland and it was determined it was a false alarm.’
Police Scotland declined to comment. ScotRail confirmed the train returned to Aberdeen.