Death trooper

Death troopers were an elite variant of the Galactic Empire's stormtroopers. They served as protective details and bodyguards for important Imperial officers and members of the Tarkin Initiative. They wore black suits of armor and specialized helmets that scrambled verbal communications. Death troopers were trained in unarmed combat, heavy weapons, and sniping. Specializing in commando missions, the troopers were experts at covering their tracks, leaving little evidence of their missions.

A squad of death troopers served under Director Orson Krennic's command, wielded as his personal protection since at least 13 BBY, and were present for the Battle of Scarif at the beginning of the Galactic Civil War. Another squad of death troopers was a part of Grand Admiral Thrawn's forces during his campaign against the early Rebel Alliance and participated in the Battle of Atollon.

Death troopers were known to wield SE-14r light repeating blasters, E-11Ds, long-range blaster rifles similar to the DLT-19 heavy blaster rifle, and C-25 fragmentation grenades.

Death troopers were named after a legendary Advanced Weapons Research project to revive necrotic tissue, which resulted in the creation of uncontrollable Undead Troopers.

Age of the Empire
In 13 BBY, a squad of death troopers accompanied Director Krennic to Lah'mu. There, they took Galen Erso to complete his work on the Death Star. One of the troopers killed Erso's wife, Lyra, and the squad attempted to find his daughter Jyn Erso, with no success.

During the early days of the Rebel Alliance, another squad of death troopers served under the command of the Seventh Fleet's commander, Grand Admiral Thrawn. They assisted Thrawn in capturing former ISB agent Kallus, following the latter's discovery as a Rebel spy, and held him during the Battle of Atollon. In the latter part of the battle, the squad accompanied Thrawn to Chopper Base to capture senior Rebel officers such as General Jan Dodonna and Captain Hera Syndulla. However, the Rebels were able to make their escape when a mystical force being called the Bendu attacked both the Imperial and Rebel forces. On Thrawn's orders, the death troopers concentrated their fire at Bendu, wounding him and sending him crashing to the ground.

Years later, death troopers would continue to escort Director Krennic during the Death Star's initial testing stage at Jedha and during his trip to Eadu. They were later deployed during the Battle of Scarif and fought against Rebel ground forces that had managed to infiltrate the planet. They managed to annihilate the remnants of the Rebel strike team. However, the entire squad was killed by Baze Malbus shortly before Krennic's death.

Training
"It's the trooper you don't see that will get you."

- Cassian Andor

Death troopers were elite stormtroopers in the Galactic Empire's military. Stormtrooper candidates who excelled at their training were reassigned to the advanced death trooper camp on Scarif. They were required to exceed traditional stormtrooper standards, including height and weight, and had to meet certain ideological standards. The candidates were also subjected to a battery of physical tests and classified surgical enhancements, making them "beyond human". Additionally, death troopers had to complete more rigorous training than standard stormtroopers, including training in exotic environments. They were mostly assigned to small groups, with each trooper specializing in a specific skill set.

Behind the scenes
The first footage of the death trooper was shown in the Rogue One: A Star Wars Story teaser trailer on April 7, 2016. According to the Us Magazine Collector's Edition - Star Wars Rogue One article Going Rogue, the death troopers were comparable to the United States Navy SEALs.

Appearances

 * Star Wars: Force Arena
 * Star Wars Battlefront II
 * Star Wars: Rivals
 * Rebel Rising
 * Star Wars Rebels Season Four
 * Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
 * Rogue One: A Star Wars Story novelization
 * Star Wars: Rogue One: A Junior Novel
 * Rogue One, Part I
 * Rogue One, Part III
 * Rogue One, Part IV
 * Rogue One, Part V
 * Star Wars Battlefront
 * Poe Dameron 8: The Gathering Storm, Part I
 * Poe Dameron 8: The Gathering Storm, Part I

Non-canon appearances

 * Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroes