Elite Praetorian Guard

The Elite Praetorian Guard were the personal guard of Snoke, Supreme Leader of the First Order, during the First Order's conflict with the Resistance. They were clad in ornate crimson armor and robes and were armed with staff-like melee weapons with a blade on either end.

Behind the scenes
"The Emperor's guards were very formal, and you always got the sense that they could fight, but they didn't. They looked like they were more ceremonial, and you never really saw them in action. The Praetorians, my brief to Michael Kaplan was that those guys have to be more like samurai. They have to be built to move, and you have to believe that they could step forward and engage if they have to. They have to seem dangerous."

- Rian Johnson

The Elite Praetorian Guard were created for the 2017 film Star Wars: Episode VIII The Last Jedi as a variation of the Royal Guard that flanked Emperor Palpatine in Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly Rian Johnson, the director of The Last Jedi, revealed that the Praetorian Guards were named after the elite special guard who protected the ancient Roman emperors.

Appearances

 * Star Wars: Episode VIII The Last Jedi