Wookieepedia:Featured article queue/March 5, 2010

The Sun Guard was a Sith cult and mercenary group, centered on the planet Thyrsus in the Thyrsus system. Consolidated there by the Dark Lord of the Sith Darth Sidious, the fanatical Sun Guard developed a ferocious reputation, and they grew to be objects of fear. Sidious used the Sun Guard in his plans surrounding his ascension to the seat of the Supreme Chancellor of the Galactic Republic, assassinating key Senators, guarding his Coruscant stronghold, and even abducting Queen Padmé Amidala after the invasion of Naboo. Sidious sent a Sun Guard to retrieve the holocron of the ancient Sith king Adas, bringing him into combat against the Jedi, but when the holocron fell into their hands Sidious executed the man for his failure. The 2nd Regiment of the Sun Guard fought in the Clone Wars, but were crushed by Republic general Solomahal. When Sidious needed the Sun Guard no longer, his apprentice Dooku ordered his own minion Asajj Ventress to eliminate them. Some of the few surviving Sun Guards went on to join Supreme Chancellor Palpatine's Red Guard.

Though not Force-sensitive, the Sun Guard were adept melee fighters, thought to have led to the creation of the echani style of combat. Sun Guard armor was black, and their helmets resembled&mdash;and likely inspired&mdash;those of the Republic's Senate Guard. Sun Guard armor proved to be an inspiration for many other armor designs in the Galactic Empire: the uniforms of the Imperial Royal Guard; the specialized stormtrooper armors designed by Doctor Nashiak Llalik; the outfit of Carnor Jax, son of a Sun Guard; and the Sun Guard replica armor of the bounty hunter Moxin Tark.