Emperor's Royal Guard

"Guards, leave us!"

- Palpatine dismisses his guards with fatal consequences

The Emperor's Royal Guard, known informally as the red guard, were the personal bodyguards of Palpatine. Armed with force pikes and fully clad in their anonymous helmets and crimson robes, the Royal Guard were silent, imposing, and deadly. Those who proved themselves to be the most promising of the Imperial military were selected for duty as a Royal Guard and had to fulfill stringent requirements based on size, strength, intelligence, and loyalty to the Emperor.

History
Known under the Galactic Republic simply as the "red guard", they were formed by Palpatine after he was elected Supreme Chancellor of the Galactic Senate. Recruited from the ranks of the Senate Guard, the red guards were slowly brought in by Palpatine to replace their blue-clad counterparts. Their red robes melted in with the red decor of the Chancellor's office and they were stationed at the entrance even prior to the start of the Clone Wars. However, Palpatine did not always have them present and more often then not still depended on the protection of the elite Senate Commandos. It would also be well into the war before Palpatine stepped out in public with the red guards who remained silent and imposing.

At the end of the war Palpatine declared himself as emperor and reorganized the Republic into the Galactic Empire. The Emperor's Royal Guard formally took their position at the Palpatine's side, and only occasionally relieved by the Coruscant Guard to accompany the Emperor off Coruscant. The Senate Guards themselves were phased out completely by the Royal Guard and the Imperial Stormtroopers. The Battle of Endor would prove to be the ultimate failure of the Royal Guards, though not of their own choice. Dismissed by the Emperor, the Guards retreated leaving Palpatine with Darth Vader and his son, Luke Skywalker. During the encounter, Vader was redeemed once again becoming Ankin Skywalker and taking hold of the Emperor and killed him by throwing him down a ventilation shaft.

Appearances

 * Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones
 * Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
 * Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi
 * Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
 * Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi
 * Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi