Clone paratrooper

Clone paratrooper
General information
Location(s)	Utapau
Other information
Affiliation	Galactic Republic Grand Army of the Republic

"Did you find Kenobi?"
"Sir… No one could have survived that fall."

―Cody and a clone paratrooper

Clone paratroopers, also known as airborne clones, were specialized clone troopers trained for airborne operations in the Grand Army of the Republic. In the waning days of the Clone Wars, the paratroopers of the 212th Attack Battalion's 2nd Airborne Company served as front line assault units in the Battle of Utapau. Following a failed attempt to execute Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi as a result of Order 66, Clone Commander Cody ordered a group of paratroopers to search for the missing body of their former general. The troopers failed as Kenobi survived and escaped from the planet.

History

In 19 BBY, approximately three years after the start of the Clone Wars, the Galactic Republic and the Jedi Order launched a military invasion of Utapau. Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi was chosen by his colleagues on the Jedi High Council to lead the campaign. As a result, the 212th Attack Battalion was deployed to the Separatist-occupied planet. Among the 212th's infantry was a force of clone paratroopers from the 2nd Airborne Company. The fight between Jedi General Kenobi's battalion and General Grievous' droid army commenced with a direct assault by standard troopers while the paratroopers descended from the LAAT/i gunships to the front lines of the battle.

A clone paratrooper reports to Commander Cody in the aftermath of the Battle of Utapau.

The fighting continued after the destruction of Grievous as both regular troopers and paratroopers fought the battle droids for control of Pau City. When Kenobi attempted to lead the battalion in clearing the city's upper levels of the remaining droid forces, Supreme Chancellor Sheev Palpatine issued Order 66 to the Grand Army of the Republic, causing the clone soldiers to become hostile towards their Jedi officers. Following an attempt to eliminate Kenobi, the paratroopers were tasked by their commander, Cody, to search for the general's body as the clones began an occupation of Utapau. Their search failed to produce any evidence of Kenobi's death, although at least one paratrooper was convinced that the Jedi Master perished when he fell into the sinkhole of Pau City. The trooper was wrong, however, as Kenobi survived the fall and escaped from Utapau using the late Grievous' starfighter.

When Phase I Purge Trooper armor was used by the Empire after Order 66, Purge Troopers who served under Darth Vader and the Inquisitorius to help combat Jedi wore helmets and armor similar to that of paratroopers.

Equipment

Some clone paratroopers served as snipers.

Clone paratroopers wore a modified version of the Phase II clone trooper armor, that featured a kama and a unique, "beehive" helmet. They were equipped with DC-15A blaster carbines and DC-15A blaster rifles.

Some paratroopers served as snipers. These troops worked with clone medics and Heavy Gunners.

Appearances

• Star Wars Journeys: Beginnings
• Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith (First appearance)

Sources

• Star Wars Helmet Collection 15 (Weapons & Uniforms: The Grand Army of the Republic) (Picture only)
• Star Wars Helmet Collection 25 (Highlights of the Saga: Intrigue on Utapau) (Picture only)
• Star Wars Helmet Collection 35 (Helmets: 212th Attack Battalion)
• Star Wars Helmet Collection 35 (Highlights of the Saga: Escape from Utapau)
• Star Wars: Force Collection (Card: Clone Paratrooper (★★★★)) (Dark side card)
• Star Wars: Force Collection (Card: Clone Paratrooper (★★★★)) (Light side card)
• Star Wars Bust Collection 2 (Star Wars Universe: Stormtroopers) (Picture only)
• Rise of the Separatists
• The Art of Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order
• LEGO Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith (Set: 75286 General Grievous's Starfighter) (First identified as Airborne Clone Trooper)
• Every Type of Trooper in Star Wars | Star Wars By the Numbers on the official Star Wars Kids YouTube channel (content now obsolete; backup link) (First identified as airborne clone)
• Clone Commander Cody in the Databank (backup link)
• Clone Trooper Armor in the Databank (backup link) (First identified as clone paratrooper)

Notes and references

In other languages

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