Clone shock trooper

Clone shock troopers were the special forces clone troopers that formed the Coruscant Guard during the Clone Wars between the Galactic Republic and the Confederacy of Independent Systems. They were trained as elite shock troopers specifically for deployment on the planet Coruscant, and to provide security aboard Republic starships. There, as well as on a few other select Core Worlds, the clone shock troopers served primarily as security police for Republic government buildings and as prison guards. They also performed duties such as bodyguards for Republic officials and as urban peacekeepers with some troopers trained specifically for riot control. In addition to the civilian police on republic worlds, as military police they could take over investigations as well, and were treated as regular patrolling police when they were out and about.

HistoryEdit

Main article: Coruscant Guard

See also: Homeworld Security Command

With the eruption of war between the Galactic Republic and the Confederacy of Independent Systems in 22 BBY, the clone troopers grown on the planet Kamino were put into full operation as the Grand Army of the Republic. However, certain clones had been secretly grown on the planet Coruscant. Drilled as special forces for urban environments, the clone shock troopers were established as the Coruscant Guard shortly after the start of the war.^[1] Their primary purpose was to serve as a security police for Republic government buildings,^[2] Coruscant's infrastructure,^[3] banks, plazas, and landing platforms^[2] as well as guards at the Republic Judiciary Central Detention Center.^[4]

Though the Coruscant Guard was meant to only supplement the civilian forces of the Coruscant Security Force, in charge of policing Galactic City, and the Senate Guard, in charge of protecting senators, dignitaries and the Senate District, the shock troopers soon found themselves conducting regular policing duties^[5] such as raids,^[6] hostage rescues,^[7] and riot suppression.^[8] The Coruscant Guard's Diplomatic Escort Group would be assigned to accompany diplomats and senators, such as Padmé Amidala, a role previously held solely by the Senate Guard.^[9]

As the war continued, the Coruscant Guard became the most visible element of the Homeworld Security Command. Shock troopers were called in more and more for police duties and had the authority to demand of anyone to reveal their identification on the spot and perform other random security checks. Rumors of searches of houses without just cause and brutal suppression of protesters in the lower levels existed though were not confirmed by government authorities.^[2] This reputation gained the clone shock troopers the nickname "stormtroopers," a term later applied to all clone troopers after the formation of the Galactic Empire.^[10]

After newly proclaimed Galactic Emperor Palpatine established the Empire, the Coruscant Guard became the primary force responsible for security on Coruscant.^[11] The term "clone shock trooper" was discontinued and members of the Guard were instead referred to as either "Coruscant Guards" or "Elite Stormtroopers." The original clone shock troopers themselves were also phased out in favor of younger and Imperial indoctrinated stormtroopers.^[12]

EquipmentEdit

Shock troopers were issued the Phase I clone trooper armor with their initial deployment to Coruscant. Unlike most other clones who were issued white with officers bearing color markings, the Coruscant Guard armor was issued in red.^[6] The color scheme made the shock troopers a very distinctive unit within the Grand Army. With the introduction of the Phase II clone trooper armor, the red color scheme continued and a majority of the armor was covered in red. The paint markings were unique designations for Coruscant. The color red became a symbol of all things Coruscant executive.^[10] It remained such a distinctive armor scheme that the Imperial era Coruscant Guard armor was covered completely in red.^[12]

Shock troopers were armed with DC-15A blaster rifles, DC-15Ss, and thermal detonators. They were also seen armed with missile launchers and Z-6 rotary blaster cannons during battle.^[9]

Behind the scenesEdit

While all canonically-seen shock troopers had red armor highlights, a promotional card for Official Pix sent with the 2006 Hyperspace Fan Club membership kit depicted a shock trooper with blue paint instead of red, but otherwise identical in appearance. The possible canon of this color scheme, and of whether those who wore it were indeed part of the shock trooper corps, remains ambiguous.

AppearancesEdit

SourcesEdit

Explore all of Wookieepedia's images for this article subject.

• Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith: The Visual Dictionary
• Star Wars: The Complete Visual Dictionary
• "Guide to the Grand Army of the Republic"—Star Wars Insider 84
• "Ask the Master"—Star Wars Insider 85
• Star Wars Fandex Deluxe Edition
• The Clone Wars Campaign Guide
• Star Wars Character Encyclopedia
• Star Wars: Battles for the Galaxy
• Star Wars: The Ultimate Visual Guide: Updated and Expanded
•  "Deception" - The Clone Wars Episode Guide on StarWars.com (backup link)
•  "The Jedi Who Knew Too Much" Episode Guide - The Clone Wars on StarWars.com (backup link)
•  "To Catch a Jedi" Episode Guide - The Clone Wars on StarWars.com (backup link)
•  "The Wrong Jedi" - The Clone Wars Episode Guide on StarWars.com (backup link)
•  501st Legion in the Databank (content now obsolete; backup link)
•  Thire in the Databank (content now obsolete; backup link)
•  Coruscant Guards in the Databank (content now obsolete; backup link)
•  Jek in the Databank (content now obsolete; backup link)
•  Rys in the Databank (content now obsolete; backup link)
•  clone troopers in the Encyclopedia (content now obsolete; backup link)
•  Jar Jar Binks in the Encyclopedia (content now obsolete; backup link) (Picture only)
•  Clone Commander Fox in the Encyclopedia (content now obsolete; backup link)
•  Clone Commander Stone in the Encyclopedia (content now obsolete; backup link)

Notes and referencesEdit