- "Your armor, it's shiny and new. Just like you."
- ―Clone Captain Rex, to a group of clone shinies
Phase I clone trooper armor was the standard issue armor that was used by the clone troopers of the Grand Army of the Republic during the early phase of the Clone Wars. Manufactured by Kaminoan armorsmiths, the armor consisted of white plastoid plates worn over a black body glove.[6] Over time the Phase I armor was supplanted by the Phase II clone trooper armor, which was better adapted to human anatomy.
Description[]
Created by Kaminoan armorsmiths for the clone troopers of the Galactic Republic, the Phase I clone trooper armor consisted of twenty form-fitting plates of lightweight plastoid-alloy composite. Those plates were sealed to a black temperature control bodysuit via magnatomic gription panels. The bodysuit was also pressurized, offering temporary protection against the vacuum of space,[1] and the body glove protected the clone from the extreme cold and heat.[7]
Phase I armor with splashes of color denoted the military ranks of clone trooper officers, which was considered beneficial for non-clones or even clone troopers with damaged or defective helmets. However, this system fell out of practice as the clones became more individualistic due to the Jedi's influence. Color and armor customization came to denote a clone's individuality; Clone Commanders[6] such as Cody wore customized armor that set them apart from the rank-and-file units.[8]
The armor's design was reminiscent of the Mandalorian armor, including the helmet with a distinctive T-shaped visor. Despite its advantages, the Phase I armor proved uncomfortable for the troopers to fit in, which was due to the Kaminoans' unfamiliarity with human ergonomics.[1]
Phase I could be customized with additional pieces of equipment, including pauldrons[8] and kamas.[9] Inside the Phase I helmet, a clone trooper had a life support system, a tracking device for monitoring troop movements, and a display screen, which was built into the helmet's viewplate. The helmet also contained a comlink, and a comlink antenna was located in the helmet's crest.[7] A clone could also have attachments to their helmets, such as macrobinoculars, a rangefinder,[10] or a visor.[8]
History[]
The armorsmiths of Kamino designed Phase I armor after the Mandalorian armor worn by the clone soldiers' template, the bounty hunter Jango Fett.[1] Fett himself gave input on the armor,[7] and it was introduced at the same time as the first batch of clone troopers, which were deployed at the First Battle of Geonosis.[1] By the time of the Battle of Mon Cala, it was[11] gradually replaced by Phase II clone trooper armor,[7] which was more comfortable[1] and capable of supporting more specialized equipment.[12] At the time of the Battle of Mon Cala, Clone Captain Rex had not yet adopted Phase II armor, but one of the clones who served alongside him aboard an Venator-class Star Destroyer had.[11]
Behind the scenes[]
In the DVD audio commentary for Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Dave Filoni noted that, while there were transmitters and receivers in the clone troopers' helmets, having the characters hit the buttons of and hold up wrist-mounted comlinks signaled to the viewer that the characters were speaking with each other.[13]
Appearances[]
Non-canon appearances[]
- LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens (DLC)
- The LEGO Star Wars Holiday Special
- LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga
Sources[]
Notes and references[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 Ultimate Star Wars
- ↑ Rise of the Separatists
- ↑ clone troopers in the Encyclopedia (content now obsolete; backup link) states that clone troopers are 1.83 meters tall, which means that their armor must be around that height.
- ↑ "Tales of Villainy: The Crimson Corsair and the Crime Lords of the Barren Rim" — Star Wars Adventures (2020) 7
- ↑ Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "Rookies"
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Clone Trooper Armor in the Databank (backup link)
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 Star Wars: The Complete Visual Dictionary, New Edition
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Star Wars: The Clone Wars film
- ↑ Clone Trooper Armor History Gallery in the Databank (backup link)
- ↑ Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "Jedi Crash"
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "Water War"
- ↑ Ultimate Factivity Collection: Star Wars
- ↑ Star Wars: The Clone Wars film DVD commentary