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"A real stormtrooper has no room for sympathy. A real stormtrooper is the extension of the First Order, of Supreme Leader Snoke's will, nothing less."
―Phasma[9]

Stormtroopers, also known as First Order stormtroopers or "bucketheads," were the infantry soldiers of the First Order, a fascist military junta from within the Unknown Regions of the galaxy. As the latest evolution of one of galactic history's most distinctive symbols of military might, the First Order's infantry units were outfitted with stark white armor derived from that worn by the Galactic Republic's clone troopers and the Galactic Empire's identically named elite shock troops. To ensure absolute loyalty and conformity, First Order troopers were identified by alphanumeric designations instead of individual names and programmed from birth through regular exposure to state-controlled propaganda. Ultimately, members of this new generation of stormtroopers were trained to serve one purpose—conquering the galaxy in the name of the First Order.

The First Order Stormtrooper Corps was formed during the New Republic Era, following the collapse of its Imperial-era predecessor in the aftermath of the Galactic Civil War. Though the Galactic Concordance banned the mobilization of stormtroopers, the First Order secretly began its own stormtrooper program under the supervision of General Brendol Hux and Captain Cardinal, and later General Armitage Hux and Captain Phasma beyond the supervision of the New Republic. Throughout its time, the program was centered on training human conscripts from early childhood. During the Cold War between the First Order and the New Republic, stormtroopers were presented as a territorial protection force. After the destruction of the New Republic capital, their true nature as the First Order's invasion army was revealed, leading to open war against the Resistance.

Having conquered large swathes of territory, stormtroopers became the enforcers of a new galactic order ruled by Supreme Leader Kylo Ren—the dark warrior who succeeded Snoke as absolute ruler of the First Order. By the final days of the conflict, stormtroopers were supplemented by the red armored Sith troopers, a secret army developed on the hidden world of Exegol by the Sith Eternal cult. Despite their combined power, the newly-formed Final Order was ultimately defeated by Resistance forces and their allies at the Battle of Exegol, after which the First Order military faced a series of uprisings across the galaxy.

History[]

Origin[]

"During the Clone Wars, I served in the Grand Army of the Republic. I was a junior officer who communicated tactics and strategy as determined by our Jedi generals."
―Brendol Hux[10]
ClonesInFormation

The origins of First Order stormtroopers dated back to the Clone Wars, when clone troopers fought for the Galactic Republic.

The armored soldiers of the First Order evolved from one of the galaxy's most distinctive symbols of military might—the stormtroopers of the Galactic Empire.[11] Representing a new generation of stormtroopers, First Order troopers could trace their origins even further back to the clone troopers who fought for the Galactic Republic during the Clone Wars.[2] When the Empire fell, suffering catastrophic defeats at Endor[12] and Jakku,[13] the New Republic crafted a peace treaty that ended the Galactic Civil War,[14] yet also reduced the Empire to a rump state through the enforcement of strict disarmament treaties and punishing war reparations.[15]

Desperate to end the war and having regained his power, Grand Vizier Mas Amedda, oversaw the dismantling of the Imperial regime and its replacement by a provisional government on Coruscant following the death of Counselor to the Empire Gallius Rax.[13] The Stormtrooper Corps was consequently dissolved due to the Galactic Concordance banning the recruitment and training of stormtroopers.[16]

Rise of the First Order[]

Project Resurrection[]

"Project Resurrection. Kidnapping children."
"Rescuing. Forging them into an army the likes of which this galaxy has never seen."
―Iden Versio and Gideon Hask[17]
Legitimate Power

The First Order's new generation of stormtroopers preserved an enduring symbol of military might.

Although the Empire officially capitulated to the Republic, a group of Imperial officers, nobles and technologists refused to accept the outcome of the war. Embarking on an exodus into the Unknown Regions,[15] the Imperial remnant was ultimately reorganized into[16] a hermetic state[18] known as the First Order.[16] By hiding in the unexplored regions of galactic space, the First Order was able to conduct a massive military buildup—forging new armies and fleets in secret—in violation of the Galactic Concordance.[15] The presence of stormtroopers in the First Order's ranks was a well known fact to the New Republic, but the First Order convinced both the government and much of the galaxy that their soldiers were only for defense. Only the Resistance suspected the stormtroopers' true purpose.[11] Drawing inspiration from the ideas of Brendol Hux,[16] a former Republic officer and Imperial commandant who found the Empire's stormtroopers lacking,[10] the First Order conscripted[17] human[19] children under Project Resurrection,[17] creating a new Stormtrooper Corps.[16]

The First Order utilized the training methods of its predecessors, the Galactic Republic and the Galactic Empire, while training the new generation of stormtroopers. Although First Order stormtroopers were non-clone humans like their Imperial precursors, they were trained from an even younger age[2]—virtually from birth[1]—whereas Imperial stormtroopers were recruited in their adolescence. In this regard, First Order stormtroopers were modeled on Republic clone troopers[2] as well as the Jedi Knights. Both the Grand Army of the Republic and the Jedi Order trained their members from infancy, which influenced Brendol Hux's beliefs on how to train the ideal soldier. His son, Armitage Hux, viewed First Order stormtroopers as the Jedi's legacy.[20]

Hux and Phasma

General Armitage Hux and Captain Phasma oversaw the stormtrooper training program, determined to create an army of perfect warriors.

The new stormtroopers were taken from their families[5] and raised to be absolutely loyal to the First Order.[1] By 34 ABY,[21] approximately thirty years after[5] the Empire's defeat at Endor,[12] the stormtrooper legions were under the command of Captain Phasma[3] as well as other notable leaders such as General Armitage Hux and Kylo Ren.[5] Above all, their allegiance was with Supreme Leader Snoke,[9] ruler of the First Order.[18] Although all stormtroopers were trained for absolute loyalty to the First Order,[5] a Worker Of The Month award could be given to troopers who distinguished themselves; FN-0208 was one stormtrooper who won the award.[17]

The buildup to war[]

"What's wrong with people? Can't they see the First Order are the bad guys?"
"Bad guys? They saved Torra from pirate kidnappers. We need better security here!"
"These guys aren't security. They're stormtroopers, and stormtroopers are only for one thing: War."
―Kazuda Xiono and Tamara Ryvora[22]
Holding Back the Chaos

The First Order concealed the true purpose of its stormtrooper forces by claiming that they were only for defense.

In 29 ABY,[23] Centrist star systems seceded from the New Republic, becoming the public face of the First Order. As the New Republic and First Order entered into a Cold War, Stormtroopers again became a common sight in the galaxy, yet the public at large had forgotten the troopers' Imperial legacy. Instead, the stormtroopers were merely portrayed as the First Order's territorial protection force; the soldiers never entered the Republic's borders, respecting treaties with a government they intended to overthrow. The true purpose of the Stormtrooper Corps remained a secret,[2] but Senator Leia Organa, fearing what the First Order was capable of, formed[24] a private military group known as the Resistance[25] in response.[24]

During the Cold War, the First Order was opposed by the Resistance,[5] which fought to prevent the First Order from restoring Imperial rule to the galaxy.[25] The Resistance cataloged that there were special stormtroopers equipped for crowd control, cold weather, and incendiary tasks. Still, intelligence analysts were convinced that there were many more special troopers yet to be discovered.[26] Two Resistance agents, Iden Versio and Shriv Suurgav, discovered Project Resurrection. Versio accused the program of being exploitative, abducting children and brainwashing them to serve the First Order. Her former comrade, Gideon Hask, countered that the First Order rescued children by giving them purpose as soldiers in an army of unprecedented military might.[17]

Following the abduction of Torra Doza, an event orchestrated by the First Order in order to gain Captain Imanuel Doza's trust by rescuing his daughter, First Order stormtroopers were posted on the Colossus ostensibly to protect the station against further pirate raids.[27] Their presence on the Colossus generated mixed opinions among the station's inhabitants, such as Tamara Ryvora and Kazuda Xiono. While Ryvora welcomed the stormtroopers as a necessary safeguard against piracy, Xiono—a spy working for the Resistance on Castilon—opposed the soldiers whom he viewed as "bad guys." Xiono believed that First Order stormtroopers were trained solely for war. Nevertheless, Ryvora regarded the troops as the solution to the station's security issues.[22]

Treason in the ranks[]

"Perhaps Leader Snoke should consider using a clone army."
―Kylo Ren[5]
Stormtroopers-raid-Jakku

Tuanul, a village on Jakku, was raided by First Order stormtroopers as part of Kylo Ren's hunt for the last Jedi.

In addition to the First Order's goals, which included the destruction of the New Republic and the Resistance, they supported Kylo Ren's quest to destroy the last Jedi, Luke Skywalker. To that end, Phasma and an armed force of stormtroopers conducted an assault on Tuanul, a village located on the planet Jakku where Ren hoped to gain information pertaining to Skywalker's hidden location. The Resistance likewise attempted to locate Skywalker, sending Commander Poe Dameron to obtain information from Lor San Tekka. Dameron killed a few stormtroopers, including FN-2003 during the attack, but was subdued by Ren's Force powers and subsequently captured by First Order troops.[5]

Finn on Tuanul

Unwilling to execute unarmed prisoners, FN-2187 committed desertion after witnessing the massacre of Tuanul.

After executing San Tekka for refusing to cooperate, Ren directed Phasma and the stormtroopers to exterminate the village's entire population. With the exception of FN-2187, every trooper complied with Ren's order, firing into the crowd until the last villager was dead. The experience of witnessing the First Order's brutality and the deaths of his comrades influenced FN-2187's decision to commit desertion by abandoning his life as a stormtrooper. He proceeded to escape from the Finalizer, a Resurgent-class Star Destroyer, by freeing Dameron before commandeering a TIE/sf space superiority fighter. FN-2187 used the starfighter's weapons against the troops in the hangar, killing several stormtroopers that attempted to prevent his escape.[5]

Returning to Jakku, FN-2187 encountered more stormtroopers at Niima Outpost on Jakku. However, he was able to escape from his former comrades with the help of a scavenger, Rey and the Resistance astromech droid BB-8. His betrayal of the First Order caused Ren to berate all stormtroopers as susceptible to treason. However, General Hux maintained his confidence in the First Order's army as well as their conditioning for complete loyalty.[5]

First Order-Resistance War[]

March of the First Order[]

"Today is the end of the Republic. The end of a regime that acquiesces to disorder. At this very moment, in a system far from here… the New Republic lies to the galaxy… while secretly supporting the treachery… of the loathsome Resistance. This fierce machine which you have built… upon which we stand… will bring an end to the Senate! To their cherished fleet! All remaining systems will bow to the First Order! And will remember this… as the last day of the Republic!"
―Armitage Hux[5]
First Order Military

First Order stormtroopers saluted General Hux as he announced the imminent destruction of the New Republic.

With the completion of the First Order superweapon, Starkiller Base, General Hux declared the end of the New Republic's reign to a large assembly of stormtroopers and other military personnel. Saluting their general, the stormtroopers witnessed the activation of the superweapon, resulting in the utter destruction of Hosnian Prime along with the Galactic Senate and a substantial portion of the New Republic Defense Fleet.[5]

Meanwhile, the hunt for Skywalker led Kylo Ren and an armed force of stormtroopers to the planet Takodana where the dark warrior attempted to capture BB-8, aware that the droid contained part of the information regarding the last Jedi's location. The stormtroopers assaulted a castle belonging to Maz Kanata during their search for the BB unit, then pursued BB-8 and Rey into the forest where several troopers were killed before Ren apprehended the scavenger.[5]

DoctorAphra-37-Muir-Unlettered

During the invasion of Takodana, FN-2199 attempted to kill FN-2187 for betraying the First Order.

During the battle, FN-2199 confronted the traitor FN-2187, who now referred to himself as "Finn." After a brief duel FN-2199 defeated Finn in single combat, only to be shot by the smuggler Han Solo. Nevertheless, the First Order captured Finn and his allies, but the arrival of a Resistance X-wing starfighter squadron distracted the troops, granting their prisoners an opportunity to escape. As the First Order fended off the Resistance's attack, one of the stormtroopers advised Ren to send for reinforcements. Instead, Ren ordered his troops to withdraw from Takodana, having discovered that Rey already accessed the information he wanted from BB-8.[5]

At Starkiller Base, Kylo Ren interrogated Rey in an attempt to get the map out of her, but his efforts were in vain, as Rey resisted him and revealed herself to be Force-sensitive. Ren went to inform his Master, Supreme Leader Snoke, about his discovery and left FN-1824 to keep watch over Rey. After two failed attempts, Rey managed to perform a mind trick on the stormtrooper, forcing him to to free her. When Ren returned and found that Rey had escaped, he angrily called the guards and destroyed the interrogation chair with his lightsaber, prompting two passing stormtroopers to quickly turn and walk away to avoid confrontation.[5]

Shortly after, the Resistance attacked Starkiller Base, resulting in a large dogfight in the air as the First Order scrambled a defense force to protect the base. On the ground, Han Solo, Chewbacca, Finn, and Rey headed to the oscillator to destroy it, engaging multiple stormtroopers along the way. As Solo and Chewbacca planted the explosives, Ren and a squad of stormtroopers arrived at the oscillator to find them. The stormtroopers aimed their blasters at Solo when he confronted Ren out in the open, hoping to convince his son to abandon the First Order and return home. Ren was shot by Chewbacca after the First Order warlord struck down his father, causing the stormtroopers to open fire on the Wookiee warrior. Despite their efforts, the troopers failed to stop Chewbacca from detonating the explosives, killing the soldiers and damaging the oscillator. As a result, Dameron was able to fly in and destroy it. With the oscillator destroyed, the First Order moved to evacuate its forces from Starkiller Base as the planet collapsed into a star.[5]

Annihilation of the Resistance[]

"High alert, Commander. Their ships are dropping like flies. Our time approaches."
―Phasma[20]
Episode VIII Stormtroopers

Protected by an army of stormtroopers, the Supremacy spearheaded the First Order's efforts to annihilate the Resistance.

Despite the loss of Starkiller Base, the First Order moved to impose its rule over the galaxy through military force, having eliminated the New Republic as an obstacle.[6] At that time, the First Order's forces included ten thousand combat ready troops.[28] Simultaneously, the First Order endeavored to destroy the Resistance once and for all, forcing Organa and her followers to abandon their base on D'Qar. Hoping to disrupt the First Order's ability to track the Resistance fleet's movements through hyperspace, Finn and Rose Tico infiltrated the Mega-class Star Dreadnought Supremacy—the flagship of Supreme Leader Snoke—but were ultimately captured by Phasma and her stormtroopers. After bringing the prisoners to a hangar containing a large gathering of stormtroopers, Phasma sentenced Finn and Tico both to summary execution. Just as the executioner troopers moved to carry out the death sentence, the Resistance flagship Raddus crashed into the Supremacy at lightspeed.[6]

The act split the Mega-class Star Dreadnought in half, leaving a huge gap open to space where many crew members and stormtroopers perished. In their ensuing escape from the crippled Supremacy, Finn and Tico battled surviving stormtroopers in the hangar. Finn bested Phasma, who was sucked down into the flaming wreckage[6] and died.[2] By then, Snoke had been assassinated by his apprentice, Kylo Ren, who then defeated the slain leader's Elite Praetorian Guards with the help of Rey. Their alliance was short-lived, however. Rey rejected Ren's proposal that they rule the galaxy together, causing the dark side warrior to blame Snoke's death on the former scavenger.[6]

Fall of Crait TLJ

The Resistance base on Crait fell to First Order stormtroopers led by the self-proclaimed Supreme Leader Kylo Ren.

Seizing control of the First Order as the new Supreme Leader, his first act in power was to deploy the First Order's forces, including an army of snowtroopers, to the planet Crait where he intended to annihilate the remaining members of the Resistance. During the Battle of Crait, the First Order overwhelmed the Resistance's defenses and stormed the outpost where they hid, although a small group of survivors managed to escape aboard the Millennium Falcon due to Rey's intervention.[6] Several days after the battle, Resistance forces encountered stormtroopers during their missions to Bracca and Corellia, which was a planet the First Order had occupied.[29]

Conquest of the galaxy[]

"You are First Order stormtroopers. You've trained most of your lives to be the very best, and the time for you to prove it is now. Our enemy has their backs to the wall. Their feeble numbers can hardly stand opposed to the First Order's might."
―Armitage Hux[30]
KijimiGarrison-TROSVD

Stormtroopers deployed across the galaxy, projecting the power of the First Order and its new Supreme Leader.

After a lifetime of training to fulfill one purpose,[11] the forces of the First Order deployed throughout the galaxy,[2] with stormtroopers leading the charge.[16] Large swathes of the galaxy fell to legions of white-armored troopers—an image that was once a symbol of galactic salvation during the Clone Wars, but now appropriated by the First Order. Seemingly appearing everywhere the First Order expanded to, the fall of the New Republic allowed the stormtroopers to carry out their true mandate as an invasion army; the First Order saw no point in respecting the laws of a fallen government, and therefore, they discarded the facade of maintaining a territorial protection force.[2]

At this time, the First Order began abducting and conscripting even more children from across the galaxy to grow its stormtrooper ranks even further. This was ruthlessly carried out under the direction of General Amret Engell, who enthusiastically supported the new Supreme Leader and strove to create an army that was worthy of his approval. Indeed, some planets such as Kijimi had most, if not all, of its children taken for conscription at the start of its occupation.[2] During the war, the 709th "Red Fury" Legion,[31] an elite force made of stormtroopers chosen by Supreme Leader Kylo Ren himself,[32] was deployed to the planet of Batuu.[31] On Batuu, stormtrooper lieutenant Gauge was also tasked with operating a re-education camp to turn civilians into soldiers.[33]

Fall of the First Order[]

Return of the Emperor[]

"We'll need to increase recruitments. Harvest more of the galaxy's young."
―Bellava Parnadee to Amret Engell[34]
IronwoodWarrior

A contingent of stormtroopers accompanied the Supreme Leader to Mustafar where they massacred the Alazmec of Winsit.

Despite occupying vast regions of the galaxy, the First Order's forces were smaller than the Imperial Military.[2] When Darth Sidious—the Dark Lord of the Sith and Galactic Emperor—announced his return, a contingent of stormtroopers accompanied Supreme Leader Ren during his excursion to Mustafar[34] where they fought the Alazmec of Winsit on the castle grounds of Fortress Vader. Ren outpaced his stormtrooper escorts, cutting a swathe of destruction through the Alazmec cultists to acquire a Sith wayfinder that once belonged to his grandfather, Sith Lord Darth Vader.[2]

The wayfinder led Ren to Exegol, a planet in the Unknown Regions where the Sith Eternal military was developed by the Emperor's followers.[34] Discovering the Sith Eternal's forces bolstered the First Order Supreme Council's confidence in Ren's leadership;[2] the units on Exegol would be used to reinforce the First Order's existing forces, allowing Ren to complete his conquest of the galaxy and rule over a true Empire.[34]

The hunt for Rey[]

"It's okay that you're here."
"It's good."
―FN-0606 and FN-1226, under Rey's control[34]
NJP-900

Rey's Resistance team was located on Pasaana by the First Order's stormtrooper forces.

Before Ren could take command of Exegol's forces, he was tasked by Sidious to kill the former scavenger Rey, and by doing so, eliminate the last remnant of the Jedi Order. Using his connection with the Jedi apprentice to determine her location, Ren deployed a force of stormtroopers to the planet Pasaana where Rey and her companions were pursued by a team of First Order Treadspeeder Drivers and First Order jet troopers. As they chased the Resistance team through the Pasaana desert, the 125-Z treadspeeder bikes catapulted the jet troopers into the air, allowing the First Order to take to the sky much to the surprise of C-3PO, Finn and Poe Dameron. Though the Jedi and Resistance operatives defeated their pursuers, a group of stormtroopers captured Chewbacca with help from the Knights of Ren.[34]

Stormtroopers-TROS

FN-0606 and FN-1226 were forced to help Rey while under the influence of the Jedi apprentice's power.

Rey and her allies later made their way to Kijimi, a planet under military occupation by the First Order. A stormtrooper garrison patrolled the streets of Kijimi City, conducting mass raids[34] to acquire more child conscripts for their growing army.[2] Ren's forces also combed through the city searching for Rey, who managed to infiltrate the Supreme Leader's flagship—the Resurgent-class Star Destroyer Steadfast—along with her comrades. After killing the guards in the main hangar, the group was ambushed by a pair of stormtroopers, FN-0606 and FN-1226, who attempted to apprehend the infiltrators. However, Rey's connection to the Force allowed her to dominate their minds, forcing the troopers to help the Resistance operatives navigate their way through the warship. While Rey left to collect her belongings from Ren's private chambers, Finn and Dameron managed to rescue Chewbacca, and with the Wookiee's help, they stormed down a corridor of stormtroopers, gunning several troops down before being forced to surrender due to the overwhelming number of First Order units.[34]

ReuniononSteadfast-RiseIDW

Stormtroopers were marshaled in the Steadfast's hangar, where the Supreme Leader and the last Jedi confronted each other.

A squad of stormtroopers escorted the Resistance prisoners to an area where they were to be summarily executed. Before they could complete their orders, General Hux took a blaster rifle from one of the troopers, ostensibly to carry out the deed himself. Instead, he saved the prisoners by killing his own soldiers, revealing himself as the spy who had been feeding information to the Resistance. As Rey's friends returned to the Millennium Falcon, Ren had returned to the Steadfast to confront the last Jedi in person. More stormtroopers arrived in the hangar, where they aimed their weapons at Rey but were held back by Ren, who revealed to Rey that she was in fact Sidious' granddaughter. He urged her to join him, believing they could destroy the Emperor and the Sith with their combined power as a Force dyad. Rey refused Ren's entreaty, however, and escaped from the Steadfast with the help of her friends, who used the engines of the Millennium Falcon to hold the stormtroopers back.[34]

The Final Order[]

Ren would ultimately abandon his ambitions to rule the galaxy, renouncing his dark persona in the wake of his mother's death on Ajan Kloss. Without a Supreme Leader, command of the First Order and its forces defaulted to Allegiant General Enric Pryde, who executed General Hux with a stormtrooper's blaster rifle after deducing that his younger colleague was the spy in their ranks. Having served Darth Sidious in the days of the Empire, Pryde swore fealty to him once more, giving control of the entire First Order to the reborn Emperor.[34]

Sith-Troopers-First-Order

In the last days of the war, First Order stormtroopers were supplemented by an army of elite Sith troopers from Exegol.

With the First Order's military forces under his command, Sidious issued an ultimatum to the entire galaxy: all worlds would submit to the combined might of the new Sith Empire or be annihilated outright. In addition to the Final Order, a massive armada of Xyston-class Star Destroyers armed with axial superlasers, the First Order gained an army of Sith troopers.[34] Like their white-armored counterparts, these red-armored soldiers were elite units whose inception was inspired by Republic clone troopers and Imperial stormtroopers, as well as the Sith for whom they were named after. Unlike First Order stormtroopers, however, Sith troopers were even more obedient and machine-like due to their flash-imprinting and loyalty conditioning, both of which were built upon and advanced beyond Kaminoan procedures of earlier generations.[2]

Defeat on Exegol[]

ExegolLandingTeam

Former stormtroopers, including Finn and Jannah, fought on the side of the Resistance during the Battle of Exegol.

As the Sith fleet prepared to depart from Exegol, Resistance forces attempted to halt their launch in a last-ditch effort to prevent Sidious' new Sith Empire from becoming a reality. In the ensuing Battle of Exegol, a contingent of Sith troopers defended the Steadfast while Pryde oversaw the launching of the Sith Star Destroyers. As such, the command ship was targeted by Resistance boarding parties, causing the Sith troopers to launch a counterattack in defense of the Steadfast. Though many Resistance fighters fell in battle against the crimson soldiers, the Sith troopers failed to prevent their enemies from destroying the command bridge along with Pryde. Several standard First Order stormtroopers were aboard the bridge as the ship was destroyed as well. Without the Steadfast to guide the fleet to safe altitude, the remaining Sith Star Destroyers were destroyed by the Resistance and its allies before they could escape into hyperspace, and with the death of Sidious the Resistance claimed victory on Exegol[34] in 35 ABY.[35]

Without the promise of reinforcements of the Sith, the First Order military was suddenly challenged by multiple uprisings across the galaxy. In the aftermath of Resistance victory, Resurgent-class Star Destroyers were attacked and destroyed in the skies above Cloud City on Bespin, the Forest Moon of Endor, and Rey's homeworld of Jakku.[34]

Training[]

"My men are exceptionally trained. Programmed from birth."
―Armitage Hux[5]
Deck Nine

After the fall of the Galactic Empire, the First Order conscripted human children to create the next generation of stormtroopers.

The First Order's stormtrooper training program was designed to produce an army of super-soldiers.[36] As a result, members of the new generation of stormtroopers were trained from birth to become elite soldiers with a single purpose in life—to serve the First Order.[1] This form of training drew inspiration from the ideals of Commandant Brendol Hux, who was inspired by the combat prowess and dedication of the Jedi Knights and Republic clone troopers, both of which were instructed from youth to become efficient combatants.[10]

According to Phasma, the ideology of the First Order stormtroopers did not allow for any emotional elements such as sympathy since they were to specifically act as an extension of the Supreme Leader's will, and by extension that of the First Order, alone, and that the troopers were just as strong as they were weak.[9] Likewise, Finn admitted that First Order stormtroopers were considered by their superiors to be expendable; those that were inept in battle were expected to die and not be saved by their fellow allies.[37] During the fall of the Empire, Counselor Gallius Rax conscripted roughly two dozen orphans from his home planet of Jakku and gave them to Hux, who turned them into a force of child soldiers and assassins loyal to Rax. Prior to his death, Rax placed Hux's illegitimate son, Armitage in command of the child soldiers.[13] As an adult, Armitage incorporated his father's ideas into the training program for the First Order stormtroopers.[16] Captain Grummart was also a figure involved in trooper training whose specialties included archery.[38]

FOStormtrooperSquad-SWBC54

Stormtroopers of the First Order were trained since birth to serve one purpose—using strength to bring order to chaos.

The First Order employed Jinata Security to abduct infants for the stormtrooper program.[17] Most of the child recruits either came from conquered worlds in the Unknown regions, were children of former Imperials, or were orphans from throughout the galaxy. While in some cases, many impoverished families actually gave up their children to The First Order willing hoping to give them a better future or have less mouths to feed, more often than not, most of the children were taken by force or outright kidnapped.

The First Order processed their conscripts at induction camps where the trainees were separated into groups or "batches." Prior to becoming fully-trained stormtroopers, FN-2187 and trooper 926 were members of Batch Eight.[20] As children, stormtroopers were initially trained under the oversight of Captain Cardinal, a former child soldier who instructed his cadets in hand-to-hand and melee combat, marksmanship, and battle simulations on the Resurgent-class Star Destroyer Absolution. When deemed ready, Cardinal's trainees were transferred to the Finalizer where they would complete their training under the watch of Captain Phasma.[39]

Phasma FN-2187

Captain Phasma endeavored to control the stormtroopers in thought and action, making them completely subservient to the First Order command structure.

As the commander of the stormtrooper legions, Phasma endeavored to mold the stormtroopers into the finest soldiers in the galaxy and maintained a constant vigil against any signs of weakness or disobedience.[3] To this end, behavioral and personality conditioning was critical in the training of First Order stormtroopers. In an effort to control their psychological development, the First Order provided its trainees with a steady amount of subliminal sleep messages[39] and First Order propaganda, resulting in the production of soldiers who were completely loyal to the First Order. In addition, rigorous combat exercises and psychological conditioning, the First Order strongly emphasized the values of uniformity and conformity.[1] They were therefore given alphanumeric[5] designations instead of names.[1]

As such, their emphasis of uniformity and conformity was strict enough that the stormtroopers weren't allowed to even remove their helmets unless specifically ordered to do so, with the penalty of doing so usually being mandated psychological counseling.[5] A trooper that displayed "erratic conditioning" could be scheduled for a full mental wipe and reprogram, also known as a brainscrape.[40] Likewise, stormtroopers were not allowed to initiate contact with First Order officers.[20] It was possible to enlist as a stormtrooper and serve the First Order, as propaganda posters for new recruits could be found in different parts of the galaxy, such as on Castilon.[41]

Although modern stormtroopers were modeled largely on the stormtroopers of yesteryear, their combat training differed substantially from that of their Imperial predecessors. Unlike the Empire, which resorted to the use of numbing routine for its troopers,[1] the First Order's training simulations, live-fire exercises, and sparring practices encouraged stormtroopers to embrace improvisation on the battlefield.[9] They were, therefore, more effective in battle than the stormtroopers who served as their template.[1] In addition to combat training, all First Order stormtroopers received medical training, albeit only for minor injuries such as non-fatal blaster shots.[42] During training, stormtrooper cadets slapped the rears of other troopers to motivate each other.[43]

Phasma FN Corps training

Phasma was in charge of the First Order's stormtrooper forces, and therefore responsible for their physical training and mental conditioning.

Despite General Hux's confidence in the stormtrooper programming, not every trooper was a successful product by the First Order's standards.[5] Examples of defective soldiers included Company 77 and Finn. The stormtroopers of Company 77 refused to fire on unarmed prisoners and had a lack of zeal for the First Order's cause. Likewise, Finn had a lack of zeal for the First Order's cause;[36] combined with his unwillingness to execute unarmed prisoners, it led him to doubt his loyalties before ultimately forsaking his allegiance to the First Order. Both Phasma and Kylo considered FN-2187 as a renegade, albeit the latter also saw him as a prime example of a stormtrooper training program which he viewed as flawed. He theorized that a clone army could serve the First Order in a better capacity. However, Hux remained confident in the collective reliability of the First Order stormtroopers, believing the rogue FN-2187 to be an anomaly in an army of loyal soldiers.[5]

The average First Order stormtrooper stood 1.83 meters tall and weighed 80 kilograms—the same standard requirements that once applied to the Grand Army of the Republic and the Imperial Military.[44] Standard protocol for the soldiers was to always have backup nearby, ensuring their enemies could be swarmed if they were attacked.[45] The Omicron Formation tactic was used for search and destroy missions.[46]

Equipment[]

"Stormtroopers get some first aid training—battlefield stuff—but not much. We were, pretty, uh, expendable. I think the idea was that whatever trooper who wasn't a good enough soldier to keep from getting wounded deserved to die anyway."
"But that's insane."
"Welcome to the First Order."
―Finn and Poe Dameron[47]
FOStormtrooper-Fathead

First Order stormtrooper armor was derived from Imperial stormtrooper armor and Republic clone trooper armor.

Members of the First Order's infantry forces wore white armor that was reminiscent of the Galactic Empire's stormtrooper armor, as well as the Galactic Republic's Phase I and Phase II clone trooper armors. Aside from several aesthetic differences, First Order stormtroopers bore a close resemblance to their Imperial predecessors.[1] To denote rank, stormtrooper officers wore color-coded pauldron armor plates.[5] White pauldrons were worn by stormtroopers who served as squad leaders, black pauldrons identified stormtroopers who held the rank of sergeant, and red pauldrons were worn by officers.[11]

First Order stormtrooper helmets could filter out smoke, but not toxins.[5] To deal with toxins, a stormtrooper needed to engage one of several special filters, depending on the specific contaminant. Identification was the province of one or two squad leaders.[42][16]

In terms of armor strength, stormtrooper armor was held in high regard. Captain Phasma once claimed that not even a Wookiee was strong enough to break First Order armor.[42] To keep weight down, most First Order stormtrooper helmets lacked advanced imaging gear, requiring stormtroopers to use separate quadnoculars in the field to provide them with enhanced imaging. However, standard stormtrooper helmets were still equipped with integral polarized lenses, night vision, communications and targeting systems.[16]

The F-11D blaster rifle was the primary weapon of standard stormtroopers. A successor to the Imperial stormtroopers' E-11 medium blaster rifle, the F-11D was mass produced and provided to the First Order's soldiers by Sonn-Blas Corporation. In addition to the F-11D, Sonn-Blas also designed the SE-44C blaster pistol as a sidearm for the First Order stormtroopers.[16]

Specialized stormtroopers[]

FOJetTrooper-Sideshow

The jet trooper was a variant of the First Order stormtrooper.

In addition to standard units, the Stormtrooper Corps possessed a variety of specialized troopers like the Old Empire before it. Specialist units were trained and equipped to function in various fields. Additionally, they could also be deployed alongside infantry units, supporting regular troopers in an auxiliary capacity.[5]

Flametroopers destroy Tuanul

The flametrooper was a specialized stormtrooper armed with incendiary weapons.

Databank-FO Snowtroopers

Snowtroopers wore specialized armor that allowed them to operate in cold environments.

  • Snowtroopers — Stormtroopers specifically trained and equipped to serve in frigid environments, particularly the ice planet that housed Starkiller Base. Their specialized armor and equipment enabled them to operate effectively in freezing conditions. During the construction of the Starkiller, teams of snowtroopers patrolled the frozen world, exterminating indigenous species that were regarded as potential threats to the First Order.[60] They could also be deployed to a location with a more temperate climate if it had enough similarities to an actual frigid environment as to require their presence, such as Crait.[11]
  • Tech stormtroopers — Stormtroopers who were trained to extract, decrypt, and analyze data from resources, such as droid memory cores.[61]
  • First Order Treadspeeder Drivers — Stormtroopers specialized in riding 125-Z treadspeeder bikes.[2]
  • First Order Walker Drivers — Stormtroopers who served as walker crewmembers.[62]

Behind the scenes[]

"What would Apple do?"
―Michael Kaplan, on redesigning stormtrooper armor to be sleeker in the Sequel era[63]

The stormtroopers of the First Order first appeared in Star Wars: Episode VII The Force Awakens.[5] Daniel Craig makes a cameo appearance as the First Order stormtrooper who frees Rey from captivity on Starkiller Base after falling under the influence of her Jedi mind trick.[64]

Their design, a sleeker version of the original stormtrooper armor, was partially inspired by headphones for Apple Inc. products.[65] Indeed, costume designer Michael Kaplan, who decided to simplify the armor design for the Sequel era, has said he was inspired by the evolving design of Apple productions, asking himself how Apple would design the armor.[63] The stormtrooper armor depicted in Star Wars: Episode VIII The Last Jedi is slightly different[6] than the armor seen in The Force Awakens.[5]

A similar stormtrooper design was used for the T-Stormtroopers who served Galactic Empire of Master Am and Lord Karre in the Star Wars: Visions short "THE TWINS."[66] According to director Hiroyuki Imaishi, the short is set after the fall of the First Order in Star Wars: Episode IX The Rise of Skywalker,[67] which would make T-Stormtroopers[66] a successor class to First Order soldiers.[67]

Appearances[]

FOStormtrooperCmdr-Fathead

Stormtrooper officers were distinguished from the rank and file by their pauldrons.

Non-canon appearances[]

Sources[]

Notes and references[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 StarWars-DatabankII First Order Stormtroopers in the Databank (backup link)
  2. 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 2.14 Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker: The Visual Dictionary
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 StarWars-DatabankII Captain Phasma in the Databank (backup link)
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 Ultimate Star Wars, New Edition
  5. 5.00 5.01 5.02 5.03 5.04 5.05 5.06 5.07 5.08 5.09 5.10 5.11 5.12 5.13 5.14 5.15 5.16 5.17 5.18 5.19 5.20 5.21 5.22 5.23 5.24 5.25 5.26 5.27 Star Wars: Episode VII The Force Awakens
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 Star Wars: Episode VIII The Last Jedi
  7. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker: The Visual Dictionary states that the training of First Order stormtroopers began more than 20 years before the Starkiller Incident. As Star Wars: Galactic Atlas dates the event in question to 34 ABY, their training had to begin by 14 ABY.
  8. Star Wars: The Force Awakens: A Junior Novel
  9. 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 Before the Awakening
  10. 10.0 10.1 10.2 Servants of the Empire: The Secret Academy
  11. 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 11.5 Star Wars: The Last Jedi: The Visual Dictionary
  12. 12.0 12.1 Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi
  13. 13.0 13.1 13.2 Aftermath: Empire's End
  14. StarWars-DatabankII The New Republic in the Databank (backup link)
  15. 15.0 15.1 15.2 StarWars-DatabankII The First Order in the Databank (backup link)
  16. 16.00 16.01 16.02 16.03 16.04 16.05 16.06 16.07 16.08 16.09 16.10 16.11 Star Wars: The Force Awakens: The Visual Dictionary
  17. 17.0 17.1 17.2 17.3 17.4 17.5 17.6 17.7 17.8 Star Wars Battlefront II
  18. 18.0 18.1 StarWars-DatabankII Supreme Leader Snoke in the Databank (backup link)
  19. Star Wars Character Encyclopedia: Updated and Expanded establishes that the stormtroopers of the First Order were all humans.
  20. 20.0 20.1 20.2 20.3 Star Wars: The Last Jedi: Expanded Edition
  21. Star Wars: Galactic Atlas
  22. 22.0 22.1 SWResistanceLogo Star Wars Resistance — "The First Order Occupation"
  23. As established in to Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker: The Visual Dictionary, the First Order was publicly formed through the Centrists five years before the "Starkiller Incident." Since Star Wars: Galactic Atlas dates the incident to 34 ABY, the First Order must have been publicly formed in 29 ABY.
  24. 24.0 24.1 Bloodline
  25. 25.0 25.1 StarWars-DatabankII The Resistance in the Databank (backup link)
  26. Star Wars: The Complete Visual Dictionary, New Edition
  27. SWResistanceLogo Star Wars Resistance — "The Doza Dilemma"
  28. EA-StarWars-Logo Star Wars™ Battlefront™ II The Last Jedi Season on the official Electronic Arts Star Wars YouTube channel (backup link)
  29. Resistance Reborn
  30. IDWStarWarsAdventuresLogoSmaller "Loyalty Test" — Star Wars Adventures (2017) 30
  31. 31.0 31.1 Galaxy's Edge 1
  32. Galaxy's Edge: Black Spire
  33. Star Wars: Tales from the Galaxy's Edge – Last Call
  34. 34.00 34.01 34.02 34.03 34.04 34.05 34.06 34.07 34.08 34.09 34.10 34.11 34.12 Star Wars: Episode IX The Rise of Skywalker
  35. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker: The Visual Dictionary dates the events of Star Wars: Episode IX The Rise of Skywalker to one year after the events of Star Wars: Episode VII The Force Awakens. As Star Wars: Galactic Atlas dates the events of The Force Awakens to 34 ABY, the events of The Rise of Skywalker must occur in 35 ABY.
  36. 36.0 36.1 StarWars-DatabankII Finn in the Databank (backup link)
  37. Poe Dameron 28
  38. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker: A Junior Novel
  39. 39.0 39.1 Phasma
  40. SWResistanceLogo Star Wars Resistance — "The New Trooper"
  41. SWResistanceLogo Star Wars Resistance — "The Disappeared"
  42. 42.0 42.1 42.2 Star Wars: Episode VII The Force Awakens novelization
  43. Star Wars: The Last Jedi: A Junior Novel
  44. Star Wars: The Force Awakens: Head-to-Head
  45. IDWStarWarsAdventuresLogoSmaller "The Battle for Horizon Base" — Star Wars Adventures (2017) 32
  46. 46.0 46.1 IDWStarWarsAdventuresLogoSmaller "Ghosts of Kashyyyk, Part 1" — Star Wars Adventures (2017) 27
  47. Poe Dameron 28
  48. HasbroInverted Star Wars: The Force Awakens (Pack: Elite Speeder Bike with Special Edition Stormtrooper) (backup link)
  49. ToppsDigitalLogo Star Wars: Card Trader (Card: First Order Jetpack Trooper - 2020 Base Series)
  50. StarWars D23 Expo 2019: Jet Trooper from Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker Revealed on StarWars.com (backup link)
  51. Poe Dameron 25
  52. Poe Dameron 1
  53. SWResistanceLogo Star Wars Resistance — "The Relic Raiders"
  54. SWResistanceLogo Star Wars Resistance — "No Escape: Part 1"
  55. Star Wars: The Force Awakens: Incredible Cross-Sections
  56. StarWars-DatabankII First Order Flametroopers in the Databank (backup link)
  57. HasbroInverted Star Wars: The Black Series (Pack: The First Order) (backup link)
  58. Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge: Traveler's Guide to Batuu
  59. StarWars-DatabankII First Order Riot Control Stormtroopers in the Databank (backup link)
  60. StarWars-DatabankII First Order Snowtroopers in the Databank (backup link)
  61. StarWars-DatabankII Tech stormtrooper in the Databank (backup link)
  62. GalaxysEdgeLogo icon Star Wars: Galaxy's EdgeRise of the Resistance
  63. 63.0 63.1 Entertainment Weekly's Ultimate Guide to Rogue One
  64. Daniel Craig's Star Wars: The Force Awakens cameo revealed by Lee, Chris on Entertainment Weekly (December 17, 2015) (archived from the original on August 10, 2020)
  65. Director J.J. Abrams commentary
  66. 66.0 66.1 VisionsCite Star Wars: Visions — "THE TWINS"
  67. 67.0 67.1 Star Wars Anime Visions Will Include What Became of the Jedi, a Rock Opera, and More by Daniel Robson on IGN (archived from the original on September 22, 2021)
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