- "They trained us to treat that armor like it was part of us."
- ―Terex
Stormtrooper armor was the standard armor worn by the stormtroopers, the elite shock troops of the Galactic Empire. A white plastoid composite worn over a black body glove, the armor represented some of the best in the Empire and was dreaded by rebel freedom fighters.
Description[]
Overview[]
- "Each stormtrooper wears an eighteen-piece armor set made of white plastoid."
- ―Excerpt from Ruescott Melshi's rebel field manual
Developed by the Imperial Department of Military Research,[1] stormtrooper armor was the standard issue armor of the Imperial Army's Stormtrooper Corps, and was manufactured on planets such as Gilvaanen.[11][3] It was introduced sometime after the conclusion of the Clone Wars, and was intended to replace the Phase II clone trooper armor. It was made up of 18 individual, overlapping plastoid composite plates and synth-leather boots which allowed for mobility, while also dispersing energy, protecting the wearer from glancing and low power blaster bolts. A reinforced alloy plate ridge assisted the user's upper thigh, and a sniper position knee protector plate over a wearer's left knee helped improve accuracy when crouching. While most armor was fitted for humans, other forms were manufactured to fit other body types.[2] A soft click would inform the wearer of whether or not they had correctly attached the armor.[12]
Stormtrooper armor was capable of protecting its wearer in extreme environments, including deserts, forest, icy wastelands, and limited exposure to the vacuum of space. The armor's torso plating featured environmental controls on its midsection, its black body glove was vacuum-sealed[1] and made of a smart material that could adjust to the wearers body heat and external temperature.[12] Though a rebreather pack was required for extended use in environments that lacked a breathable atmosphere or to filter potent toxins.[13] Troops in the field were allowed additional ammunition and comprehensive survival equipment, with backpacks that could feature field communicator sets, mortar launchers, and blaster components.[2]
It was a punishable offense to utilize the armor's internal cooling options in noncritical situations due to its power drain, however many Imperial cadets still attempted to do so. Stormtroopers were also expected to remain in uniform at all times, with the rule considered essential for maintaining the public trust and representing the Empire in a positive, professional manner. By wearing one's armor, one represented the Empire, not the individual.[12]
Helmet[]
Its reinforced combat helmet featured an integrated comlink,[14] audio pick-up, two artificial air-supply hoses, and a broadband communications antenna powered by a single power cell.[15] The helmet, affectionately known as "buckets" by Imperials but derisively known by that name by rebels,[16] featured built-in filtration systems that extracted breathable atmosphere from polluted environments[2] and could accommodate an external breath mask which would filter more complex particulates and fumes.[16] The helmet's visual processor assisted the wearer in seeing in darkness, glare, and smoke,[1] though it limited the wearer's field of vision.[14]
When firing a blaster, the helmet's visor polarized against the glare. A built-in heads-up display also provided targeting diagnostics, power levels and environmental readings at the corner of the wearer's eyesight, and one could access data on various military subjects and civilian organizations on the helmets display. In addition, motion sensors alerted the wearer to any enemy the soldier might have missed. Seeking to discourage nonessential chatter, which was strictly off-limits while on-duty, stormtrooper helmets recorded everything that was said by the user, sending it to monitors to review after downloading the data off of the armor's memory.[12] However, many stormtroopers engaged in idle conversation anyway.[17]
Other components[]
Utility belts were equipped with a variety of features including a compact toolkit, power packs, energy rations, and a holster for an E-11 medium blaster rifle.[3] The belts may have also featured a backup C1 personal comlink, macro binoculars, and a grappling hook. One BlasTech N-20 Baradium-core thermal detonator was given to each trooper, and was placed on the back of their utility belt. The controls to the detonator were not labeled, to prevent enemy troops from using them. While detonators were not usually used within ships or bases, troopers carried a full complement of such field gear to be prepared for any situation.[2]
Higher ranks were signified with a color coded pauldron worn over the right shoulder. The rank of commander was represented with an orange pauldron,[1] though one soldier who served under the Grand Inquisitor had his colored red.[18] Black identified enlisted soldiers.[2] Several black pauldroned stormtroopers accompanied Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin to the planet Lothal,[19] and later came aboard his flagship, the Sovereign, to serve as reinforcements when it was infiltrated by a band of rebels.[20] White pauldrons represented the rank of sergeant.[2] Blue pauldrons were used to identify stormtrooper snipers.[21]
Weaknesses[]
Though the Empire and the wearers of the armor had pride and faith in it, Stormtrooper armor had the same limitations as most other types of armor and could not always be successful in completely protecting the wearer. Clone Wars veterans Kanan Jarrus and Captain Rex had low subjective opinions of its quality and ability to protect the wearer from harm, with the latter explicitly calling it "garbage" in comparison to the armor worn by clone troopers.[22]
Some primitive melee weapons were able to exploit the limitations of the armor; the arrows and spears used by Ewoks during the Battle of Endor[23] could hit the gaps in the armor, and a gaderffi stick wielded by Boba Fett during a skirmish on Tython, the latter of which was capable of delivering enough blunt force to shatter the armor with a strong enough blow.[24] Stormtrooper armor held limited protection against thrusts from knives, but they could pierce through with enough blunt force.[source?]
History[]
- "What is it with you people and Vader? It can't be the helmet that scares people. Stormtroopers have helmets."
- ―Alliance First Sergeant Namir during the Mid Rim Retreat
Following the Proclamation of the New Order, the former Republic's clone troopers became the first generation of Imperial stormtroopers. The clone stormtroopers continued using their Phase II clone trooper armor while enforcing the rule of the new regime, while an early stormtrooper armor of an different design was worn by the "TK-troopers," enlisted stormtroopers who were trained during the early months of the Age of the Empire.[25] Eventually, a standard armor design for stormtroopers was settled upon,[3] with their armor becoming a symbol of the Imperial Era.[26]
One Ewok donned a stormtrooper helmet during the Ewok Civil War.[27] The Night Troopers, a legion of stormtroopers[28] who disappeared with Grand Admiral Mitth'raw'nuruodo "Thrawn" into exile[7] after the Liberation of Lothal in 1 BBY,[29] continued to wear stormtrooper armor that grew damaged over their exile. The armor was repaired with red ropes and a mix of gold and grey materials. Thrawn's Captain of the Guard, Enoch, wore a unique face plate on his helmet.[7] During the New Republic Era, some stormtrooper armor was painted with the symbol of the pirate Warbird gang as the armor worn by a pirate.[8]
Additions to the suit[]
Many different pieces of armor and cloth could be added on to the standard stormtrooper uniform. One such example was the wet-weather gear stormtrooper, that wore wet-weather capes and an additional armor plate on the forehead.[30] Desert stormtroopers, magma troopers, and many other environmental variants carried backpacks, ammo packs, pauldrons, E-11 holsters,[3] on top of regular stormtrooper armor.[31]
Behind the scenes[]
Stormtrooper armor exhibits minor aesthetic alterations over the course of the original trilogy. According to Pablo Hidalgo of the Lucasfilm Story Group, these differences stem from the production design of the films and do not reflect in-universe updates like the distinct phases of the clone troopers' armor. Its stylized depiction in Star Wars Rebels likewise does not represent a separate in-universe model.[32]
Appearances[]
Non-canon appearances[]
- Star Wars Epic Yarns: A New Hope
- LEGO Star Wars: A New Hope
- "Far Too Remote" — From a Certain Point of View
- † LEGO Star Wars: The Freemaker Adventures
- LEGO STAR WARS: Celebrate the Season — "Droid Holiday Hustle"
- "Even a Mandalorian Needs Help" — Hasbro Star Wars Mission Fleet
- The LEGO Star Wars Holiday Special
- Star Wars: Visions — "T0-B1"
- Star Wars: Visions — "Lop & Ochō"
- Star Wars: Visions — "In the Stars"
- Star Wars: Visions — "The Spy Dancer"
- Star Wars: Visions — "The Bandits of Golak"
- Star Wars: Visions — "The Pit"
- LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga
Sources[]
Non-canon sources[]
- LEGO Star Wars: Build Your Own Adventure (Picture only)
- LEGO Star Wars Summer Vacation | Official Trailer on the official Star Wars YouTube channel (backup link) (Posted on StarWars.com)
Notes and references[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Star Wars Rebels: The Visual Guide
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 Ultimate Star Wars
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope
- ↑ The Mandalorian — "Chapter 1: The Mandalorian"
- ↑ The Mandalorian — "Chapter 15: The Believer"
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 The Mandalorian — "Chapter 22: Guns for Hire"
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Ahsoka — "Part Six: Far, Far Away"
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Star Wars Resistance — "The Triple Dark"
- ↑ Poe Dameron 8
- ↑ Star Wars: The Rebel Files
- ↑ "Bottleneck" — The Rise of the Empire
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4 Battlefront: Twilight Company
- ↑ Rebels Recon #1.14: Inside "Fire Across the Galaxy" | Star Wars Rebels on the official Star Wars YouTube channel (backup link) (Posted on StarWars.com)
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 Rebel Journal by Ezra Bridger
- ↑ Lost Stars
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 Star Wars: Rogue One: The Ultimate Visual Guide
- ↑ Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order
- ↑ Star Wars Rebels — "Gathering Forces"
- ↑ Star Wars Rebels — "Call to Action"
- ↑ Star Wars Rebels — "Fire Across the Galaxy"
- ↑ Star Wars Rebels: Recon Missions
- ↑ Star Wars Rebels — "Stealth Strike"
- ↑ Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi
- ↑ The Mandalorian — "Chapter 14: The Tragedy"
- ↑ Star Wars: The Bad Batch — "War-Mantle"
- ↑ Star Wars: The Force Awakens: The Visual Dictionary
- ↑ SWCE 2023: Dark Horse Reveals a Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures Phase III Teaser, New Jaxxon Art, and More on StarWars.com (backup link)
- ↑ This Week! in Star Wars Far, Far Away | This Week! in Star Wars Dispatch on the official Star Wars YouTube channel (backup link)
- ↑ Star Wars: Timelines
- ↑ Solo: A Star Wars Story The Official Guide
- ↑ Star Wars Battlefront
- ↑ Rebels Recon #2.01: Inside "The Siege of Lothal" | Star Wars Rebels on the official Star Wars YouTube channel (backup link) (Posted on StarWars.com)