Star Wars is an action-packed sci-fi franchise, so it follows that they needed some nameless, faceless enemies to kill off without making the viewer feel too much pity for their deaths. Enter: the Stormtroopers.
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Sometimes it seems that every time a new Star Wars game or movie or book or show comes out, they make up a new kind of Stormtrooper to go with it. While this does sometimes happen, there are plenty of Elite Stormtroopers you should recognize from throughout the franchise. In this article, we review all kinds of these deadly soldiers and the reasons that they are specially trained.
7 Elite Squad Troopers
The Elite Squad Troopers were part of an initiative to replace Clone Troopers with willing soldiers, recruited from the public. It was thought that cloning soldiers was placing an unnecessary burden on the Empire's resources.
It would be a long time before cloning was phased out completely, but these skilled troopers helped prove that citizens could be just as effective as clones. The first ever group of Elite Squad Troopers featured prominently in the Disney+ television show, Star Wars: The Bad Batch.
6 Imperial Shock Troopers
Imperial Shock Troopers were Clone Troopers that, as the name implies, were trained to be deployed quickly, overwhelming their opponents to avoid losses and gain an advantage.
These troopers originally served as police officers, effectively, on Coruscant. As the capital of the Republic, this planet held the Galactic Senate and the Jedi Temple, and needed to be well guarded. They did all the usual things, like guarding prisons and escorting important people, like dignitaries and diplomats.
When the Clone Wars came to an end with the rise of Darth Sidious and Darth Vader, the Imperial Shock Troopers were repurposed as the elite guard of the Galactic Empire and, in its early days, served as Emperor Palpatine's personal security. Eventually, more Red Guards were recruited for Emperor Palpatine's security and the Imperial Shock Troopers fulfilled other jobs.
5 Storm Commandos
The Storm Commando Troopers were different from other elite trooper types because they were specialized for extreme combat. At least part of Darth Vader's personal stormtrooper legion, the 501st, was made up of Storm Commandos. They wore silver scout armor to be quick on their feet, and were equipped with medium-range blasters.
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Storm Commandos appear in several Star Wars mobile games and were originally written for a sourcebook for Star Wars: The Roleplaying Game. Their tactics and origins were expanded upon more deeply in the decanonized Star Wars Legends.
4 Purge Troopers
Purge Troopers were specially trained to hunt Jedi, making them incredibly skilled. However, they were also considered fairly expendable, considering the battle prowess of most Jedi. They can be recognized without their gear because they all have a red tattoo on the right-hand side of their face.
They served under the Inquisitors as they tracked down any Jedi who managed to survive Order 66 and the end of the Clone Wars. Occasionally, Purge Troopers were also charged with guarding essential locations, such as prisons holding resistance members or Inquisitorial fortresses.
A few Purge Troopers, however, were given a unique job: to maintain the Empire's control in the Anoat sector in the Outer Rim. Many of these troopers were recruited from a life of crime and gang warfare. They tended to favor heavy armor and weapons.
3 Shadow Troopers
Shadow Troopers, like other elite Stormtroopers, were highly trained and dangerous. This particular variant was used specifically to fight the Rebel Alliance during the Galactic Civil War.
What differentiated them from their mediocre counterparts was their experimental armor that made use of cloaking technology. They were almost invisible to the naked eye, so they could attack in large numbers stealthily. It was obviously a crucial advantage. On top of their blasters, these troopers were also equipped with flash grenades and jetpacks.
2 Special Commando Advanced Recon Troopers
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Special Commando Advanced Recon (SCAR) Troopers were intimidating soldiers that served under the Galactic Empire. They operated in small squads, in which each member would focus on a different kind of military tactics (not unlike the Bad Batch).
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One squad of SCAR Troopers - Task Force 99 - features prominently in Star Wars comics from 2015, where they tracked Rebel activity and their Sergeant, Kreel, eventually dueled Luke Skywalker himself. However, the Rebels were eventually able to escape.
1 Death Troopers
Death Troopers are perhaps the most intimidating type of elite Stormtrooper. Their preparation included strict height and weight restrictions, perfect loyalty to the Empire, experience with unarmed combat and improvised weapons, and training in varied and hostile environments. Like SCAR Troopers, Death Troopers operated in small groups and individuals focused on certain skills.
Their armor and weapons were all advanced far beyond the standard issue gear and featured advanced tech to give them an edge over their opponents, including advanced motion sensors, voice scramblers, heads-up displays, sealed bodysuits, tool pouches, and more.
Death Troopers served two major roles: as protection for high-ranking Imperial officers and as commandos for executing special assignments. Death Troopers were responsible for the safety of (among others), Darth Vader, Grand Admiral Thrawn, Governor Tarkin, and Minister Veris Hydan.
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