Stormtrooper

Stormtroopers were the assault/policing troops of the Galactic Empire. Dissenting citizens referred to them as bucket heads, a derogatory nickname inspired by the bucket-shaped helmets of stormtroopers. They wore white armor over a black body glove which, in addition to creating an imposing image, was outfitted with a wide array of survival equipment and temperature controls that allowed its wearer to survive in most environments, but offered limited protection against blaster bolts. As members of the Stormtrooper Corps, an independent branch that operated under the Imperial Army, stormtroopers represented the elite soldier of the Imperial Military—trained for total obedience to the command hierarchy, as well as absolute loyalty to Emperor Sheev Palpatine and the Imperial regime. Stormtroopers were trained at Imperial Academies, and used a variety of weapons.

In the aftermath of the Clone Wars, the clone troopers who served the Galactic Republic became the first stormtroopers, tasked with suppressing rebellious worlds and enforcing the new Emperor's will across the galaxy. Over time the clones were retired from Imperial service, leaving the stormtrooper ranks open to birth-born human recruits. Though they fought against the Rebel Alliance throughout the Galactic Civil War, the Empire was ultimately defeated and the Emperor slain at the Battle of Endor. The remnants of the Empire were subsequently compelled by the New Republic to sign the Galactic Concordance. Among its conditions, the peace treaty forbade the recruitment and mobilization of stormtroopers. However, a new generation of stormtroopers would be trained under the guidance of the First Order, a military junta inspired by Imperial ideology and determined to reclaim the legacy of the Empire.