Star Wars Reveals “Evolution of the Stormtrooper” Featurette

Debuting in the opening scenes of Star Wars: A New Hope, stormtroopers have become some of the most iconic figures of the Star Wars franchise, earning various evolutions over the course of more than four decades, which the above featurette chronicles. Initially appearing as the foot soldiers of the Galactic Empire, subsequent appearances saw the troopers adopt all sorts of adaptations to their armor that was specialized to sustain all manner of climates and duties, from sand to snow. The above featurette first debuted earlier this year at San Diego Comic-Con, with fans who weren’t in attendance now able to enjoy the history of the characters.

This year, Lucasfilm hosted a most impressive display showcasing the evolution of the Star Wars stormtrooper. The exhibit included several of the screen-used costumes seen throughout the iconic movie series. From the classic stormtrooper to new designs featured in the upcoming Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, this stunning display examined the production costumes up close and studied the many unique styles deployed throughout a galaxy far, far away.

While stormtroopers were a major part of the original trilogy, the prequel trilogy was devoid of the recognizable figures. Instead, fans witnessed the birth of clone troopers, who were originally the soldiers for the Republic. When Palpatine revealed his sinister intentions with the military force, audiences realized that the clone troopers were the precursors to the Galactic Empire’s stormtroopers.

In the sequel trilogy, audiences noticed that the First Order embraced countless components of the Empire, including the use of storm troopers. In the upcoming Rise of Skywalker, fans will see the debut of Sith troopers, who wear bright red armor.

One major question that fans will surely have is whether these troopers have Sith abilities or if they are meant to protect and serve the nefarious Force users. This won’t be the first mention of “Sith troopers” in Star Wars lore, as troopers by that name appeared in the Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic series of video games. Fans of the series have a number of questions about these characters and what earned them the “Sith” title, with the release of the upcoming conclusion of the Skywalker Saga likely giving us the answers we’ve been waiting for.

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker lands in theaters on December 20th.

What’s your favorite type of trooper? Let us know in the comments below or hit up @TheWolfman on Twitter to talk all things Star Wars and horror!