Star Wars Has a Stormtrooper Formula, But It Has Been Broken to Great Effect
In Star Wars’ sprawling sci-fi universe, the Stormtrooper is an iconic soldier in the Empire’s army and is used to spread fear and order across the galaxy in accordance with Emperor Palpatine’s twisted wishes. But in a comic-exclusive development set in the now defunct Star Wars: Legacy continuity, this era’s Stormtroopers added new kinds of fighters to their ranks, forcing the Empire to change how Stormtrooper suits were designed in a way that had never been seen before or since.
Released in 2006 and billed as “The Future of Star Wars,” Star Wars: Legacy was a comic series set over 100 years after the conclusion of the original trilogy, with its generally well-received tales now part of Star Wars Legends lore — or non-canon stories from pre-Disney-owned Star Wars.
In Star Wars: Legacy #0, a teaser issue for the stories to come featuring infographics, concept art, and notes that expand on characters, locations, and new Legacy lore, it was revealed that, for the first time, non-human Stormtroopers were allowed to enlist, with “helmets and armor adapted to fit their alien physiques.”
Star Wars: Legacy’s Stormtrooper Suits Could Be Worn by Non-Human Recruits
Star Wars: Legacy #0 - 2006 (John Ostrander, Jan Duursema, Sean Cooke, and Dan Parsons)
Following the footsteps of Emperor Palpatine, Legacy’s Emperor Roan Fel continued to utilize Stormtroopers as he fought to maintain control over the galaxy. Yet unlike the more xenophobic policies of his predecessor, Fel permitted other species to don a Stormtrooper’s all-white armor, giving them the freedom to fight for their beliefs with a blaster in hand. Forming the Stormtrooper Corps, Fel offered specialized armor to incoming recruits that accommodated the physical attributes of various non-humanoid beings, allowing aliens with elongated limbs, multiple eyes, unconventional proportions, and unique head shapes to serve effectively and, most importantly, be fully protected in battle.
With Palpatine’s army going from controllable clones to willing human volunteers seemingly overnight (an abrupt and harrowing transition documented in Star Wars: The Bad Batch), there was never an immediate need to introduce other species to the Stormtrooper ranks, especially considering how easily Palpatine conquered the galaxy without them. While it makes sense that someone like Fel would try to expand the criteria for Stormtrooper enrollment at a time when both Palpatine and Vader have perished, this flies in the face of Palpatine’s memory, as his disgust toward anyone too dissimilar to him wouldn't allow him to accept non-human combatants.
Stormtroopers Recruitment Expanded in Star Wars: Legacy Thanks To Adjustable Armor
Star Wars: Legacy Is a Star Wars Legends Series
Though this issue lays out how alien recruits can now fight for Emperor Fel’s cause, there aren’t a lot of obvious examples of different species wearing Stormtrooper armor in Legacy’s comic series, with Star Wars Roleplaying Game’s supplementary sourcebook, Legacy Era Campaign Guide, giving fans a clear look at a non-human Stormtrooper in action. Containing an illustration of a member of the Talz race — an oversized, fur-covered, four-eyed species — wearing a Stormtrooper suit, this armor is shown fitting the Talz’ large body snugly, with the reinforced helmet tucked under their arm having multiple eyeholes to match their unique alien anatomy.
Star Wars: Legacy's first volume ran for 50 issues from 2006 to 2010.
The most interesting part about bringing different species into a human-exclusive army is fairly obvious — by utilizing their unique skills and species-specific abilities on the battlefield, Emperor Fel could now accomplish things that the old human-staffed Empire simply couldn’t, all the while keeping the signature look of a Stormtrooper intact for branding reasons. Furthermore, most aliens are usually far more durable and capable in harsh environments compared to humans, with the decision to include them within the Stormtrooper Corps also being a strategic move that immediately bolsters Emperor Fel’s ranks with a steady source of new soldiers ready to deploy.
Stormtrooper Suits Are Redesigned in Every Star Wars Era They Exist In
Stormtrooper Suits Are Varied in Use and Visual Look
A galactic soldier whose armor is constantly redesigned depending on the masters they serve and the respective roles they play within their armies — Clone Troopers evolved into the original trilogy's Stormtroopers who morphed into First Order troops — Legacy’s Stormtroopers are the least changed in terms of their basic design, with their more inclusive armor options setting them apart. A Stormtrooper design that likely varied depending on the artist illustrating the Legacy issue at the time, some of this series’ content depicts Stormtrooper helmets with slightly narrower eyeholes and unique visual accents, differentiating their look even further from what came before.
Star Wars has come a long way since Legacy brought something new to the franchise, with some of the series’ best elements spilling over into “main” continuity — like Cade Skywalker’s “Dark Transfer” Force ability, which allows him to bring people back from the dead à la Ben Solo in Rise of Skywalker — proving there’s more than enough material in Legacy canon that can be repurposed for future projects. The idea of non-humans serving as Stormtroopers is a sound one (at least from the bad guy’s perspective), so whatever evil rears its head next in Star Wars' universe should take note!
Star Wars: Legacy #0 is available from Dark Horse/Marvel Comics.
- Created by
- George Lucas
- First Film
- Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope
- Cast
- Mark Hamill, James Earl Jones, David Prowse, Carrie Fisher, Harrison Ford, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Ian McDiarmid, Ewan McGregor, Rosario Dawson, Lars Mikkelsen, Rupert Friend, Moses Ingram, Frank Oz, Pedro Pascal
- TV Show(s)
- The Mandalorian, Andor, Obi-Wan Kenobi, The Book of Boba Fett, Ahsoka, The Acolyte, Star Wars: Skeleton Crew, Lando, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Star Wars Rebels, Star Wars: The Bad Batch, Star Wars: Resistance, Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures, Star Wars: Visions
- Movie(s)
- Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace, Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones, Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith, Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope, Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back, Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi, Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens, Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi, Star Wars: Episode IX- The Rise of Skywalker, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Solo: A Star Wars Story, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Star Wars: Dawn of the Jedi, Star Wars: New Jedi Order
- Character(s)
- Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Rey Skywalker, Emperor Palpatine / Darth Sidious, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Ahsoka Tano, Grand Admiral Thrawn, Grand Inquisitor, Reva (The Third Sister), The Fifth Brother, The Seventh Sister, The Eighth Brother, Yoda, Din Djarin, Grogu, Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader, Leia Organa, Ben Solo/Kylo Ren
