What are the Death troopers? The galaxy far, far away is packed full of iconic bad guys, but few are more recognisable and remarkable than the Stormtroopers.
The Stormtroopers come in many, many iconic variants. You have the Snowtroopers, seen in the best Star Wars movie The Empire Strikes Back, then there’s also the Scout troopers who are hugely beloved by Star Wars fans of their cool helmets. However, no Stromtrooper variant is more terrifying than the deadly Death troopers.
Seen in the science fiction movie Rogue One and the new Star Wars series Andor, The Death troopers are the bane of the Rebellion, and one of the Galactic Empire‘s most fearsome assets. They also look incredibly slick, so let’s dig into everything you need to know about Death troopers.
How powerful are Death troopers?
The Death troopers are the most elite soldiers at the Empire’s disposal. They are some of the most fearsome opponents that any good guy in the galaxy might face. They are renowned for their loyalty, and their skill in combat, but they also have their own specialities that truly set them apart from other Stromtroopers or other servants of Emperor Palpatine and Darth Vader.
They are clad in a unique form of armour that allows them to go undetected by sensors, making them especially suited to stealth missions. Candidates who wishes to be Death troopers also were required to meet certain physical demands. To qualify to be a Death trooper, a candidate needed to be 6’5 or more, and needed to possess supreme physical health and abilities with impressive strength and stamina also being required.
Death troopers were also subject to surgical enhancements, though exactly what these entailed remains a mystery. However, we can assume that these might have been used to boost their strength, or their accuracy. So, with their armour, combat specialties, and intimidating size and strength, Death troopers were one of the most lethal tool’s at the Empire’s disposal.
When are Death troopers used?
Death troopers were often used in special combat situations where their skill and expertise was required over that of the standard Stormtrooper. For example, they were deployed on Scarif at the behest of Director Krennic in a battle which he perceived as having great importance. They were also deployed in operations where stealth was required, making use of their armour.
Death troopers also serve as personal guards for important Imperials officials. In the sci-fi series Andor, more specifically Andor episode 11, we see that ISB officer Dedra Meera is escorted around Ferrix by a pair of Death trooper guards. Similarly, Director Krennic was also assigned an entourage of Death trooper guards to ensure his safety.
For more on Star Wars and Andor, check out our guide to the Andor cast and the Andor season 2 release date, or dig into some of the specific Star Wars characters like Cassian Andor, Mon Mothma, Luthen Rael, and Syril Karn. Alternatively, broaden your horizons with our guides to the best Star Wars cameos, Star Wars droids, and Star Wars bounty hunters.