THE DARK TIMES

After the declaration of the Galactic Empire, the clone troopers who’d served the Republic became stormtroopers obeying the will of the Emperor, defeating the Empire’s enemies and enforcing its increasingly oppressive laws. Over time the stormtrooper ranks were filled not by clones but by recruits, trained for blind obedience and fanatical loyalty. On planets such as Lothal, stormtroopers became the face of the Empire, opposed by a brave few who dreamed of restoring freedom to the galaxy.

GALACTIC CIVIL WAR

Stormtroopers commanded by Darth Vader captured Princess Leia’s starship and searched for the Death Star plans amid the sands of Tatooine. After discovering droids had the stolen plans, stormtroopers traced them to the Lars farm, where they killed Luke Skywalker’s aunt and uncle. Luke Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi escaped the Imperial dragnet, but were captured by the Death Star, where stormtroopers hunted the rebel fugitives through the battle station’s endless corridors.

Stormtroopers in cold-weather gear deployed from Imperial AT-AT Walkers and invaded Hoth’s Echo Base, capturing or killing many rebels but failing to prevent the Millennium Falcon from escaping. After Boba Fett tracked the Falcon to Bespin, stormtroopers captured Han Solo, Princess Leia and Chewbacca and eventually took over Cloud City. After being freed by Lando Calrissian, Leia and Chewie had to escape squads of armed stormtroopers between them and the Falcon.

The Empire stationed stormtroopers aboard the second Death Star and ordered them to defend the shield generator protecting the battle station on the surface of Endor. The rebels seeking to destroy the shield generator battled patrols of stormtroopers in scout gear, unaware that an entire legion of troops was defending the Imperial facility. The stormtroopers captured Han Solo, Princess Leia and Chewbacca, but were defeated by the unlikeliest of foes: the Forest Moon’s diminutive Ewoks.