Imperial Navy Trooper

Imperial Navy Troopers, also known as Naval Troopers, Imperial fleet troopers, were the naval soldiers of the Imperial Navy, the space branch of the Galactic Empire's military. Those infantry, who were separate from the elite, white-armored stormtroopers or the regular troopers of the Imperial Army, were trained in advanced warfare and independent command, which included shipboard combat, repulsing boarders, and pacifying escaped detainees. Additionally, most were cross-trained in some operational duty. Like gunners and ground crewmen, Navy Troopers played a vital role in day-to-day operations.

Description

Role

The Death Star Trooper wore black uniforms and flared, reflective helmets.

While not as feared by rebel troopers as their stormtrooper brethren, they still maintained an aura of importance^[7] as they participated in Imperial Military assaults on installations^[8] and other on-the-ground operations.^[9] However, they were most commonly found guarding and maintaining far-away outposts, mining stations, and jails, and generally were not as well trained or competent.^[8] Although stormtroopers could serve in a similar capacity,^[10] they were also found aboard Imperial starships, such as the Executor-class Star Dreadnought, as a security force.^[11] Aboard the Cantwell-class Arrestor Cruiser, Imperial Navy Troopers served in an operator role on the bridge.^[12]

Imperial Navy Troopers were trained to mask their emotions—such as their responses to fear, pain, surprise, and discomforts—across both their face and entire body, resulting in them standing as immobile, droid-like figures while on guard duty. The troopers, further, were expected to take pride in the masking of their emotions.^[13] Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin himself selected a number of Navy troopers, later known as Death Star Troopers, to set up a commanding force aboard the Death Star battle station. Aboard the Death Star, those elite troopers^[3]—organized under their own officer corps^[14]—were charged with a variety of duties for which their combat skills were not necessarily required, such as guarding detention blocks and operating the battle station's planet-killing superlaser alongside Imperial weapons technicians.^[3] Gate officers were Navy Troopers who controlled which ships could pass through the Shield Gate over Scarif to reach the facilities below.^[4]

Uniform

Imperial Navy Troopers could use to display their military ranks. — Imperial Navy Troopers could use rank insignia plaques to display their military ranks.

There were three different uniforms worn by the troopers, although all featured the distinctive large, black protective helmet with a chinstrap. The first uniform was a black Imperial officer's uniform, sometimes complete with code cylinders and a rank insignia plaque.^[4] The other uniforms consisted of boiler suits similar to the ones worn by Imperial technicians. Just as with technicians, they could be black^[15] or light grey.^[16] One Imperial Navy Trooper envied the closed-face helmets of the Stormtrooper Corps, reflecting how stormtroopers could hide their features, whereas Navy Troopers needed to put in the effort of masking their emotions, lest they be visible to the world. To that Navy Trooper, trying to keep one's emotions in check was the hardest part of the job.^[13] During the earliest period of the Empire, Navy Troopers wore a type of helmet similar to, yet still visibly distinct from,^[17] their finalized helmet design.^[15]

History

Imperial enforcers

"If we're expecting company, shouldn't we bring down a few more navy troopers or stormtroopers?"

―Eli N. Vanto, to Thrawn^[9]

A duo of Imperial Navy Troopers pilot Darth Vader to the Jedi Temple in 19 BBY.

The Imperial Navy Trooper position was established in 19 BBY, the same year in which the Empire they served came into being.^[5] Navy Troopers were already active shortly into the regime's existence^[17] as the Imperial Navy, finding itself with increased importance, bolstered its ranks and changed up its structure, establishing the Navy Trooper position in the process.^[18] At that early time, Navy Troopers wore a helmet somewhat different in design^[17] to its finalized appearance.^[15] Shortly into the Imperial Era, two Navy Troopers piloted the Sith Lord Darth Vader aboard a repulsorcraft to the former Jedi Temple, passing the Galaxies Opera House in the process, so he could confront surviving Jedi Master Jocasta Nu inside the Temple.^[17]

Navy troopers investigated Mitth'raw'nuruodo's planet early in the era of the Galactic Empire, only to fall victim to Thrawn's traps before he boarded their Star Destroyer, the Strikefast. Upon the Imperials finding Thrawn aboard the Star Destroyer, he was brought before Galactic Emperor Sheev Palpatine on the Imperial capital world of Coruscant. Afterward, Thrawn joined the Imperial Navy and began to rise through its ranks, granting him command over detachments of navy troopers in time.^[9]

In 13 BBY, three navy troopers guarded the room in which Imperial Navy Cadet Han Solo's tribunal was held. As Solo pled his case, he began approaching Commodore Almudin, prompting one of the troopers to aggressively step forward. Solo stopped speaking and stepped back.^[19] After Thrawn had risen through the ranks of the Imperial Navy and became an Admiral, Navy Troopers served under him in the Battle of Batonn.^[9]

Increasing war with the Rebellion

During the Lothal campaign, several navy troopers worked in Lothal's Imperial Complex's command center. During the final battle to liberate Lothal, former ISB agent turned Rebel Alliance Captain Alexsandr Kallus disguised himself as a trooper. The troopers then allowed Governor Pryce and the Rebels to land. When the rebels attacked, the troopers attempted to lock down the complex to no avail. The remaining navy troopers perished after Protocol 13 was initiated and the complex was destroyed.^[20] A collection of elite navy troopers identified as Death Star Troopers served aboard the DS-1 Orbital Battle Station at the blessing of Grand Moff Tarking himself,^[3] only for those troopers, Tarkin, and everyone else aboard the station to be killed with the Death Star's destruction during the Battle of Yavin^[21] of 0 BBY.^[22]

Imperial Navy Troopers aboard the second Death Star

In 3 ABY,^[22] several navy troopers dragged away the lifeless body of Lorth Needa aboard the Executor, after he was strangled to death with the Force by Darth Vader.^[11] Navy troopers also took part in the on-the-ground engagements of the Siege of Inyusu Tor against the 61st Mobile Infantry on Sullust^[8] and the Battle of Endor.^[15] In the latter, navy troopers were part of a naval trooper detachment operating under Major Hewex.^[23] Meanwhile, navy troopers served aboard the DS-2 Death Star II Mobile Battle Station as a new generation of Death Star Troopers, only for them to meet the same fate^[15] as their predecessors^[21] when the Second Death Star was destroyed during the Battle of Endor.^[15]