Emperor's Royal Guard

• Appeared in:
  
  I
  II
  III
  IV
  V
  VI
  CW

• Size:
  1.83 meters

• Weapon:
  Force pike

• Affiliation:
  Empire

• 

From the Movies

Elegance and deadliness --- these are the hallmarks of the crimson-clad Royal Guard that accompanied the galaxy's sovereign at all times. While the guards can trace their origins to the cerulean-clad Senate Guards of the Republic, Palpatine crafted an order of protectors that stood apart from the rest of his forces.

Only the most promising of the Imperial ranks were selected for Royal Guard duty, based on stringent requirements of size, strength, intelligence, and loyalty. A Royal Guard was completely covered in flowing red robes and a sleek, featureless scarlet mask obscures their faces.

From the Expanded Universe

While the helmet and robes of the Royal Guard draw inspiration from the Old Republic Senate Guard, the sleek armor underneath has more martial underpinnings. The Mandalorian Death Watch and the Thyrsus Sun Guard are said to have inspired the form-fitting armor. In terms of maximum protection with minimal encumbrance, the Royal Guard armor is a quantum leap beyond that worn by Imperial stormtroopers.

After impeccable and impressive performance, candidates have their training advanced to achieve the rank of Royal Guard. On the barren world of Yinchorr, Guardsmen undergo grueling tests of combat reflexes and stamina. They are trained in the deadly martial art of echani.

In Palpatine's fanatical drive to draw the most from his followers' ambition and greed, he constantly added levels of achievement beyond the highest rank. That said, the best Royal Guards aspired to become Imperial Sovereign Protectors. Their armor was more ceremonial and ornate than that of the standard Royal Guards, and their skills were said to have been augmented by the dark side of the Force.

After the death of Palpatine at Endor, the ranks of the Royal Guards scattered. Since no one but the highest ranking officials knew the exact number of guardsmen, they could not be accurately accounted for. Some followed the warlords that appeared to fill the void of the Emperor's passing. Others retreated into the Deep Core, following more sinister plans.

Behind the Scenes

The design of the Imperial Royal Guard came from sketches by Nilo Rodis-Jamero. These varied from centurion-like warriors to priest-like monks, but a common thread tying the designs together was the crimson hue.