Star Wars: What Are Death Troopers & Where Have You Seen Them Before?

You'll never hear them coming, but once you see them, you're in for a world of hurt. The aptly named Death Troopers aren't the typical Stormtroopers that die from blaster shots so easily. These lethal troopers are as tenacious and impressive as the high-ranking officials they accompany. The sleek, black-clad soldiers are typically backup detail for indispensable Imperials, and are schooled accordingly.

Unlike their standard Stormtrooper brethren, they have skills in tactics and intelligence. They are given special attention in terms of technology and access to more advanced weaponry and explosives. Death Troopers are so lethal in part because of how secretive they are; leaving little to no trace of where they have been, it is impossible to find evidence of where they have tread. The helmets they wear are notable as well, including special voice scramblers and heads-up displays that give their wearers specific information; simple grunts in the Imperial infantry are cannon fodder and don't get this sort of equipment. Death Troopers are assigned to such higher-ups that you don't see them unless you are of special note to the Empire, which is why they are so rare.

When writers Chris Weitz and Tony Gilroy took on the "Star Wars" property for "Rogue One," they changed many things, and not just by introducing a gripping spy narrative to the franchise. The writers also infused it with new concepts, including the Death Troopers. The 2016 film was the first appearance of this new type of Imperial soldier, and in the first scene, no less. Before the completion of the Death Star, Galen Erso (Mads Mikkelsen) is living a quiet life away from the Empire before Krennic (Ben Mendelsohn) and his Death Troopers find him. Galen is so high profile that Krennic can't take no for an answer. He needs to bring the engineer with him to complete the project, and the Death Troopers help him with that objective.

Death Troopers also serve Moff Gideon (Giancarlo Esposito) in "The Mandalorian" when he attempts to kidnap Grogu from Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) at the end of Season 1. Gideon's high rank shows why he necessitates such an intense force. The same goes for Dedra Meero (Denise Gough) in Gilroy's return to "Star Wars," "Andor," where Death Troopers accompany the Imperial villain when she reigns terror down on Cassian's (Diego Luna) home.

The Empire designed these Stormtroopers to deal in nothing but death and destruction, as their name suggests. Faceless monstrosities, they are death squads as brutal as their masters.