There’s So Much More To The Empire Than Stormtroopers – So Why Does Palpatine Use Them So Much?

Stormtroopers are not the standard foot soldiers of the Galactic Empire in the Star Wars canon or Legends continuities, but there are real-world and in-universe reasons why they are seen far more often than the more common Imperial Army Troopers. Throughout the Star Wars franchise, Stormtroopers are among the most iconic visual signifiers of an Imperial presence on a world, yet the two continuities specify that they are an elite contingent of the Imperial Military. The Empire’s most basic troops are Imperial Army Troopers, who appear in Return of the Jedi as well as numerous properties exclusive to the canon and Legends continuities.