"Storm troopers - what are they?" Topic

I know it is likely obvious to all but me,

But the storm troopers in episodes IV-VI, what are they?

Are they still clones?
Are they regular dudes in armor?
Something else?

"By the time the Galactic Civil War began in earnest, Jango Fett's clones were heavily supplanted by clones based on a variety of templates around 9 BBY,[13] followed shortly after by enlisted Humans.[19] Thus, the Fett clones were ironically reduced to a minority status after years of virtually filling the stormtrooper ranks in its entirety."

link

I've always understood that the stormtroopers were just regular humans during the era of IV-VI. The voices are different among the troopers, implying they aren't copies of the same person. Plus, none of the naval personnel seem to have any reaction to the presence of Boba Fett (aside from him being generically dismissed as part of the "bounty hunter scum"). This implies that the nature of Fett as a "Mangalore" (in full Mangalore armor) is no longer of significance to members of the Imperial military, which it would be if the stormtroopers were still Mangalorian clones. Fett's not on the radar screen, so to speak, implying that whatever connection was once in place is long gone, even in the minds of men ostensibly old enough to remember the clonetroopers (less than twenty years prior— Luke, after all, is only 19, IIRC).

"Female Stormtroopers underwent the same hard training as their male counterparts…….one could not distinguish between a male or female Stormtrooper."

Really?

I can tell.

First, with the EU being now officially tossed out the window, we can no longer use that as a definitive source as to the nature of Stormtroopers.

I personally think that rebellion era stormtroopers are no longer clones, but regular people. Different voices, the fact that Luke dresses up as one (and is visibly smaller than Han in the same constume) and no one remarks, conversation about speeders (seen when Obi-wan was shutting down the tractor beam). So I think by this time the clones have either been "run out" or attritted, and normal people are taking their place.

We have SW Rebellion airing soon (if not already!) which could change things…

Damon.

Well, the 501st Legion is still largely made up of Clones at this time. It is known as "Vader's Fist," and has existed since the Clone Wars. However, because I have had to explain this to my dad multiple times, largely, there are no new clones being made. There was an uprising on Kamino (The Cloning homeworld) and the Emperor decided it would be good to have variation. They still kept clone units, and phased them out of service with other Legions, and into the 501st. BUT, there were no new clones being made. That's in IV-VI.

• In the Extended Universe, a Grand Admiral named Thrawn discovers a facility to make clones and starts doing it again. Scares the New Republic pretty well. <il>
  

Regular "dudes in armor".
Various heights and shapes, including the one that is (or at least runs like) a woman, show this.

The EU, and all of George's inane tinkering, have no value.

The Series Premier was on Disney XD tonight (and will be on several times over the next few days). It starts up right after the fall of Republic and the elimination of the Jedi.

Stormtroopers still can't shoot straight.

Thanks all
When it first came out (I was about 15) I thought they were robots/androids.

From the way they fight I thought they were hobos press ganged into uniform.

In my stubbornness, I refuse to believe they were ever clones after the proto-troopers of the Clone Wars; I still hold to the Episode IV and Heir to the Empire implication that the Clone Wars was against, not with, the clones.

crazy old George Lucas making them clones of Jango Fett in the first place is complete crap, and holds no bearing on my thoughts about the first three movies. Stormtroopers are just dudes. Not very skilled ones, at that.

Targets?

It seems to be the simplest answer

conversation about speeders? what?

Exceedingly poor shots…

"conversation about speeders? what?"

Yes, in Episode IV where Obi Wan is shutting down the tractor beam on the Death Star, there are two storm troopers nearby and they are chatting about stuff:

"Have you seen that new BG-16"

"Yeah, they say it's really something."

Now I suppose they MIGHT be talking about some new piece of military equipment, but the whole tone of the conversation is two guys hanging around the water cooler.

George wanted it left in.
(The stormtrooper banging his head).

It's in the commentaries.

By the time of A New Hope all the clones would be around 50 years of age; assuming that ten years fast growth equals 18 as the initial starting age, and adding the time from first appearance until A New Hope begins (13 years of fighting the separatist war plus 19 until A New Hope equals 32).

Watching the Clone Wars animated series, and from that I get the impression that the clones don't age like regular humans, in that later batches look much older than the amount of time passing would suggest.

So I imagine any clone troopers would be retired or more probably euthanized, leaving Stormtroopers as basic humans.

What DS6151 said…… and just wait 'till Disney gets done with 'em….