Custom royal guard figure and its story
The Emperor's Royal Guard, sometimes referred to as the Imperial Royal Guard or Imperial Guard, was an elite unit of the Galactic Empire's armed forces (specifically the Stormtrooper Corps) tasked with the protection of the Emperor, Palpatine. Palpatine was almost never seen without a detachment (at least a pair) of Royal Guards at his side, so much that they usually accompanied him to his office within the Death Star, and even his bed chambers to protect him as he sleeps. The exact number of Royal Guardsmen serving the Emperor was unknown, with speculations ranging from less than fifty to
tens of thousands, although their numbers were estimated to be at least four hundred at any one point. It was never known how many members were present within the ranks of the Royal Guard because of the fact that they never fought as a unit. The knowledge of the number of these soldiers was made available to only the top Imperial officers, and perhaps they did not know the complete truth, only the Emperor himself. All that was ultimately known was that they were a potent sub-unit within the Imperial military that was under the direct service of the Emperor. The only records regarding their exact number remained with Palpatine, in his private archives on Imperial Center, or Byss. Like the stormtroopers of the Stormtrooper Corps, the Royal Guards formed a military unit independent of the Imperial Military and answered directly to the Emperor.
The Royal Guard was based out of the Imperial Royal Guard Academy on Yinchorr, a barren planet rendered lifeless by genocidal airstrikes by the Empire. Potential candidates for tutelage under the Academy, picked from various units in the Imperial Military, underwent rigorous training programs designed to build a sense of extreme loyalty to the Emperor, with students often being forced to kill each other in live combat. Guardsmen were trained in various forms of martial arts, including Echani. Guardsmen were commonly equipped with vibroswords and force pikes, in addition to heavy blaster pistols for ranged combat. Royal Guards wore matching scarlet robes, battle armor (underneath a loose fitting tunic, as it was not visible under the robe), and helmets. Although ceremonial, the red armor did not hamper movement or fighting. The armor bore design influences from the Mandalorian battle armors, including the uniforms of the Death Watch, but element of the Sun Guards, and the Senate Guards of the old Galactic Republic can be also noticed. The fact that their armor resembled these other groups was no accident and the mere sight of a guardsmen tended to invoke fear in even the most trained of warriors. The Royal Guard wore fully functional battle armor which was obscured by loose fitting ceremonial robes and provided superior protection to that of normal Imperial armor, and also gave some kind of status for the guards.
This group was rumored for being a fierce fighting force and were personally hand picked by the Emperor to serve as his bodyguards. They were indoctrinated in the service of the Emperor to the point that they were completely subservient to his will. The members of this bodyguard detail were completely devoted to Palpatine and gladly gave their lives in his service. Those individuals that were part of the organization were trained to serve the Emperor loyally and completely. They were so servile, that they would instantly turn against one another if commanded to do so and killed their fellow guardsmen without hesitation. They were so well trained that even when injured, they did not ask for mercy they would rather die for the Emperor. (This gives them a bit of
Japanese feeling.) Despite this loyalty, some guardsmen were known to gain their own ambitions as well as motives to the point that they plotted treasonous actions against the Emperor and even their comrades. Others were loyal until the death of the Emperor after which they no longer identified themselves as members of the Royal Guard and believed the organization to have been destroyed with the Emperor on aboard the second Death Star. Some guardsmen were capable of defecting as in one case, a member of the Royal Guard after participating in a terror attack became so horrified by his actions that he left the service and became a rebel. In addition, not all Guardsmen remained in service as some were capable of being promoted to the rank of General and continuing their service to the Empire in a different way.
The primary duties of the Imperial Guard included the personal protection of Palpatine and those he designated as well as guarding his secret facilities and clone laboratories on Byss and the Emperor's Citadel. This task was considered the most prestigious and was usually reserved for the Sovereign Protectors. They were also involved with the security arrangements at the Imperial Palace. Being Palpatine's protectors meant that their mission involving stopping any assassination attempts on the Emperor's life as well as performing covert assault and even serving as assassins for their master. At least two guardsmen were always by Palpatine's side and within earshot of his Imperial Majesty at all times. Others operated the Guard training facility on Yinchorr or served at some places where the Emperor went, or planned to visit. In addition, Palpatine was known to loan detachments of the guard to his most trusted servants though many were not sure whether this was to genuinely protect their charges or to keep an eye on them for any signs of disloyalty.
While someone (who did not know this unit well) could think the Royal Guards were a
homogeny elite group within the Empire, there were in fact various ranks and even more elite groupings within this body. Part of the reason for doing so was because the Emperor did not feel it wise to limit the aspirations as well as ambitions of his subjects. Thus, he created near unattainable goals in order to watch his servants struggle in order to reach them and thus keep better control over them. This meant that by constantly creating more and more circles of elite status, he kept his followers constantly motivated and determined to push themselves in order to achieve these new positions, statuses, a better task or campaign, or an other armor or robe with different colors. These things were not valuable, but these
meant constant goals for the Guards as some kind of rewards from their Master.
One of the more elite positions was that held by the Emperor's Shadow Guard which were a unit that were evidently based on the Royal Guard. This division was a cadre that consisted of a special operations unit that was sent out on selective missions. These Royal Guards got a nice new black versions of the
scarlet red uniform as a reward. The Emperor threw them this rubber bone to make them happier, as a puppy. Now they look cool, eh? Not that standard red robe, a brand new black! Wow, that is something! The Shadow Guard were rarely seen in public. Some of its members were being trained to serve as Palpatine's personal bodyguards. But they were promised to get an other, larger reward. If they „behave good”, they will be trained Force-sensitive soldiers who will be taught to use the Dark Side of the Force. These guardsmen were mentored by the Inquisitors. In addition, they will get a newer robe again, and a double vibroblade. Just to see clear: it was the highest achievement for the Royal Guards. They were the Imperial Sovereign Protectors.
But those Guards who were not so smart could be rewarded and/or promoted. One of the most prestigious positions for those was the Instructor who consisted of those guardsmen who cannot do it, so they taught it for others as in the joke. So they were charged with the training of new recruits at the Royal Guard Academy. Other notable divisions included the Imperial Senate Guard and the Imperial Senate Sentinel. The point was to keep them fight for the Emperor loyally, and lick his palms.
Many unknown thing surrounded the Royal Guards. The myths that encompassed the Royal Guard outnumbered the known facts about them. The average people of the Galactic Empire did not know anything about them, but the average Imperial soldier neither knew too much. The mystery that fell upon the unit meant that individuals were unsure of whether it consisted of clones, recruits or a mixture of both. Some myths that surrounded the guardsmen included that their reputation was only based on propaganda and that they were not an elite fighting force that they were led to believe. And really – they were never seen while fighting. Those who believed the Imperial propaganda also did not saw the Guards in action, but they thought the Guard went undercover, or their mission were top secret, that is why noone saw them in action. An in fact, WE never saw him doing anything, either. Those heroic things cannot be found in the films, only the Expanded Universe put
background stories under them. Cartoons and comics tell us their adventures, but in the movies they can be hardly NOTICED at all! They have only seconds, they are so insignificant as a cantina alien, who drinks some alcohol in a dark corner of a bar in quiet, without a sentence. Those cantina aliens also have background stories, as the Royal guards, and they have the SAME time in the movies,
so they are not less important that the Royal guards. So if I custom make an astromech droid, who rolled somewhere in the background for two seconds I feel it is not less valuable or important than a royal Guard, who can be seen for seconds in some Episodes of Star wars movies. Their value could be originated only from a protagonist, namely from the Emperor. So if someone largers their importance, he or she probably do it from a deep emotion, connecting them somehow to Emperor Palpatine, thus the greatness of Palpatine somehow gets back to the Royal guards, larging them. But let’s see where these guards can be found in the movies, and how long can we watch them in some scenes.
Maybe
one of their most famous scene was in the Return of the Jedi. The Emperor is not satisfied with the speed of the construction of the second
Death Star, so first Vader comes to make things speed up, then Palpatine himself. Many Red Guards come with him, and when they arrive with a shuttle, first the Red guards disembark the ship. They form two rows, the Emperor walks in front of them, and that is all. It is approx. 5 seconds, and it has no meaning, just as the pretty girls make similar rows for the winning pilot of a Formula 1 race, providing him a good background as he goes up to the podium.
Later, after Luke has been captured, two Royal guard could be noticed at the door of the Emperor’s chamber. Vader brings Luke in front
of the Emperor, they walk away in front of the Red guards, the Emperor sends them out, they turn back and leave the room. That is all. Again, it is 5 seconds. Not to mention how big mistake it was! It cost the life of the Emperor and Vader. Above it was told, at least two guardsmen had to be always by Palpatine's side and within earshot, and he did not went to sleep without some guards, and now they face the only potential enemy who is (or can be) able to defeat them, and they send out the bodyguards. Then they confront the only potent Jedi of the era, who is strong enough to hurt them. At least the guards can give their lives for the Emperor, but not at the same time with him, the Emperor died earlier, when Vader pushed him in a chasm. Interesting, but it never turned out where those two idiots went, because they WEREN’T there in front of the door when Luke left the room with the injured Vader! The two Royal guard disappeared. They weren’t there somewhere down on the corridors, or in the hangar. Everybody ran up and down, pilots, troopers,
officers, but the Royal guards were nowhere, letting a notorious rebel pull Vader in the dust to the hangar room, and nobody asked him, where he takes
Vader, what do you want Mr. Skywalker with Darth Vader, where do you pull him, and why he is dying? It was absolutely okay for them. Luke flies away with a shuttle, the 2nd DS was destroyed, and these stupid imperials, including the „well trained and fearsome” Red guards die on the Battle station. But we do not see them, only that 5 seconds was about them, when they were sent out.
During the Battle of Coruscant, the Red Guard attempted to defend Palpatine from Separatist General Grievous but failed and were killed by the cyborg. Of course it was well planned before, so it had to happen like this, Palpatine had to be captured, but anyway, there were some Royal guards who had to be there but they failed to protect the Chancellor, and there were slaughtered.
We could see Royal guards in the Prequel trilogy, too. When
Anakin hurries to the
Opera
house to meet Palpatine, the Chancellor is in his private box watching some
soap bubble like performance together with some of his dignitaries and fellow
politicians. The box is guarded by
two
Royal guards, there are standing near the entrance, however many people
haven't even noticed them, they can be hardly spotted in the background. This
screenshot is more that we get from this screen, they are so insignificant
here.
Later in the film they get 2 more seconds. There are 2
royal guards standing by the door of Palpatine's office, and I suppose there
should be more in the building on the corridors, by the elevator, or down
there, at the entrance. Yet, Yoda comes here unnoticed, nobody hears or spots
him! Noone hears his walking stick as it makes some noise while the old master
approaches the office! This two loosers by the office door do not even react
as the Master enters, and as he is between the guards. They
look
at him surprised and shocked, but Yoda Force Push both of them against the
wall with a single movement. They collapse, and maybe unconscious stay down
while Yoda and Sidious speak with each other, then while they start fighting
in the office and then in the Senate hall. They never wake up and hurry to aid
their Master, they never come to help, and I fear these two idiots wouldn't
mean a helping hand if they would waken up. They are bio dioramas, cool red
robed background characters, nothing more. Elderly doormen or janitors would
be the same effect.
Finally here is a nice screenshot from the Rogue One
trailer. There are a pair of Royal guards in it. The trailers are usually fast
moving
teasers, showing only moments rapidly changing, everything can be seen for
seconds, we will be able to see those scenes in the film in whole length. But
I am not sure, that the Royal guards could be watched too much longer in Rogue
One - since we haven't seen them so far more than 5 seconds in any movies. I
think they will have approximately the same time in the film that we saw in
the trailer.
The Royal guard custom figure is absolutely a custom figure, which means there
were no figure parts or accessories that I used. It is fully a putty work,
everything was made by hand. Its robe is creased, especially on the right
shoulder. The guard hemmed it as he freed the right hand, which is holding the
vibropike outside of the robe. The left hand is crossed on the chest, about the
heart region, as he salutes the Emperor. It is an older custom figure of mine, I
made is some time ago, and I would make it differently nowadays, it is not the
best of my works. That is why I publish this figure now, the better pieces will
be introduced later. Stay with me.
Take a look at my custom royal guard figure!
Custom royal guard figure front
Custom royal guard figure back
Thanks for your interest, visit back soon to CustomStarWars!
written by: Norbert Rostas
2016.04.19. the figure was made many years before.
