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.
