I used to wonder what those little metal sticks were on the chests of Imperial officers. You know, the ones tucked neatly into their uniforms in almost every scene from A New Hope all the way to Andor and The Mandalorian.
For a while, I thought maybe they were pens, or maybe just something for decoration. Turns out, they’re called code cylinders, and they actually play a pretty important role.
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They’re Not Just for Looks
I first really noticed them while rewatching Rebels, and then again when I saw that scene in The Mandalorian where Din plugs one into an Imperial terminal. That’s when it clicked—these things are more than just part of the outfit. They’re actually security devices. According to the Tarkin novel, officers are described with “identity disks” and code cylinders in their pockets—so this isn’t just background flair. It’s canon.
Each one of these cylinders holds coded info about the person wearing it. Think of it like your work ID mixed with a USB drive. When you need to get into secure areas or access data, you slot the cylinder into a port—kind of like how R2-D2 plugs into computers.
They Work Like Access Passes
What I find really cool is how practical they are. Officers use them to open doors, pull files from computers, and log into restricted systems. And they’re unique to the person carrying them, so if someone else tries to use one? Good luck with that. The Empire didn’t mess around with security.
These cylinders were also used to track movement, especially on ships or inside Imperial facilities. If the ISB ever needed to investigate, they could pull logs from a code cylinder and see where that officer had been. It’s all very tight and efficient.
More Cylinders = More Authority
This part is subtle but says a lot. If you pay attention, you’ll notice that higher-ranking officers usually have more cylinders. Tarkin, for example, had four. Others might only have one or two. The more cylinders you had, the more access you were granted. It was a quiet way of saying, “I’m important,” without saying a word.
Some of them even had different color tips—like red, blue, or no color at all. That’s not random. The colors usually matched the officer’s rank plaque (you know, the red and blue tiles on their chest). A red-tipped cylinder often went with red tiles, blue with blue, and so on. It helped signal who had what level of clearance or which department they were tied to, without needing to ask. Just another layer of visual order in the Empire’s very structured world.
These Things Aren’t Easy to Replace
One detail that stuck with me was how strict they were about losing them. In the Empire, if you misplaced a high-level code cylinder, it wasn’t just a slap on the wrist. Depending on the situation, it could be considered treason. The paperwork to get a new one was intentionally difficult, and in some cases, officers could even be executed if their cylinder fell into enemy hands.
That really tells you how sensitive these things were. They weren’t handing them out casually.
Rebels and Others Use Them Too
This idea shows up a lot in Rebels. I remember the scene where an officer gets his code cylinder swiped, and suddenly the infiltrator has full access. It’s not just Imperials using them—rebels stole and used them to access restricted areas too. Even in Andor, there’s talk about Lonni using Dedra’s cylinder to monitor what she was working on.
And yeah, the First Order kept using them too. Their versions looked a bit different, usually clipped near the chest bone instead of pockets, but the idea stayed the same—rank, identity, and access all wrapped into one.
They’re Worn Visibly for a Reason
Something that used to confuse me was why they were worn out in the open. Like, isn’t that risky? But when I thought about it, it makes sense. Wearing them visibly is like showing your badge. It’s part of the uniform and lets everyone around know you have clearance.
And because each one is tied to the user, stealing one doesn’t always guarantee full access. Unless you’re clever enough to copy the data or make a swap, like what we saw a few times in Rebels and Andor.
So yeah, those little cylinders aren’t just accessories. They’re code cylinders, and they matter. They store data, grant access, and quietly display power. Once I knew what they were, I started spotting them everywhere—Rebels, Rogue One, The Mandalorian, even Obi-Wan Kenobi.
Now whenever I see someone wearing one, I pay attention—because that person probably has access to places others don’t.
And if they have four? Better believe they’re someone important.