After the devastating events of Order 66, the Empire underwent a radical shift in its military policy. Gone were the clone troopers, replaced by rigorously trained human Stormtroopers.
But why humans? There are a couple of theories. Perhaps it’s practical—the Empire found it easier to design armor for human bodies.
Or maybe it’s deeper than that: a touch of xenophobia, an ingrained fear of the ‘other.’
Without further delay, let’s explore the galaxy-spanning reasons behind this pivotal change.
Table of Contents
The Downfall of the Clone Army
The Clone Troopers, all genetic duplicates of the skilled bounty hunter Jango Fett, formed the backbone of the Grand Army of the Republic during the Clone Wars.
However, due to their rapid production, the quality of the clones began to decline.
Consequently, they became less effective soldiers, with many clones experiencing unusual genetic alterations that made them unpredictable and harder to control.
For instance, the accelerated growth process used to create the clones caused them to age at twice the rate of normal humans.
As a result, the clones had significantly shorter lifespans, which posed a challenge for the long-term sustainability of the Clone Army.
Transition from Clone Troopers to Recruits Stormtroopers
Over time, the Galactic Empire transitioned from using clones to recruiting and conscripting humans from various parts of the galaxy.
There were several reasons behind this transition. One of the main reasons was the declining quality of the clones. As the clones were produced at a rapid pace, their quality deteriorated, leading to less effective soldiers.
To combat this, the Empire started recruiting humans, who were more readily available and could be trained to become effective soldiers.
Practical Considerations: Uniformity and Mass Production
The Star Wars universe is home to a vast array of species, each with their own unique physical characteristics.
Creating unique armor to accommodate the different body structures of each species would be a complex and costly endeavor.
In contrast, humans, being one of the most common species in the galaxy, provide a standard ‘template’ for armor design.
This allows for the mass production of Stormtrooper armor, significantly reducing costs and simplifying logistics.
Moreover, the uniform appearance of the Stormtroopers serves a psychological purpose.
It creates an image of an endless, faceless army, enhancing the Empire’s intimidating presence. The uniformity also reinforces the sense of unity and conformity within the ranks of the Stormtroopers.
Xenophobia in the Galactic Empire
The Galactic Empire, ruled by Emperor Palpatine, had a little quirk—it was xenophobic. Yeah, that’s a fancy word for being afraid of anything that’s not familiar, especially non-human species.
Imagine the Empire at a party, and it’s all like, “Humans only, please! No aliens allowed!”
Stormtroopers, they were the Empire’s ground forces. They were all human.
Not a single Wookiee or Twi’lek in sight. But here’s the twist: it wasn’t a coincidence.
Nope! It was a deliberate choice fueled by the Empire’s xenophobic policies. They wanted their Stormtroopers to be as human as a Corellian sunrise.
The Galactic Empire liked humans more than non-humans. So, most of the people in the Empire’s government and army were humans.
Non-human officers were very rare. Even though there were rules saying that aliens should not be disrespected, many people didn’t follow these rules.
This was true in the Imperial Academies too, where non-humans like Thrawn had to deal with unfair treatment.
Imperial soldiers often picked on non-humans, even for small mistakes, and were quick to use force.
But not everyone in the Empire was like this. For example, an alien named Freck from Mapuzo was friends with three stormtroopers.
Still, because of the Empire’s usual mean behavior towards aliens, many of them had to run away to the Outer Rim Territories or join the Alliance to Restore the Republic.