In Star Wars: The Clone Wars, most Senate Commandos wear fully enclosed blue helmets that match their sleek armor. But then you get characters like Captain Argyus, whose helmet exposes his entire face, completely different from the standard look. It’s not a one-off either. Some captains have this open-face design, while others don’t.
So what’s the deal? Why the inconsistency? Is it tied to rank? Customization? Or something behind the scenes with animation or storytelling?
Captain Argyus’s Design Was Inspired by the Senate Guards in The Phantom Menace
Before we dive into the in-universe explanation for why Captain Argyus—and some other Senate Commando captains—had open-face helmets while others did not, we need to start with the real-world reason behind Argyus’s design.
In the Star Wars: The Clone Wars Season One “Cloak of Darkness” featurette, supervising director Dave Filoni explained that when they created Captain Argyus, the production team was limited by what assets they could modify for each episode. Filoni said:
“The Senate Commando that we have wears clone armor that’s painted blue because we didn’t, at that time, have the modeling ability for every episode. So we reused the body armor, leg armor… and they got their classic helmet from The Phantom Menace.”
So right from the start, Argyus’s look was based on the blue Senate Guards we saw in The Phantom Menace. Those guards had open-faced helmets, letting us clearly see their faces while they stood watch over the Chancellor or escorted him through the Senate.
Filoni and his team leaned into that design choice. They wanted Argyus to stand out as a character, not just another faceless soldier. Since he plays a big role in the episode—especially with his betrayal of the Jedi—having a visible face made him more expressive, more memorable, and more human. It also helped tie his character back to the classic prequel Senate Guard aesthetic.
In-Universe Explanation
While Captain Argyus’s open-faced helmet was inspired by real-world production needs, there’s actually an in-universe explanation for the difference in helmet designs too.
According to Wookieepedia, “Their helmets were also eventually modified with the ceremonial plume removed and the faceplate filled in with a dark visor.”
That tells us the open-face design we see on characters like Argyus is likely an older or more traditional version of the Senate Commando helmet, carried over from their time as formal Senate Guards. As the war progressed and their roles shifted from ceremonial to combat-focused, the armor evolved to match. The newer design, with the full faceplate and black visor, offered better protection and anonymity, which was more practical for front-line missions during the Clone Wars.
So while some captains like Argyus kept the older look (possibly out of tradition or status), most commandos eventually switched to the more tactical version. It’s a small detail, but it helps show how even armor in Star Wars evolves with the times.