CT Why did two Stormtroopers enter before Darth Vader did on the Tantive IV in a New Hope?

I was just curious why were there two Stormtroopers who entered the ship before Vader's arrival? Was there a purpose behind this? A strategic purpose? Or military protocol? And why did they take the stance they took in flanking both sides of the doorway? Plus, what was that other Stormtrooper doing when they came in?

 

I'd guess military protocol. The 3rd stormtrooper thought he found a better helmet and was about to snatch it before Vader foiled his plans.

 

Really? The third trooper was trying to take the helmet? I'd always thought he was checking over a fallen comrade.

 

The best answer is simply that by making the Stormtroopers act in a way subordinate to the black caped one entering the room, the viewer immediately perceives Vader as somebody important.

But that third trooper definitely missed out on a backup helmet.

 

He lagged behind it seems like, the battle was still raging as blaster fire could still be heard in the distance. I'm surprise Vader didn't say anything to the Stormtrooper.

 

I was always intrigued by the fact that someone had moved the bodies of the stormtroopers and rebels to the sides of the hallways to make it easier to move. because in the opening scenes the dead stormtroopers and rebels did not all die on the sides of the hallways and it was clear that stormtroopers were nearly tripping over the bodies in the narrow hallways because of their costumes...

 

Now that all the attention has shifted on stormtrooper # 3 I can't help but wonder - where's your blaster, soldier?!?

(his holster looks empty)

Other than that, I believe the two are simply preceeding Vader's arrival to really make certain there is no more resistance that could harm their dark leader.

After Rogue One the scene now looks somewhat odd to me. Considering that Vader had failed (earlier) to seize the Death Star plans, one might have expected him to take personal responsibility and be the first in line in ANH to enter the main passageway of the Tantive IV...

 

Maybe because the Tantive is no danger of escaping from the Imperials compared to in R1, Vader decides to sit back and let the troopers round up the rebels on board.

 

OMG.
Trooper #3 couldn't even keep his blaster. So no wonder he made a habit of stealing off dead Stormtroopers. Maybe he is a clone related to Boba Fett.

The original kept a mighty fine and clean wardrobe.
The clone looks like they cobbled it together from Dead Mandalorian estate sales.

 

The Stromtroopers were so eager to get onto the ship what with "Rebel Scum" being on board.

 

This explains quite a bit. The initial rush of troopers to get through the door. The two in the picture were just the last two before Vader entered. The 3rd was scavenging for parts he knew he was going to lose eventually.

But then Vader yelled out "dibs" right before he entered, so they had to respect that and stand at attention until the rule of dibs was met. James Earl Jones said the line, but the voice over crew forgot to hit record, hence silent Vader.

 

Weren't the stormtroopers aboard shooting Rebels in the first place (long, or at least a few minutes) before Vader? I had always understood that the two entering before Vader were in the battle and left to signal Vader it was safe to enter. We don't see Vader with a blaster and it would make sense for him to wait until the Rebels had been defeated. We already know that he is some kind of leader, so he wouldn't actively take part in a fight. It's only logical that he would wait until he doesn't get shot at. Or did Rogue One contradict that? I haven't seen it yet.

 

Sith Lord 2015 wrote

It's only logical that he would wait until he doesn't get shot at. Or did Rogue One contradict that? I haven't seen it yet.

I concur, but...

 

Or maybe I missed something. It must have been at least 5 years since I last saw ANH, probably closer to 10. To me he always appeared like a general who would let his soldiers do all the fighting.

 

They're moving dead Rebel bodies out of the way so the other stormtroopers don't trip on them. It's hard to see anything in those helmets.

 

Sith Lord 2015 wrote

To me he always appeared like a general who would let his soldiers do all the fighting.

THIS!

He let mundanes do the fighting as he apparently considered such trivial tasks to be beneath his dignity. Well, once you watch Rogue One you're in for a 'treat'... (I consider it to be the fan service what you'll see there).

I also think the general or commander-in-chief impression is further emphasized by him stopping shortly and checking Leia's defenders at a glance to see whom the stormtroopers had been up against (but obviously finds nothing to write home or talk about later - so much for this stupid West End Games conjecture that Leia's defenders were ""Rebel Fleet Troopers"" ).

 

The first two aren't even Stormtroopers.

They entered a competition in the 501st legion fanzine where supporters could write in and tell them what it takes to be a great stormtrooper.

The winners get to run out with the legion on matchday, get involved in the warm up. Take a few shots at goal, throw a few salutes, and then line up with the whole team for a group photo. They then enjoy watching the rest of the operation from the executive lounge with free drinks and snacks supplied by the sponsors.

 

But, they're named fleet troopers in canon...

 

They were originally "Aquillian Rangers" around the third draft or so. The name carried over from Aquilae, Leia's homeworld in the 1974 rough draft.

 

They saw what Vader did in Rogue One and they got jealous. So they were like "hey let us go in first this time." As soon as they entered the hallway "ohh dang the lights are still on...they see us already..AHHH i've been shot." Vader standing in the background "newbs"

 

Military protocol. You always send the troops in before the General.

 

Snafu55 wrote

But, they're named fleet troopers in canon...

I intend no pun when I remind everyone of that famous line Ben Kenobi said to Han after they landed on the Death Star. It is an erroneous WEG conjecture that found its way into popular belief, but IMHO already the opening scene and context in ANH made it rather crystal clear that they were not '""Rebel Fleet Troopers"":

Vader arrives on the Tantive IV and takes a good look at the fallen bodies of Leia's defenders. He is in desperate need of finding something, anything to connect Senator Organa to the Rebel Alliance in order to somehow justify his illegal seizure of a diplomatic vessel and the killing of its crew but ultimately remains empty handed and resorts to claims and accusations when confronting Leia (certainly he would have said something about Rebel uniforms, had there been any!)

Nibelung wrote

They were originally "Aquillian Rangers" around the third draft or so. The name carried over from Aquilae, Leia's homeworld in the 1974 rough draft.

...and George Lucas stuck to that concept, as he made it abundantly clear in the 1977 Lucas Notes (published in the hardcover version of Rinzler's Making of SW) that Leia's defenders were "Alderaanian Guards", something that was finally corrected in the "canon" of Rogue One when the cast credits revealed an actor playing a ""Rebel Fleet Trooper"" to be actually an "Alderaanian Guard".

Since I believe that Leia was earnest and honest when she said "Alderaan has no weapons", add to this that Lucas made it also abundantly clear in the aforementioned 1977 Lucas Notes that Alderaan was exclusively providing intelligence to the Alliance, why others were providing funding for the military, I'm rather confident that these uniforms (worn by military brass at Yavin IV) rather belonged to the Imperial Senate Guards at the ANH time period, i.e. Leia's defenders were Alderaanian Guards but dressed in uniforms of the Imperial Senate Guards.

Suffice to say, I learned to be grateful for little things and "Alderaanian Guard" is at least something far better than ""Rebel Fleet Trooper"" because of the aforementioned context of the ANH opening scenes and the irrefutable statement we have from the creator himself.

 

Which one's Gary? And where's the little girl?

 

Maybe they wanted to clear the way for Vader and the rest of the stormtrooper contingent?