ST Praetorian Guard Discussion

Why did Snoke have so many bodyguards (Praetroian Guards) when he was just one clone?

Was there ever an explanation for this question?

 

I like the idea of dark and light joining together to take something worse on. Short-term reluctant allies, who then each learn more about the other, other than the common conceptions they have of each other. Maybe there's a middle ground. Maybe they can find peace going forward. A journey that takes place over an entire movie. Not just a single scene.

But I didn't like it as it was executed on screen. As some desperate plan by Rey to save Kylo, after knowing him a day, and after he's done so much abuse to her. 6 Forceless Guards isn't much of a fight against two powerful force-users. And I didn't care for the aesthetics of the scene.

 

He was the leader, the first order didn't know he was a clone. They wouldn't just leave him with a few stormtroopers.

 

Spoiler

So it seems these guys have been around for awhile before the events of the ST. Different helmets but they get outright name dropped. Makes me wonder how early in the picture Snoke comes into play or if they are a product of the OT Empire, or are Sith Eternal from Exegol.

 

GASP! Where are my friends that were claiming Mando has NOTHING to do with the ST? That Disney was avoiding the ST era?

 

There is a Star Wars poster magazine from 1978 which ran an article on Stormtroopers sourced directly from George Lucas’s notes. (This magazine in retrospect is a huge treasure trove of early Star Wars concepts as well as things that would be show up much later.)

Long story short - the magazine talks about the highest ranking Imperial Officers having their own elite guard. Clones who distinguished themselves in battle would get these stations.

The Death Troopers are sort of like this. Maybe these red guard are too.

 

This website (TheForce.net) still has scans from the magazine.


1978
STAR WARS: OFFICIAL POSTER MONTHLY #4
Published January 1978 by Galaxy Publications. Text writers Jon Trux, John May, Anthony Fredrickson.

http://www.theforce.net/image_popup/image_popup_global.asp?Image=timetales/misc/arcana/post4-03.jpg

It's a big enough pic that one needs to scroll to the right, to see it.

 

Thanks @Iron_lord

good to read that again. Love the part about ‘Imperial gifts are allowed liquor and women.’

In ‘78 Star Wars ****ed.

 

The P-Guards looked a lot better in Mando era, and ya know, were actually skilled fighters. Even their weapons looked like ... weapons, and less plastic toys. Too bad their designs devolved into the versions that protected Snoke 20 years later.

 

I thought they looked and fought equally well in both their appearances so far.

 

Also pretty sure the weapons are exactly the same as TLJ. Two out of three I’m like 98% sure are the exact same props.

 

They're close, but not quite the exact same design. There's modifications made. And props themselves seem to be made from different materials. Even the armor looks different. TLJ looks like cheap CVP plastic, whereas Mandos look more like actual armor. Which could be a lighting issue, but that would still be an improvement for Mando.




The laser whip is the closest, but each 'laser' segment is a lot closer together in Mando, whereas in TLJ they're separate by a non-laser section.

 

I prefer the texture of the armour and the wacky helmets from TLJ. But I like the mandalorian version which is closer to the imperial royal guards in RotJ and the Crimson Empire comics

 

I like them both. It also makes me wonder if the Red Guard on Exegol aren’t another third variation of the P-Gaurd.

Which one? BSG? Buck Rodgers? Or a movie series?

 

It looks like they're trying to bridge the gap between the Royal Guards and the Praetorian Guard, implying that one transitioned into the other. The Mando Praetorian Guard armour looks much more Imperial than the TLJ armour (the breastplate and belts especially like stormtrooper-esque). The red harkened back to the OT guards obviously, but the costumes in TLJ were different enough that I could have seen the Praetorian Guard coming from an entirely different tradition.

 

SW has always had funky non-functional helmets. I feel like the TLJ P-Guard helmets are a very strange non-pleasing looking shape. Like a random stack of odd shapes that really don't form a cohesive vibe when taken altogether.

 

It did a good job making Snoke seem like he came from somewhere unfamiliar to us and far away. Like it’s out of a different time. But definitely from a place where sometime ago their design aesthetic went done a different path,

The Emperor’s Royal Guard are retroactively based on the Blue Senate Guard. They also have a more unique look. All the imperial troopers are retroactively based on phase 1 clone trooper armor the Kaminoians designed.

And that armor also seems inspired partly by Mandalorian Armor.

It is interesting to see praetorian guard with Stormtrooper influenced armor. What came first in universe the Snoke guards armor or what we saw on Mando?

Is this a third type of the guard?

 

The Clonetrooper armor is based on Jango's Mandalorian designs. The OT stormtroopers are evolved from the Clonetroopers, with some skeleton symbolism mixed in, now that the Empire represents death.

The Emperor's Guards in ROTJ were definitely based on the Royal/Senatorial Guard - which makes perfect sense - since Palpatine is just keeping the same Order around.

Those concepts above are quite nice. Nicer than the final outcome in TLJ. I really like the long capes too. And the sharper lines in the helmet are preferable to the Oakley sunglasses and curves of the FO trooper designs. Yeah, I kind of even wish the reg FO troopers were all decked out in red.

 

Loved seeing them in the penultimate episode of Mando Season 3. It was one of the many things I loved about TLJ.

 

I prefer the Mando guards to those of TLJ... if only that they're closer to the cleaner lines of the guard's in ROTJ. TLJ designs, as well as the choreograpohy, seemed over elaborate IMO.

 

I think the seeming difference in texture may simply be due to the bad lighting in TLJ.

 

Yeah I've thought the same. That room is red on red on black on red with cool blue/white lighting. It's a weird stage. RJ you are no Jack White lol.