The Elite Praetorian Guard, also known as the Praetorian Guard, is an order of warriors that appears in Star Wars: The Last Jedi. The ones seen thus far consist of eight members of the First Order armed in crimson red armor. They are the royal bodyguards of Supreme Leader Snoke, being fiercely loyal to him.
An earlier iteration of the Praetorian Guard, consisting of only three members and serving Grand Admiral Thrawn and Moff Gideon, appears in the third season of the Disney+ series The Mandalorian.
Background
Personality
Little is known of the Praetorians' personalities, other than that they have unwavering loyalty to Snoke, as they tried to avenge him after he was killed by Kylo Ren. Although each member is mute and ruthless in combat, they are also in a constant state of pain from the armor they wear. However, the guards' commitment and duty is so strong that they are willing to go through such sacrifices for Snoke's protection.
Physical appearance
All Praetorian guards are garbed in the same armor, which is crimson red. They also wear robes and helmets made of plastoid. Each guard has nine plates of armor covering their arms, and their helmets are individualized and uniquely shaped so that they and their superiors can tell them apart. The Praetorians are comprised of four pairs, with both members of each pair sharing the same helmet and weapon.
Abilities
- Melee Combat: All the Praetorian guards are able to fight in melee combat. Their armor made them completely immune to blasters due to its make, and their bracers could resist and block lightsabers. Indeed, their fighting style featured a wide assortment of martial arts, including Teräs Käsi, Bakuuni Hand, Ekani, and Nar Kanji "Blind Alley" techniques. Their blows are precise and sweeping, making them particularly deadly, even to the Jedi. Their skill allowed them to nearly manage to overwhelm the Jedi apprentice Rey and the Dark Jedi Kylo Ren, before being killed by them.
Equipment
- Melee Weapons: All eight Praetorian guards carry various high-tech melee weapons including single-bladed swords, vibro-axes, doubled-bladed polearms that could split into dagger-like weapons, and electro-chain whips. This allows them to adjust for any situation. These weapons are also strong enough to be used against lightsabers, making them even deadlier.
- Armor: The armor of the Praetorian guards generates a magnetic field that allows them to remain unharmed by blaster-fire and resist the blades of lightsabers. Their bracers in particular are the most durable against lightsaber blades, allowing them to hold their own for a time against the combined might of Kylo Ren and Rey. However, in spite of this, a direct stab or slash from a lightsaber can pierce their armor. Another drawback to this armor is that the magnetic field it produces is ultimately painful to the wearer, but the guards are willing to endure this out of loyalty.
Role in the film
The Praetorian guards appear when Kylo Ren is summoned by Supreme Leader Snoke to the throne room, where the First Order's Supreme Leader belittles his apprentice. When Kylo Ren rises to face Snoke, the guards raise their weapons, ready to strike in the event that Kylo should attempt to kill their master. However, Snoke orders them to stand down, and they willingly do so at his command.
The Praetorians are present when Rey is brought before Snoke by Kylo Ren, and witness Kylo's murder of the Supreme Leader. Seeking to avenge Snoke, all eight Praetorians engage Rey and Kylo Ren in a lightsaber duel, nearly overwhelming them. However, after a brief struggle, Rey and Kylo manage to kill all but one of them. The last one is defeated when Rey tosses the Skywalker lightsaber to Kylo, who is being held in a choke hold by the last guard. Kylo ignites the lightsaber directly through the Praetorian's face, killing him instantly and ending the fight.
Trivia
- The Praetorian Guards in The Last Jedi were named after the real-life Praetorian Guard whose members served as the personal bodyguards to ancient Roman emperors.
- Snoke's guards were designed to look and act more dangerously and pose an actual threat in combat as opposed to the royal guards that Palpatine had, who looked and acted more ceremonial.
- It remains unknown if there are more than eight Praetorian guards in the First Order, or if there are more than three in the Imperial Remnant, although the fact that Gideon requested three from the latter group imply that there were more than three in service to the Shadow Council.
Gallery
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External links
Praetorian Guard on Wookieepedia: The Star Wars Wiki- Elite Praetorian Guard on StarWars.com (backup link on Archive.org)
