Think back to every Star Wars Opens in a new tabfilm you’ve seen. Have you ever witnessed a StormtrooperOpens in a new tab take a direct hit from a blaster and not immediately crumple? The soldiers are covered head-to-toe in imposing Stormtrooper armor that apparently doesn’t stop shots from the most common weapon in the galaxy, so why do they even wear armor in the first place? Compromise.
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In my latest Because ScienceOpens in a new tab, I’m tackling a question that Star Wars fans have been asking since the franchise began. And I think the best way to answer it is to put yourself in the Emperor’s robes. Imagine that you have to outfit millions of soldiers in some kind of armor. What do you need that armor to be? Decent criteria would be light, effective, imposing (they are the bad guys after all), and cheap.
I think that if we consider the criteria as a whole, Stormtrooper armor, as ineffective as it appears in the movies, starts to make a lot of sense.
After you watch the new episode above, check out my last video on why death by lightsaber would be worse than you thinkOpens in a new tab, subscribe to this playlistOpens in a new tab to stay current with the show, buy a Because Science shirt, mug, hat, or collectible pinOpens in a new tab, and follow me on TwitterOpens in a new tab to give me a suggestion for the next episode or on InstagramOpens in a new tab where I’m now posting extra mini-episodes.
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Featured image: Lucasfilm
