the Galactic Empire. Although Imperial stormtroopers were regarded as the Empire's best soldiers, the commanders were trained to be far superior to the more common infantry soldier. Their exceptional reputation afforded them more than just command over regular troopers. The elite Shadow Troopers answered to the authority of the commanders as well.

The commanders were an aesthetic anomaly within the Stormtrooper Corps; the blue markings on their armor separated them from the rest of the plain white-armored soldiers. Hence, the commanders were permitted to follow an old tradition of the Grand Army of the Republic where soldiers distinguished their respective units by color. This tradition was abandoned after the Clone Wars ended with the rise of the Empire.