Imperial Academy

One of the few to be trained as a Jedi after the fall of the Republic, Ezra Bridger grew up an orphan on the streets of Lothal during the age of the Empire. Although he had learned to be wary of strangers, his introduction to the Ghost crew, a small band of rebels fighting back against the Imperial regime, changed his outlook and his future. Training in the ways of the Force under the mentorship of Kanan Jarrus, Ezra became a Jedi Padawan and a part of the emerging rebellion. He also grew close to Hera Syndulla, Zeb, Chopper, and Sabine Wren, who was like a sister in his new found family. After several years together, Bridger vanished during the Battle of Lothal, disappearing into parts unknown in a hyperspace jump that pulled Ezra and Grand Admiral Thrawn into deep space.

Zare Leonis found a kindred spirit in Ezra Bridger, as both were undercover cadets at the Imperial Academy with no love of the Empire. Zare showed impressive skill as a cadet, but his true goal was to find out what happened to his sister, Dhara -- a star trainee at the Imperial Academy who mysteriously vanished. Zare helped Ezra uncover an Imperial decoder and escape the academy, but remained behind as a spy.

Arrogant and cruel, Commandant Cumberlayne Aresko was an uncompromising Imperial officer stationed on Lothal. He would charge citizens with treason for any kind of anti-Empire sentiment, and was quick to report the Ghost crew of rebels to the Imperial Security Bureau. Aresko supervised Lothal’s Imperial Academy, where cadets competed to become Imperial officers and stormtroopers. His repeated failures to apprehend Lothal’s rebels eventually cost him his life – the Inquisitor ignited his lightsaber and executed Aresko on orders from Grand Moff Tarkin.

Taskmaster Myles Grint was an Imperial officer serving on Lothal. Hulking and imposing, he bullyed the locals and helped establish the Empire's tyranny on the Outer Rim planet. Like his boss Commandant Aresko, the brutal Grint failed to stop Lothal’s rebels. He too paid a steep price: The Inquisitor executed Grint on orders from Grand Moff Tarkin.

Stormtroopers are elite shock troops fanatically loyal to the Empire and impossible to sway from the Imperial cause. They wear imposing white armor, which offers a wide range of survival equipment and temperature controls to allow the soldiers to survive in almost any environment. Stormtroopers wield blaster rifles and pistols with great skill, and attack in hordes to overwhelm their enemies. Along with standard stormtroopers, the Empire has organized several specialized units, including snowtroopers and scout troopers.

The Galactic Empire ruled for years through fear, intimidation, and tyranny. With a mighty military force including stormtroopers, spy technology like probe droids, and the planet-destroying Death Star, Emperor Palpatine’s regime seemed unstoppable and permanent. But some dared to strike back…