Perched on his hologram throne, Supreme Leader Snoke is undoubtedly one of the most fearsome beings in all the galaxy, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that Andy Serkis’ humanoid alien doesn’t require some protection of his own.
In the build-up to release, and long before the sequel’s showcase at D23 a fortnight ago, Star Wars: The Last Jedi has been fanning the flames of speculation with tie-in merchandise that ranges from pint-sized LEGO figurines to incredibly detailed toys inspired by some of the film’s supporting players – both the good, and the bad. And so, after budding viewers caught a glimpse of Snoke’s Elite Praetorian Guards as they’ll appear in The Last Jedi, the StarWarsLeaks subreddit has uncovered more pictures of those crimson-red subordinates.
First spotted by ComicBook.com, the actual images aren’t particularly revealing; rather, they offer a chance to go up close and personal with Supreme Leader Snoke’s sworn protectors. Each figure appears to come bundled with a blood-red spear, which will no doubt come in handy when dealing with the rejuvenated Resistance.
Andy Serkis’ towering E.T. has bigger fish to fry, though, after his loyal protégé Kylo Ren was left wounded following the battle aboard Starkiller Base. We know from previous reports that Adam Driver’s corrupted Jedi will be sporting a facial scar in Star Wars: The Last Jedi, which will surely shed more light on Kylo Ren’s journey to the dark side of the Force, and how it seemingly came at the expense of Luke Skywalker’s sanity and his Jedi Academy. After all, Mark Hamill’s Force-sensitive hero fell off the radar before The Force Awakens, and we understand his self-imposed exile will have serious ramifications on his teacher-student relationship with Rey (Daisy Ridley).
There are many questions still to be answered, then, but the design of Snoke’s Elite Praetorian Guards isn’t one of them.
Star Wars: The Last Jedi will be with us on December 15th, and it looks certain that Rian Johnson’s sci-fi sequel will continue to expand the franchise’s roster of Stormtroopers.