Summary
We’ve all heard the jokes, but just how bad at aiming areStar Wars' stormtroopers really? With the benefit of hindsight, one scene in the firstStar Warsmovie now feels like something of a joke. Investigating the ravaged Jawa sandcrawler, Obi-Wan Kenobi deduces this attack wasn’t committed byTusken Raiders. According to Obi-Wan, the blaster shots were “too accurate for Sandpeople; only Imperial stormtroopers are so precise.”
“Precise” is hardly the word most viewers would use to describe stormtrooper aim. In act, it’s since become a joke in-universe that stormtroopers are poor marksmen; one scene inThe Mandalorianseason 1 saw too supposed crack-shots trying to hit a stationary target, and failing. But just how accurateareImperial stormtroopers? National Geographic’sWeird but True! Star Warsbook includes some wince-worthy figures.
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Here’s How Many Times Stormtroopers Missed In The Death Star Escape
Not exactly their best moment
National Geographic ran the numbers, and were stunned to discoverImperial stormtroopers missed their targets a staggering 296 times during the Death Star escape. This includes memorable scenes in which Han Solo literally ran into a massive group of stormtroopers, did a double-take, and opened fire before running away at speed. The entire Death Star escape feels like a rebuttal of Obi-Wan’s earlier claim Imperial stormtroopers are “precise.”
Even if they did set a precedent…
It’s easy to see whystormtroopers have developed a reputation for bad aim. Oddly enough, the firstStar Warsmovie potentially gives an explanation for it; when Luke and Han disguise themselves as stormtroopers, Luke complains that he can’t see a thing wearing the helmet. It seems the view-ports aren’t really designed for skilled marksmanship.
That said, there’s also a story reason for the stormtroopers' bad aim during the Death Star escape. It’s because Darth Vader actually wanted the rebels to escape; he’d planted a tracker on board the Millennium Falcon, and he wanted the ship to take him straight to the rebel base. Darth Vader’s plan was a success, because Princess Leia had the Falcon fly straight to Yavin 4 with the Death Star plans, and the Empire wasted no time in following.
All those poor stormtroopers, whose reputation would never recover, were actually just doing as ordered. They were aiming to miss, for fear they would kill someone Darth Vader wanted alive. Only the Sith Lord himself killed anyone on the Death Star in the firstStar Warsmovie, presumably in part because vengeance against Obi-Wan trumped strategy in Vader’s mind.
Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope
Cast
Star Wars is a seminal science fiction film released in 1977 that follows the quest of Luke Skywalker and Han Solo to rescue Princess Leia from the oppressive Imperial forces. They are aided by the droids R2-D2 and C-3PO, as they strive to restore peace to the galaxy.
