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The Original Trilogy / Who ARE these Imperials? (ROTJ: BLUE Uniforms!)
« on: May 23, 2005, 11:14 PM »
I already posted this over at RS (PLEASE don't hurt me! 
) If this has already been mentioned, let me offer my apologies in advance.
http://mobileartillery.blogspot.com/2005/04/pilotgunnery-crew.html
http://mobileartillery.blogspot.com/2005/05/zaarin.html
Since I'm half expecting these links to be broken, I'll describe them.
Some of the Imperials in the scene where the Emperor visits the Second Death Star are wearing uniforms like I've never seen before. It appears they're standing amongst the Imperial Navy people... right alongside the shuttle and adjacent to some Naval Techs/Crewmen.
What's really weird is their uniform is blue, which struck me as very odd. They're wearing shiny black "cockroach" style helmets like the Death Star Troopers', except the backs are rounded off more instead of tapering to a point (they're shaped like the ones that Rebel Technicians wore in ANH). They have black goggles and a black chinstrap. They have very loose-fitting, baggy jumpsuits that are most definitley blue. No belt, no fancy gloves.
On another note, after that I realized that in one of the cutscenes in the TIE Fighter game, when Admiral Zaarin is presenting the new TIE Advanced model to Lord Vader, his uniform also appears to be blue! The picture's kind of messed, but you can see it a lot better in the game. In comparison, his uniform is cut different; blue double-breasted tunic, blue officer's cap, eupalets, cuffs, and a belt; probably with belt boxes. He is back is turned for the whole time so you can't see the front of his uniform.
So I got to thinking, being sure to put on my thinking cap of course, maybe the two are related in the same way? For an example; olive seems to be one of the indicitive "colors" of the Imperial Navy, the Fleet(s) in particular. The TIE Fighter Pilots's noncombat uniforms are olive as well. This compells a lot of us to believe that the Starfighter Forces are part of the Navy (or at least have a "dotted line" relationship). Well, if we can follow that train of logic, if these weird blue Imperials are wearing blue and appear to be in the Navy, and Zaarin is wearing blue and is obviously in the Navy, then there must be a relationship between the two.
Let's think some more (put those caps on). The guys in the blue jumpsuits really seem to have the uniforms tailored to function over form. I mean, look at what they're wearing! The fact that they're wearing simple jumpsuits, hardly anything to look at, coupled with the fact that they aren't even spared the commodity of shiny black belts, means that they are obviously engaged in some form of hard labor. They have no gloves, which means that they probably do some fine-tuning type work where gloves would only inhibit your fingers' dexterity. Also, they have helmets. Not only does this mean that they may be in danger of stuff falling on their heads, basically dangerous work conditions, but also that the helmet looks like it hugs their heads pretty snug means that they might be confined to thight working spaces.
Now. In this cutscene when Zaarin is exhibiting the technical advantages of the new TIE model, he's wearing this zany blue tunic. In every other appearance he makes he has the regular grey tunic on.
What gives? Well, I've analyzed everything as best as I could, and the conclusion that I draw from all this is that this whole blue thing is associated with like maybe elite, prototype starfighter work. The nitty gritty worker uniforms would be perfect for assembling and tuning up new TIES, and that would explain why Zaarin was wearing that particular blue uniform for his demonstration.
It's all I can think of, and the more I ponder it the more I like it. I can't think of anything else that would be even feasible. And by the way, I haven't come across any reference to this type of uniform anywhere on the internet, not even the SWTC. If anyone has thoughts or more information please share.
) If this has already been mentioned, let me offer my apologies in advance.http://mobileartillery.blogspot.com/2005/04/pilotgunnery-crew.html
http://mobileartillery.blogspot.com/2005/05/zaarin.html
Since I'm half expecting these links to be broken, I'll describe them.
Some of the Imperials in the scene where the Emperor visits the Second Death Star are wearing uniforms like I've never seen before. It appears they're standing amongst the Imperial Navy people... right alongside the shuttle and adjacent to some Naval Techs/Crewmen.
What's really weird is their uniform is blue, which struck me as very odd. They're wearing shiny black "cockroach" style helmets like the Death Star Troopers', except the backs are rounded off more instead of tapering to a point (they're shaped like the ones that Rebel Technicians wore in ANH). They have black goggles and a black chinstrap. They have very loose-fitting, baggy jumpsuits that are most definitley blue. No belt, no fancy gloves.
On another note, after that I realized that in one of the cutscenes in the TIE Fighter game, when Admiral Zaarin is presenting the new TIE Advanced model to Lord Vader, his uniform also appears to be blue! The picture's kind of messed, but you can see it a lot better in the game. In comparison, his uniform is cut different; blue double-breasted tunic, blue officer's cap, eupalets, cuffs, and a belt; probably with belt boxes. He is back is turned for the whole time so you can't see the front of his uniform.
So I got to thinking, being sure to put on my thinking cap of course, maybe the two are related in the same way? For an example; olive seems to be one of the indicitive "colors" of the Imperial Navy, the Fleet(s) in particular. The TIE Fighter Pilots's noncombat uniforms are olive as well. This compells a lot of us to believe that the Starfighter Forces are part of the Navy (or at least have a "dotted line" relationship). Well, if we can follow that train of logic, if these weird blue Imperials are wearing blue and appear to be in the Navy, and Zaarin is wearing blue and is obviously in the Navy, then there must be a relationship between the two.
Let's think some more (put those caps on). The guys in the blue jumpsuits really seem to have the uniforms tailored to function over form. I mean, look at what they're wearing! The fact that they're wearing simple jumpsuits, hardly anything to look at, coupled with the fact that they aren't even spared the commodity of shiny black belts, means that they are obviously engaged in some form of hard labor. They have no gloves, which means that they probably do some fine-tuning type work where gloves would only inhibit your fingers' dexterity. Also, they have helmets. Not only does this mean that they may be in danger of stuff falling on their heads, basically dangerous work conditions, but also that the helmet looks like it hugs their heads pretty snug means that they might be confined to thight working spaces.
Now. In this cutscene when Zaarin is exhibiting the technical advantages of the new TIE model, he's wearing this zany blue tunic. In every other appearance he makes he has the regular grey tunic on.
What gives? Well, I've analyzed everything as best as I could, and the conclusion that I draw from all this is that this whole blue thing is associated with like maybe elite, prototype starfighter work. The nitty gritty worker uniforms would be perfect for assembling and tuning up new TIES, and that would explain why Zaarin was wearing that particular blue uniform for his demonstration.
It's all I can think of, and the more I ponder it the more I like it. I can't think of anything else that would be even feasible. And by the way, I haven't come across any reference to this type of uniform anywhere on the internet, not even the SWTC. If anyone has thoughts or more information please share.