Emily Shkoukani looks at the armour of the clone army of the Republic and how it evolved from Attack of the Clones right through to Clone Force 99 of The Bad Batch.
When audiences first met the clones in Episode II, they were wearing Phase I clone trooper armor. This stark white and streamlined armor evoked that of their clone template, Jango Fett’s Mandalorian armor. Made up of 20 pieces of plastoid-alloy composite, the Phase I clone trooper armor featured the iconic T-visor helmet, a utility belt that could carry spare blaster magazines, food rations, and other miscellaneous equipment, and boots with high-traction soles. Despite the sturdiness of the Phase I armor, it was soon cycled out for Phase II.
The most notable difference between Phase I and Phase II armor was the helmet. Although the distinctive T-visor remained, the breathing apparatus on the helmet received an upgrade and now featured two breath filter vents that could also be hooked up to an air-supply hose if necessary. Additionally, due to the clones being created in secret and their armor crafted by Kaminoans, some upgrades favoring a humanoid body were necessary to keep the troopers comfortable.
