Star Wars' Glaring Stormtroopers Flaw Has a Perfectly Logical Explanation

And I know what you're thinking – "But the evidence is there, in the canon."

But is it really?

Let's use one of the classic scenes that some fans use to apparently 'prove' their point: the escape from the Death Star.

It's certainly true that the rebels are massively outnumbered and under heavy fire. And yet they don't get hit.

But what's the first thing Princess Leia says to Han in the cockpit of the Millennium Falcon?

She says their escape was too easy and that the "only explanation" is that they were allowed to get away. We soon find out why when Moff Tarkin questions Darth Vader on whether the "homing beacon is secure".

Look at the scene again through the prism of these comments and the Stormtroopers don't appear quite so inaccurate.

And if you go back to the beginning of the movie when they stormed the Tantive IV Corvette. You'll recall the Stormtroopers have no trouble taking out the rebel soldiers.

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A more recent example was the Battle of Scarif in Rogue One.

Stormtroopers are mowing down plenty of rebel fighters with a high degree of accuracy

"But what about Chirrut Imwe?" I hear you ask.

Well, he certainly doesn't get hit as he slowly walks his way to the console to boost the signal. But this is not just someone strolling through a battlefield. As he walks, Imwe repeatedly says "I am one with the force. The force is with me."

So, what's happening here and why is he not hit? The answer lies in the Cosmic Force, a unique element of The Force that can favour an individual when their actions are intended to restore balance to the galaxy. Which explains why, as soon as he has hit the switch, Imwe is taken out by a Stormtrooper.

And there's plenty more evidence of Stormtrooper accuracy.

Going back to the assault on the Tantive IV Corvette, in the midst of the chaos, a Stormtrooper hits Leia with a stun gun. Similarly, in episode 6, she is shot and hit from a distance.

And even that scene in the Mandalorian that sees two Stormtroopers fail to hit a can, might be viewed as evidence of their shooting abilities. While some saw it as the writers laughing along with the trope, the reaction of the two Stormtroopers seems to suggest they're blaming the weapons.

And then, there is the little matter of the technology in those helmets. As far back as 1977, it's been suggested that their aim was so bad because they couldn't see.

This, of course, came from Luke's statement to that effect when he was dressed as a Stormtrooper. But while Luke was unable to see clearly, this was due to a deliberate act by the Empire. You see, each Stormtrooper helmet was kitted out with infrared vision and targeting assistance. But a unique code was required to use these tools.

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So, while it was useless to Luke, we know that a real Stormtrooper would have found the helmet a help, not a hindrance.

Finally, in the same movie, while assessing the scene of dead Jawas, Obi Wan Kenobi – a wise man and seasoned rebel – tells Luke that "Only Imperial Stormtroopers are so precise."

So, there you have it. Stormtroopers don't all have terrible aim. They follow orders and can't overcome the power of The Force.