An EMP grenade, alternatively known as a droid popper, was a kind of grenade that took advantage of electromagnetic pulse. These devices could be deployed to render battle droids inoperable by disrupting their internal systems, or to subdue humans. When deployed against stormtroopers, the EMP discharge overwhelmed the electronics integrated into their armor; however, the degree of impact varied based on the distance and the grenade's positioning relative to the intended target. The Jedi Order and their affiliated clone troopers employed these grenades against the forces of the Separatist Droid Army throughout the duration of the Clone Wars.
The initial depiction of Electro Magnetic Pulse grenades occurred in The Courtship of Princess Leia, a Star Wars Legends book authored by Dave Wolverton and published on April 1, 1994. Their integration into the official canon took place with their inclusion in "Duel of the Droids," the seventh episode of Star Wars: The Clone Wars' first season, a canonical animated series. This episode was originally broadcast on November 14, 2008.