Incinerator stormtroopers, alternatively known as incinerator troopers, incinerator soldiers, or Burners, represented a specialized type of stormtrooper within the Galactic Empire's forces. Following the demise of the Empire, at least one of these troopers continued service within an Imperial remnant, being deployed to the planet of Nevarro during a conflict that occurred in 9 ABY.
These troopers, also called Incinerator Stormtroopers, or simply Incinerators, and informally known as Burners, formed a specialized segment of the Imperial Stormtrooper Corps. Their primary armament consisted of potent flamethrower weapons. These troopers underwent rigorous training in fire-based combat and were considered among the most formidable specialized units within the Corps, utilizing their flamethrowers to engulf enemies and their defenses in flames.
Members of this stormtrooper class were outfitted with standard stormtrooper armor, distinguished by red markings, a red pauldron, and a D-72w Oppressor flame projector coupled with a backpack. The armor incorporated a cryaplast coating, enabling the troopers to endure the extreme temperatures associated with their weaponry.
The incinerator trooper specialization functioned within the Empire's Stormtrooper Corps and garnered significant recognition. Several incinerator troopers provided support to the Sith Lord Darth Vader during a mission to a Jedi Temple. The role of incinerator trooper was something that the stormtrooper Riccarn mentioned that his comrade FS-451 had aspired to achieve. Following the fall of the Empire in 5 ABY, at least one member of this specialized unit served within an Imperial remnant under the leadership of Moff Gideon. One such trooper was deployed to the planet Nevarro in 9 ABY, engaging in combat against a group that included the Mandalorian Din Djarin, Bounty Hunters' Guild magistrate Greef Karga, former rebel shock trooper Cara Dune, the IG-series assassin droid, and Gideon's objective, the Force-sensitive infant Grogu.
After Gideon's forces pushed their adversaries back into a cantina, Gideon instructed his incinerator trooper to "burn them out." In the initial assault, the incinerator trooper successfully breached the cantina door with flames, setting a significant portion of both the interior and exterior ablaze. Subsequently, the stormtrooper entered the cantina and activated their flamethrower again, directing it at Djarin's group. However, Grogu employed the Force to halt the flames and redirect them back towards the stormtrooper, resulting in the weapon's explosion and the trooper's death, leaving their charred corpse outside the cantina.
During his time serving covertly within the Corporate Sector Authority, Enric Pryde, the future First Order Allegiant General who held the position of High Colonel, observed that the Incinerator troopers could have subdued the insurgents more rapidly compared to the CSA troopers of the Authority. Eventually, the First Order Flametroopers were established, serving as a continuation of the legacy of the Imperial Incinerator Troopers.
The incinerator trooper made its initial canon appearance in a special preview reel for the Disney+ television program The Mandalorian. It was subsequently identified as the Incinerator Stormtrooper through a Star Wars: The Black Series action figure produced by Hasbro. The trooper later featured in "Chapter 8: Redemption" of The Mandalorian's first season, directed by Taika Waititi and broadcast on December 27, 2019.
The Star Wars Encyclopedia series by De Agostini, in its "Imperial Troops" issue released on September 2 2020, referred to these troopers simply as incinerators. Furthermore, "The Witness," a segment of the 2020 short story anthology From a Certain Point of View: The Empire Strikes Back penned by Adam Christopher, introduced the nickname Burners for these troopers. The incinerators originated in the Star Wars Legends continuity, appearing in the 2008 video game Star Wars: The Force Unleashed video game.