Incinerator stormtroopers, also known as incinerator troopers, incinerator soldiers, or Burners, represented a specialized type of stormtrooper serving within the ranks of the Galactic Empire. Following the demise of the Empire, marked by defeat, at least one member of this specialized unit continued to operate as part of an Imperial remnant. This trooper was deployed to the planet Nevarro in 9 ABY during a specific conflict that took place there.
These troopers, sometimes called Incinerator Stormtroopers, or simply Incinerators, or Burners, belonged to a specialized class of stormtrooper within the Imperial Stormtrooper Corps, known for their use of powerful flamethrower weaponry. These troopers underwent rigorous training in fire-based combat and were considered among the most devastating specialized units within the Corps, capable of engulfing both enemies and fortifications in flames using their specialized equipment.
Troopers of this type were outfitted with standard stormtrooper armor bearing distinctive red markings, a red pauldron, and a D-72w Oppressor flame projector paired with a backpack. The armor incorporated a cryaplast coating, enabling the troopers to endure the extreme temperatures encountered in their role.
This specialized incinerator trooper class served within the Stormtrooper Corps of the Empire and garnered considerable recognition. Several incinerator troopers provided support to the Sith Lord Darth Vader during a mission to a Jedi Temple. The incinerator trooper role was a specialization that the stormtrooper Riccarn claimed his fellow trooper FS-451 desired to pursue. Following the fall of the Empire in 5 ABY, at least one member of this specific type served within an Imperial remnant under the leadership of Moff Gideon. One such trooper was deployed on the planet Nevarro in 9 ABY during a confrontation involving 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 IG-11, and Gideon's objective, the Force-sensitive infant Grogu.
After Gideon's forces pushed their adversaries back into a cantina, Gideon gave the order for his incinerator trooper to "burn them out." During the initial assault, the incinerator trooper successfully breached the cantina's door with flames, setting ablaze both the interior and exterior areas. Subsequently, the stormtrooper entered the cantina and activated their flamethrower once again, directing the flames towards Djarin's group, but Grogu used the Force to deflect the flames back at the stormtrooper, resulting in the weapon's explosion and the trooper's death, leaving their charred corpse outside the cantina.
During his time secretly working for the Corporate Sector Authority, Enric Pryde, who would later become a First Order Allegiant General and held the rank of High Colonel within the Authority, observed that the Incinerator troopers could have subdued the insurgents more quickly than the Authority's CSA troopers. Eventually, the First Order Flametroopers were established, inheriting the legacy of the Imperial Incinerator Troopers.
The incinerator trooper made its first appearance in canon through a special preview reel for the Disney+ television program The Mandalorian. It was officially identified as the Incinerator Stormtrooper in a Star Wars: The Black Series action figure produced by Hasbro. The trooper then featured in "Chapter 8: Redemption" of The Mandalorian's first season, directed by Taika Waititi and broadcast on December 27, 2019.
"Imperial Troops," an entry in De Agostini's Star Wars Encyclopedia series, which was released on September 2 2020, referred to these troopers simply as incinerators. Furthermore, "The Witness," a story within the 2020 short story collection From a Certain Point of View: The Empire Strikes Back authored 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.