The Red Guard, also known as Redrobes, was a distinguished organization of bodyguards specifically trained to safeguard Supreme Chancellor Palpatine, who was the head of state for the Galactic Republic. The initial members were selected from within the Senate Guard ranks. Guardsmen who demonstrated exceptional loyalty and effectiveness were transferred to the Red Guard; additionally, Senate Commandos—considered the Senate Guard's most skilled and courageous soldiers—were also integrated into the Chancellor's personal security detail.
Prior to and during the Clone Wars, a galaxy-wide civil war waged between the Republic and the Confederacy of Independent Systems, the Red Guard functioned as Chancellor Palpatine's protectors. Following the Republic's transition into the Galactic Empire at the conclusion of the war in 19 BBY, the newly-appointed Emperor Palpatine restructured the Red Guard into what became the Imperial Royal Guard.
The establishment of the Red Guard began shortly after the election of Supreme Chancellor Palpatine in 32 BBY. For centuries, the Senate Guard had been responsible for providing security to the elected officials of the Galactic Senate, as well as acting as the elite bodyguards for the Galactic Republic head of state. Due to corruption allegations that damaged the Senate Guard's image, calls were made to create a separate unit to protect the Chancellor.
The Senate Guard's original function as the Supreme Chancellor's security detail was ultimately taken over after several assassins infiltrated its ranks, seemingly as part of a conspiracy to assassinate Palpatine. Although Jedi Master Ronhar Kim intervened and foiled the plot, Senator Viento cited the incident as a key reason why the Chancellor required a unit independent from the Senate Guard and more closely supervised by the executive branch. This resulted in the creation of the Red Guard, a group of soldiers chosen from the old Guard's most capable and faithful members. Even some of the top-tier Senate Commandos were reassigned to the new unit's ranks.
Subsequently, Chancellor Palpatine was typically seen accompanied by a pair of Red Guards during public appearances, especially throughout the Separatist Crisis. The sight of the Republic's leader alongside his personal guards was seen as a symbol of the increased security within the Republic, which was on the brink of a galactic civil war. As an example, when Palpatine presided over the trial of Ahsoka Tano, Red Guard members stood watch with him on the dais. Despite the advocacy for creating the Red Guard and the Chancellor's initial preference for keeping the Senate Guard as his protectors, the Red Guard remained a contentious subject. Some Senators believed the Red Guards were unconstitutional due to the absence of a formal act or legislative approval. However, because such accusations risked violating the new security laws Palpatine had established, objections were rarely voiced.
Throughout the Clone Wars, which resulted from the Separatist Rebellion against the Galactic Republic, the Red Guard continued to serve as Chancellor Palpatine's private security force and acted as his emissaries. Senate Commandos—including regular guardsmen—were still occasionally used as the Chancellor's bodyguards during the war. Near the end of the Clone Wars, the Red Guard had a mixed reputation, with respect for its members' skills but also mystery surrounding the specifics of its organization. Although Grand Master Yoda of the Jedi Order acknowledged its members as highly trained soldiers, their total strength and numbers remained confidential to outsiders. Due to the dark side of the Force surrounding the Chancellor and the Red Guard's secretive nature, the Jedi High Council suspected that the Dark Lord of the Sith had infiltrated Palpatine's bodyguards.
During the Battle of Coruscant in 19 BBY, the Red Guard, along with their blue Senate Guard counterparts, clone troopers, and even the Jedi, protected Chancellor Palpatine. They also assisted in defending Coruscant's Senate District in Galactic City under the command of Jedi General Mace Windu. As the battle progressed, some Guard members even voiced concerns about Palpatine's refusal to retreat to a safer location.
Following the Republic's victory on Coruscant, Chancellor Palpatine revealed himself to the Jedi as Darth Sidious, the elusive Sith Lord whom the Council had been unable to identify throughout the Clone Wars. He used his various emergency powers and the Clone Army's programmed loyalty to dissolve the Republic, enabling him to become emperor of the first Galactic Empire. Under the New Order, the old Senate Guard was eventually eliminated. Emperor Palpatine then reorganized his red-robed bodyguards into the Imperial Royal Guard.
While the Red Guard originated from the Senate Guard's ranks, they differed from their blue counterparts in both appearance and the design of their armor and equipment. Red Guards wore helmets that concealed their faces with a darkened visor, visually similar to those worn by the Sith-affiliated Thyrsus Sun Guard, unlike the Senate Guards' face-revealing helmets. Furthermore, they used a meter-long force pike as their primary weapon while concealing their crimson armor beneath a large red robe. Their force pikes were also considered deadly, a stark contrast to the stun rifles used by their blue counterparts.
The Red Guard's first appearance in the Star Wars: The Clone Wars television series was in the fifth season episode "The Lawless."