[Skoob]

Quote:

Originally Posted by VashTS

What makes the royal guards royal? I always wondered...what makes them Royal Guards?

The answer to that question is the same as the answer for all things "royal": Because They Say So.

Quote:

Originally Posted by VashTS

Why are they in red?

In Western history, red is the color of blood and revolution. People were encouraged in the early- to mid-20th century to associate it with communism. It was insulting for someone to be called a "Red."

McCarthyism and the "Red Scare"

In eastern cultures, red is considered 'auspicious,' bringing good fortune. You see red decoration all over the place.

Red in Chinese Culture

Global Meanings of Red

Why might an elite guard unit dress in red? For the same reason that the Red Baron painted his plane red, I suppose: to appear bold and fearless and scary: "We're so good at what we do that we aren't afraid to wear a bright color and stand out like a sore thumb." Another purpose might be to distract threatening adversaries, allowing officials to escape to safety: sort of a "red bull" effect, like the cape used by a matador in Spanish bullfighting. Then again, the purpose might just be ceremonial. Finally, they might wear red Just Because Lucasfilm and Disney Say So.

I can understand bright colors for dress uniform, but question the logic of flashy battle armor. White seems about as nonsensical for all but snowy surroundings. Phasma's chrome finish makes more sense to me, because it reflects the colors of her surroundings to some extent, though the chrome should be much more shiny to be effective. What the heck, it's Star Wars: things don't always have to make sense, though one expects some baseline of sensibility if events are to seem more or less credible. Rgds