Despite the ideals of the Jedi Order, the helmets, combined with their helmet coloration, of Windu's troops struck fear into the hearts of their enemies. After the death of Windu and destruction of the entire Jedi Order under Order 66, Supreme Chancellor Sheev Palpatine would transform the Republic into his Galactic Empire, with the Republic Military transforming into the Imperial Military. With clone troopers forced to obey the will of Sidious and carry out Order 66 by their behavioral modification biochips, the 187th continued to exist as a legion within the Imperial Army. In that capacity, it was the task of Windu's former troops to defend the regime that openly hunted the Jedi.
The 187th Legion was introduced into the canon era of Star Wars as an elite force depicted through the "Republic Fighter Tank" set from LEGO Star Wars that was revealed by This Week! in Star Wars on March 31, 2022 by Kristin Baver. The 187th Legion initially debuted in Star Wars Legends, first appearing in the 2006 Hasbro Inc. exclusive set for Target in "Mace Windu's Attack Battalion." The box cover art for the "Republic Fighter Tank" set depict two B1-series battle droids fighting against Mace Windu, two 187th Legion clone troopers, and an 187th Clone Commander aboard a TX-130 Saber-class fighter tank in a mountainous and desert surface. In the set, the clones had markings that included a small, dark pauldron on their right shoulder. Their commander utilized clone paratrooper armor with purple markings, a similar pauldron, and a beige kama.
The legion's status as a canonical unit was confirmed by a 2023 Hasbro figure set, "Mace Windu & 187th Legion Clone Trooper," for Star Wars: The Black Series. The Hasbro Pulse listing gives the name "Mace Windu & Clone Trooper," but the complete name can be seen on the release's box.
A clone unit led by Mace Windu appeared in the first episode of the seventh and final season of Star Wars: The Clone Wars, titled "The Bad Batch" and released in February 21, 2020. The episode had originally aired in an unfinished format during Celebration Anaheim on April 17, 2015. According to Lucasfilm Story Group member Leland Chee, the decision to not use the purple color scheme of the 187th Legion was made in the first season of the series, which began airing in 2008. The unit was later named the "187th Battalion" on the Hasbro Pulse livestream for May the Fourth, 2022 as a Star Wars: The Black Series set.
In the penultimate episode of the first season that aired on March 13, 2009, titled "Liberty on Ryloth," Clone Commander Ponds served under Mace Windu and had customized his armor with similar color of Mace Windu's unit in the seventh season. Sources including Star Wars Helmet Collection 76 and Star Wars: On the Front Lines clarify that Commander Ponds served as the leader of Lightning Squadron of the 91st Mobile Reconnaissance Corps. Chee further elaborated that it was a conscious decision to try to keep them as different units rather than the same unit that uses two different color schemes. The reveal of the Black Series Hasbro figure accidentally conflated the 187th legion and battalion.
Legion clone troopers in LEGO
The 187th Legion was introduced into the canon era of Star Wars as an elite force depicted through the "Republic Fighter Tank" set from LEGO Star Wars that was revealed by This Week! in Star Wars on March 31, 2022 by Kristin Baver. The 187th Legion initially debuted in Star Wars Legends, first appearing in the 2006 Hasbro Inc. exclusive set for Target in "Mace Windu's Attack Battalion." The box cover art for the "Republic Fighter Tank" set depict two B1-series battle droids fighting against Mace Windu, two 187th Legion clone troopers, and an 187th Clone Commander aboard a TX-130 Saber-class fighter tank in a mountainous and desert surface. In the set, the clones had markings that included a small, dark pauldron on their right shoulder. Their commander utilized clone paratrooper armor with purple markings, a similar pauldron, and a beige kama.
The legion's status as a canonical unit was confirmed by a 2023 Hasbro figure set, "Mace Windu & 187th Legion Clone Trooper," for Star Wars: The Black Series. The Hasbro Pulse listing gives the name "Mace Windu & Clone Trooper," but the complete name can be seen on the release's box.
A clone unit led by Mace Windu appeared in the first episode of the seventh and final season of Star Wars: The Clone Wars, titled "The Bad Batch" and released in February 21, 2020. The episode had originally aired in an unfinished format during Celebration Anaheim on April 17, 2015. According to Lucasfilm Story Group member Leland Chee, the decision to not use the purple color scheme of the 187th Legion was made in the first season of the series, which began airing in 2008. The unit was later named the "187th Battalion" on the Hasbro Pulse livestream for May the Fourth, 2022 as a Star Wars: The Black Series set.
The clone unit Mace Windu led in The Clone Wars.
In the penultimate episode of the first season that aired on March 13, 2009, titled "Liberty on Ryloth," Clone Commander Ponds served under Mace Windu and had customized his armor with similar color of Mace Windu's unit in the seventh season. Sources including Star Wars Helmet Collection 76 and Star Wars: On the Front Lines clarify that Commander Ponds served as the leader of Lightning Squadron of the 91st Mobile Reconnaissance Corps. Chee further elaborated that it was a conscious decision to try to keep them as different units rather than the same unit that uses two different color schemes. The reveal of the Black Series Hasbro figure accidentally conflated the 187th legion and battalion.
- LEGO STAR WARS: Celebrate the Season — "Happy Celebration 45th Anniversary A New Hope"