Emperor's Royal Guard [POTF2]

...with FORCE PIKE.

"Ah, sir?"
"Yes, what is it guard?"
"You are the Emperor, and I want to do my best to protect you, but..."
"Yes, guard, spit it out!"
"Well, couldn't we have guns?"
"Absolutely not, royal guard! Guns are reserved for Death Star Gunners, who get a blaster and an assault rifle!"
"Why would they need any guns - they are manning cannons..."
"Do not question your Emperor!"

So, despite the fact that the highest guards for the Emperor have pikes and no guns (this is explained a bit in the Crimson Empire series from Dark Horse comics), the Guard looks kind of cool. All red, contrasting with the pervasive black in muck of the Imperial forces, and a kind of cloak of secrecy.

Five reasons to get this figure:

1. Peel back the layers to see what's underneath...OH MY GO-

2. Where else are you going to find a force pike?

3. Red is all the rage this season, according to my sources.

4. Cool Cylon-like helmet.

5. His right hand points! It points! You know what this means? Me either.

Backstory:

They were first formed as the Red Guard for the Republic Senate after Palpatine claimed rumors of corruption in the Senate. They later became the Emperor’s personal guard. They were handpicked from among the best stormtroopers, and underwent rigorous and grueling training. To keep in fighting form, some were always rotated out on combat missions, so some survived the destruction of the second Death Star. These remaining Guards were chronicled in the graphic novel series Crimson Empire, where they fought for supremacy. They also came back together to protect the clone Emperor in Dark Empire, but one of their own had sabotaged the Emperor’s clones so he would not live long.

Want more? Full article at Wookieepedia. Article just on force pikes.