ALL Imperial Ranks Of The Galactic Empire [Canon] Star Wars Explained

This video explains the Galactic Empire's ranks and insignias from Star Wars Canon productions to date. The chart compiles the rank insignias or rank plaques by the imperial military branch and provides characters from Star Wars wearing the rank insignias.

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[morscalaroleplays]

3 Grand Admirals in cannon have been named
1.) Grand Admiral Thrawn
2.) Grand Admiral Savit
3.) Grand Admiral Slone

[timothybrandriff]

This is, maybe, the most comprehensive explanation of the absolute mess that is the Imperial rank system.

[AndersonNeo]

"In my book, experience outranks everything" - Captain Rex

[grandmoffscott]

The ranks may be confusing. But we unlike the Rebels, wear them with style!

[ExecutorGCW]

Rank plaques definitely have always been confusing but I think with this new era of Disney Star Wars, ever since Rogue One was released productions have generally been using the same system so hopefully as more content releases the hierarchy becomes more clear. The only thing seemingly lacking here is the presence of Imperial Intelligence which I don't think we've seen on screen at all yet, in addition to lower ranking Imperial Government staff such as Planetary Governors (Possibly avoided due to Governor Pryce's appearance in SW Rebels using the Grand Moff plaque).

My one query about the Imperial Navy at the moment is how the Grand Admirals operated. I know there's supposedly twelve, and that they're appointed directly by the Emperor, and report to him, yet Admiral Motti is supposed to be the Chief of the Imperial Navy in 0 BBY. So entire fleets of the Navy are just handed off to a Grand Admiral with no oversight from the Joint Chiefs? I don't get how that would work, lol.

[LordKalte]

It only depends how they spent their 6 points between HP and Mana

[logannaraine]

In my own head cannon I like to think of it a bit like how the British army uses both a rank and appointment system. So a rank is what you are but an appointment is what you do. So you could be the rank of captain but are appointed as the OC of a platoon (which is normally the job of a major). Which can lead to a lot of confusion. And In a large headquarters élément such as a brigade or campaign level HQ it gets extremely confusing. So if you try and think of the imperial army in that context it actually makes quite a bit of sense: fleet level and sector level are more headquarters staff officers where as regular officers would be more akin to troop and platoon level commanders. (It also could explain why some officers are seemingly doing jobs either a rank above or below there actual rank, as some officers suck and get appointed shit jobs or the opposit)

Anyways that’s how I think about it

[spencersholden]

Grand Admiral Savit is also from canon. He was in Thrawn Treason. There’s no image of him though.

[notmyrealname]

This shows how massive the Imperial military was.
I always thought the Imperial Navy and Imperial Army should have had different color uniforms to distinguish the 2 branches.

[business_casual_rex]

Whomever made this system up did a bad job

[Hemi_.Z]

Would Vader sit above Grand Vizier? Considering he’s the right hand and Sith Lord to the emperor himself?

[SmokeyBCN]

I'd like to see an expansion of the government branch, to encompass what is surely a gigantic civil service, required to keep such a huge Empire running on a day to day basis.

[sw-gs]

I always thought that Grand Moff had the same authority as Grand Admiral and Grand General, but where those both ranks were strictly military ranks, while Grand Moff and Moff were more political/overseer ranks that were outside jurisdiction of any branch of military or navy (yet when given authority in time of need by The Emperor they could order both).

[gabrieltassoni]

There was also Grand General Ormeddon from Star Wars: Tales from Vandor :)

[GreenBlueWalkthrough]

Honestly it does not look any more convoluted that any earth mmilitary.. Just stark... souless which I think makes it a wonderful system as it fit's the empire and works good enough.

[JRGProjects]

Yet Star Trek has the easy ranking system in known sci-fi:

1 black Pip - Chief Petty Officer (NCO)
1 Gold Pip - Ensign
1 black + 1 Gold - Lt. Jr Grade
2 Gold Pips - Full Lt.
2 Gold Pips + 1 black - Lt. Cmdr
3 Gold Pips - Cmdr.
4 Gold Pips - Captain
1 Gold Square - Rear Admiral Lower
2 Gold Squares - Rear Admiral Upper
2 Gold Bars with 3 Pips- Vice Admiral
2 Gold Bars with 4 Pips - Admiral
2 Gold Bars with 5 Pips - Fleet Admiral
Starfleet Commander in Chief
Federation Council
Federation President

[acrazysheepdog]

Should be mentioned that Sloane appointed herself as a Grand Admiral, not the Emperor.

[decimusgelt]

This chart sure is nice. I would have loved to have seen this matter placed entirely in one persons hands to maintain consistency. Crossman had a good go at it, but I don't think I've seen a Rank System yet which displays rank naturally and comfortably.

[Sigma]

Piett had a Captains insignia in Return of the Jedi despite being an Admiral. This was a costuming error during production.

[johnsimpson]

The rank below Major General is Brigadier NOT Colonel. Nice try.