Throughout all Star Wars media, it has been established that stormtroopers are terrible shots and rarely hit any targets, but it was secretly explained in A New Hope. While the Empire’s forces aren’t good shots, there are many of them, meaning that even if they aren’t good shots, the size of their forces can overwhelm rebels. However, there is a simple explanation for why stormtroopers are terrible shots, and it explains everything.
In A New Hope, Luke Skywalker and Han Solo disguise themselves as stormtroopers. Luke exclaims, “I can’t see a thing in this helmet!” While this was very early in Star Wars canon, George Lucas established that the Empire’s stormtroopers couldn’t see in their blocky helmets. This was further, if unintentionally, supported by the famous blooper that was left in the original movie of an extra playing a stormtrooper accidentally hitting his head on a doorframe. He couldn’t see the door and hit it, lending credibility to the idea that it was the stormtroopers' own equipment that hindered their aim.
Star Wars Rebels Proved Luke Had A Point
In Star Wars Rebels season 2, episode 9, Jedi Knight Kanan Jarrus and clone Captain Rex break into an Imperial ship to rescue Jedi Padawan Ezra Bridge by impersonating stormtroopers. After getting caught, they are forced to fight their way out. Kanan makes fun of Rex because he can’t hit any targets and says that he shoots just like a stormtrooper, which were the clones' successors. Frustrated, Rex rips off the helmet and then starts hitting all the stormtroopers, further canonizing that it's the helmet that's the problem.
Disney Star Wars Has Made Stormtroopers More Accurate
Since Disney acquired Star Wars, stormtroopers have gotten better aim. While it’s still not quite as good as the clones’ aim, they’ve certainly improved. It's notable that in the sequel trilogy, there is a slight redesign of the stormtrooper helmet, which, if going by the helmet theory, indicates they can more clearly see their targets and therefore have better aim. This is seen with the former stormtrooper Finn in the Star Wars sequels, who can easily hit targets while he was still in the First Order ranks.
It's always been a running joke that stormtroopers can’t hit any target, but there is a real reason for that. After decades of being mocked by Star Wars fandom and characters for their terrible aim, it's surprising and funny to learn the reason why was there all along. While it was established in A New Hope, it’s a small detail that every once in a while reminds the audience that stormtroopers aren’t necessarily inept–they just can’t see.