

By the time frame of Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back, the rank squares have become a much simpler collection of red and blue squares with the code cylinders still in use. The color system was used from the start of the Imperial Navy, in which officers had an unequal number of squares (as seen in Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith).

In Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, Imperial officers of the Galactic Empire wear insignia consisting of a collection of colored (red, blue, yellow, orange, or white) rank squares on the left breast of the officer's uniform with a combination of several metal cylinders to both or one side of the rank badge. With this, over the past thirty years since the Imperial ranks first were seen in Star Wars, they have been portrayed in four of the six Star Wars films, countless comic books and novels, and have been computer enhanced to appear in at least four major video games. This has led to much speculation, conjecture, and entertainment by Star Wars fans. Neither Lucas or the Star Wars producers have ever firmly established a pattern and system for the Imperial rank insignia seen in Star Wars. The insignia was invented by the producers of the Star Wars films, influenced by George Lucas's theme of the Imperial Empire equating to Nazi Germany with storm troopers, black uniformed security police, and an overall atmosphere of oppression. Rank Insignia of the Galactic Empire refers to badges of military rank that are displayed in the Star Wars feature films, worn by Imperial Navy and Army characters.
