The Emperor's Royal Guards were some of the most elite of the Empire's forces, used to guard mainly Emperor Palpatine, but were sometimes used by other important Imperial figures. They were hand picked by the Emperor and under went intense training. Failure usually meant death. Out of a class of 40 cadets, only 5-7 survived training. The Royal Guards were wiped out mostly after the Battle of Endor, but notable Royal Guard survivors include Kir Kanos and Carnor Jax.