For much of the Galactic Civil War, a mysterious agent of the evil Sith Lord Emperor Palpatine, code-named "Blackhole," carefully gathered intelligence data for the Galactic Empire. Blackhole had an impressive arsenal of weapons available to him, including a Star Destroyer, the signature vessel of the Imperial Starfleet. The Stormtroopers under Blackhole's command were known as Shadow Stormtroopers. Their armor was cast in black stygian-triprismatic polymer which had increased sensor-stealth capabilities, allowing them to move about the galaxy undetected.

By the end of the Galactic Civil War, Blackhole had disappeared and his Shadow Stormtroopers were absorbed by the Imperial Forces. Some found their way to Carnor Jax's private army.