>>149819151
>What is the lore reason for the Emperor's best legion of stormtroopers blowing to Ewoks, a smuggler and a squad of insurgents?

I mean, in 1993, 18 of America's most elite soldiers were killed by mobs of starving Somalis. Everyone has bad days.

Also, the 501st Legion's reputation largely stems from its performance during the Clone Wars. The original trilogy takes place 20 years later, more than enough time for institutional rot to set in, not to mention most clone troopers would be pushing the biological age of 65-70 by that point.