The Lunar Guard

Lore & Background

The Lunar Guard exists as the armed backbone of the Lunar Empire, a theocratic-military state governed by Empress Chang'e. Their duties span garrisoning Luna's cities, policing Lunar citizens, and—most critically—maintaining Lunar sovereignty over its territories on Earth. In the early books, the Guard is presented as a disciplined, technologically advanced force equipped with Lunar weaponry and cybernetic augmentation, operating under a strict chain of command that ultimately answers to the Empress herself.

General Chang, the Empress's son, commands the Guard and embodies its institutional authority. His position places him at the intersection of family loyalty and military obligation, a duality that becomes a source of profound personal conflict as the series unfolds. Below him, officers like Captain Tsing manage day-to-day enforcement, their ranks filled with soldiers whose individual stories reveal the human cost of serving an empire that demands absolute obedience.

As the Lunar-Earth conflict intensifies, the Guard's role shifts from internal policing to active military engagement. Their operations on Earth—raids, arrests, and the use of Lunar technology against human populations—draw increasing resistance and moral questioning. Internal fractures emerge: some members question the Empress's directives, others cling to duty and tradition, and a few are drawn into the broader conspiracy that threatens to reshape both Luna and Earth. The Guard thus becomes a microcosm of the series' central question: what does loyalty mean when the institution you serve asks you to commit acts that violate your own conscience?

Reader's Guide

The Lunar Guard is the military and police arm of the Lunar Empire, led by General Chang, son of Empress Chang'e. Their primary goal is to enforce Lunar law, protect Lunar territory, and maintain the Empire's authority over its colonies on Earth. They are the armed face of the regime that Cinder, Cress, Scarlet, and Winter ultimately oppose.

Their relationship to other factions is defined by opposition and tension. They clash directly with Earth's governments and populations, and their presence in Lunar colonies is a constant source of fear and resentment. Within Luna itself, the Guard polices the Lunar people, creating an uneasy dynamic where the soldiers are simultaneously protectors and oppressors of their own citizens. They also stand in opposition to the various resistance and underground movements that emerge as the series progresses.

In the central conflict, the Guard is the instrument through which the Empress's will is executed on Earth. Their raids, arrests, and military campaigns drive the plot's stakes. However, internal tensions fracture the group: General Chang's personal loyalty to his mother wars with his growing doubts about the Empire's path. Officers like Captain Tsing navigate their own moral reckonings. Membership in the Guard shapes individual characters profoundly—soldiers must choose between blind obedience and conscience, and several are forced to redefine what their duty means as the truth about the Empress and the Lunar-Earth conflict comes to light.

Did You Know?

• The Guard operates on both Luna and Earth, meaning its soldiers are frequently deployed far from their homeworld to enforce Lunar law in human territories.
• Captain Tsing, a senior officer in the Guard, is the mother of Cassius, a character whose own story is deeply entangled with the Guard's actions.