What functions do the Storm Trooper armor serve?

Well in this case, I was thinking that viewers might find it funny that heavily armored stormtroopers repeatedly get their heads handed to them in gun battles despite the fact that they usually outnumber and outgun Han, Luke, and the other guys.

Even though I was only seven when The New Hope originally was released, and took it completely seriously THEN, Whenever I see the movies now, more and more often, I see the funny side.

Looking at it that way, the armor serves no purpose at all.

 

Cleaning them keeps the troopers busy.

 

As crappy as the armor is, I'm sure it's better than fighting naked.

 

^ true. But you might be a little faster, and if you look funny naked, it might cause the enemy to laugh to death while you escape.

 

I believe it was Karen Traviss throwing a pissy fit because the Clone Wars toon contradicted her fangirl image of Fett & the clones

 

What purpose does it serve? It allows our heroes to kill them in vast numbers yet makes them look so robotic that the film still get's a U/PG rating

 

either that or the laughter gets the blood boiling and you proceed to wipe them out like Anakin in a tusken camp.