Sometimes you just need to throw low-level flunkies at the PCs so they have endless hordes that they can mow down easily in a huge battle scene, before facing the boss villain. Some games even have special rules for these types of cannon fodder bad guys, stating that you don't even need to bother keeping track of damage - one hit from anything will kill them (or at least effectively put them out of the battle).

This actually makes them considerably less dangerous than a normal rat in Dungeons & Dragons*.

* As listed in Advanced Dungeons & Dragons (1st ed.) Monster Manual II, p. 105.

Transcript

{Anakin slaughters people in the Trade Federation HQ on Naboo}
[SFX]: Whooom!
[SFX]: Slice!
[SFX]: Whooom!
[SFX]: Whooom!
[SFX]: Whooom!
[SFX]: Krzzzzt!
Trade Federation Flunky: Nooo—
[SFX]: Whooom!
[SFX]: Slice!
[SFX]: Whooom!
[SFX]: Whooom!
[SFX]: Whooom!
R2-D2: Laser. Bulkhead. Any time.