Concerning Color Guard

If there is one thing I just can't comprehend at any half time show or parade, its the flag twirlers in the marching band. I have nothing against the people themselves, infact I have many friends who are flag twirlers, but I just don't understand their purpose. Seriously, who actually knows what those gun-like baton thingys they have are supposed to be? Recently, I attended a football game and for the half-time show, out came the marching band with the color guard. The band was playing a tune in a minor key and the color guard came running out with these ridiculous black wings attached to their arms. At seemingly random parts of the piece, the flag twilers would flip in the air and flap their wings. Then when the music changed, they'd quickly run off the field, take off their wings, and pick up purple colored flags. Finally to top it all off, at the end of the song, one of them runs out all dressed all in black onto center field and begins frantically waving this tall black flag. As you can imagine, I was just completely baffled after watching all this .I can see the reason for the marching band being out there, playing entertaining music for people's ears, but why in the world do they have the color guard!? Once again, no offense to the color guard people themselves, but seeing that everyone I've asked this question to has yet to come up with an answer, I'm quite sure now that there is really no purpose to color guard, if not just to confuse me. PS If you have a legitimate reason for what color guard is there for, please email me or let me know. This question is very agitating.