Avenger/Legends

"Oh, no! It's the Avenger!"

- Bothan technician, trying to escape while carrying the plans to the second Death Star

The Avenger was an Imperial II-class Star Destroyer of the Imperial Navy.

History


One of the Avenger's earliest missions was the attack on the CR90 corvette Karinne, carrying a Twi'lek delegation to the Rebel Alliance. The Avenger launched three flights of TIE/sa bombers against the Karinne, and entered hyperspace. The intervention of two Alliance BTL Y-wing starfighters saved the diplomatic vessel.

After the discovery of an Alliance intelligence facility on Dankayo, the Avenger participated in the brutal subjugation of the world. Alongside the Imperial I-class Star Destroyers Devastator and Relentless, the Avenger executed Base Delta Zero against Dankayo, incinerating its atmosphere and reducing its surface to slag.

As early as 0 ABY, the Avenger was commanded by Captain Lorth Needa. Under Needa's command, the Avenger earned a reputation for subjugating planets in the Outer Rim Territories, participating in the subjugation of over 436 worlds.

In 1 ABY, Rebel agents destroyed an Imperial depot that contained a large number of orbital mines intended for shipment to the Avenger:



The Avenger was later reassigned to Death Squadron and served as the lead attack ship at Hoth. During the course of the battle, the Avenger was disabled. However, its functions had been restored by the time that the Millennium Falcon departed from the planet during the Rebel evacuation. The Avenger unsuccessfully pursued Han Solo's fast freighter, a failure which resulted in Needa's execution by Darth Vader. Nevertheless, despite Needa's failure, the Avenger gained a reputation from the chase as it managed to continuously pursue the Millennium Falcon past the Hoth asteroid field while other ships in Death Squadron lagged far behind.

During the Battle of Kothlis, the Avenger arrived alongside the Executor to disrupt a Rebel transfer with Bothan agents to acquire the Death Star II plans. The Avenger captured the CR90 corvette Razor, which held the battlestation plans. However, the Avenger's attempt was in vain, as the crew escaped with the plans and delivered them to the Alliance.

The Avenger remained with Vader's Death Squadron and served as a communications ship during the Battle of Endor. Under Sedriss QL, the ship participated in the Second Battle of Balmorra.

Behind the scenes
The Avenger is the only Star Destroyer in the original Star Wars trilogy to be called by name in the script, when an officer tells Admiral Piett, "Sir, we have a priority signal from the Star Destroyer Avenger."

Although first seen in 2 BBY, the Imperial II-class Star Destroyer wasn't introduced until 0 BBY.

The Industrial Light & Magic model of the Avenger used in The Empire Strikes Back was 2.59 meters long and detailed with thousands of parts from model kits.

Galaxy Guide 3: The Empire Strikes Back identifies the Avenger as the Star Destroyer that launched the Viper probe droid that discovered Echo Base. This appears to have been based on dialogue between Captain Needa and a subordinate that did not make the final cut of the the radio dramatization of The Empire Strikes Back. However, the Star Wars Customizable Card Game later contradicted this, as did the Star Wars Encyclopedia and the PC program Star Wars: Behind the Magic. These sources identify the Stalker as the Star Destroyer holding this distinction. Further adding to the confusion, Star Wars: The Visual Dictionary also identifies the Avenger as the Star Destroyer that launched the probe droid.

Star Trek's ISS Avenger, a ship authored by Mike Sussman, was named as an homage to the Avenger.

Appearances

 * Star Wars: Empire At War
 * Scoundrel's Luck
 * Death of a Rebel Base
 * Star Wars: X-wing
 * Star Wars: X-wing Alliance
 * Star Wars Galaxies: An Empire Divided
 * Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
 * The Empire Strikes Back radio dramatization
 * Star Wars 42: The Empire Strikes Back: To Be a Jedi
 * Star Wars: Rogue Squadron II: Rogue Leader
 * Moment of Doubt
 * Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi
 * Dark Empire II

Non-canon appearances

 * LEGO Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy
 * LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga

Notes and references
Rächer