Renegade Squadron/Legends

"Like I said, they may not have been the most noble bunch ever to fight for the Alliance, or its most famous squadron, but I can't think of anyone else I'd rather have beside me when the thermal detonators are flying and I'm down to my last clip. Wherever they are, whatever they're up to, may the Force be with them."

- Col Serra

The Renegade Squadron was a Rebel Alliance military unit of smugglers, assembled and commanded by Col Serra at Han Solo's Request. The unit consisted of underworlders recruited by Serra from around the galaxy. Assigned to advanced black operations, very few actually knew of the existence of the squadron, and their actions which actually kept the Alliance alive.

Formation
"It didn't matter what they'd been before. All that mattered was that they were willing to fight&mdash;and maybe die&mdash;for the Alliance. I tracked them down and offered them whatever it took. In the end, I found enough of what I was looking for."

- Col Serra

Renegade Squadron was ordered into creation by Han Solo sometime after the Battle of Yavin. Commander Col Serra was tasked to find potential soldiers; he found many in cantinas and other such places. Many had criminal backgrounds, but Serra's task was to find elite fighters; not "farmboys and dreamers." Renegade Squadron's first major battle was the Evacuation of Yavin, where the squadron was tasked with overseeing the evacuation of the planet. In addition, Renegade Squadron had to retrieve communication logs stolen by an Imperial scout and destroy databanks with valuable information. Renegade Squadron was successful in their first mission.

Finding a new base
The squadron's next mission, at the Graveyard, the remains of what used to be Alderaan, was one that resulted from the battle at Yavin 4. They had to retrieve a holocron made by Bail Organa and encased in phrik, one of the strongest substances in the galaxy, strong enough even, to survive the destruction of Alderaan. The holocron had a list of potential bases for the Rebel Alliance, in the case of the evacuation of the base on Yavin 4. After engaging the Interdictor-class Star Destroyer and retrieving the holocron, they were prepared to jump into hyperspace, but were attacked by Boba Fett, who was also looking for it. Renegade Squadron managed to damage his ship and drive him off. Finally, the squadron destroyed the gravity well projectors on the Star Destroyer that were preventing their jump to lightspeed.

After meeting up with Han Solo on Ord Mantell to repair damage sustained in the Alderaan system, the squadron was preparing to leave when they were discovered by IG-88, who alerted the Imperial forces. Renegade Squadron fought off Imperial forces and IG-88 while Han worked on the Millennium Falcon. Han and Renegade Squadron managed to escape Ord Mantell with their lives.

Afterwards, Renegade Squadron learned from Alliance Command that Admiral Gial Ackbar had been captured by Imperial forces and was en route to the prisons on Kessel. Renegade Squadron intercepted the Star Destroyer carrying him, infiltrated the ship, and brought Ackbar back to the safety of a Rebel ship.

Ackbar told the squadron that he had been investigating Boz Pity, a cemetery world, as a location for a Rebel base. He then took a scout party to Saleucami; however, he never made it there. Boba Fett boarded the ship, handed over Ackbar to the Imperials, and sold his ship, crew, and droids on Tatooine. Renegade Squadron landed on Tatooine and rescued the slaves, additionally destroying at least two AT-STs.

The squadron headed back to their base on Boz Pity, but they were unaware that Boba Fett had put a tracker in one of their droids. Fett discovered their base, and a few hours after Renegade Squadron landed on Boz Pity, an Imperial planetary strike force, with an AT-AT, attacked. During the battle, the Squadron learned that Ackbar had been wounded during the battle, and they saved his life by bringing him a bacta tank. Soon after, they successfully evacuated.

In 1 ABY, Renegade Squadron raided the Imperial research facility on Naboo where they uncovered the plans and fabrication chambers for a superlaser based weapon stationed on a Star Destroyer known as the Conqueror. The location was defended by a Sith Acolyte by the name of Namman Cha who Renegade Squadron managed to defeat and leave the planet with critical information necessary for the destruction of this new threat to the Rebel Alliance.

Evacuation of Hoth
"Everybody has heard of the Empire's victory at Hoth that day. What no one knows, though, is that without Renegade Squadron, nobody would have made it off Hoth alive."

- Col Serra

Time passed as Renegade Squadron resided on Hoth, from where they would launch attacks on the Empire. However, they were discovered, and the Battle of Hoth ensued. The squadron was in charge of protecting the ion cannon team. In addition, they had to destroy databanks that contained sensitive information, and set charges to destroy Echo Base and any Imperial in it. Downing an AT-AT with particle cannons, Renegade Squadron was ready to leave when they were set upon by Darth Vader. At least one member of the Squadron was choked to death by Vader. They fought off Vader and managed to escape. They were the last squadron off Hoth and without them, not one sentient would have left Hoth alive.

As soon as Renegade Squadron left the planet, it was forced to fight the Imperial fleet in space. In addition, they had to escort the last transport to an area safe for the jump to hyperspace, as the ion cannon had been destroyed by then. During the battle the squadron faced prototype versions of TIE Defenders. Renegade Squadron, at the request of Alliance command, entered the Imperial hangar and stole a TIE Defender for further study. Before they could flee, however, they were engaged by Darth Vader in his TIE Advanced x1. The squadron damaged his ship, putting it out of control. They were then able to leave safely.

The Battle of Endor
Renegade Squadron's next mission was to Korriban. Preparations for the Battle of Endor were underway, but the Rebellion needed more information on the Second Death Star. The squadron was tasked to intercept Emperor Palpatine, who was making a Sith pilgrimage to the world. A trap was laid in a Sith tomb for the Emperor. Renegade Squadron set charges by all the entrances, lured Palpatine in by destroying valuable Sith artifacts and a statue, and then detonated the explosives, trapping the Emperor inside the tomb. The squadron then stole a datapad from his shuttle, discovering that the Emperor himself would be upon the Death Star II at the time of the Battle of Endor.

To take the Emperor's gaze off of Endor, the squadron attacked Sullust. Renegade Squadron took the Imperial garrison on the planet. However, they met IG-88 again, this time shielded and almost invincible. Renegade Squadron destroyed the lightning conductor that was powering IG-88's shield and managed to drive him off. However, their mission had failed, for the Emperor saw through their plan and kept his focus on Endor.

When Renegade Squadron landed on Endor, they found the situation was dire. Han Solo's team was trapped and unable to destroy the shield generator. Further, Admiral Ackbar's fleet was also trapped, forced to fight the entire Imperial fleet. The squadron liberated an Ewok village, destroyed several AT-STs, and sabotaged a downed AT-AT that Imperial forces were attempting to repair. With the battle beginning to go their way, Renegade Squadron rescued Han Solo and defended him while he set charges in the bunker. Renegade Squadron went on to conquer the Imperial forces on Endor.

Dissolution
"And Renegade Squadron was disbanded after that?''" "''We disbanded ourselves, faded back into the shadows again."

- Tionne Solusar, interviewing Col Serra

After the destruction of the second Death Star and the death of Palpatine, Renegade Squadron disbanded, with many going back to criminal lives, including Col Serra. Many years after, archivist Tionne Solusar of the Jedi Temple contacted Serra and recorded Renegade Squadron's struggles.

Personnel and equipment
Renegade Squadron was a diverse group of soldiers, most of whom had been mercenaries and/or criminals, like smugglers, pirates, and gunfighters, at some point. The unit was frequently commanded by Col Serra; however, on occasion, Serra shared command with Han Solo. Solo's co-pilot, Chewbacca, fought with Renegade Squadron in several battles, and Admiral Ackbar and the former clone trooper X2 also battled alongside Renegade Squadron. Apart from these more well-known people, the squadron consisted of various Humans, Wookiees, Bothans, Sullustans, Rodians, and Mon Calamari. In their battles, Renegade Squadron utilized weapons as various as its members, including blaster rifles, blaster pistols, incinerators, bowcasters, rocket launchers, shotguns, carbonite freeze guns, sniper rifles, chainguns, TriShots, EMP launchers, explosive blaster pistols, and grenade launchers. During their frequent space battles, the squadron flew X-wings, A-wings, Y-wings, and B-wings, and in one battle, they flew a LAAT.

Behind the scenes
The original name for Renegade Squadron was Phantom Squadron, but it was changed without an explanation.

Renegade Squadron is not to be confused with Renegade Flight, the group of starfighter pilots that first appeared in The Empire Strikes Back radio drama.

Appearances

 * Star Wars Battlefront: Elite Squadron
 * Star Wars Battlefront: Mobile Squadrons
 * Star Wars Battlefront: Renegade Squadron
 * Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi
 * ''Star Wars: Assault Team
 * Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi
 * ''Star Wars: Assault Team