Invisible Hand/Legends

Invisible Hand was the flagship of General Grievous during the Clone Wars.

The Invisible Hand was manufactured by Free Dac Volunteers Engineering Corps and Pammant Docks at an underground factory in Pammant. The ship was covered with powerful weapon emplacements, including quad turbolaser turrets, dual laser cannons, ion cannons, point-defense ion cannons, and proton torpedo tubes. Each shot from the point-defense ion cannons released as much heat as a 4.8 megaton bomb, while the maximum yield of one of the quad turbolasers was equivalent to a magnitude 10 earthquake.

As the Trade Federation became increasingly hostile, they bolstered their fleet with combat starships to further their Sith-influence goals. Viceroy Nute Gunray chose Invisible Hand as his flagship. When the Trade Federation joined the Confederacy of Independent Systems, they diverted their heavy Providence-class starships to the Separatist starfleet, including Invisible Hand. As control of the Separatist forces was handed to Grievous, Gunray reluctantly surrendered Invisible Hand to the droid general to use as a flagship at the behest of Darth Sidious. Gunray's reluctance was assuaged by the permission to leave Neimoidian pilots and captain behind to spy on Grievous.

As Grievous’ flagship, the Invisible Hand was given several major modifications. The aft reactor bay assembly was rearranged to provide more hangar space, so that the Invisible Hand could better serve as a carrier and invasion craft. The ship’s dorsal fin mounted communication and sensor pod was refitted into spacious quarters, which were eventually taken over by Count Dooku. From there, Dooku broadcasted manipulative propaganda for the Separatist cause. The Invisible Hand saw action at many engagements including those at Belderone, Humbarine, Duro, and Coruscant, as well as the deployment of the Loedorvian Brain Plague in the Weemell Sector. Its name was so feared that the Confederacy used a pair of "decoys", the Lucid Voice and the Colicoid Swarm, to terrorize unsuspecting Republic worlds.

It was aboard the Invisible Hand that Palpatine was held captive, and where Count Dooku lost his life to Anakin Skywalker during the Battle of Coruscant. The Battle of Coruscant would be the Hand's last combat engagement. Due to the suddenness of the attack (as well as heavy signal jamming), not all Republic forces were aware of the Chancellor's presence aboard the Invisible Hand. A barrage of turbolaser fire from the Star Destroyer Guarlara took the Hand down. Succumbing to Coruscant's gravity and rapidly falling apart, Skywalker landed what little was left of the ship in an industrial zone. Though Skywalker, Kenobi, and Palpatine survived, the ship was irreparably damaged.

Behind the Scenes
The modified communication and sensor pod used by Dooku is referred to as the "Wizards Tower" in the Revenge of the Sith Incredible Cross Sections. This is a likely reference to actor Christopher Lee's role as Saruman in the The Lord of the Rings trilogy.

It is also of interest to note that the "Invisible Hand" is a concept of economics first proposed by the famed Scottish economist Adam Smith. This is, perhaps, a reference to the Confederacy's capitalist origins and goals.