Rogue Squadron

"Rogue Squadron, form up."

- Luke Skywalker

Rogue Squadron, also referred to as Rogue Group, was a Rebel Alliance starfighter squadron founded by Luke Skywalker in 1 ABY during the Galactic Civil War. They were named for Rogue One, the team of Rebels led by Jyn Erso who sacrificed themselves to steal the Death Star plans during the Battle of Scarif. The squadron was officially formed during the Galactic Empire's attack on the Mako-Ta Space Docks and fought in a number of engagements, including the Battle of Hoth.

The squadron flew craft such as the T-47 airspeeders, T-65B X-wing starfighters, and occasionally BTL-A4 Y-wing assault starfighter/bombers, when heavy ordnance was required.

Early formation
"Good to have company, Wedge.''" "No time for sentiment, Luke. We need to get fighting. So, Flight Leader, what's our call sign?" "''You know, Wedge, if we're acting like Jyn Erso, I have to disagree. Rogue Squadron, form up."

- Luke Skywalker and Wedge Antilles, as Rogue Squadron is officially formed

When the Galactic Empire brought its Death Star superweapon to bear on the Rebel Alliance's base on the moon Yavin 4, the Rebel pilots of Red Squadron attacked the space station. Only two of the squadron's pilots&mdash;Luke Skywalker and Wedge Antilles&mdash;survived the Battle of Yavin, with Skywalker's proton torpedoes destroying the Death Star and winning the day.

Mako-Ta Space Docks
Around one year later, the Empire launched an attack on the Mako-Ta Space Docks. During the battle, Skywalker and Antilles officially formed Rogue Squadron. In naming the squadron, Skywalker drew inspiration from Jyn Erso and her Rogue One team, who sacrificed themselves to steal the Death Star plans during the Battle of Scarif shortly before the Battle of Yavin. It was the sacrifice of Rogue One that allowed Skywalker and Antilles to fight in and ultimately survive the attack on the Death Star.

Members

 * Rogue Leader: Luke Skywalker
 * Wedge Antilles
 * Rogue Eight: Unidentified X-wing pilot

Over time, Antilles became a respected veteran of the Alliance's Rogue Squadron; another distinguished pilot in the squadron was Derek "Hobbie" Klivian.

Hoth
"Rogue Group, use your harpoons and tow cables. Go for the legs. It might be our only chance of stopping them."

- Luke Skywalker, during the Battle of Hoth

The Rebels later established Echo Base on the icy world of Hoth, and a number of Rebel pilots flew snowspeeders in Rogue Squadron, also known as Rogue Group. In 3 ABY, a month after Echo Base was established, Skywalker and Captain Han Solo went missing in the planet's vast snowbanks, Rogue Two Zev Senesca and several other Rogues took their speeders out to search for them, and Senesca found them both alive. Echo Base was soon after discovered by an Imperial probe droid, and the Rogues were tasked with delaying an Imperial ground assault while Alliance transport ships fled the system.

Skywalker flew as Rogue Leader in the Battle of Hoth against Imperial AT-AT walkers, with Dak Ralter serving as his rear gunner and Klivian flying as their wingman. Other Rogues in the battle included Senesca, as well as Antilles and Wes Janson as a pilot-gunner pair. When the AT-ATs' armor proved too strong for blasters, Skywalker suggested tripping the walkers' legs using harpoons and tow cables. A direct hit on his speeder killed Ralter, however, leaving the task of tripping the first AT-AT to Antilles and Janson. They succeeded, but Skywalker's vehicle was shot down and crushed by a walker's massive foot.

Having escaped the wreckage, Skywalker continued the fight by using a grappling hook to ascend to one of the walkers' underbellies. Cutting it open with his lightsaber, he tossed a grenade inside, which exploded and took the AT-AT down. Klivian, meanwhile, ejected from his craft before ramming it into the lead walker, but only after that walker fulfilled its objective of destroying the base's shield generator. Imperial snowtroopers were thus able to enter the base. The delaying tactic proved a success, as a number of Alliance transports were able to escape the system.

Members

 * Rogue Leader: Commander Luke Skywalker and Dak Ralter (KIA)
 * Rogue Two: Zev Senesca (KIA) and Kit Valent (KIA)
 * Rogue Three: Wedge Antilles and Wes Janson
 * Rogue Four: Derek 'Hobbie' Klivian (KIA) and Kesin Ommis
 * Rogue Seven: Unidentified snowspeeder crew
 * Rogue Ten: Unidentified snowspeeder crew
 * Rogue Eleven: Unidentified snowspeeder crew

Behind the scenes
Rogue Group first appeared in the 1980 film Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back as a snowspeeder squadron flying in the Battle of Hoth. They became a fabled unit known as Rogue Squadron within Star Wars Legends continuity,  starring in several video games,   novels, and comics. Little has been told about their exploits in current Star Wars canon beyond the Battle of Hoth, but the moniker of "Rogue Squadron" has been maintained as an alternative to Rogue Group.

Appearances

 * Star Wars: Battle Pod
 * Star Wars: Galactic Defense
 * Lost Stars
 * Star Wars Battlefront
 * Star Wars 52: Hope Dies, Part III
 * Star Wars 53: Hope Dies, Part IV
 * Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back
 * The Empire Strikes Back: So You Want to Be a Jedi?
 * Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back junior novelization
 * AT-AT Attack!