- "This is Dantooine. The First Order has taken control of the planet, creating a blockade and cutting off all range communications. Three shuttles carrying a handful of Resistance recruits are trying to escape to join us. Our mission to extract the shuttles and escort them back to the Colossus without the First Order catching on. With luck, we will have minimal engagement, but there are no guarantees."
- ―Commander Venisa Doza giving Jade Squadron their mission
The blockade of Dantooine by the First Order occurred during the war between the former and the Resistance. The First Order's blockade cut off all communication, and stranded Resistance recruits. The Resistance, through Jade Squadron and members of Ace Squadron, launched an operation to extract three shuttles carrying recruits for the Resistance from Dantooine and successfully escort them back to the Colossus.
Prelude[]
Following the outbreak of the First Order-Resistance War, the First Order occupied and took over the planet Dantooine. The First Order also blockaded the planet with at least one squadron of TIE/fo space superiority fighters. Despite the occupation, the planet was home to several Resistance recruits. Resistance Commander Venisa Doza and her Jade Squadron including Hugh Sion and Norath Kev were tasked with penetrating the blockade and evacuating these Resistance recruits offworld.[2]
Seeking help, they visited the Colossus refueling tanker, which was home to Venisa's husband Captain Imanuel Doza and their teenage daughter Torra Doza. While reluctant to get involved in the war, Doza agreed to lend Torra and two other Ace Squadron pilots Resistance spy Kazuda Xiono and Hype Fazon and to provide temporary refuge for the recruits.[2]
The mission[]
Breaking the blockade[]
Jade Squadron and the three Aces traveled to Dantooine on their starfighters. Upon exiting hyperspace, they engaged the squadron of TIE fighters blockading the planet and quickly wiped them out with no casualties. Having eliminated the opposition, Venisa contacted the Resistance recruits, who departed a spaceport in three shuttles.[2]
However, one of the TIE fighter pilots managed to warn Commander Pyre about the Resistance presence that's shut down their blockade. Commander Pyre dispatched his Star Destroyer, the Thunderer, to Dantooine. For the operation, Pyre committed the fighter pilot Lieutenant Galek's entire squadron including, Second Squadron Commander Tamara Ryvora, and fellow pilot Jace Rucklin.[2]
A difficult extraction[]
Jade Squadron and the Aces flew into Dantooine's upper atmosphere where they rendezvoused with the Resistances shuttles. Before they could flee into hyperspace, Commander Pyre's Star Destroyer and dispatched TIE fighters to intercept them. While Venisa, Kaz, and Hugh engaged the TIE fighters, Torra, Hype and Norath were tasked with protecting the three shuttles.[2]
Venisa quickly took out three TIE fighters. Meanwhile, Tamara narrowly collided with Kaz, who was flying the Fireball. A conflicted Tamara attempted to shoot down Kaz but Hugh shot her starfighter in the rear, damaging it. Meanwhile, Rucklin received orders from Lieutenant Galek to destroy the shuttles before they could escape into hyperspace.[2]
As the shuttles and their escorts ascended into the upper atmosphere, a TIE fighter eluded Hype and managed to damage Shuttle two's hyperdrive. Torra managed to shoot down the fighter in retaliation. She told the shuttle's pilot to repair hyperdrive while Jade Squadron and the Aces bought them time to escape. With the TIEs losing half of their forces, Tamara tried to convince Lieutenant Galek to order a retreat but she insisted on proceeding with the mission.[2]
Galek attempted to shoot down Xiono in his ship the Fireball, but was shot down and killed by Venisa, depriving the First Order squadron of their leader. Rucklin panicked and told Tamara that as Second Squadron Commander, she was in charge now. The former then told Ryvora that he had an opening on one of the shuttles and that he was going for it. Rucklin exploited the opening in the Resistance formation and destroyed a shuttle's engine, causing it to crash onto Dantooine's surface. Venisa ordered Jade Squadron, the Aces and the two remaining shuttles to escape into hyperspace.[2]
Aftermath[]
Though Jade Squadron and the Aces managed to break the blockade and evacuate two Resistance shuttles, the mission was blighted by the loss of one shuttle. Kaz, Torra, and Hype were upset at their failure to evacuate all Resistance recruits from Dantooine. Venisa managed to comfort the pilots by reassuring them that experiencing loss was an inevitable part of war and that they should not lose hope. Yeager added that the recruits they managed to evacuate represented a victory.[2]
Captain Doza also reappraised his non-committal stance on the First Order-Resistance War. He decided to commit fully to the Resistance's struggle and to host the Resistance recruits for the long-term.[2]
Meanwhile, Agent Tierny promoted Ryvora to Squadron Leader and Lieutenant in the absence of Galek, crediting her squadron with destroying a Resistance shuttle even though they couldn't destroy the other two. However, Rucklin, who had shot down the shuttle was bitter that he had not been given any recognition or promotion for his efforts and angrily jealous that Tamara always receives the glory and gets to rise up in the ranks of the First Order.[2]
Behind the scenes[]
The Blockade of Dantooine first appeared in the Star Wars Resistance Season Two episode "Rebuilding the Resistance," which first premiered on Disney XD on January 19, 2020.
Appearances[]
Star Wars Resistance — "Rebuilding the Resistance" (First appearance)
Sources[]
- "Resistance to the End" — Star Wars Insider 198
- Star Wars Encyclopedia: The Comprehensive Guide to the Star Wars Galaxy (First identified as blockade of Dantooine)
Notes and references[]
- ↑
Star Wars Resistance — "No Place Safe"
- ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 2.14 2.15 2.16 2.17 2.18 2.19 2.20 2.21 2.22 2.23 2.24 2.25 2.26 2.27 2.28 2.29 2.30 2.31 2.32 2.33 2.34 2.35 2.36 2.37 2.38 2.39 2.40 2.41 2.42 2.43 2.44 2.45 2.46 2.47 2.48 2.49 2.50 Star Wars Resistance — "Rebuilding the Resistance"
- ↑ Star Wars Resistance — "The Escape"
- ↑ Star Wars: Timelines places the events of Star Wars Resistance Season Two, which includes the episode "Rebuilding the Resistance," in 34 ABY.