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Death Squadron

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"Order the fleet to close to a more aggressive range."
"We'll be in more danger."
"We are the only danger here."
―Darth Vader and Admiral Ozzel of the fleet during the assault on the Mako-Ta Space Docks[src]

Death Squadron was the personal Imperial armada of the Dark Lord of the Sith Darth Vader, the Sith apprentice of Galactic Emperor Sheev Palpatine. Following the Battle of Yavin, the Death Squadron was led by the Executor-class Star Dreadnought Executor, supported by five smaller Imperial-class Star Destroyers. One of those support ships was the Devastator, which had been Vader's flagship before the Executor and had participated in the capture of Princess Leia Organa.

DescriptionEdit

"Deploy the fleet so that nothing gets off the system."
―Darth Vader, to Admiral Piett[src]
Executor and escorts

Death Squadron was led by the Executor.

The Imperial Navy's Death Squadron consisted of one Executor-class Star Dreadnought as its flagship, the Executor,[5] as well as five Imperial-class Star Destroyers,[8] including the Imperial II-class Star Destroyers Avenger, Tyrant, and an unidentified Imperial II-class Star Destroyer.[1] It also possessed the Imperial I-class Star Destroyer[9] Devastator, which had been Darth Vader's flagship before the Executor, and had been refitted on multiple occasions to keep it up-to-date.[4] Death Squadron also featured Gozanti-class cruisers.[6]

HistoryEdit

Initial attack on the rebellionEdit

"At the least, we need more strength—your Death Squadron must be bought to bear immediately. It's ludicrous for us to keep it—"
―Admiral Ozzel, trying to persuade Darth Vader to use Death Squadron[src]

During the Galactic Civil War, Death Squadron was the personal fleet of Dark Lord of the Sith Darth Vader. Following the Battle of Yavin, where the Empire lost its Death Star battle station to the Rebel Alliance, the fleet's commander, Admiral Kendal Ozzel, tried to convince Vader to bring Death Squadron to bear immediately to destroy the rebellion. However, Vader rejected this direct approach, agreeing with another of Death Squadron's officers, General Maximillian Veers, in that the Alliance was not suitable for such an extermination. Instead, Vader used his agent, Queen Trios, to infiltrate the rebels' command structure, allowing her to provide the location of their own fleet as it finished completion.[10]

Attack on Mako-Ta begins

Death Squadron arrives at Mako-Ta

When Vader's Trios informed him of the Rebels' fleet's location,[11] Death Squadron was sent to attack the Mako-Ta Space Docks. At first, Vader ordered the squadron's cruiser to hold their fire as the rebels attempted to ascertain their situation. The Squadron opened fired on the rebels' cruisers and started with General Vanden Willard's cruiser.[7] The Squadron continued to attack and destroy several more of the Rebels' cruisers.[12]

Death Squadron then spotted the arrival of the Millennium Falcon and sent in TIE fighters, along with Vader's advanced TIE to pursue it. The squadron also destroyed several rebel escape pods.[12] However, Leia Organa was able to get some codes from the squadron's flagship, the Executor, that were able to restore the systems aboard General Jan Dodonna's ship, the Republic.[13] The other rebel commanders were able to use the codes to jumpstart their cruisers and escape. The Republic was immobilized, but covered the retreating rebel fleet before it was destroyed with all hands.[14]

Strike back at HothEdit

"General, there's a fleet of Star Destroyers coming out of hyperspace in Sector Four."
―a Rebel technician to General Carlist Rieekan, during the Battle of Hoth[src]
TheHandOfGod-ESBHD

Vader's fleet preparing to assault the rebel force at Hoth

Eventually, a probe droid found the Rebels' base in the Hoth system. Despite Admiral Ozzel's skepticisms, Vader order the Squadron to Hoth. Unfortunately, Ozzel dropped his Destroyer out of lightspeed too close to to the system. Vader, angered by Ozzel's incompetence, relieved him of his position permanently and replaced him with newly promoted Fleet Admiral Firmus Piett.[1]

Failure at EndorEdit

Death Squadron later took part in the Battle of Endor, where it was defeated. The battle ended with Emperor Palpatine, and Vader dead.[2]

Behind the scenesEdit

Death Squadron first appeared in the 1977 original trilogy film, Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back.[1] It was first given its name in the new Star Wars canon on StarWars.com's Encyclopedia entry for the Super Star Destroyer.[5]

AppearancesEdit

Non-canon appearancesEdit

SourcesEdit

Notes and referencesEdit

  1. ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 1.18 Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi
  3. ↑ Star Wars: The Rebel Files
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 SWInsider "Blade Squadron"—Star Wars Insider 149–150
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 Encyclopedia-Logo Super Star Destroyer in the Encyclopedia (link now obsolete; backup link)
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Battlefront: Twilight Company
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Star Wars 50: Hope Dies, Part I
  8. ↑ Star Wars: On the Front Lines
  9. ↑ Ultimate Star Wars
  10. ↑ "Shu-Torun Lives"—Star Wars 50: Hope Dies, Part I
  11. ↑ Star Wars 49: Mutiny at Mon Cala, Part VI
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Star Wars 51: Hope Dies, Part II
  13. ↑ Star Wars 54: Hope Dies, Part V
  14. ↑ Star Wars 55: Hope Dies, Part VI
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