- "EMPIRE HAS ORDERED A SYSTEMWIDE BLOCKADE TO SEIZE REBEL SPIES. INTERDICTOR CRUISERS EN ROUTE. ALL SHIPS THAT DEPART PRIOR TO IMPERIAL INSPECTION WILL BE NOTED."
- ―Message from R2-D2
The Imperial Interdictor—an Interdictor-class Star Destroyer
Interdictor vessels, also known as Interdictor cruisers, were general terms for a type of starship employed by the Galactic Empire with the technology to generate a gravity well, which had the capability to pull vessels out of hyperspace as well as preventing them from entering it. Interdictor vessels could be from various starship classes, ranging from frigates to Star Destroyers.
Contents
Models[]
Detainer CC-2200[]
Main article: The Detainer CC-2200 cruiser was a model of Interdictor that was characterized with stubby wing-like projections, each housing four gravity well projectors. They had thick armor and down-sloping bows.[1]
CC-7700 frigate[]
A frigate that was an updated version of the Detainer CC-2200.[1]
Immobilizer 418 cruiser[]
The Immobilizer 418 cruiser was a 600-meter long cruiser armed with 20 laser cannons[2] and a complement of 24 TIE fighters[3] and was equipped with four spherical gravity well projectors on its hull.[1] By 14 BBY,[4] it was considered a state-of-the-art design and was developed as a part of the Deep Core Security Zone, and would soon see use in the Obroa-skai system, although there were many technical issues with it,[1] leading to the discontinuation of the production of the Immobilizer 418[3] in 0 ABY,[4] shortly after the Battle of Yavin. However, they continued to be used throughout the galaxy due to their large numbers,[3] with one being the Glaciate.[2]
Interdictor-class[]
The Interdictor-class was a class of Star Destroyer derived from the standard Imperial-class Star Destroyer. It measured 1,600 meters in length[5] and had at least four gravity well projectors and at least one hangar.[6]
Interdictor-class heavy cruiser[]
The Interdictor-class heavy cruiser[7] possessed four spherical gravity well projectors on its sharp-bowed hull.[8] These projectors were vulnerable, however, as they could explode when exposed to enough firepower. This in turn could compromise the entire ship.[9]
History[]
Interdictor vessels were deployed during the Imperial Era to control hyperspace traffic by the Imperial Navy.[1] By 14 BBY,[10] During the Berch Teller campaign, Vice Admiral Dodd Rancit suggested that Interdictors be used to pull Moff Wilhuff Tarkin's ship, the Carrion Spike, out of hyperspace after it had been hijacked by an insurgent group. A CC-7700 frigate, a Detainer CC-2200 interdictor cruiser and a newly developed and untested Immobilizer 418 cruiser became part of a flotilla commanded by the Moff Tarkin to capture the corvette in the Obroa-skai system. However, they failed and the Immobilizer was sent back to Corellian Engineering Corporation after there were many operational issues with it.[1]
A prototype Interdictor-class heavy cruiser, the Imperial Interdictor, under Admiral Brom Titus underwent testing in the Del Zennis system[8] in 4 BBY.[11] It pulled a rebel CR90 corvette, the Liberator, out of hyperspace, which had been responding to a distress call in the system. It captured its crew, which included Commander Jun Sato and Ezra Bridger. This cruiser was later destroyed by Captain Rex and Kanan Jarrus.[8]
Two other Interdictors, including the Constrainer,[12] were also part of the Grand Admiral Thrawn's 7th Fleet at the Battle of Atollon in 2 BBY, where they were used to great effect against the combined forces of the Alliance to Restore the Republic, preventing the Rebel fleet from leaving the system. The first, under the command of Admiral Kassius Konstantine, was destroyed when Commander Sato rammed it with the Phoenix Nest carrier, while the second was incapacitated through the efforts of Bridger as well as the warriors of Clan Wren, who repeatedly blasted the ship's gravity well projectors to cause its destruction.[9]
Years prior to the Battle of Yavin in 0 BBY, Lando Calrissian and L3-37 were ambushed in the Halthor sector by an Imperial interdictor as they delivered a shipment of All Terrain Defense Turret walkers. The ambush resulted in Calrissian and L3 losing the entirety of the cargo.[13] By the time around 2 BBY and 0 BBY,[14] the Interdictor-class Star Destroyer, a variant of the Imperial-class Star Destroyer,[5] was developed and in service to the Imperial Navy.[15]
In 0 ABY,[16] production of the Immobilizer 418 cruiser was discontinued due to its vulnerabilities, though they continued to be used throughout the galaxy due to their large numbers. One managed to pull Luke Skywalker out of hyperspace into the Daalang system after he managed to free a high-priority asset from the Imperial cause. However due to the ships frequent use against Alliance raiding groups, Luke Skywalker was able to form an attack strategy against the ship, ultimately destroying the vessel by splitting it in half with a Utheel Rockcrusher Compact Seismic Charge.[3]
Interdictor-class Star Destroyers were being favored over the Immobilizer 418 cruisers, which the Empire had halted manufacturing for.[17] The Immobilizer Glaciate participated in the Battle of Jakku, during which it was infiltrated and captured by the New Republic operatives acting on General Carlist Rieekan's orders.[2]
Behind the scenes[]
Concept art
The concept of the Galactic Empire disabling vessels' hyperspace capabilities using Interdictor vessels first appeared in the Star Wars: The Roleplaying Game 1989 supplement Imperial Sourcebook and later used in Heir to the Empire, a 1991 novel by Timothy Zahn that was the first in a trilogy featuring events set several years after the conclusion of the final film of the original trilogy.[18] While this trilogy is now considered part of the franchise known as Star Wars Legends and no longer canon,[19] Interdictor vessels were featured in novels such as Tarkin and Heir to the Jedi, which are considered part of a new continuity of canon.[20]
Appearances[]
|
Sources[]
Stealth Strike Episode Guide on StarWars.com (backup link)- Star Wars Rebels Season Two NYCC 2015 Trailer (Official) on the official Star Wars YouTube channel (backup link) (First pictured)
- Star Wars: On the Front Lines
- Star Wars: Absolutely Everything You Need to Know, Updated and Expanded
- Star Wars: The Rebel Files
- Star Wars: Smuggler's Guide
- Ultimate Star Wars, New Edition
- Imperial Interdictor in the Databank (backup link)
Notes and references[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Tarkin
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Star Wars: On the Front Lines
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Heir to the Jedi
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Star Wars: Galactic Atlas
- ↑ 5.0 5.1
Star Wars: Build the Millennium Falcon 20 (Starship Fact File: Imperial Capital Ship)
- ↑ Vader Immortal: A Star Wars VR Series – Episode I
- ↑ Starships and Speeders
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2
Star Wars Rebels – "Stealth Strike"
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Star Wars Rebels – "Zero Hour"
- ↑ The events of Tarkin take place five years after the rise of the Galactic Empire, which Star Wars: Galactic Atlas dates to 19 BBY. Therefore, Tarkin must be set in 14 BBY.
- ↑ According to Star Wars: Scum and Villainy: Case Files on the Galaxy's Most Notorious, in the year 7973 C.R.C., Ketsu Onyo resigned from the Black Sun. It also dates the Battle of Scarif to 7977 C.R.C., four years after Onyo's resignation. Star Wars: Galactic Atlas dates Jyn Erso's mission to steal the plans of the first Death Star, which concluded with the Battle of Scarif, to 0 BBY. Therefore, it can be calculated that 7973 C.R.C. is equal to 4 BBY. Since Onyo states in Star Wars Rebels – "Blood Sisters" that she currently works for the Black Sun, the episode must occur by 4 BBY. Star Wars: Galactic Atlas dates the Siege of Lothal to 4 BBY. Since that conflict preceded the events of Star Wars Rebels – "Blood Sisters", it can be concluded that the episode took place in 4 BBY. According to Star Wars Rebels Returns...with Princess Leia on StarWars.com (backup link), Star Wars Rebels – "A Princess on Lothal" is "set roughly three years before the events of A New Hope. Since Star Wars: Galactic Atlas dates the events of A New Hope to 0 BBY, Star Wars Rebels – "A Princess on Lothal" must occur in 3 BBY. Since Star Wars Rebels – "Stealth Strike" takes place between Star Wars Rebels – "Blood Sisters" and Star Wars Rebels – "A Princess on Lothal", it must occur around 4 BBY.
- ↑ In Star Wars: Battles that Changed the Galaxy, Go Inside the Crucible of War on StarWars.com (backup link)
- ↑ Star Wars: Commander
- ↑ Star Wars Celebration Chicago 2019 Live Stream - Day 1 | The Star Wars Show LIVE! on the official Star Wars YouTube channel (backup link) states that Vader Immortal is set days after Star Wars: Secrets of the Empire. Mon Mothma, who is mentioned in Secrets of the Empire, became actively involved in what became the Alliance to Restore the Republic after the events of the Star Wars Rebels episode "Secret Cargo," meaning that Secrets of the Empire and Vader Immortal must take place after that episode. According to Star Wars: On the Front Lines, Mon Mothma's denunciation of the Galactic Empire and the Declaration of the Rebel Alliance took place two years before the Battle of Yavin, which Star Wars: Galactic Atlas places in 0 BBY. Therefore, the events of "Secret Cargo" must take place in 2 BBY. Additionally, Vader Immortal First Look and Meet the Cast of Star Wars Resistance on the official Star Wars YouTube channel (backup link) states that Vader Immortal takes place prior to Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, the events of which Galactic Atlas also places in 0 BBY, placing Vader Immortal between these two years.
- ↑ Vader Immortal: A Star Wars VR Series – Episode I
- ↑ Heir to the Jedi establishes that Luke Skywalker had not heard from Obi-Wan Kenobi since the Battle of Yavin, which Star Wars: Galactic Atlas places in 0 BBY. Galactic Atlas additionally places the events of Darth Vader (2015) 4 to 0 ABY. In Star Wars (2015) 1, Skywalker hears from Kenobi, and as the events take place prior to Darth Vader 4, the events of Heir to the Jedi must take place in 0 ABY.
- ↑ Heir to the Jedi
- ↑ Heir to the Empire
- ↑ The Legendary Star Wars Expanded Universe Turns a New Page on StarWars.com (backup link)
- ↑ Disney Publishing Worldwide and Random House Announce Relaunch of Star Wars Adult Fiction Line on StarWars.com (backup link)
