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- "These things were designed to eat starfighters, right?"
"They also have other uses." - ―Nevil Cygni and Thrawn
The Pistoeka sabotage droid, also known as the buzz droid, was a model of sabotage droid manufactured by Colicoid Creation Nest[1] that could speak in the Colicoid language.[8] They were used by the Confederacy of Independent Systems during the later stages of the Clone Wars for purpose of disabling enemy craft[4] and were the successor to the Mark One Pistoeka sabotage droid.[9] They were transferred to enemy fighters via specialized discord missiles,[1] and popped open to reveal their insect-looking body. They operated quickly, using their tools of vandalism, such as drilling cutters. While their tools were effective, the central eye was a weak spot which could take the buzz droid out of commission when hit.[4]
Description[edit | edit source]
Pistoeka sabotage droids, otherwise known as buzz droids, were disposable weapons[10] produced by Colicoid Creation Nest[1] for the Confederacy of Independent Systems,[4] and were typically deployed via discord missiles[1] from either HMP droid gunships,[11] Vulture-class droid starfighters, or droid tri-fighters, which contained up to seven buzz droids.[1] The sabotage droids utilized a variety of specialized tools such as a circular saw, drill head, pincer arm, and plasma torch,[2] to swiftly dismantle starfighters, vehicles, or even droids. Despite their individual insignificance, a swarm of buzz droids were capable of making short work of a craft by targeting its vital systems.[10] The droid was 0.25 meters in diameter and were equipped with red sensor systems.[2]
History[edit | edit source]
- "They're shutting down all the controls!"
- ―Obi-Wan Kenobi, during the Battle of Coruscant
Buzz droids attack Skywalker's starfighter
During the Clone Wars, buzz droids were used by the Confederacy of Independent Systems. During a incident at Carida, a super tactical droid sent several buzz droids to destroy the remaining droids of a Venator-class Star Destroyer and D-Squad. They were then blown out a airlock into hyperspace when M5-BZ opened it.[12] Several buzz droids attacked Jedi General Anakin Skywalker's Eta-2 Actis-class light interceptor and almost disabled his ship during the Republic's defense of Cato Neimoidia.[13]
During the Battle of Ringo Vinda, a HMP droid gunship deployed several buzz droids to disable a shuttle that was carrying clone trooper CT-5385 "Tup" back to Kamino. After the ship was disabled, Separatist forces captured Tup for Count Dooku to personally examine.[11]
During the Battle of Coruscant, several buzz droids attacked General Skywalker's and General Obi-Wan Kenobi's Eta-2 Actis-class interceptors. The buzz droids destroyed Kenobi's astromech, R4-P17, but they were finished off by Skywalker and R2-D2.[3]
Four years after the rise of the Galactic Empire, the Free Ryloth Movement modified large numbers of buzz droids to explode. Stored inside modified vulture droids, they were used to attack the Imperial-class Star Destroyer Perilous over Ryloth.[5]
Behind the scenes[edit | edit source]
The Pistoeka sabotage droid first appeared in the 2005 prequel trilogy film, Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith, where it was identified as the buzz droid.[3] The droid was later first identified as the Pistoeka sabotage droid in the 2015 reference book Ultimate Star Wars, published by Dorling Kindersley.[1]
Appearances[edit | edit source]
Star Wars: The Clone Wars – "Point of No Return"- Star Wars: The Clone Wars – "Sabotage"
- Star Wars: The Clone Wars – "The Unknown"
- Dark Disciple (Mentioned only)
- Dark Disciple audiobook (Mentioned only)
- Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith (First appearance)
- Lords of the Sith
- Lords of the Sith audiobook
- Thrawn
- Thrawn audiobook
- Thrawn 2
- Thrawn 6 (Mentioned only)
- Victory's Price
- "Squad Goals"—Star Wars Adventures 31
Sources[edit | edit source]
- BNI-393 in the Encyclopedia (content now obsolete; backup link)
- buzz droids in the Encyclopedia (content now obsolete; backup link)
- vulture droid in the Encyclopedia (content now obsolete; backup link)
- Ultimate Star Wars (First identified as Pistoeka sabotage droid)
- Star Wars: Ships of the Galaxy
- Star Wars Character Encyclopedia: Updated and Expanded
- Star Wars Expert Guide
- Star Wars: Complete Locations
- Star Wars Helmet Collection 8 (Databank A-Z: Bric–C-3PO)
- Star Wars: On the Front Lines
- Star Wars: A-wing Deluxe Book and 3D Wood Model
- Star Wars Helmet Collection 33 (Highlights of the Saga: The Unlikely Heroes) (Picture only)
- Star Wars Helmet Collection 45 (Weapons & Uniforms: Republic Pilots)
- Star Wars Encyclopedia of Starfighters and Other Vehicles
- Star Wars: The Complete Visual Dictionary, New Edition
- Star Wars: Droidography
- Star Wars: Smuggler's Guide
- Star Wars: X-Wing Second Edition – Vulture-class Droid Fighter Expansion Pack (Card: Buzz Droid Swarm)
- Star Wars Search and Find Volume I
- Rise of the Separatists
- Collapse of the Republic
- Star Wars: Extraordinary Droids
- Every Droid in Star Wars | Star Wars By the Numbers on the official Star Wars Kids YouTube channel (backup link)
- Every Language in Star Wars Movies | Star Wars By the Numbers on the official Star Wars Kids YouTube channel (backup link)
- Buzz Droid in the Databank (backup link)
- Eta-2 Jedi Starfighter in the Databank (backup link)
Notes and references[edit | edit source]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 Ultimate Star Wars
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7
buzz droids in the Encyclopedia (content now obsolete; backup link)
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Buzz Droid in the Databank (backup link)
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Lords of the Sith
- ↑ "Squad Goals"—Star Wars Adventures 31
- ↑ Victory's Price
- ↑ Every Language in Star Wars Movies | Star Wars By the Numbers on the official Star Wars Kids YouTube channel (backup link)
- ↑ Thrawn
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Collapse of the Republic
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Star Wars: The Clone Wars – "The Unknown"
- ↑ Star Wars: The Clone Wars – "Point of No Return"
- ↑ Star Wars: The Clone Wars – "Sabotage"
