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- "Green Leader standing by."
- ―Arvel Crynyd checks in during the Battle of Endor
Arvel Crynyd was a male human pilot who served in the Alliance to Restore the Republic during the Galactic Civil War. In the war's fourth year, Commander Crynyd participated in the Rebellion's attack on the Galactic Empire's second Death Star in the Battle of Endor, flying an RZ-1 A-wing interceptor in Green Squadron as leader of the squadron. Crynyd was killed during the battle in a suicide run to destroy the Super Star Destroyer Executor. The battle ended soon after, seeing the destruction of the Death Star and death of Galactic Emperor Sheev Palpatine.
Biography[]
Joining the Rebellion[]
Before joining the Rebel Alliance, Crynyd flew as a Z-95 Headhunter pilot for a Thyferran bacta cartel[6][5] In approximately 0 ABY,[7], Crynyd was working under contract with the Bacta Cartel when he came across a group of rookie Rebel pilots training near an abandoned spacedock on the edge of the Western Reaches. Although he typically tried to stay out of the civil war and keep his head down, Crynyd was intrigued by the lovingly maintained A-wings the pilots were training in. Although Pieter, the more experienced pilot of the group, was initially suspicious of Crynyd and urged him to go on his way, Crynyd impressed the pilots by performing a barrel roll. Without knowing exactly why, Crynyd offered to teach the other pilots, including Raf the trick. This encounter led to Crynyd becoming a flight instructor for the Rebel Alliance.[5]
One year later, Crynyd met with a contact on Koda Station and learned that his former student Raf had died. While there, he met Demms Ryx, a Volpai bartender. Ryx comforted Crynyd, and the two met again when Pieter and Crynyd returned to Koda Station for a shipment of A-Wing parts. Sometime later, Ryx arrived on the abandoned spacedock where Crynyd trained pilots, saying that he wanted to make a difference. Ryx became a cook for the Alliance, and eventually he and Crynyd became romantic partners. The two raised a daughter, Starr, who was a toddler at the time of the Battle of Endor. Starr and Ryx lived on Cerea, and Crynyd visited them a few days prior to the battle.[5]
Battle of Endor[]
Commander at Endor[]
Holding the rank of commander,[8] Crynyd flew as a pilot in Green Squadron, operating an RZ-1 A-wing interceptor[3] In 4 ABY,[9] after the Bothan Spynet discovered that Galactic Emperor Sheev Palpatine would be aboard the second Death Star to oversee its construction, Alliance High Command determined that launching an immediate assault on the space station would be their only chance to cripple the Empire.[3]
Arvel Crynyd, flying as Green Leader at the Battle of Endor
With the full Alliance Fleet, Crynyd, under the callsign of Green Leader, exited hyperspace above the forest moon of Endor, approaching the superweapon in his A-wing. He was the last squadron leader to report stand-by status and prepared to attack the Death Star, but pulled up at the last second on General Lando Calrissian's orders when it was revealed that the shield was still up. Green Squadron was ordered to stick close to Sector MV-7 as a massive flotilla of Star Destroyers emerged from the other side of the moon. The Alliance had walked right into a trap, but were determined to go down fighting.[3]
Initially, both sides fought with only their starfighters to the rebels' confusion, but this turned to horror when the Death Star proved itself to be fully operational, firing its superlaser on the Mon Calamari Star Cruiser Liberty and reducing it to atoms. Following the advice of Calrissian, the remaining Rebel forces moved up alongside the Star Destroyers and fought at point-blank range, hoping the Death Star wouldn't dare shoot into its own fleet.[3]
Sacrifice[]
When the shield protecting the Death Star was disabled, several fighters broke off and headed for it to destroy the reactor. To buy them time, Crynyd and his squadron attacked the Imperial flagship, the mighty Super Star Destroyer Executor, with two A-wings knocking out its bridge deflector shields.[3]
Crynyd's last action during the Battle of Endor was crashing his A-Wing into the command bridge of the Executor, causing the massive Star Destroyer to smash into the Death Star.
In response, Admiral Firmus Piett ordered the forward batteries to increase forward firing to prevent any window of opportunity from being exploited. As Crynyd attempted a trench run through the ship's superstructure, his fighter was struck by a laser bolt and spun wildly. Realizing he was doomed, Crynyd managed to wrestle what little control he had over his starfighter and put it on a collision course with the Executor's unshielded bridge tower. Letting out one last cry of defiance, Crynyd's ship crashed through the bridge windows and exploded, killing himself alongside Piett and the entire bridge crew.[3]
Without its command structure, the Executor lost primary power and plunged into the Death Star's gravity well, colliding with the station and detonating in a massive fireball. Crynyd's sacrifice tipped the battle in the Alliance's favor, with the Death Star being destroyed shortly after.[3]
Legacy[]
After his death, Crynyd was posthumously memorialized during the celebrations on Endor.[4] He was awarded the Medal of Alderaan, a special Rebel Alliance award that conveyed similar honor to the Kalidor Crescent, for his actions during the battle.[10] With Crynyd's death, command of Green Squadron was transferred to Shara Bey.[4]
Personality and traits[]
Crynyd sacrificed his life for the Rebellion, crashing his A-wing into the Executor.
Crynyd was a human[3] male[4] with brown eyes and light skin.[3] Being a veteran pilot and instructor, Crynyd spent more time in an A-wing than anyone else in the Alliance Starfighter Corps. He praised the starfighter and maintained the notion that skilled A-wing pilots could easily outfly the TIE interceptor—the Imperial counterpart to the A-wing. Having also recognized that the lightly shielded A-wings couldn't stand up to Imperial-class Star Destroyers, Crynyd pushed them into reconnaissance and escort missions where speed meant strength.[8] He was also brave and dedicated to the Alliance cause to the extent that he was willing to sacrifice his life for it, crashing his crippled starfighter into the Executor.
Before joining the Alliance, Crynyd tried to avoid believing in anything except his starships and the experience of flying them. He was uncomfortable with vulnerability and sharing his inner feelings. Observing the dedication of the Rebels, and learning to believe in something through his relationship with Demms Ryx and their daughter, Crynyd almost reluctantly became a dedicated Rebel. By the time he sacrificed himself at the Battle of Endor, Crynyd believed in the people of the galaxy and the power of hope in the face of impossibility.[5]
Skills and abilities[]
Crynyd possessed hyper-quick reflexes and an uncanny spatial sense.[6]
Equipment[]
As a pilot of the Alliance, Arvel Crynyd wore a green flight suit and helmet, while operating an RZ-1 A-wing interceptor.[3]
Behind the scenes[]
Storyboard art of "Mad Maxx"
Arvel Crynyd first appeared in the 1983 film, Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi,[3] and first identified in the StarWars.com Databank.[11] He was portrayed by Hilton McRae in an uncredited role.[12][13] The character's name during the production of Return of the Jedi was "Mad Maxx" — an homage to the film Mad Max — as seen in storyboards for the film.[14]
Appearances[]
- Star Wars: Starfighter Missions
- The Odyssey of Star Wars: An Epic Poem
- Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi (First appearance)
- Star Wars: Return of the Jedi junior novelization (Fighter only) (as Green Leader)
- "The Extra Five Percent" — From a Certain Point of View: Return of the Jedi (and audiobook)
- "The Impossible Flight of Ash Angels" — From a Certain Point of View: Return of the Jedi (and audiobook)
- Shattered Empire 1 (Voice only) (as Green Leader)
- The Princess and the Scoundrel (and audiobook) (Mentioned only)
Sources[]
Notes and references[]
- ↑
Star Wars Helmet Collection 75 (Weapons & Uniforms: Green Squadron)
- ↑ Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi depicts Arvel Crynyd was killed at the Battle of Endor, which Star Wars: Galactic Atlas dates to 4 ABY.
- ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 3.12 3.13 3.14 3.15 3.16 3.17 Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 The Princess and the Scoundrel
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 "The Impossible Flight of Ash Angels" — From a Certain Point of View: Return of the Jedi
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Star Wars: A-wing Deluxe Book and 3D Wood Model
- ↑ "The Impossible Flight of Ash Angels" states that this encounter occurred 4 years before the Battle of Endor which Star Wars: Timelines dates to 4 ABY.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Star Wars: On the Front Lines
- ↑ Star Wars: Galactic Atlas
- ↑ Lead by Example
- ↑
A-wing Fighter in the Databank (backup link)
- ↑ Hilton McRae on Aveleyman (archived from the original on April 29, 2013)
- ↑ My Hilton McRae Star Wars Autograph on SW Autograph Collecting (archived from the original on November 14, 2013)
- ↑ The Making of Return of the Jedi