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Blue Squadron, also referred to as Blue Group or Blue Wing,[12] was an airspeeder and starfighter squadron that served as part of the Rebel Alliance's starfighter corps during the Galactic Civil War. The squadron most notably participated in battles such as the Battle of Scarif, Siege on Tureen VII, the Battle of Hoth, and the Battle of Endor.
Description[]
Blue Squadron was a Rebel Alliance starfighter squadron made up starfighter pilots and Astromech droids, that was led by various commanders during the Galactic Civil War. These included General Antoc Merrick,[2] "Blue Leader,"[3] and Lieutenant Valeria.[4] Merrick's second-in-command was Barion Raner.[5] Staff officers included Lieutenant Taslet Colb, Warrant Officer Laren Joma, and Lieutenant Heff Tobber.[6] Blue Squadron spent some of their time based at the Great Temple on Yavin 4.[6]
A group of Blue Squadron pilots at the Rebel Headquarters on Yavin
Blue Squadron was a mixed squadron made up of various airspeeders[1] and starfighters. It was expanded into a unit well beyond the usual 12 ships of the same design.[6] For airspeeders, this included T-47 airspeeders.[1] For starfighters, this included A/SF-01 B-wing starfighters,[7] BTL-A4 Y-wing assault starfighter/bombers,[6] RZ-1 A-wing interceptors[8] T-65B X-wing starfighters,[2][9] of which General Merrick's own starfighter was named Blue One,[6] and UT-60D U-wing starfighter/support craft.[2] The squadron's starfighters were painted with blue markings or stripes.[4]
History[]
Early rebellion[]
During the early rebellion, Blue Squadron was a mix of T-65B X-wing starfighters, assigned to escort UT-60D U-wing starfighter/support craft into combat zones and a small number of BTL-A4 Y-wing assault starfighter/bomber reallocated from squadrons in neighboring sectors.[6]
Battle of Atollon[]
Blue squadron was present at the Battle of Atollon where they flew at least three BTL-A4 Y-wing assault starfighter/bombers, they lost at least one Y-wing after it was shot down by TIE/ln space superiority starfighters.[10][13]
Mission to Eadu[]
A Blue Squadron X-wing deployed to Eadu
- "Squadron up. Target: Eadu."
- ―General Draven ordering a strike
By order of General Davits Draven, Blue Squadron,[14] consisting of eleven X-wings[11] and five Y-wings,[2] was deployed to target the Eadu Energy Conversion Laboratory in order to eliminate Galen Erso. The callsign of Blue five in this battle was held by Farns Monsbee. During the strike, two of the X-wings were lost.[2]
Battle on Scarif[]
- "Blue Squadron, get to the surface before they close that gate."
- ―Admiral Raddus giving Blue Squadron their orders during the Battle of Scarif
Fighters of Blue Squadron offer air support to Rogue One
Blue Squadron, under the command of General Antoc Merrick (Blue Leader), took part in the Battle of Scarif along with Red Squadron, Green Squadron, and Gold Squadron. Blue Squadron X-wings accompanied the rest of the Alliance Fleet to the aid of Rogue One on Scarif below. Blue Squadron was tasked with penetrating the shield gate and providing air support and infantry reinforcements to Rogue One.[2] Only Joma's U-wing and twelve X-wings,[15] including Merrick's, managed to bypass the Imperial defenses and travel down toward the surface. Farns Monsbee (Blue Five) remarks "We won't have long!" which turned out to be correct as the gate was shut, forcing Vangos Grek (Blue Six) and another X-wing pilot to pull up. Both were destroyed on impact with the planetary shield and another X-wing crashed into the Shield Gate Orbital Command, but Barion Raner (Blue Four), Jaldine Gerams (Blue Three) and at least one other X-wing managed to avoid impact and went to assist the Rebel fleet in space above.[2]
On the surface around the Citadel, Blue Eleven, the U-wing crewed by Warrant Officer Laren Joma, with Lieutenant Taslet Colb as copilot and Bistan as gunner,[6] reinforced the troops on the ground, however they were shot down and killed. The X-wings in the air were able to provide air support, managing to destroy the AT-ACTs and engage Imperial TIE/sk x1 experimental air superiority fighters. During the battle, the upper starboard engine of Merrick's T-65B X-wing was damaged by a TIE striker, causing his ship to spiral toward the ground, killing him on impact.[2] None of the pilots who made it through the shield gate survived the battle.[5] Most, if not all, of Blue Squadron's craft were destroyed at Scarif. The squadron's decimation at Scarif and the loss of its commanding officer meant that Blue Squadron would not be present at the following climactic battle at Yavin, leaving Red, Gold and Green Squadrons to take on that engagement.
Battle of Vrogas Vas[]
- "Blue Five is down, this is Blue Three, He's right on my tail... Torpedoes Locked... I can't AARRRGG--"
- ―Blue Three, at Vrogas Vas
Blue Squadron flying at Vrogas Vas
Some time during the Galactic Civil War, the Rebel Alliance established a refueling base on the planet Vrogas Vas. In 0 ABY,[16] Blue Squadron was one of three X-wing squadrons present, carrying out training drills above the planet, when Darth Vader arrived there in the search for his son Luke Skywalker. Blue squadron, along with Yellow Squadron, were entirely wiped out in the resulting battle with the Sith Lord in his TIE Advanced x1. Luke Skywalker (Red Five) purposely rammed into him with his X-wing. Father and son both fell to the planet's surface.[3] In a report to General Jan Dodonna, Commander Arhul Narra from Red Squadron, described the event as one of the worst culling of starfighter pilots he'd ever seen, with the loss of Blue, Gray and Yellow Squadrons, as well as abandoning their starfighter outpost following the arrival of the Imperial fleet. Darth Vader escaped capture, however all Alliance command staff members escaped and all sensitive information stored at the outpost was recovered or intentionally destroyed. The Alliance were able to capture Dr. Chelli Lona Aphra, a high-value prisoner, who was remanded to a max security penitentiary at Sunspot.[17]
Tureen VII[]
- "Blue Group, keep those TIEs busy. The rest of you, you have your assignments. We have to take down those moon bases."
- ―Unidentified pilot, at Tureen VII
Blue Group deploy from the Harbinger
After the incident on Vrogas Vas, Blue Squadron (Blue Group) were deployed by the stolen Imperial I-class Star Destroyer Harbinger, to break the Imperial blockage on Tureen VII. They were tasked with protecting the Harbinger from Imperial TIE fighters, led by Darth Vader in his TIE Advanced x1, while Red Squadron (Red Team) attacked the moon bases. Leia Organa ordered Red Team to provide more room so the supplies could reach the surface but Vader wasn't making it easy. Luke Skywalker (Red Five) successfully destroyed the moon bases and tried to go after Vader. However, as the Alliance forces had suffered heavy losses, including the Harbinger which had to be abandoned, he was urged to stay on mission as there were wounded to evacuate. Several of the squadron's X-wings were destroyed.[9]
Battle of Hoth[]
In 3 ABY,[18] Blue Squadron was part of the Rebel force stationed on Hoth when the Empire discovered the base, launching an invasion that signaled the commencement of the Battle of Hoth. Using T-47 airspeeders, the pilots of Blue Squadron helped to defend Echo Base from All Terrain Armored Transports (AT-ATs) and All Terrain Scout Transports (AT-STs). They destroyed the AT-STs with the speeder's primary blasters and used their harpoon and tow cables to defeat the AT-ATs. This allowed three transports to escape the base.[1]
Battle on Bakura[]
At some point during the Galactic Civil War, Blue Squadron were instrumental in a battle that took place on the planet Bakura, which ended in a victory for the Alliance.[4]
Battle of Endor[]
Blue Squadron B-wing flown by Ten Numb
In 4 ABY,[18] Blue Squadron participated in the Battle of Endor, composed of a mix of A/SF-01 B-wing starfighters and RZ-1 A-wing interceptors and included a Sullustan bounty hunter-turned-rebel Ten Numb. With the A-wings flying fighter cover—a "luxury" other B-Wing squadrons such as Blade Squadron didn't have—and managed to bring down two Star Destroyers.[8] Ten Numb flew a B-wing starfighter under the callsign Blue Five.[19]
Behind the scenes[]
Blue Squadron appears in the second season of the non-canon LEGO Star Wars: The Freemaker Adventures animated series. The squadron appeared in four of the five promotional short films designed to promote the series. Blue Squadron is led by Lieutenant Colvett Valeria, who leads the squadron into combat against the Galactic Empire in several skirmishes. In the series, Blue Squadron act as supporting characters to the Freemakers, a family of scavengers who join the Rebel Alliance.[20][21][22] Under Valeria's leadership, Blue Squadron attacks an Imperial repair depot near Alzoc III and also participates in the Battle of Endor.[23][24] Blue Squadron appeared as a starfighter cosmetic option in the 2020 video game Star Wars: Squadrons, that also mentioned their first connection to Valeria and Bakura in Star Wars canon.[4]
Appearances[]
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Non-canon appearances[]
LEGO Star Wars: The Freemaker Adventures — "Home One"- LEGO Star Wars: The Freemaker Adventures — "Rowan's Secret Adventure"
- LEGO Star Wars: The Freemaker Adventures — "Thrown Into Battle"
- LEGO Star Wars: The Freemaker Adventures — "Zander Freemaker, Superstar Pilot Guy!"
- LEGO Star Wars: The Freemaker Adventures — "A New Home"
- LEGO Star Wars: The Freemaker Adventures — "Trouble on Tibalt"
- LEGO Star Wars: The Freemaker Adventures — "A Perilous Rescue"
- LEGO Star Wars: The Freemaker Adventures — "Escape from Coruscant"
- LEGO Star Wars: The Freemaker Adventures — "Return of the Return of the Jedi"
- LEGO STAR WARS: Celebrate the Season — "Droid Holiday Hustle"
Sources[]
Notes and references[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Star Wars Battlefront
- ↑ 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 Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 Vader Down 1
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 Star Wars: Squadrons
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2
Star Wars: Build Your Own X-Wing 10 (Starfighter Aces: Antoc Merrick – Leading from the Front)
- ↑ 6.00 6.01 6.02 6.03 6.04 6.05 6.06 6.07 6.08 6.09 6.10 6.11 6.12 6.13 Star Wars: Rogue One: The Ultimate Visual Guide
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Star Wars Helmet Collection 67 (Helmets: B-wing Pilot)
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 Star Wars (2015) 24
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Star Wars Rebels — "Zero Hour"
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 "Grounded" — From a Certain Point of View
- ↑ Rebel Starfighters Owners' Workshop Manual
- ↑ "Zero Hour" Behind-the-Scenes Gallery on StarWars.com (backup link)
- ↑ Rogue One: A Star Wars Story novelization
- ↑ Star Wars: Geektionary: The Galaxy from A - Z
- ↑ The Star Wars Book places the Battle of Vrogas Vas in the year immediately following the events of Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope, which Star Wars: Galactic Atlas states concluded in 0 ABY. Therefore, the Battle of Vrogas Vas must have taken place in 0 ABY.
- ↑ Star Wars: The Rebel Files
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 Star Wars: Galactic Atlas
- ↑ Star Wars: Card Trader (Card: Ten Numb - B-Wing Pilot - Base Series 1)
- ↑ LEGO Star Wars: The Freemaker Adventures — "Thrown Into Battle"
- ↑ LEGO Star Wars: The Freemaker Adventures — "Rowan's Secret Adventure"
- ↑ LEGO Star Wars: The Freemaker Adventures — "Zander Freemaker, Superstar Pilot Guy!"
- ↑ LEGO Star Wars: The Freemaker Adventures — "A Perilous Rescue"
- ↑ LEGO Star Wars: The Freemaker Adventures — "Return of the Return of the Jedi"