Star Destroyer

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Two Imperial Star Destroyers pursue the Millennium Falcon
Two Imperial Star Destroyers pursue the Millennium Falcon

Star Destroyers are iconic vessels of the fictional Star Wars universe. The Imperial Star Destroyer, which first appears at the beginning of Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, is "the signature vessel of the Imperial fleet".[1]

Star Destroyers appear in the original three Star Wars movies and in Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. In addition to their movie appearances, Star Destroyers appear throughout the Star Wars Expanded Universe in books, comics, and games. Merchandising companies have released numerous Star Destroyer models and toys.

Contents

[edit] Imperial class

Imperial Star Destroyer
First appearance A New Hope
Last appearance Return of the Jedi
Affiliation Galactic Empire
New Republic
Launched 19 BBY
Decommissioned Active
References Imperial Navy Ship Identification Guide
General Characteristics
Class Initially Imperator, later Imperial
Fighters 6 TIE squadrons (72 Ships)
Auxiliary craft 2 Lambda-class shuttles
Armaments Turbolasers
Ion Cannons
Tractor Beam Projectors
Defences Shield Generators
Propulsion Solar Ionization Reactor
Power >3.6x1024 W
Length 1,600 m
Width 1015 m

The first Star Destroyer to appear in Star Wars is of the Imperial class, and this type most frequently appears in the original trilogy. Although the ship appears in A New Hope (1977), the term "Star Destroyer" is not used in dialog until Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back (1980).[2]

In the original draft scripts of the movie that would become Star Wars, the term "Stardestroyer" refers to two-man fighters flown by what would become the Galactic Empire in later drafts.[2] Industrial Light and Magic built a 91-centimeter shooting model of the ship for A New Hope;[2] they built a 259-centimeter model, equipped with internal lighting to provide a better sense of scale, for The Empire Strikes Back.[2]

[edit] Depiction

Imperial-class Star Destroyers are constructed by Kuat Drive Yards and hold a distinguished place in the Imperial Navy, symbolizing the Empire's military might with a peak number of more than 25,000 vessels.[3] Like the Victory- and Venator-class ships that precede it, the Imperial Star Destroyer is most notable for its massive size and overwhelming firepower; a single Imperial-class ship is capable of overwhelming most starships or devastating a hostile planet, and its mere presence is often enough to deter rebellion.[3] At 1,600 meters long, Imperial-class Star Destroyers are armed with turbolasers, ion cannons and tractor beam projectors.[3] They carry 72 TIE fighters, numerous ground forces (including stormtroopers, AT-ATs, AT-STs and AT-PTs), a prefabricated base for rapid deployment to planetary surfaces and a variety of support and landing craft.[3]

Following the climactic Battle of Endor, the Rebel Alliance captured several Imperial-class ships and added them to their own fleet.[4] As the Rebel Alliance transitioned into the New Republic and gradually took large portions of the galaxy from the remnants of the Empire, it was able to procure more of the powerful ships as well as the vital shipyards and facilities with which to operate them.[5] Although the New Republic eventually upgrades its starfleet with newer ship types, the Imperial-class Star Destroyer remains in service well into the New Jedi Order era and fights during the Yuuzhan Vong war.[5]

[edit] Star Dreadnoughts

Imperial Star Dreadnought

The Star Dreadnought Executor, Darth Vader's flagship in The Empire Strikes Back
First appearance The Empire Strikes Back
Last appearance Return of the Jedi
Affiliation Galactic Empire
New Republic
Launched 1 ABY
Decommissioned Active
General Characteristics
Class Executor
Fighters 144
Armaments Turbolasers
Ion Cannons
Tractor Beam Projectors
Defences Shield Generators
Propulsion Solar Ionization Reactor
Length 19,000 m

Similar in design to Imperial-class Star Destroyers, Star Dreadnoughts (called "Super Star Destroyers" or "Super-class Star Destroyers" in earlier Star Wars works) are much larger than their counterparts.[6][7] A Star Dreadnought first appears in The Empire Strikes Back, and reappears in Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi. Star Dreadnoughts come in multiple varieties. In addition to appearing in two Star Wars movies, they appear in the Star Wars Expanded Universe's books and games. Kevin J. Anderson's novel Darksaber describes Star Dreadnoughts as being "worth twenty Imperial Star Destroyers".[8] The Executor shooting model used in The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi was 282 centimeters long.[7]

[edit] Depiction

The Executor is Darth Vader's (David Prowse, James Earl Jones) flagship in The Empire Strikes Back and is the Imperial command ship at the Battle of Endor in Return of the Jedi.[9] Admiral Ozzel (Michael Sheard) commands the Executor at the beginning of The Empire Strikes Back, with command shifting to Admiral Piett (Kenneth Colley) later in the movie and persisting through Return of the Jedi. During the Battle of Endor, a crippled A-wing piloted by Arvel Crynyd (Hilton McRae) crashes into the ship's bridge; out of control, the Executor is drawn into the Death Star's gravity field and explodes.[9]

Roleplaying material identifies the Executor as the first of the Executor class, while starwars.com identifies it as the first of the Super class.[3][10] Wizards of the Coast explains that the "Super class" label was used to hide the ship's "true nature from the Imperial Senate"; this bureaucratic fiction became the source of the type's nickname.[11] Originally described in A Guide to the Star Wars Universe in 1984 as being eight kilometers long, Executor-class ships more recently are described as being 19 kilometers long.[7][12] Like Imperial Star Destroyers, the Star Dreadnought is manufactured at Kuat Drive Yards.[9]

Another Star Dreadnought, the Lusankya, is described in Michael Stackpole's X-Wing novels as Ysanne Isard's private prison and, later, the primary Imperial support vessel during Isard's time on Thyferra.[13] The ship is captured and used by the New Republic, eventually being destroyed when it was used to ram a Yuuzhan Vong worldship in Aaron Allston's Enemy Lines novels.[13][5] The novel Darksaber features the Knight Hammer, a Star Dreadnought "plated with stealth armor", making it "virtually invisible to enemy forces".[8]

The Eclipse is the reborn Emperor Palpatine's flagship in the Dark Empire comic series, and it also appears in the Forces of Corruption expansion for Star Wars: Empire at War.[4][14] According to sourcebooks, the Eclipse is the most powerful Star Dreadnought ever constructed: its armor and shields allow it to ram New Republic Mon Calamari cruisers, and its thousands of armaments include a scaled down version of the Death Stars' superlaser cannon.[4] The ship is destroyed when Luke Skywalker and Leia Organa Solo combine Force abilities to cause Palpatine's Force Storms to go out of control and destroy the vessel.[4] The Eclipse II serves as Palpatine's flagship until it is destroyed in Empire's End. A scaled down version of the Eclipse, the Sovereign-class, is featured in Expanded Universe material from the same time period.[4]

[edit] Other types

A Victory-class Star Destroyer from X-Wing Alliance
A Victory-class Star Destroyer from X-Wing Alliance

Victory-class Star Destroyers appear as early as Brian Daley's 1979 book Han Solo's Revenge, and since then have appeared in Expanded Universe books and games.[15] Designed by Rendili StarDrive in the Star Wars universe, the Victory-class is 900 meters long and features fewer weapons and cargo than an Imperial Star Destroyer.[3]

Venator-class Star Destroyers, also known as "Republic attack cruisers", appear in Revenge of the Sith and in the Expanded Universe.[16] The ship's design is meant to bridge the appearance of the Acclamator-class transports in Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones and the Imperial class in the original trilogy.[17] While the ships first appear with a red and grey Republic color scheme, the Venator at the movie's end is gray and white; this lack of color signifies the Empire's rise to power.[17] Star Destroyers used by the New Republic include the Republic, Nebula, and Defender classes.[citation needed]

Other types of Star Destroyers exist. George Lucas calls the cigar-shaped Separatist cruisers visible at the beginning of Revenge of the Sith "Star Destroyers" in the movie's DVD commentary track.[18] The Dark Nest trilogy by Troy Denning includes two types of Star Destroyers used by the Chiss Ascendancy and the Star Destroyer Admiral Ackbar used by the Galactic Alliance.[19][20] The existence of the Tector class is established in the Revenge of the Sith Incredible Cross-Sections book.[21] The Legacy comics introduce the Pellaeon-class Star Destroyers, named after Gilad Pellaeon.[citation needed]

[edit] Merchandise

In 2002, Lego released a 3,104-piece Imperial-class Star Destroyer building kit for their Ultimate Collectors' Series line.[22] The model is almost a meter long and includes a scale model of the Rebel Blockade Runner.[22] In 2006, a smaller set was released, just over half a meter long and containing various minifigures.[23] The Super Star Destroyer has also been merchandised. Kenner wanted to use a less ominous name than Executor for the toy playset of Darth Vader's meditation chamber.[7] An advertisement agency's list of 153 alternatives included Starbase Malevolent, Black Coven, Haphaestus VII, and Cosmocurse;[7] ultimately, the toy was labeled "Darth Vader's Star Destroyer".[7] In 2006, Wizards of the Coast created an Executor miniature as part of its Star Wars Miniatures Starship Battles game.[11] An electronic Super Star Destroyer toy released by Hasbro "is the rarest among Hasbro's Collector Fleet".[24]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Star Wars: Databank: Imperial Star Destroyer (The Movies). starwars.com. Retrieved on 2007-06-10.
  2. ^ a b c d Star Wars: Databank: Imperial Star Destroyer (Behind the Scenes). starwars.com. Retrieved on 2007-06-10.
  3. ^ a b c d e f Gorden, Greg (1993). Star Wars Imperial Sourcebook, 2nd edition, West End Games. ISBN 0-87431-210-8. 
  4. ^ a b c d e Horne, Michael Allen (06 1993). Dark Empire Sourcebook. West End Games. ISBN 0874311942. 
  5. ^ a b c Wiker, J.D.; Steve Miller. The New Jedi Order Sourcebook. Wizards of the Coast. ISBN 0786927771. 
  6. ^ Inside the Worlds of Star Wars Trilogy
  7. ^ a b c d e f Star Wars: Databank: Super Star Destroyer (Behind the Scenes). starwars.com. Retrieved on 2007-06-17.
  8. ^ a b Anderson, Kevin J. (1996). Darksaber. Bantam Spectra, 155-156. ISBN 0-553-57611-9. .
  9. ^ a b c Star Wars: Databank: Super Star Destroyer (The Movies). starwars.com. Retrieved on 2007-06-12.
  10. ^ Star Wars: Databank: Super Star Destroyer (Expanded Universe). starwars.com. Retrieved on 2007-07-14.
  11. ^ a b Starship Battles Preview 1. Wizards of the Coast (2006-10-19). Retrieved on 2007-07-12.
  12. ^ Sarli, Gary M. (2006-03-09). Jedi Counseling 84. Wizards of the Coast. Retrieved on 2007-07-15.
  13. ^ a b Isard, Ysanne (Expanded Universe). Star Wars Databank. Lucasfilm. Retrieved on 2007-12-15.
  14. ^ Ocampo, Jason (2006-10-25). Star Wars: Empire at War: Forces of Corruption for PC Review. gamespot.com. Retrieved on 2007-07-15.
  15. ^ Daley, Brian (1979-10-12). Han Solo's Revenge, Han Solo Adventures. Del Rey. ISBN 0345284755. 
  16. ^ Star Wars: Databank: Republic attack cruiser (The Movies). starwars.com. Retrieved on 2007-06-10.
  17. ^ a b Star Wars: Databank: Republic attack cruiser (Behind the Scenes). starwars.com. Retrieved on 2007-06-10.
  18. ^ Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith DVD commentary
  19. ^ Denning, Troy (2005-07-26). The Joiner King, Star Wars: Dark Nest. Del Rey. ISBN 0345463048. 
  20. ^ Denning, Troy (2005-09-25). The Unseen Queen, Star Wars: Dark Nest. Del Rey. ISBN 034546303X. 
  21. ^ Saxton, Curtis (2005-04-02). Incredible Cross-sections of Star Wars, Episode III - Revenge of the Sith: The Definitive Guide to Spaceships and Vehicles. DK Children. ISBN 0756611296. 
  22. ^ a b Imperial Star Destroyer. Star Wars: Cargo Bay. Lucasfilm. Retrieved on 2008-02-14.
  23. ^ Star Wars: Collecting: LEGO Sail Barge and Star Destroyer are Cruising Soon. starwars.com (2006-01-06). Retrieved on 2007-06-26.
  24. ^ Star Wars: Cargo Bay. starwars.com. Retrieved on 2007-07-15.

[edit] External links

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