501st Legion

From Wookieepedia, the Star Wars wiki.

The 501st Legion, later known as "Vader's Fist" and the Five Hundred and First, was an elite unit of clone troopers and later stormtroopers. Commissioned by Supreme Chancellor Palpatine during the Clone Wars, the 501st fought in many battles, such as the Battle of Mygeeto and the Battle of Coruscant, becoming one of the most well-known and most feared legions. In 19 BBY, the legion became Darth Vader's personal stormtrooper unit as he led them during Operation: Knightfall, in which the clones helped take down the Jedi, whom they believed to be traitors to the Republic.

Following the rise of the Galactic Empire, the 501st transitioned into a stormtrooper unit, like all other clone units. Given new armor and weapons, the 501st faithfully served the Empire, operating under the direct command of Darth Vader. The legion fought in a number of battles during the Galactic Civil War in an effort to defeat the Rebel Alliance, although the Alliance ultimately triumphed. However, the 501st would continue to serve the Empire, fighting under the command of leaders like Grand Admiral Mitth'raw'nuruodo.

After the Battle of Kamino, the 501st became the last remnant of the Grand Army of the Republic fully composed of clones of Jango Fett, as opposed to the ever-growing and more diverse Stormtrooper Corps, where the Fett clones became a minority with the inclusion of a pool of clones from different templates and birth-born recruits. Eventually, under the Chiss Grand Admiral Thrawn, more diverse recruits would be added to the 501st, including non-Humans.

A member of the 501st constructed a journal of his thoughts during some of the most well-known battles in which he fought.

Contents 1 History 1.1 Clone Wars 1.2 Fall of the Republic 1.3 Imperial rule 1.4 Galactic Civil War 1.5 Post–Galactic Civil War 2 Organization 3 Equipment and vehicles 4 Notable members 4.1 CC-7567 4.2 CC-1119 4.3 Coric 4.4 Oron Jaeger 4.5 Bow 5 Behind the scenes 6 Appearances 6.1 Non-canon appearances 7 Sources 8 Notes and references

History

Clone Wars

Some troopers of the not-yet-formed 501st Legion fought in the Grand Army of the Republic against the Confederacy of Independent Systems in the Battle of Geonosis, the opening battle of the Clone Wars, in 22 BBY. A short time later, impressed with the performance of the 501st in battle, Supreme Chancellor Palpatine moved a number of clones to a secret location on Coruscant known only to the Chancellor's most trusted advisers, far away from the normal training center on the planet Kamino. These clones were given special training by Palpatine's command staff to make the 501st the most feared legion in the galaxy. Some members of the legion would be covertly transferred to other units; however, they were tracked to ensure that they would be available in the future if they were ever needed for any special assignments, as Palpatine suspected they would be. Palpatine also trained a number of shock troopers in secret on Coruscant; both of these legions would play roles in the Republic's transformation into an Empire later.^[15]

After the costly Battle of Jabiim, the group was based on the capital world and began operating more publicly.^[source?] The core group of this legion was assigned to serve under Jedi General Anakin Skywalker and Clone Captain CC-7567, nicknamed "Rex." With Skywalker's help, the 501st quickly earned a reputation for incredible victories, often snatching victory from the jaws of defeat.^[15] Among the 501st's earliest battles was the Battle of Christophsis, where they served under Skywalker, Captain Rex, and High Jedi General Obi-Wan Kenobi. Based out of Crystal City, the 501st troops managed to recapture Christophsis from the Confederacy, beating back Separatist General Whorm Loathsom's multiple assaults. However, Loathsom soon deployed a deflector shield to protect his battle droid troops, and the clone troopers were forced to pull back and defend the Republic's heavy cannons. After Skywalker and his newly assigned Padawan, Ahsoka Tano, destroyed the shield generator, the heavy cannons annihilated the droids and forced the Separatists to surrender.^[16][17]

Immediately following the Republic victory on Christophsis, the 501st detachment Torrent Company was sent with Skywalker, Tano, and Rex to Teth to recover Hutt crime lord Jabba Desilijic Tiure's son, Rotta, in order to gain access to hyperlanes passing through Jabba's territory for the Grand Army. Ferried to Teth's surface in LAAT/i gunships, the Republic unit began a grueling campaign up the vertical face of a cliff to the B'omarr Monastery where Rotta was being held. Utilizing AT-TE walkers and grappling hooks, Torrent Company was able to defeat the Separatist battle droids holding the monastery, though half of the unit was lost on the way up. After Skywalker and Tano located and rescued Rotta from the depths of the castle, the Confederate forces—under the command of Dark Acolyte Asajj Ventress—launched a counterattack on the Teth monastery. The Jedi and clone troops were forced to barricade themselves inside the stronghold, loosing three-quarters of their remaining forces in defending the castle. Skywalker and his Padawan then left to find medical assistance for Rotta, leaving Captain Rex in command of the troops.^[16][17]

Ventress and her forces were soon able to break through the monastery door's controls, and the defense of the monastery cost Rex all but five troopers. The clone captain and the rest of the survivors launched a last stand against the battle droids. General Kenobi and the 212th Attack Battalion eventually arrived at Teth, reinforcing the remnants of the 501st and securing the defeat of the Separatists. A treaty was established between the Republic and Jabba the Hutt,^[16][17] but although the 501st was replenished with new troops, the loss of the original Torrent Company left scars on all involved. Soon after, Rex and troops of the 501st were redeployed with Skywalker and Tano aboard their recently-christened fleet of Venator-class Star Destroyers to protect Bothawui from the Confederate General Grievous, who was intent on capturing the planet. Departing from Coruscant,^[18] Skywalker's forces eventually arrived at Bothawui and defeated Grievous, securing a Republic victory.^[19] 501st troopers Rex and Denal^[7] also helped Skywalker and Tano in destroying the Separatist listening post Skytop Station.^[20]

Rex, Tano, Clone Sergeant Coric, and six new Torrent Company recruits—Ross, Boro, Joc, Hil, Vere, and Ince—later participated in a routine shakedown cruise aboard Captain Gilad Pellaeon's assault ship, the Leveler, in the Dantus sector. However, their short respite from the war ended when they were called in to rescue the Republic Intelligence agent Hallena Devis, who had been taken hostage by rebel forces in opposition to the Regent of the nearby JanFathal. Receiving assistance from the Altisian Jedi sect as well as General Skywalker, the task force was ultimately successful in extracting and rescuing Devis; however, troopers Vere and Ince were killed in the mission.^[21] Captain Rex inducted rookie troopers CT-27-5555 and CT-26-1409, nicknamed "Fives" and "Echo," into the 501st for their service in recapturing a Republic outpost from the Separatists and alerting the Republic to an impeding Confederate attack on Kamino.^[8]

The 501st served with Skywalker and Tano in reinforcing Jedi General Aayla Secura, who was being ambushed by a Separatist fleet over Quell. Arriving in Skywalker's flagship, the Resolute, 501st troops were deployed in LAAT/i gunships to board Secura's cruiser, the Liberty,^[22] which was under attack by rocket droids. Skywalker and Tano rescued Secura and Clone Commander CC-5052 from the damaged Star Destroyer, but their escape cruiser's hyperdrive was accidentally tripped by a Vulture droid attack. The group accidentally jumped to hyperspace, leaving Admiral Wullf Yularen in command of the remaining troops.^[23][24] The legion also participated in "mopping up" the remaining droid forces on the recently liberated planet of Ryloth, helping Skywalker and Tano defeat the droids based out of the ruined city of Resdin.^[25] Later, Rex and a 501st contingent were sent to reconnoiter Geonosis, where evidence of Separatist droid foundries had been discovered. Upon arriving in orbit of the world, the task force was unable to make contact with the clones on the surface but ran preliminary scans and discovered the droid foundries in the planet's northern and southern hemispheres. In his report to the Jedi Council, Rex recommended a full-scale invasion to retake Geonosis, as the Geonosians were already in the process of mounting much more than a simple revolt. The Jedi Council used the information to mount an assault on Geonosis, sending several Jedi to lead a massive invasion force and shut down the droid factories.^[26]

In the final days of the war, the 501st was frequently shuttled across the galaxy, often divided into specialized groups to assist other missions. Sometimes operating outside of the usual command structure, detachments of the 501st served at many pivotal campaigns. The troopers fought in the Battle of Felucia and the Battle of Mygeeto. At Mygeeto, they were involved in Project Hammertong, a clandestine mission to acquire a power crystal for Chancellor Palpatine, who secretly had plans of constructing a superlaser-armed battlestation. They succeeded, and crucial to the mission, did not let their commander, Jedi Master Ki-Adi-Mundi, become aware of what was happening.^[1]

Shortly before the Battle of Coruscant in 19 BBY, members of the 501st were stationed on Coruscant, where they were used to carry out security patrols. The Null-class Advanced Recon Commando Ordo approached one such patrol and from a brief conversation he had with a member of it, he noticed that the trooper had slight Coruscanti overtones to his accent, which led him to believe that the trooper had been born on Coruscant, rather than Kamino, like most other clone troopers were.^[27] Not long afterward, the 501st fought in the Battle of Coruscant in an effort to rescue the kidnapped Chancellor Palpatine from the Confederacy. Members of the legion, many flying starfighters in battle for the first time, destroyed a number of droid starfighters and capital ships. Most importantly, they created a diversion, clearing a path for Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi to infiltrate the CIS flagship, the Invisible Hand, and rescue Palpatine.^[1]

After that battle, some members of the 501st were dispatched to Kashyyyk. When they jumped out of hyperspace, they found the planet blockaded by the Separatists. The 501st was forced to punch a hole in the Confederate Navy, which they accomplished along with stealing a set of attack plans for the upcoming battle. They then landed on the planet's surface, where they fought alongside the 41st Elite Corps^[28][29] and Jedi Master Yoda. Following this battle, a detachment of the 501st was transferred to Utapau. They fought with Jedi General Obi-Wan Kenobi, and helped the 212th Attack Battalion defeat the droid forces there by taking down various CIS gun batteries and destroying an energy column.^[1]

Fall of the Republic

When the battle was winding down, a group of clones were taken and discreetly transferred to Coruscant, in preparation for Order 66. On Coruscant, they met Anakin Skywalker, now the Sith Lord Darth Vader, and were given their orders: destroy the Jedi. Though they appreciated the Jedi, their loyalty lay first with Palpatine, as all clone troopers had been taught to obey the Supreme Chancellor first and foremost. Vader led them into the Jedi Temple, ready for battle. Though some held quiet doubts about what they knew was to happen,^[1] they did not voice them, and the troopers of the 501st, alongisde Vader, succeeded in killing almost every Jedi in the Temple.^[3] Meanwhile, Palpatine was transmitting Order 66 around the Galaxy to different clone commanders. Nearly all obeyed their orders without question, killing their Jedi commanders.^[30]

The Coruscant Security Force tracked a number of suspected Jedi, such as Tru Veld, and called in the 501st for assistance in capturing them. The legion also attacked and killed a number of Jedi on Shinarcan Bridge a couple of hours after the declaration of Order 66, and Jedi Knight Etain Tur-Mukan was killed by a fellow Jedi when she tried to stop him from killing one of the 501st troopers.^[27] Following the extermination of the Jedi, Decoy Squad Five was placed in charge of deceiving Jedi returning to the Temple. The eight-member squad, though, was killed by Obi-Wan Kenobi and Yoda.^[31]

Imperial rule

After the rise of Palpatine's Galactic Empire, the members of the legion took the designation stormtrooper, as well as new armor, weapons, and ships. The 501st would continue to serve directly under Vader, and in the years to come, would fight in a number of piviotal battles.^[1] It was often deployed in places where its advanced fighting skills could be used to make a political statement. Most of its missions were classified, so as to hide what it was doing from the Imperial Senate.^[32] In the years following Order 66, the 501st woud fight on a number of mop-up missions against either remnants of the Confederacy or the few Jedi that had managed to survived Order 66.^[1][3]

A short time after Order 66, the 501st Legion went on Kessel to help Darth Vader take down the Jedi conclave there. Vader fought all eight Jedi there, and though he was wounded, the 501st aided him in killing several Jedi. When it was over, the eight Jedi lay dead. Vader's reputation, along with that of the 501st, grew tremendously with this victory.^[33] On the planet New Plympto, Commander Vill led a detachment of the 501st against Nosaurian forces still loyal to the Confederacy. The Nosaurians held out for a time, but Vill and his men succeeded in defeating the rebels at the Battle of Half-Axe Pass.^[12]

The 501st followed Vader to Murkhana, where they confronted a group of clones who had refused to execute Order 66. Vader killed most of them and had the rest taken into custody, and then led his men to Kashyyyk once more, where they confronted a group of Jedi who had survived Order 66. Led by Commander Appo, they killed and enslaved tens of thousands of Wookiees in an effort to gain workers for the Emperor's new secret project, the Death Star. Some of the Jedi, including Roan Shryne, were killed.^[3] However, before dying, Shryne managed to kill Appo, after which Commander Bow assumed command.^[4][3] Vader then brought a unit from the 501st with him on a visit to the devastated planet of Honoghr. There, they were attacked by the native Noghri, who proved to be a match for the elite stormtroopers. Impressed, Vader devised a plan to enslave the species and use them as his personal assassins.^[34]

Another crucial mission took place early in the Empire's reign in 18 BBY. The Queen of Naboo, Apailana, had been a thorn in Palpatine's side ever since the rise of the Empire, as the Emperor suspected her of hiding Jedi fugitives. After several failed negotiation attempts, the 501st was sent to Naboo. Apailana attempted to flee from the unit, guarded by several Jedi, but was killed along with her Jedi guardians. This mission was the first time the 501st would be called on to "alter" a planet's government, but it would not be the last.^[1]

In 11 BBY, the 501st was sent to Mustafar to stop a droid rebellion led by the rogue Geonosian Gizor Dellso. Dellso had found a hidden droid factory and had started it up, producing an army of battle droids. The 501st first had to fight his fleet, led by a Providence-class destroyer, before they were able to landed on the planet. There, they destroyed numerous droids as well as the prototype battle droid schematics in the Battle of Mustafar before confronting Dellso and his bodyguards. The troopers killed Dellso as well as his guards, then bombarded the planet from space.^[1]

Approximately a year later,^[35] the 501st was sent to Kamino due to suspicions of a rebellion on the planet. There, the Kaminoans were waiting with specially trained ARC troopers. The 501st was led by the bounty hunter Boba Fett, himself an unaltered Fett clone, due to his knowledge of the inner workings of Tipoca City and the cloning centers. Their mission was to kill as many rogue clones as possible, and destroy the cloning facilities. With the help of the bounty hunter, the 501st destroyed the cloning mechanisms. The rebellion on Kamino had been put down. It was after this incident that Palpatine decided to use different templates for the clone army, as an army of genetically similar soldiers was too dangerous.^[1]

After these incidents, the 501st gained the nickname "Vader's Fist," as they were his personal stormtrooper squadron, and executed many top-priority missions.^[1] The unit was also referred to as the Five Hundred and First.^[36] The organization would consist solely of Fett clones for a time after the Battle of Kamino, the only Imperial unit to do so,^[1] although by 0 BBY non-Fett clones were in the unit.^[37]

Galactic Civil War

In 0 BBY, the 501st would have their first encounter with the Rebel Alliance. A group of prisoners on the Death Star, led by a captured Jedi, rebelled and stole a set of schematics for the superweapon. The 501st managed to put down the brief insurrection, recaptured the set of the plans, and killed the Jedi.^[1]

The 501st soon learned that the plans they thought they had recovered was a decoy. They followed Vader around the galaxy, trying desperately to get back the lost plans. Following a battle on Polis Massa in which the Rebellion put up a much greater fight than expected, the 501st once again thought that they had recovered the plans. Much to Vader's displeasure, they learned that it was once again a decoy from the Alliance. They then learned that Princess Leia Organa had the plans. With that information, the Star Destroyer Devastator followed the Tantive IV.^[1] Above Tatooine, the Devastator managed to disable the CR90 corvette. The 501st then stormed the ship, and stunned Leia, but failed to locate the plans, as an escape pod containing them had been jettisoned.^[10]

Though some troopers were by now tired of this chase, they were not so foolish as to voice their complaints, and suspected that soon this pursuit would be over. The unit believed that Organa would cave in to Vader's methods of persuasion, and inform him of all the Alliance's secrets. However, she refused to divulge any secrets, even under torture.^[1]

Meanwhile, the 501st was stationed onboard the Death Star. However, Organa was able to escape from her cell with the help of several Rebels who managed to infiltrate the Death Star. The Alliance finally received the plans, and was able to discover a weak spot in the battlestation's defenses—an unshielded thermal exhaust port located on the surface. Unfortunately for the Alliance, the Empire had finally discerned the location of the Rebellion's secret base—the moon Yavin 4. Taking the Death Star to the Yavin system, the Empire expected to finally emerge victorious. However, in the subsequent battle, the Rebel Alliance was able to destroy the Death Star.^[10] Over half the men of the 501st died in the explosion. In response, the remnants of the 501st joined the Empire's blockade of Yavin 4 and stormed the base on the moon's surface. The legion managed to destroy a number of capital ships and starfighters in space before landing on the suface. There, they managed to kill three Bothans who were among the Alliance leadership. Still, the 501st was furious, as they felt like they had overlooked the Rebellion, only to pay for it with the lives of millions. The men were determined to end this threat once and for all.^[1]

The 501st would later be transferred to Vader's Death Squadron.^[source?]

In 1 ABY, the unit was sent to Makrin City along with Vader on a mission to capture Leia Organa and arrest Governor Barshnis Choard for high treason. Though Organa escaped with the help of Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Chewbacca, and five rogue stormtroopers, Choard was arrested and taken into custody.^[38]

In 3 ABY, the 501st took part in the Battle of Hoth along with Blizzard Force. The unit destroyed the Alliance's shield generator, and placed a homing beacon under the last Rebel transport, allowing several Star Destroyers to bombard the planet, decimating the transport and killing a number of Rebels. Overall, the battle was an Imperial rout. The 501st believed they had finally ended the Rebel Alliance threat, calling this battle their finest hour.^[1]

However, a year later at the Battle of Endor, the Rebel Alliance destroyed the second Death Star with Emperor Palpatine and Darth Vader onboard. The Empire, and the 501st, was in shambles.^[39][5]

Post–Galactic Civil War

After the fall of the Empire, the squabbling of local warlords caused the 501st Legion to be dissolved and its soldiers assigned to other units. upon assuming command of the Imperial military in 9 ABY, Grand Admiral Thrawn, resurrected the name 501st Legion, knowing the symbolism of the name. Thrawn assigned the unit to protect the Empire of the Hand in the Unknown Regions. The Chiss also took the step of incorporating non-Humans into the 501st, something that would have been considered unthinkable under Palpatine.^[5]

A company was now just forty troopers strong, and designated by one of the thirty-four letters of Aurebesh. Also, by this time, most of the original clones were long past fighting age, and the 501st was no longer completely composed of Jango Fett clones, or even Humans. Thus, the last "pure" fighting force to be composed completely of the Fett clones was long gone.^[5][40] As reformed, the most basic unit in the 501st was a squad of four troopers, capable of acting as a fire team within a larger force, but also able to serve as a self-supporting commando team on special missions.^[5]

The inclusion of non-Humans into the 501st intensified over the years, and specialized armor was created for certain species. Reforms made in the Empire finally allowed females to be recruited into the legion. This new 501st Legion was still in operation as of 130 ABY, serving Emperor Roan Fel and the Fel Empire, acting as a praetorian guard. In 137 ABY, the 501st left the service of the Sith usurper Darth Krayt when Emperor Fel called on them to retake the Empire from the Sith during the Fall of Bastion. Their commander at the time was General Oron Jaeger.^[13]

For instance, in 22 ABY, Unit Aurek-Seven from Aurek Company accompanied Luke and Mara Jade Skywalker on a mission to the remains of Outbound Flight, under the temporary command of Chak Fel, Baron Soontir Fel's son.

talk about SQ some

Organization

This is where I talk about the command structure and the like.

• Commanders
• Torrent Company

Equipment and vehicles

Possibly

Notable members

A number of troopers fought in the 501st over the years.

CC-7567

Main article: CC-7567

A veteran trooper, Clone Captain CC-7567, nicknamed "Rex," was the gruff, no-nonsense leader of the 501st Legion^[41] and Torrent Company during the early stages of the Clone Wars.^[16] His abilities of leadership and confidence were spotted early by the Kaminoan cloners, and he went through additional rigorous training^[42] in a variety of tactics and fighting styles^[41] to enhance his abilities,^[42] emerging to eventually hold the reputation as one of the toughest clones in the galaxy.^[41] Having displayed himself in battle, he wore honorific Mandalorian Jaig eyes on his helmet with his customized armor.^[42] Serving directly under Anakin Skywalker,^[15] he adopted the Jedi's tendencies for unorthodox combat strategies and tactics.^[41] He led the 501st in many battles, including ones at Christophsis, Teth,^[16] Bothawui,^[18] JanFathal,^[21] and Quell.^[24]

Rex's fearlessness and willingness to jump into the fray helped the Republic win numerous victories, and though far from reckless, he was prepared to put his own life and the lives of his troops in jeopardy if it meant an operation's success.^[41] However, he greatly cared for his men, and the subsequent Torrent Company losses at Teth^[16] and JanFathal took a great toll on him.^[21] Always on the look for clones that showed grit under fire for consideration as potential 501st recruits,^[42] the captain was responsible for inducting rookie troopers CT-27-5555 and CT-26-1409 into the legion.^[8] Rex formed a close bond with Ahsoka Tano, whom he met on Christophsis^[16] and continued to serve alongside her throughout numerous campaigns.^[19] Born to fight the battle droids of the Confederacy, he held his mechanic adversaries in contempt for the damage that they had wrought on both him and his clone brethren. He ultimately used his grudges to his advantage, becoming a soldier that appeared "casual" in combat against the droids.^[16]

CC-1119

Main article: CC-1119

CC-1119, or Appo, was in command of the 501st by 19 BBY. He helped lead the attack on the Jedi Temple, where he was injured by the Padawan Zett Jukassa. However, he survived, and continued to lead the 501st under the orders of Vader. Appo and his men helped Vader defeat several Jedi at the Kessel conclave, and would follow Vader to Murkhana. The trooper and a group of stormtroopers accompanied Vader to Alderaan in hopes of arresting Senator Fang Zar for treason. Vader was able to fatally injure Zar as he tried to flee, and the Dark Lord then led his men to Kashyyyk. There, Appo was killed by Roan Shryne, although Vader then finished off the Jedi while the forests of Kashyyyk burned from Imperial bombardment.

Coric

Main article: Coric

Sergeant Coric was a clone trooper trained in both combat and the medical field. Serving in the 501st Legion's Torrent Company, he used his talents to treat injured troops during the Battle of Christophsis, manning the Republic's temporary medical station in Crystal City. The sergeant led a squad at the following Battle of Teth, which saw him emerge as one of the few Torrent Company survivors alongside Captain Rex and five other clones.^[16] Coric once again served with Rex on JanFathal, flying the shuttle that the Republic task force used to extract Intelligence Agent Hallena Devis from the world and escape to Captain Gilad Pellaeon's Leveler. During the flight back, the sergeant employed his medical skills to help the injured Ince, but the trooper died shortly after returning to Leveler.^[21] Coric expressed a dry humor, even in the direst situations, much like Rex himself.^[16]

Oron Jaeger

Main article: Oron Jaeger

Oron Jaeger was the commander of the 501st in 137 ABY. Jaeger was injured during the Battle of Corulag, and was fitted with cybernetic implants during his surgery. The implants made him a cyborg and allowed him to perform various complex tasks at once. Jaeger remained loyal to Emperor Roan Fel after he was overthrown by the One Sith in 130 ABY. However, he did not rebel against Darth Krayt's new government, feigning loyalty until Fel arrived on Bastion and succeeded in taking the planet back from Krayt's supporters.

Bow

Main article: Bow

The clone trooper Bow was a member of the 501st in 19 BBY. At the Conclave on Kessel, he helped save Vader from several Jedi. Following the death of Appo, Bow became the commander of the legion.

• Oron Jaeger
• CT-0000/1010
• Daine Jir
• Grappler
• Retired clone trooper
• Vill

Fit this bit in somewhere: At least one stormtrooper did not like the Imperial philosophy, and planned to defect following the invasion of the Tantive IV. However, he was shot and killed by Organa during the battle.^[43][44]

Behind the scenes

The 501st Legion was first canonized in Survivor's Quest by Timothy Zahn. This was a reference to the fan organization known as the 501st Legion charity group. Formed by Albin Johnson and Tom Crews in 1997, it was originally composed of members who wore stormtrooper costumes. The group has since expanded to include all trooper variations, as well as Sith Lords, bounty hunters, and other villains from the series, and as of May 1, 2007, boasted over 3,500 members in 40 countries. The 501st Legion helps coordinate volunteers at Celebration, the official Star Wars convention. The group also has the nickname "Vader's Fist," which was subsequently also made the in-universe designation for the legion. The honorary leader is David Prowse, the actor who physically portrayed Darth Vader in the original trilogy.

In a further tribute to the real-life organization, the legion of blue clone troopers led by Darth Vader into the Jedi Temple in Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith was designated the 501st. Although this name was not mentioned in the film itself, much of the support material and merchandising for the film make this reference, including the popular video game Star Wars: Battlefront II, from which much of this article is based.

Appearances

Star Wars: Battlefront Star Wars: Battlefront II Star Wars: The Clone Wars film / novel / junior novel The Clone Wars: Wild Space Star Wars: The Clone Wars – "Downfall of a Droid" The Clone Wars: No Prisoners Star Wars: The Clone Wars – "Rookies" (Mentioned only) Star Wars: The Clone Wars – "Jedi Crash" Star Wars: The Clone Wars: Republic Heroes Order 66: A Republic Commando Novel Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (Retcon) Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith novel Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith junior novel (Retcon) Star Wars: The Force Unleashed video game Star Wars Republic: The Hidden Enemy Star Wars: Purge Star Wars Purge: Seconds to Die Imperial Commando: 501st Star Wars Dark Times: The Path to Nowhere Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader Star Wars Dark Times 7: Parallels, Part 2 (Appears in flashback(s)) Evasive Action: Recruitment "A Two-Edged Sword" - Star Wars Insider 85  Echoes of the Jedi on Wizards.com (article) (Mentioned only) Death Star Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope (First appearance) (Retcon) Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds (Retcon) Allegiance Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back (Retcon) Entrenched Star Wars Battlefront: Renegade Squadron Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi (Retcon) Luke Skywalker and the Shadows of Mindor (Mentioned only) Fool's Bargain Survivor's Quest (First identified as the 501st Legion) Revelation (Mentioned only) Star Wars Legacy 3: Broken, Part 3

Non-canon appearances

• Trooper (Retcon)
• LEGO Star Wars: The Video Game
• LEGO Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy
• LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga

Sources

Revenge of the Sith: The Visual Dictionary Star Wars: The Ultimate Visual Guide "Guide to the Grand Army of the Republic" - Star Wars Insider 84 Star Wars: Complete Locations The New Essential Chronology Star Wars Chronicles: The Prequels "Order 66: Destroy All Jedi" - Star Wars Insider 87 Star Wars Legacy 0 Star Wars: The Complete Visual Dictionary The New Essential Guide to Alien Species "Jedi Library" - Star Wars Insider 91 "Strangers Among Us: The Aliens Who Built the Galactic Empire" - Star Wars Insider 96 Star Wars: The Clone Wars: The Visual Guide "Screen Idols: A Who's Who Guide to Star Wars: The Clone Wars" - Star Wars Insider 103 Star Wars: The Official Figurine Collection 46 (Specialist Forces: 501st Legion) The Force Unleashed Campaign Guide  "Clone Wars Tactics" - Star Wars PocketModel TCG (Card: Denal) The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia The Clone Wars Campaign Guide  The Clone Wars Episode Guide: Jedi Crash on StarWars.com (backup link on Archive.org) Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Praji The Art of Star Wars: The Clone Wars Star Wars: The Clone Wars: Visual Guide Ultimate Battles The Essential Atlas Star Wars Galaxies Trading Card Game - The Shadow Syndicate

• Star Wars: The Clone Wars: The Official Episode Guide: Season 1
•  Fan Days Script: A Prelude to "Point Rain" on StarWars.com (backup link on Archive.org)
•  501st Legion in the Databank
•  Anakin Skywalker in the Databank
•  Clone Captain Rex in the Databank

Notes and references