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- "What did he think? That he would drag our little brother's name into the poodoo pit with him?"
- ―Jaina Solo
The Anakin Solo—often referred to just as the Anakin and known to its crew as the Black Annie because of its primary color—was a modified Imperial II-class Star Destroyer that served as the command ship of the Galactic Alliance Guard during the Second Galactic Civil War, a galaxy-wide conflict between the Galactic Alliance and the Confederation. Named in honor of the deceased Jedi Anakin Solo, the GAG Star Destroyer also served as the personal flagship of Colonel Jacen Solo, the elder brother of the starship's namesake. Its construction symbolized the growing influence and responsibilities of a secret police task force that was originally conceived for the objective of enforcing domestic security on the Alliance capital world of Coruscant. But at Jacen Solo's behest, the Guard was allowed to take a more active role in fighting against the Confederate rebellion.
Upon its completion, the Anakin Solo was launched from Coruscant's General Crix Madine Military Reserve in 40 ABY and shortly after secured its first victory at the Battle of Hapes. It then participated in the Alliance's ill-fated blockade of Corellia, the planet that spearheaded the anti-Alliance secessionist movement and the creation of the Confederation. After Alliance forces were repelled from Corellia, the Anakin Solo continued to play an active role in the war, but also suffered setbacks at Gilatter VIII, Kuat, Kashyyyk and Centerpoint Station.
Shortly after the Anakin Solo's completion, Jacen Solo successfully completed his secret training under the Dark Lady Lumiya and became the Sith Lord Darth Caedus. The Anakin Solo played a key part in the new Dark Lord's endeavor to secure a suitable apprentice who could help him carry on the Sith legacy. First, Caedus imprisoned his younger cousin Ben Skywalker within a secret room of the starship and unsuccessfully used torture as a means to convert him to the dark side of the Force. When this failed, he turned his attention to the Jedi Knight Tahiri Veila, whose remorse over Caedus's late brother made her more susceptible to the Dark Lord's seduction. She was subsequently granted a commission on the Anakin Solo and was promoted to the rank of junior lieutenant. Caedus then brought the vessel to Fondor, intending to test Veila's willingness to kill potential enemy combatants while under duress. The ship withdrew to Coruscant after Veila ordered the Anakin Solo's gunners to open fire on several Fondorian starfighters, but later returned at the head of a joint fleet that consisted of Alliance and Imperial Remnant warships.
But instead of displaying a show of strength and unity in the Galactic Alliance, as Caedus had intended, the Second Battle of Fondor resulted in even further division within the Alliance—this time between its joint-chiefs of state. As the duumvirate of Darth Caedus and Admiral Cha Niathal fell apart, the Anakin Solo retreated to Coruscant where Caedus took control of the capital and secured much of the Alliance under his control as sole chief of state.
In 41 ABY, barely a year into the extremely short life of the Anakin Solo, the Dark Lord's faction was defeated by the forces of the Jedi Coalition at the Battle of Uroro Station. During the fighting, the GAG Star Destroyer suffered considerable damage and Darth Caedus was slain in combat by his twin sister Jaina Solo, thus ending the Second Galactic Civil War. His death, combined with the surrender of the Imperial Remnant, resulted in the Galactic Alliance's cease fire with the Confederation and reconciliation with the New Jedi Order.
Characteristics
- "I was a gunner on the Anakin Solo, Jacen Solo's Impstar Deuce. We called her the Black Annie."
- ―Tirs Maladane
The Anakin Solo was a Galactic Alliance Guard Imperial II-class Star Destroyer that possessed both the usual features of its line and several customizations that ultimately distinguished it from other Star Destroyers of the similar design. In recognition of the Anakin Solo's status as the personal transport vessel of the Galactic Alliance secret police, the ship's durasteel hull was painted in matte black rather than the typical white of Alliance Star Destroyers. In addition to its role as a mobile base of operations for the Guard, the Anakin Solo also functioned as a carrier for smaller ships,[1] such as the Duracrud,[3] the Rover, XJ5 X-wing starfighters and various TIE fighter models.[1]
Designed for war, the Anakin Solo was equipped with an array of state-of-the-art armaments, ranging from standard and four long-range turbolaser batteries to baradium and concussion missiles, proton torpedos and advanced anti-starfighter weaponry. The long-range turbolasers were cutting-edge technology, although they exhausted a substantial amount of the vessel's power, which necessitated the shutdown of non-essential systems prior to firing. As a result, their recharge speed was slower than the average rate. Other systems incorporated into the Anakin Solo's design included tractor beam projectors, a gravity well generator located at the belly of the Star Destroyer, a cloaking cone that rose midway down its spine, and Berda—an advanced tactical computer system operated by a group of Bith programmers.[1]
Further additions to the Anakin Solo were devised by[1] the Sith Lord Darth Caedus,[9] who served as the overall commanding officer of the GAG Star Destroyer in his public guise as Colonel Jacen Solo. One of the new additions was the Detention Center, an area in the ship's belly that was unmarked so that detainees would not be aware of how close they were to the ship's prison. This was done to lessen the chances of resistance that could result in harm to inmates and security personnel.[1] A secret interrogation chamber was constructed near the long-range batteries and housed a Yuuzhan Vong torture device known as the Embrace of Pain.[6] The Colonel also had many concealed passageways built to connect the vessel's key areas, such as his personal quarters and the Command Salon.[4]
History
- "They named a GAG Star Destroyer for my dead boy? The kriffing rodders!"
- ―Han Solo
Launched in 40 ABY from the General Crix Madine Military Reserve, the Anakin Solo was designed specifically for the Galactic Alliance Guard, and as such was painted black and crewed at least partially with GAG personnel. Jaina Solo and Han Solo, still stewing over Anakin Solo's death, made complaints in colorful vocabulary on the name of the Anakin. [1]
In the defense of Hapes
The Anakin Solo had just completed its shakedown cruise when Jacen Solo took the ship to Hapes to defend Queen Mother Tenel Ka from the burgeoning insurrection there. The ship also served as a safe location to keep Allana away from assassins.[1]
The Anakin Solo saw its first victory during the Battle of Hapes, where its commander, Jacen Solo, succeeded in dismantling the Hapan fleet assembled by Ducha AlGray and her Heritage Council.[1]
At Hapes, Jacen ordered the Anakin to fire on the Millennium Falcon when he suspected his parents to be involved in the plot by the Five Worlds to kill Tenel Ka. The Falcon was nearly destroyed, and his parents' Noghri bodyguards, Cakhmaim and Meewalh, were killed.[1]
Further actions
Jacen later commanded the Anakin Solo during an attempt to break up a smuggling operation near Bespin. Solo succeeded in his endeavor, capturing Uran Lavint and her ship Breathe My Jets. It was later used in combat during the Blockade of Corellia and the Battle of Gilatter VIII.
The bombardment of Kashyyyk
The Anakin Solo during the Battle of Kashyyyk
The Anakin Solo later participated in the Battle of Kuat, before breaking off of the battle with the Galactic Alliance Fifth Fleet to go to Kashyyyk to confront the Wookiees and the Jedi after the Order had deserted the Galactic Alliance at Kuat. While above Kashyyyk, Jacen (now secretly known as Darth Caedus) ordered the Anakin Solo's long-range turbolasers to bombard the surface, on the advice of his younger cousin Ben after the Wookiees refused to yield to him. The bombardment caused a massive forest fire, which destroyed numerous wroshyr trees. In retaliation, a Wookiee squadron of Owool Interceptors attacked the bridge and wiped out the command crew.
The Jedi, under the leadership of Grand Master Luke Skywalker, attacked the Anakin Solo and the Fifth Fleet surrounding it in their StealthXs. As the Jedi were beginning their attack, the Bothan and Corellian fleets from the Battle of Kuat arrived.
As Luke and Jaina Solo began an attack run on the Anakin Solo, Caedus took his StealthX out into the battle. After Luke's StealthX was destroyed by friendly fire from Jaina, he and R2-D2 managed to sneak aboard the Anakin. While onboard, Luke sabotaged all of the Anakin's long-range turbolasers before confronting Caedus, who at that point had Ben trapped in the Embrace of Pain in a secret hangar bay onboard the Star Destroyer. Caedus was injured in the ensuring lightsaber duel, and Luke and Ben managed to flee. The destruction of the turbolasers caused two thousand casualties aboard the flagship.
Towards the end of the battle, the increasingly surrounded Anakin Solo was nearly destroyed by the Hapan fleet. Caedus' parents Han and Leia Organa Solo had convinced Tenel Ka that Jacen had turned to the dark side, and the Hapans opened fire on the already damaged vessel. The Anakin Solo and all aboard would have likely been destroyed had not Alema Rar aided Jacen in his battle meditation, allowing for indecision on the Confederation's part and the escape of the failing Star Destroyer.
Solo command
It would again see action during a "negotiation" between the Galactic Alliance and Corellia. However, the negotiations were merely a ruse to lure Caedus out to an area of deep space so that a now functioning Centerpoint Station could wipe out Caedus, the Anakin Solo, and the Galactic Alliance Second Fleet.
Due to interference by the Jedi in StealthXs, who were tracking Jacen and had managed to plant a holocom aboard the Anakin Solo, Caedus left the vessel in a Blur scouting vehicle as he fled his flagship, suspecting a bomb had been planted aboard. As the Jedi pursued him, Caedus ordered the Anakin Solo to provide cover, and thus the ship was not with the rest of the Second Fleet when Centerpoint Station was fired.
In retaliation to the firing of Centerpoint, Solo took the Anakin Solo as the flagship of the force which attacked Centerpoint in an attempt to capture the gravitic weapon. During the battle, the Anakin Solo was boarded by Iella Wessiri Antilles, Leia Organa Solo, Han Solo, R2-D2, Luke and Ben Skywalker, and Saba Sebatyne, in a successful attempt to rescue Hapan Chume'da Allana, whom Jacen had kidnapped in order to force Hapan alliance with the Galactic Alliance.
When Centerpoint was destroyed by Jedi saboteurs during the battle, the Anakin Solo avoided destruction, as it was positioned far away from the blast radius. Furious over the loss of his daughter and the destruction of Centerpoint, Caedus murdered Lieutenant Patra Tebut on the bridge of the Anakin Solo before ordering a return to Coruscant in light of the disaster.
Endgame
Towards the end of the war, the ship participated in the Battle of Uroro Station, alongside the Megador and a fleet of Imperial Remnant ships.[7]
The vessel was badly damaged in the battle, with most of the bridge tower destroyed and the remainder of the ship being heavily damaged by Jedi-flown StealthX fighters. Jaina Solo engaged her brother in a duel onboard the Anakin and ended up killing him due to Caedus' attention being focused on saving Tenel Ka and Allana more than defending himself.[7]
After the death of Darth Caedus, the surviving crew members who hadn't defected were taken off the ship and sent to ground based detention centers. Luke Skywalker, a number of Jedi, and their allies captured the Moff Council which had holed up on the Anakin. There, he forced them to return to the Galactic Alliance, and placed them under the command of Jagged Fel.[7]
Behind the scenes
Although the novel Invincible stated that it was solidly black, the artwork for the Anakin Solo included in The Essential Guide to Warfare depicted it with the normal gray color of an Imperial-class Star Destroyer.
Appearances
- Legacy of the Force: Tempest (First appearance)
- Legacy of the Force: Exile
- Legacy of the Force: Sacrifice
- Legacy of the Force: Inferno
- Legacy of the Force: Fury
- Legacy of the Force: Revelation
- Legacy of the Force: Invincible
- Millennium Falcon (Mentioned only)
- Fate of the Jedi: Abyss (Mentioned only)
Sources
- The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia
- Galaxy of Intrigue
- The Essential Guide to Warfare
"The Art of Warfare" — Star Wars Insider 133
Notes and references
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 1.18 1.19 1.20 1.21 1.22 1.23 1.24 1.25 1.26 1.27 1.28 1.29 1.30 1.31 1.32 1.33 1.34 1.35 1.36 1.37 1.38 Legacy of the Force: Tempest
- ↑ Imperial Sourcebook
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Legacy of the Force: Exile
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 Legacy of the Force: Fury
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Legacy of the Force: Revelation
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Legacy of the Force: Inferno
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 Legacy of the Force: Invincible
- ↑ The Essential Guide to Warfare
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Legacy of the Force: Sacrifice