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Blue Squadron (Rebel Alliance)

For other uses, see Blue Squadron (disambiguation).

Blue Squadron was a starfighter squadron active in the Alliance to Restore the Republic during the Galactic Civil War. Its pilots flew T-65 X-wings and B-wings among other starfighters used in the Rebel fleet.

1 History
2 Behind the scenes
3 Appearances
4 Sources
5 Notes and references
- 5.1 In other languages

HistoryEdit

Aboard IndependenceEdit

When stationed aboard the Mon Calamari Star Cruiser Independence, Blue Squadron was commanded by Captain Ernek Marskan. This squadron later transferred to Yavin Base just prior to the Battle of Yavin and many pilots, including Marskan, were reassigned for that battle.^[1]

Tantive IVEdit

A group of fighters named Blue Squadron served as scouts for the Princess Leia Organa's Tantive IV shortly before the vessel was attacked by Imperial forces led by Darth Vader, prior to the Battle of Yavin.

Battle of YavinEdit

Blue Squadron served at the Rebel base on Yavin 4, and participated in the Battle of Yavin. It was essential in clearing the first Death Star's surface of turrets, and neutralized a larger laser cannon emplacement.^[2] Their main goal had been to join Green Squadron in an attack run on the station's superlaser, and also hopefully distract the Empire from the exhuast port attack.^[3]

Blue Leader - Captain Merrick Simms (X-wing)
Blue Two - Commander Ru Murleen (X-wing)
Blue Three - "Rookie One" (X-wing)
Blue Four - Thurlow Harris (X-wing)

Battle of HothEdit

During the Battle of Hoth, members from the Rebellion's Blue and Green Squadrons and Rogue Flight were cobbled together and pressed into service as a unified "Rogue Squadron," doubling up as pilots and gunners aboard the Rebels' T-47 airspeeders.^[3]

First Battle of BothawuiEdit

Following the Battle of Hoth, Luke Skywalker formed an unofficial Blue Squadron comprising Bothan agents piloting BTL Y-wing starfighters. They launched an attack against the Suprosa, a freighter carrying plans for the second Death Star. Many Bothans died on that mission.

Blue Six - Ace Azzameen

Aboard DefianceEdit

Another Blue Squadron was assigned to the Mon Calamari Star Cruiser Defiance during the build up to the Battle of Endor. At least one pilot, Blue Eight, was killed in action at the time. It is possible this was the same squadron that would serve at Endor.

Battle of EndorEdit

Blue Squadron participated in the Battle of Endor, though the pilot roster was likely revised at this time. The squadron comprised A-wing and B-wing starfighters in the conflict. During the battle, the callsign Blue Wing was used to denote the squadron as a whole. However, it was also used as a moniker by the squadron's second-in-command.^[4]

After the death of Blue Leader, Blue Squadron joined Lando Calrissian's attack on the second Death Star, but broke off from the attack in order to distract a group of pursuing TIE fighters from Calrissian's attack run on the battlestation.^[5]

Blue Leader: Merrick Simms (B-wing)
Blue Wing: name unknown
Blue Five: Ten Numb (B-wing)
Blue Seven: Palso Thern (B-wing)
Ibtisam (B-wing)
Bowman Gavin (B-wing)

Following the destruction of the second Death Star, Ten Numb was assigned as Blue Leader. The squadron was assigned to the New Republic base on Folor sometime afterwards.

Behind the scenesEdit

During the making of Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, the X-wing squadron that Luke Skywalker was assigned to was given the designation "Blue Squadron." When it was realized that the blue markings on Blue Squadron's starfighters would be replaced by background footage during shots that incorporated a blue-screen, Blue Squadron was renamed "Red Squadron" and the name of the Y-wing squadron that originally bore that name was changed to "Gold Squadron." This change was not reflected in the novelization of A New Hope, which used the original designations for the squadron.

The information concerning the Battle of Yavin and the names of the pilots is derived from the S-canonical game Star Wars: Rebel Assault and is given with caution. The squadron seen defending Tantive IV in Star Wars: Empire at War may also be non-canonical.