Vult Skerris

This article is about Vult Skerris, the Imperial pilot.
You may be looking for Vult, the Kel Dor customs officer.

"Attention, rebel ship, this is Commander Vult Skerris of the Imperial Navy. You are harboring a traitor to the Empire. Surrender immediately."

―Skerris hails the Ghost^[6]

Vult Skerris was a human male pilot who served as a captain in the Galactic Empire's naval forces during the Imperial Era. As an Imperial pilot, he flew a TIE/IN interceptor with red markings and wore a TIE pilot flight suit with yellow stripes on the helmet and arms. Skerris was stationed at the elite Skystrike Academy, where he trained TIE pilot cadets as a flight instructor. In 2 BBY, he engaged rebel forces near the planet Teralov and destroyed a transport and its escorts delivering supplies to civilians.

In that year, Skerris dealt with cadets at Skystrike attempting to defect to the rebellion, led by the rebel Sabine Wren, but failed to prevent their escape. Sometime later, Skerris, promoted to commander, was placed under Grand Admiral Thrawn's command and was personally chosen by the Grand Admiral to fly a prototype TIE/d "Defender" Multi-Role Starfighter to pursue the rogue Senator Mon Mothma into the Archeon Nebula. During the pursuit, Skerris shot down multiple Y-wings escorting Mothma, who was aboard the starship Ghost. The rebels escaped after Skerris' starfighter was struck by an ion cannon, causing it to drift aimlessly into the nebula.

After recovering, Skerris was placed as the commander of Defender Squadron One and led the unit in engaging Grysk Hegemony forces while Thrawn and the Sith Lord Darth Vader completed their mission on the planet Batuu and later the planet Mokivj. The pilot was later selected to fly a new prototype fighter, the TIE/D Defender Elite, by Thrawn on the planet Lothal. However, Skerris did not get a chance to demonstrate its capabilities to the Grand Admiral when the ship was stolen by Wren and her rebel cohort Ezra Bridger. Subsequently, Thrawn allowed the rebels to demonstrate its prowess and later authorized its destruction after he was satisfied with the results.

In 1 BBY, Skerris participated in defending the Imperial blockade in the Lothal system against a Rebel Alliance squadron led by General Hera Syndulla. He ultimately died when Syndulla lured him into a trap that involved eliminating his Defender's shields to let her shoot him down, sending him crashing into an Arquitens-class command cruiser.

Biography[]

Skystrike Academy[]

Instructing cadets[]

"What kind of rebel ship was that? That was no transport."
"Ah, but you are wrong, cadet. That was a transport called the Ghost, which has been modified for combat. The rebels are a desperate group of extremists. They'll fight with any ship, using any means necessary to undermine our authority. That is why orders must be followed without question."

―"Ria Talla" and Vult Skerris^[7]

Imperials ambush rebel convoy — Skerris and two other TIEs prepare to engage rebel pilots near Teralov.

A human male,^[2] Vult Skerris saw the chaos and corruption of the Galactic Republic be replaced by the safety and security of the Galactic Empire.^[3] He^[2] rose to the rank of captain in the Imperial Navy and became an ace TIE fighter pilot. Flying a TIE interceptor on key Imperial missions across the galaxy, he served as a flight instructor based at the elite Skystrike Academy at the planet Montross^[3] to train the next generation of TIE aces. Due to his reputation,^[8] he was among a number of aces promoted with the right to customize their flight suit and TIE fighter with yellow stripes and red markings, respectively.^[9] In 2 BBY,^[10] Skerris and two other TIE interceptors took part in an attack on a rebel convoy heading to^[7] the planet^[11] Teralov to deliver supplies to civilians. Launching from an Arquitens-class command cruiser, Skerris and his fellow pilots wiped out the escort A-wings before strafing the rebel transport. The rebel captain pleaded for mercy and stressed that they were unarmed. However, Skerris was unmoved and fired a final salvo, which hit the transport's command bridge and destroyed the vessel.^[7]

Following the attack on the transport, he took part in a simulated combat exercise at Skystrike. The exercise involved him and two cadets, Wedge Antilles and "Ria Talla," flying in simulator pods while under the supervision of Instructor Goran. During the exercise, Skerris operated a simulated copy of the VCX-100 light freighter Ghost, which destroyed Antilles and Talla's simulated TIE fighters. In the debriefing following the exercise, Talla asked about the Ghost's model, to which Skerris responded that it was a transport that was modified for combat while exiting his simulator pod.^[7]

Skystrike Academy classroom — Skerris lectures "Ria Talla" and Wedge Antilles.

Skerris then explained that the rebels who operated the Ghost were extremists who would use any means necessary to fight the Empire, and he lectured Antilles and Talla on the obedience of orders. He then addressed the two cadets and made sure that they understood his orders. Unbeknownst to Skerris and the rest of the academy's personnel, Talla was secretly an undercover rebel agent named Sabine Wren, a crew member of the Ghost. Wren was on a mission to extract Antilles and two other defectors, Derek Klivian, and Rake Gahree, from the academy.^[7] The three defectors were motivated to abandon the Empire after learning about Skerris' attack on the rebel transport.^[12]

Dealing with defectors[]

"Young fools."

―Skerris, ridiculing Wren and the defectors^[7]

During a spaceflight exercise, Skerris and two other TIE interceptors accompanied several cadets as they participated in a mock dogfight. Wren, Antilles, Klivian, and Gahree, who were among the cadets, attempted to escape in their TIE fighters. When the rebel CR90 corvette Liberator arrived in Montross' orbit, Wren and the three cadets headed toward the corvette in order to board it and depart the area. In response, Governor Arihnda Pryce, who had arrived at the academy to uncover the defectors, activated the fighters' kill switches, detaching the solar collector panels and leaving them stranded in space. Under Pryce's orders, Skerris fired on one of the cadets' TIE fighters and killed Gahree. The three Interceptors then proceeded to damage the Liberator, forcing the ship to flee into hyperspace and allowing the three remaining defectors to be captured.^[7]

Vult Skerris cockpit — Skerris failed to prevent the defectors' escape despite his efforts.

After Wren, Antilles, and Klivian escaped the academy in a stolen TIE bomber, Skerris pursued the fugitives in his TIE interceptor. While flying through Montross' atmosphere, Skerris inflicted damage on the TIE bomber and caused it to lose altitude. However, the Liberator returned and forced Skerris to break off his pursuit. When the bomber attached itself to the corvette and left the atmosphere, Skerris continued tailing the vessel until it escaped into hyperspace with the defectors.^[7]

Following the event, Skerris returned to the academy. Pryce later berated Goran, who requested that he be given a chance to confront the cadets who escaped and persuade them to return to the Empire. When Pryce pointed out that three of the academy's best students had left to join the rebellion, Skerris corrected the governor, stating that he had killed one of the defectors, Gahree.^[13]

Hunting the rebellion[]

"Our capital ships can't follow her."
"Precisely. So I've readied my new prototype and our best pilots to hunt down and capture this rogue Senator."
"Grand Admiral, allow me the honor of silencing her."
"Very well, Governor. Take Admiral Konstantine to the far side of the nebula and wait there. When our fighters flush the rebels out into the open, you'll be in position to capture Senator Mon Mothma alive."

―Governor Pryce and Grand Admiral Thrawn deploy Skerris and his wingmen to capture the escaping Senator Mon Mothma^[6]

Nebula fight — Skerris pursues the *Ghost* in his TIE/D Defender.

At some point after the incident at Skystrike Academy, Skerris was promoted to the rank of commander and was singled out to serve Grand Admiral Thrawn^[3] as part of his 7th Fleet.^[14] Later on in 2 BBY,^[10] Thrawn chose Skerris to fly an experimental TIE/d "Defender" Multi-Role Starfighter that was equipped with a deflector shield into the Archeon Nebula with two TIE interceptor wingmen. Accompanied by an Arquitens-class command cruiser, they pursued a rebel convoy that was carrying the former Senator Mon Mothma, who was deemed as a traitor by the Empire. After catching up with the Ghost and its Y-wing fighter escorts, Skerris issued an ultimatum that they surrender Mothma. The rebels refused and instead sent the Y-wings of Gold Three and Gold Four to engage the TIE, but Skerris quickly shot them down.^[6]

Skerris then followed the Ghost, carrying Mothma, and its remaining escorts through the nebula, where he gained a lock on the starship. However, the Y-wing pilot Gold Five sacrificed herself to protect the ship by flying her Y-wing into his crosshairs. The rebels then diverted all power to their shields and flew close to a forming star. The TIE interceptors were swiftly destroyed by the star's radiation due to their lack of shielding, leaving Skerris as the sole pursuer. Skerris broke off after the radiation damaged his fighter's deflector shields.^[6]

Skerris-Y-Wings — Skerris engages Bridger and Vander.

After recovering, Skerris engaged the Jedi Padawan Ezra Bridger and Gold Leader Jon Vander's Y-wings, and he tailed Bridger's ship when it separated from Vander. However, he failed to destroy it and was hit with an ion blast from Vander's starfighter, as Bridger had intentionally baited Skerris in order to get the Defender into the ion cannon's firing range. With his ship incapacitated, Skerris spun out of control further into the nebula. The Ghost, Bridger, and Vander exited the nebula and fled into hyperspace soon afterward.^[6]

Mission to Batuu[]

Engaging Grysk forces[]

"This is Captain Vult Skerris of Defender Squadron One. Hope we're not too late to join in. Anything in particular we can do for you?"

―Skerris, to Commander Kimmund^[4]

Following the pursuit of Mothma and the Battle of Atollon,^[4] further on in 2 BBY,^[10] Skerris accompanied Thrawn and the Sith Lord Darth Vader aboard the Grand Admiral's^[4] Imperial I-class Star Destroyer,^[15] Chimaera. Skerris commanded Defender Squadron One during Thrawn's and Vader's journey to the Outer Rim planet Batuu. While in Batuu's orbit, Commodore Karyn Faro, who was placed in command of the Chimaera by Vader, deployed the 1st Legion's freighter, Darkhawk, in order to capture an unidentified freighter, escorted by four smaller ships, belonging to the Grysk Hegemony. Commander Kimmund and the freighter's crew attempted to capture it under Vader's orders. Faro had also deployed Skerris and Defender Squadron One for assistance, unbeknownst to the Darkhawk's crew.^[4]

DefenderSquadronAttacksFreighter-TA3 — Defender Squadron One attacks a Grysk freighter.

Unable to jump to lightspeed in order to avoid detection, the Darkhawk drifted toward the vessel as the freighter had traveled deep within Batuu's gravity well. The Grysk vessel departed Batuu's orbit and attempted to flee after detecting the freighter. Piloting their TIE Defenders, Defender Squadron One then flew past the Darkhawk, and Skerris announced the unit's presence to Kimmund. The commander explained his crew's objective to capture the vessel intact and asked if Skerris' unit could damage and prevent it from escaping. The pilot obliged and noted that Faro had also suggested the same action. When the Grysks fired upon the squadron, Defender Squadron One evaded their attacks and proceeded to damage the vessel. After Skerris and his squadron finished their attack run and created an opening in the ship's aft, the pilot asked Kimmund if the Darkhawk's crew required another entry point in the vessel for boarding. Instead, Kimmund requested that the squadron pursue the vessel's escorts, and Defender Squadron One obliged.^[4]

Skerris then received new orders from Faro, which was to continue attacking the freighter and create an additional opening in the ship's forward starboard hatch. After breaking off from his squadron, he explained to Kimmund that the action would cause the Grysks to believe they would be boarded from there instead of the aft starboard. Kimmund threatened to shoot the pilot down upon hearing from him. However, Skerris reminded the commander that damaging his TIE Defender would anger Thrawn. When the Darkhawk's crew prepared to board the unidentified vessel, Skerris continued to hammer its forward hull. Thanks to Skerris' actions, Kimmund and his troopers successfully boarded the vessel, where they proceeded to engage the Grysk forces within, intending to seize their cargo.^[4]

Further engagements[]

"Our first thought was that they were some kind of covert fighter escort. But it turned out they didn't have much in the way of armament, or at least nothing they were willing to show us. They weren't very fast, either."

―Skerris, assessing the Grysk vessels^[4]

When Kimmund's forces were unable to breach the area where the cargo was held, Skerris was contacted by the commander, who told him to attack the Grysk vessel's ventral cargo hatch. When the TIE pilot complied and prepared to carry out the task, he spotted a second ship making its way to the area where Thrawn and Vader had landed and asked if he should give chase. On Kimmund's orders, Skerris destroyed the hatch and then broke off to pursue the other ship. Throughout the skirmish, Skerris and his squadron recorded images of the Grysk vessels.^[4]

MokivjYakorkiUmme — Skerris and Defender Squadron One engaged Grysk forces in the Mokivj system.

Following the engagement, Defender Squadron One returned to the Chimaera. Skerris collated the reports on the squadron's encounter with Grysks. He later participated in a meeting aboard the Star Destroyer with Thrawn, Vader, Faro, and Kimmund, where they discussed the Grysks' tactics. Skerris stated that his squadron believed the Grysk vessels were a fighter escort, but disregarded the notion after observing the vessels' lack of armaments. Vader asked the captain about the captured freighter's flight patterns, to which Skerris replied they were ordinary as the ships operated similar to small transports. The captain then asked what cargo the Grysk were carrying and pointed out that the smaller ships began making their way to the freighter upon spotting his squadron.^[4]

Sometime later, the Chimaera engaged Grysk forces in the Mokivj system, where they attempted to shift the position of the planet Mokivj's moons using their spacetugs. On Thrawn's orders, Defender Squadron One was deployed to immobilize one of the Grysk's escaping ships. However, the squadron was unable to intercept the ship in time, and Skerris reported this to Thrawn. The admiral then ordered the squadron to destroy the remaining ships, aided by the Chimaera's turbolasers. When the Chimaera managed to track down the escaped ship from before, Vader was placed in command of Defender Squadron One, much to the protest of Skerris. The squadron went on to engage more Grysk forces with the Chimaera and emerged victorious.^[4]

Testing the TIE/D Defender Elite[]

"Good afternoon, Commander. I'm eager to hear your opinion on the improvements made to the TIE Defender program."
"Allow me to present the Defender Elite for your inspection, Grand Admiral, and then I will provide you with a flight demonstration."

―Thrawn and Skerris^[5]

Sabine in a TIE prototype — Wren stole the TIE Defender Elite prototype before Skerris could fly the fighter.

As the test pilot chosen to fly the TIE Defender, Skerris pushed the prototype to its limits in combat engagements, repeatedly proving the ship's potential in the process. The test flights he undertook provided sufficient data to create a new fighter, the TIE/D Defender Elite,^[3] which possessed superior speed, weapons, and shielding to the original.^[5] In 1 BBY,^[10] Skerris was posted to^[5] the Outer Rim planet^[8] Lothal,^[5] where the TIE Defenders^[16] and the new fighter were being produced.^[3] As the leader of Thrawn's TIE Defender initiative, Skerris was entrusted with the testing and development of the new ship.^[17] He brought the fighter to a remote airfield on Lothal. After exiting the ship, he was greeted by Thrawn and Pryce, who had arrived to witness a flight demonstration of the prototype performed by Skerris.^[5]

While the pilot escorted them to the fighter, he was startled to spot Bridger battling Imperial troopers with his lightsaber and expressed disbelief at the presence of a Jedi. Skerris was further surprised when the TIE Defender Elite, which was stolen by Wren in order to acquire its flight data recorder, lifted off and began blasting the surrounding area. Bridger then entered the fighter, which proceeded to lay waste to the depot and destroy most of the parked TIE fighters and interceptors before strafing the landing strip where Skerris, Thrawn and Pryce all stood. Although Skerris attempted to persuade Thrawn to seek cover, the Chiss calmly faced the oncoming fighter down with his blaster and watched it streak over his head, narrowly missing the control tower.^[5]

Thrawn vs Defender Elite — Skerris and Thrawn watch as the stolen TIE prototype flies away.

Skerris was then ordered by Thrawn, who saw the theft as an opportunity to test the prototype's combat prowess, to deploy three TIE interceptors in pursuit. He joined Thrawn and Pryce at the tower, observing the stolen Elite's progress. After two of the interceptors were quickly destroyed, Skerris surmised it to be the work of the rebel captain Hera Syndulla. Thrawn dismissed the suggestion, stating that if Syndulla had been at the controls, the three fighters would have been eliminated much quicker, and concluded that Bridger was piloting the Elite. After the prototype's homing beacon was shut off, Thrawn deduced that Wren was the other rebel on board and had Pryce activate the ship's kill switch, causing the prototype to crash.^[5]

Dogfight above Lothal[]

"Commander, the rebels must not reach the planet's surface."
"I'll make sure of it, sir."

―Thrawn and Skerris^[18]

In the same year,^[1] the Rebel Alliance deployed the Phoenix Squadron to launch an attack on Lothal, seeking to destroy the Imperial Armory Complex in Capital City. Although severely outnumbered by the Imperial blockade in the Lothal system, the rebel fighters—led by Syndulla—destroyed many TIE fighters. Aboard the Chimaera, which was part of the blockade, Skerris was ordered by Thrawn to join the battle. The pilot exited the Star Destroyer aboard his personal TIE Defender Elite^[18] and led the Imperial fighters.^[19] He shot down Phoenix Four and Phoenix Five in rapid succession before turning his attention toward Syndulla's X-wing. While pursuing Syndulla, she formulated a plan and headed straight for the Chimaera. When Skerris was in the Star Destroyer's line of fire, Thrawn ordered him to break off pursuit, but Skerris refused, citing that he almost had Syndulla in his sights;^[18] Skerris wished to avenge himself for his defeat during the pursuit of Mothma.^[3]

Skerris-Death-RA — Skerris lost his life in the Lothal system.

Mildly annoyed, Thrawn nonetheless ordered his gunners to open fire, hitting both Skerris and Syndulla. Although the Elite's shields withstood the barrage, they were deactivated as a result, leaving his ship vulnerable along with Syndulla's. She then fired on the Chimaera's targeting array, damaging it and creating a cloud of smoke before flying through the narrow gap. Due to the Elite's larger profile, Skerris flew around the structure.^[18] Skerris was unable to decelerate in time and turn to fire^[19] when Syndulla fired on his unshielded ship, blowing off two of its wings. Helpless, Skerris screamed as his fighter spun out of control and crashed into an Arquitens-class command cruiser, killing him instantly. The damaged cruiser then crashed into a nearby Star Destroyer, shearing off its command tower. The destruction of those ships allowed the remaining rebel pilots to break through the blockade and enter the planet's atmosphere.^[18]

Legacy[]

In that year,^[10] following Skerris' demise, Captain Benj Dobbs was placed in command of Defender Squadron One. Commodore Faro believed that the pilot's death over Lothal was the direct result of his arrogance. However, she also believed that Dobbs and his pilots could not match Skerris' skill in combat and hoped that the squadron was able to rise up to the task should the Chimaera face another battle.^[20]

The pilots of the New Republic's Hound Squadron were taught to fear the rebel-hunter TIE pilots Valen Rudor, Neosephine Calorda, and Skerris. During the Imperial 204th Imperial Fighter Wing's attack on the EF76 Nebulon-B escort frigate Hellion's Dare, which took place several weeks after the Battle of Endor^[21] in 4 ABY,^[10] the pilots listed those names when discussing their training.^[21]

In 34 ABY, the leader of the Knights of Ren,^[10] Kylo Ren, flew the advanced prototype TIE silencer—which incorporated various features from the TIE Defender prototypes flown by Skerris during the Imperial Era—while combating the enemies of the regime. As a skilled pilot testing a prototype starfighter, Ren followed in the tradition of Skerris and his own grandfather, Vader.^[22]

Personality and traits[]

"Transport to Imperial fighters. Stand down! We are unarmed! You have no right to fire on us."
"I beg to differ."

―A rebel transport captain and Skerris^[7]

As a stern^[8] flight instructor and captain in the Imperial Navy, Skerris expected the best results and strict obedience to orders from his students at Skystrike.^[2] Acting as an extension of Emperor Palpatine's will, he set straight any Imperial, from cadet upward, who did not hold to that ideal. Skerris was the ideal Imperial and "poster boy" for the Empire's pilot training programmes. Utterly loyal to the Empire, he was lauded for his every action, and he served without hesitation or question.^[3]

SkerrisSkyStrike-RebelsS3E4 — Skerris followed orders without question and expected the same from his students.

Proud of leading the assault on the rebel transport near Teralov and ruthlessly destroying it, Skerris was a cold-hearted^[23] and arrogant ace^[24] pilot who was willing to shoot down unarmed opponents, including rebels and defectors like Gahree. He despised the Rebel Alliance and regarded them as "extremists." He also believed that orders from superiors were to be followed without question,^[7] a practice he himself employed,^[3] and that insubordination would lead to death; he made both points clear to Wren and Antilles at the academy when they were shot down by the Ghost in the simulation. When pursuing the defecting cadets, Skerris derided them as "young fools."^[7]

During the Chimaera's mission to Batuu, he argued greatly against having Vader lead Defender Squadron One, causing the Sith Lord to wonder if Skerris' attitude would someday be the pilot's own detriment. This would prove true eventually,^[4] as Skerris' overconfidence in his piloting skills,^[18] arrogance, and desire for revenge^[3] led him to disregard Thrawn's orders to disengage Syndulla's X-wing during the dogfight over Lothal. Syndulla's trap cost him not only his life, but also created an opening for the rebels to Lothal through the Imperial blockade.^[18] Skerris had gray hair, blue eyes, and light skin.^[2]

Skills and abilities[]

"Skerris, break off your pursuit."
"Negative, command, I almost have her."

―Skerris denies an order from Thrawn, confident he could shoot down Syndulla^[18]

Skerris-Interceptor — Skerris was a formidable pilot in the Imperial Navy.

Brutally efficient in eliminating the Empire's enemies,^[3] notorious,^[17] and legendary within Imperial ranks,^[3] Skerris was one of the Empire's most skilled pilots,^[2] being known for that and his cunning,^[17] in addition to being considered one of Skystrike Academy's best teachers.^[3] Due to that status, he was personally selected by Thrawn to fly the TIE Defender prototype and pursue Senator Mothma and her rebel allies through the Archeon Nebula. Flying his TIE, Skerris was able to engage multiple enemy fighters without suffering damage to his ship thanks to its shielding. Despite his skills, Skerris' starfighter was incapacitated by Jon Vander with Ezra Bridger's assistance, and it spun out of control.^[6] Skerris had high intelligence and average diplomatic skill, strength, speed, and fighting ability. He was not Force-sensitive.^[25]

During the mission over Batuu, Skerris was able to damage the Grysk vessel with the Defender's weaponry without destroying it completely, which allowed Kimmund's unit to successfully board the ship. Vader also regarded the pilot to be highly proficient when the Sith Lord suggested to Thrawn that the Defender's controls be made simpler, as he believed that not all Imperial pilots were as skilled at using them as Skerris.^[4] During the battle over Lothal, Skerris, piloting the TIE Defender Elite, quickly shot down multiple rebel pilots before engaging Syndulla, in which his career came to an end.^[18]

Equipment[]

As a TIE fighter pilot, Skerris wore a TIE pilot's uniform designed to reflect his unique status; the suit had yellow stripes on either side of the body and arms, and the flight helmet featured a yellow stripe and a horned insignia on its crest ridge.^[3] By the time of the battle in the Lothal system, the insignia was used on his TIE Defender Elite, which also sported yellow markings that matched his uniform.^[18] During the pursuit of the Ghost, he piloted a TIE Defender prototype after he was personally handpicked as the test pilot by Thrawn.^[6]

Skerris was permitted to have red markings,^[3] which denoted his skill in combat,^[2] on the TIE fighters he flew;^[3] a TIE interceptor during his time at Skystrike Academy^[2] and, while stationed on Lothal, the prototype TIE Defender Elite.^[5]

Behind the scenes[]

VultSkerris-Lighting — A digital lighting concept painting of Skerris

Vult Skerris first appeared in "The Antilles Extraction," the fourth episode of the animated series Star Wars Rebels's third season, which aired on October 8, 2016.^[26] He was voiced by Mario Vernazza.^[7] Skerris had been initially revealed in a trailer released on July 16 of that year.^[27] The horned insignia on Skerris' helmet^[28] and TIE Defender Elite^[29] was previously featured on AT-ST models created for^[28] the 1980 original trilogy film,^[30] Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back, as well as its Kenner toy.^[28]

In Timothy Zahn's^[4] July 24, 2018^[31] novel, Thrawn: Alliances, Skerris was referred to as both a lieutenant and a captain.^[4] The November 2018^[32] fifteenth issue of the Star Wars: Build Your Own X-Wing magazine established that his promotion to commander took place prior to the events of the novel.^[3] Skerris also appears in the 2020 mobile video game Star Wars: Starfighter Missions as an unlockable character and a possible boss at the end of a level, piloting a TIE Defender Elite.^[33]