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Invisible Hand

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This article is about General Grievous's flagship. For more uses of Hand, see Hand disambiguation.
Invisible Hand
Production information
Manufacturer

Free Dac Volunteers Engineering Corps and Pammant Docks[1]

Model

Modified Providence-class carrier/destroyer[1]

Class

Capital ship[2]

Cost

Not available for sale (likely valued at 125 million credits)[2]

Modified by

Confederacy of Independent Systems

Technical specifications
Modified systems
  • Main communications and sensor pod refitted as Count Dooku's private sanctum.
  • Hangars expanded to fill up space usually reserved for thrusters and reactors.
Length

1,088 meters[1]

Width

198 meters[1]

Height/depth

374 meters[1]

Maximum acceleration

2,500G[1]

Maximum speed (atmosphere)

1,050 km/h[3]

Engine unit(s)

4 Nubian Creveld-4 radial ion drives[1]

Hyperdrive rating
  • Class 1.0[3]
  • Backup: Class 10[3]
Armament
Fire Arc: Front
Fire Arc: 4 front, 5 left, 5 right
Fire Arc: 6 turreted batteries, 2 batteries front, 4 batteries left, 4 batteries right, 1 battery rear
Fire Arc: 2 batteries left, 2 batteries right
Fire Arc: Turreted
Ammo: 16 torpedoes each[2]
Fire Arc: 4 left, 4 right
Fire Arc: Turreted; 4 left, 4 right
Complement
Crew

350[3]

Passengers

125,000 battle droids[3]

Cargo capacity

50,000 tons[2]

Consumables

4 years[2]

Usage
Availability

Military[3]

Role(s)
Era(s)

Rise of the Empire era

Destroyed

19 BBY (Bridge remained)

Present for battles/events
Affiliation
Known owner(s)

General Grievous

Commander(s)

Lushros Dofine

[Source]
"Master, General Grievous's ship is directly ahead. The one crawling with Vulture droids."
―Anakin Skywalker to Obi-Wan Kenobi[src]

The Invisible Hand was a modified Providence-class carrier/destroyer and one of General Grievous's flagships during the Clone Wars.

As the new flagship of the Supreme Commander of the Droid Army, it also served as the flagship for the Confederacy of Independent Systems. At the height of the Clone Wars in 19 BBY, it had become one of the most feared ships in the galaxy.[1]

Contents

[edit] Specifications and weapons

The Invisible Hand was manufactured by Quarren exiles from Mon Calamari as part of the Free Dac Volunteers Engineering Corps along with Pammant Docks at an underground factory on Pammant.[1]

The hangar of the Invisible Hand.

While lacking the Malevolence's sheer firepower and armor, the ship was covered with powerful weapon emplacements, including quad turbolaser turrets, dual laser cannons, ion cannons, point-defense ion cannons, proton torpedo tubes and flak cannons. Each shot from the point-defense ion cannons released as much heat as a 4.8 megaton bomb, while the maximum yield of one of the quad turbolasers was equivalent to a magnitude 10 groundquake.[1]

As Grievous's replacement flagship, the Invisible Hand was given several major modifications. The aft reactor bay assembly was rearranged to provide more hangar space, so that the Invisible Hand could better serve as a carrier and invasion craft.

The ship’s dorsal fin mounted communication and sensor pod was refitted into spacious quarters, which were eventually taken over by Count Dooku. From there, Dooku broadcasted manipulative propaganda for the Separatist cause. It was known as the Wizard's Tower, and contained the General's Quarters.[1]

[edit] History

"Activate ray shields!"
―Grievous activates the ray shields in Hallway 328 — (audio)Listen (file info)[src]
The beginning of the Invisible Hand's descent.

As the Trade Federation became increasingly hostile, they bolstered their fleet with combat starships to further their Sith-influenced goals. Viceroy Nute Gunray chose the Invisible Hand as his flagship. When the Trade Federation joined the Confederacy of Independent Systems, they diverted their heavy Providence-class starships to the Confederate Navy, including the Invisible Hand.

Since control of the Separatist forces was handed to Grievous after he "lost" the Malevolence, Gunray reluctantly surrendered the Invisible Hand to the droid general to use as a replacement flagship at the behest of Darth Sidious. Gunray's reluctance was assuaged by permission to allow Lushros Dofine to be the captain of the ship, and he assigned Neimoidian navigators and controllers to the bridge crew.[4]

The Invisible Hand saw action at many engagements including those at Belderone, Humbarine, Duro, and Coruscant, as well as the deployment of the Loedorvian Brain Plague in the Weemell Sector. As the new flagship of the infamous General Grievous, slaughterer of billions, its name was so feared that the Confederacy used a pair of "decoys", Lucid Voice and Colicoid Swarm, to terrorize unsuspecting Republic worlds.[1]

The Invisible Hand's splits in two.

It was aboard the Invisible Hand that Palpatine was held captive and Count Dooku lost his life to Anakin Skywalker during the Battle of Coruscant. The Battle of Coruscant would be the Invisible Hand's last battle, however.

Due to the suddenness of the attack, as well as heavy signal jamming, not all Republic forces were aware of the Chancellor's presence aboard the Invisible Hand and continued firing on it.[4] A barrage of turbolaser fire from the Venator-class Star Destroyer Guarlara took the Invisible Hand down. Due to Captain Dofine's quick thinking: reversed stabilizers, magnetized fields; and General Grievous's last resort measure—the emergency booster engines—the ship was righted again, but not for long.

"We lost something."
"Not to worry. We are still flying half a ship."
―Anakin and Obi-Wan commenting on the ship's breaking in two[src]

During a skirmish on the bridge with Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi the main viewport was shattered by Grievous in order to make his escape, sucking most of the crew into space. Dofine and what remained of the crew ran off the bridge, allowing the Invisible Hand to finally succumb to Coruscant's gravity, splitting in two as it fell out of orbit.

"Another happy landing."
―Obi-Wan Kenobi — (audio)Listen (file info)[src]

Against all odds, Skywalker landed what was left of the ship in an industrial zone, knocking over a radar tower in the process. Though Skywalker, Kenobi, and Palpatine survived, the ship was reduced to a wreck.[5]

The Invisible Hand cantina on Coruscant was later named after it and had on display hull fragments were claimed to be from the Invisible Hand and had dropped on Coruscant following its destruction.[6]

[edit] Behind the scenes

The modified communication and sensor pod used by Dooku is referred to as the "Wizard's Tower" in the Revenge of the Sith: Incredible Cross-Sections. This is a likely reference to actor Christopher Lee's role as Saruman in the The Lord of the Rings movie trilogy.

Based on its use by the capitalist origins of the Trade Federation, the ship's name may be an Earth reference inspired by famed Scottish economist Adam Smith's economic concept of the "invisible hand"—a force, said by Smith, to guide events to a certain goal; likely a reference to the capitalistic forces which it served.

Another possible Earth reference which may have inspired the ship's name is the security starship of the same name in Vernor Vinge's 1999 novel, "A Deepness in the Sky."

In 2007, a model of the ship was incorporated into the Topps/WizKids game, Star Wars PocketModel TCG. The ship was also made into a die cast model in the Hasbro Titanium series of miniature vehicles.

[edit] Appearances

The Invisible Hand "lands" on Coruscant towards the end of the battle.

[edit] Sources

[edit] Notes and references

  1. ↑ 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 Revenge of the Sith: Incredible Cross-Sections
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4  Starships and Vehicles of Revenge of the Sith on Wizards.com (article)
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 The Clone Wars Campaign Guide
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Revenge of the Sith: The Visual Dictionary
  5. ↑ Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
  6. ↑ A Reckoning of Wraiths
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