Saboteur
General information
Member(s)	Defilers[1][2] Infiltrators[3] Kyle Katarn[1] Wraith Squadron[4] Kell Tainer[1] Wes Janson[1]
Other information
Era(s)	Rise of the Empire era[5] Rebellion era[2][6][7] New Republic era[4][8][9] New Jedi Order era[10][11]
Affiliation	Rebel Alliance[6] Zann Consortium[2] New Republic[1][4]

[Source]

A saboteur was an individual tasked with disrupting the normal operation of a physical mechanism. Both organic beings and droids were capable of performing acts of sabotage. They were skilled at subtle manipulations designed for simple operation failure or the complete destruction of a target. Saboteurs were highly skilled and often combined the talents of a slicer, mechanic and explosives expert with the skills of a spy or commando. Saboteurs were used by governments, military, corporations, and criminal elements alike.

CharacteristicsEdit

Saboteurs operated covertly using stealth, often infiltrating a location by posing as an individual authorized to be there. They could work individually if infiltrating a single structure or in small teams when their target was an entire complex or covering a larger area.^[1]

Well trained saboteurs could damage anything from weapons and vehicles to computer systems, and the best of them could subtly manipulate machinery to appear in perfect working order until the designated moment when they would malfunction catastrophically, typically at the moment it will wreak the most havoc.^[3] The objectives of a saboteur ranged from simply disabling a particular machine, such as a shield generator or power grid, or the complete destruction of a building, complex or base.^[1]

Most saboteurs were skilled in multiple fields of expertise due to the various forms and degrees of sabotage they were tasked with. They often had to be able to slice into computer systems and know their way around an engine, as well as be an explosives expert and proficient with many kinds of blasters and melee weapons. They were also required to be convincing performers as they were frequently required to play a role to infiltrate a particular target location.^[3]

HistoryEdit

During the Clone Wars, the Confederacy of Independent Systems deployed buzz droids, a type of insect-like automaton, in swarms during battlefleet actions to wreak havoc upon starfighter squadrons that happened to fly through a formation of such deployed droids. Buzz droids were equipped with drill heads, plasma cutting torches, circular saws, prying hooks and pincer arms for disabling their targets.^[5]

Before the formation of the Rebel Alliance, ex-Clone Wars General Rahm Kota sabotaged Imperial TIE fighter production when he and his militia troops took over a TIE Fighter Construction Facility over Nar Shaddaa. He and his forces were defeated by Darth Vader's secret apprentice.^[12]

Before becoming a Jedi Knight, Kyle Katarn worked as an agent of Alliance to Restore the Republic, often committing acts of sabotage against Imperial targets. While tracking down the origins of the Dark Trooper Project, Katarn infiltrated and destroyed a mining facility on Gromas 16, halting the Empire's flow of phrikite. He later infiltrated and caused the destruction of the Arc Hammer, the factory ship where Dark troopers were produced.^[7]

Shortly after the Battle of Yavin, the Imperial Star Destroyer Anya Karu was destroyed by Rebel Alliance saboteurs. Rather than admit to a defeat by a handful of Rebels, the Empire blamed Captain Aron Harcourt for the ship's destruction and demoted him to desk job on Coruscant. The Empire dispatched the Adjudicator to destroy the wreckage of the Anya Karu to eliminate any evidence of the Rebels' involvement in its downfall.^[6]

The Zann Consortium made use of elite commandos, known as Defilers, that were completely loyal to their leader, Tyber Zann. Defilers were trained to both protect and advance the Consortium's influence and power. They were skilled soldiers, enforcers, and saboteurs. They resorted to kidnapping, manipulations, bribery, threats, virtually any means necessary to spread the corruption of the Zann Consortium.^[2]

Han Solo led a strike team to the forest moon of Endor to destroy the shield generator protecting the Death Star II. After initially being captured by Imperial forces, the strike team was able to plant explosives causing the destruction of the generator. Once the shield was deactivated, Rebel Alliance fighters, led by Lando Calrissian in the Millennium Falcon, were able to penetrate the Death Star superstructure and destroy the battle station, ending the dictatorial reign of Emperor Palpatine.^[13]

After infiltrating Imperial City on Coruscant, Rogue Squadron was able to hijack a Construction droid to take them to the command building. There, they took remote control of one of the orbiting solar mirrors. focusing a light beam from the mirror directly onto one of the planet's reservoirs. The flash-boiled water caused a massive electrical storm, overloading the shield station power supply, causing the shields to collapse allowing the New Republic to liberate the planet.^[8]

Wraith Squadron, a New Republic starfighter squadron, used deception and sabotage on numerous occasions during the campaign to draw Warlord Zsinj into the open. Posing as gang of pirates, they disrupted the warlord's supply line. Rather than destroy the "pirate gang", Zsinj hired them to work for him, allowing the Wraiths closer contact than ever before. Their continued ploy resulted in the destruction of the Star Dreadnought Razor's Kiss, preventing it from falling into Zsinj's hands.^[4]

Admiral Ackbar's personal mechanic, Terpfen was an unwitting sleeper agent for Imperial Ambassador Furgan of Carida. He sabotaged Ackbar's personal B-wing/E2 shuttle which caused it to crash into the Cathedral of Winds on Vortex. This accident destroyed the cathedral, killing hundreds of native Vors and nearly killing Ackbar and his passenger, Leia Organa Solo.^[9]

After being imprisoned on Yuuzhan'tar during the Yuuzhan Vong War, Jacen Solo befriended the World Brain. After escaping with Vergere, he revealed that he had left instructions for the World Brain to sabotage^[10] the ongoing terraforming in tiny and annoying ways. The Brain made small things go wrong in the process and teach the Yuuzhan Vong to compromise with other species.^[11]

AppearancesEdit

SourcesEdit

• Star Wars Customizable Card Game – Hoth Limited (Card: Infantry Mine)
• Star Wars Customizable Card Game – Hoth Limited (Card: Infantry Mine)
• Star Wars Customizable Card Game – Cloud City Limited (Card: Chief Retwin)
• Star Wars: Rebellion: Prima's Official Strategy Guide
• The New Essential Chronology
• Threats of the Galaxy
• The Force Unleashed Campaign Guide
• Scum and Villainy
• Star Wars Galaxies Trading Card Game – Threat of the Conqueror (Card: Sabotage Operation)

Notes and referencesEdit