Obsidian Squadron

Obsidian Squadron was an elite TIE/LN starfighter squadron in the Imperial Navy during the Galactic Civil War. Stationed aboard the Imperial II-class Star Destroyer Avenger, the squadron was led by Civé Rashon, and was composed of modified TIE/LN starfighters mostly used to pursue raiders through planets' upper atmospheres.

In 3 ABY, Obsidian Squadron was present on the planet Bespin during its occupation by the Galactic Empire. The squadron's TIE pilots pursued the YT-1300 light freighter Millennium Falcon during the freighter's escape from the planet into space, although ultimately Obsidian Squadron was unable to capture the Millennium Falcon. Obsidian Squadron would later participate in 4 ABY's Battle of Endor, which ended in an Imperial defeat and the Alliance to Restore the Republic destroying the Empire's Death Star II battle station.

History

Imperial TIE/LN starfighter squadron

Obsidian10-CCGDS2 — Obsidian Squadron was a squadron of TIE/LN starfighters.

Obsidian Squadron was an elite TIE/LN starfighter squadron serving in the Imperial Navy during the Galactic Civil War. The squadron was stationed aboard the Imperial II-class Star Destroyer Avenger.^[1] At least one of the squadron's TIE/LN starfighters was stationed aboard^[2] the Imperial-class Star Destroyer^[3] Thunderflare.^[2]

At some point during the Galactic Civil War, Imperial scouts located an Alliance to Restore the Republic holonet satellite network, which was critical for maintaining galaxy-wide secret communications. TIE pilots from Obsidian and Black Squadron attacked the Alliance network, intending to get close enough to download and decipher the encrypted Alliance transmissions.^[4]

This section of the article assumes a specific path in Mission 3: Dark Whispers. Any alternate paths may be noted in the "Behind the scenes" section. The events in this section may or may not have been confirmed as canon within the Star Wars Legends continuity.

Both the Black Squadron and Obsidian Squadron pilots were killed by the defending Rebel pilots of Red Squadron. The Alliance further implemented security safeguards to lock down their transmissions, disabling the holonet network but keeping the data safe.^[4]

Assumption ends here.

Occupying Bespin and Battle of Endor

RarrExecutorSMASH-ESBHD — Obsidian Squadron pursuing the *Millennium Falcon* outside Bespin

In 3 ABY,^[5] the Empire occupied the planet Bespin with the intention of capturing the YT-1300 light freighter Millennium Falcon on the planet.^[6] Prior to the Imperial occupation, several of Obsidian Squadron's TIE/LN starfighters were already assigned to patrol Bespin's Cloud City, with instructions to herd escaping vessels toward the Executor,^[7] the Executor-class Star Dreadnought overseeing the pursuit of the Millennium Falcon. Ultimately, the Falcon escape Cloud City, and Obsidian Squadron's TIE/LN starfighters pursued the freighter,^[6] with several of them being destroyed when the Falcon fought back.^[8] Obsidian Squadron's pursuit of the Falcon continued into space, with the squadron chasing the Falcon towards the Executor, before the freighter ultimately escaped Imperial capture.^[6]

One year later, in 4 ABY, the Battle of Endor occurred, during which the Alliance to Restore the Republic attacked the Empire's Death Star II battle station^[5] in the Endor system.^[9] Obsidian Squadron participated in the battle,^[10] which ended in an Imperial defeat and the Death Star's destruction.^[9]

Organization

Obsidian Squadron Pilot XWM — An Obsidian Squadron pilot flying through an asteroid field

Obsidian Squadron was composed of modified TIE/LN starfighters mostly used to chase raiders through the upper atmosphere of planets,^[11] and specially adapted for atmospheric engagement. Some of Obsidian Squadron's TIE/LN starfighters were also fitted with high-output solar panels to support improved weaponry.^[12]

Members

Obsidian Squadron was led by Civé Rashon, who flew the TIE/LN starfighter Obsidian 1 and further had the designation "OS-72-1."^[1] Her wingman was Dodson Makraven, a TIE pilot who flew the TIE/LN starfighter Obsidian 2 and was further designated "OS-72-2."^[13]

Obsidian Squadron's pilots during the Occupation of Bespin included Winged Gundark^[14] flying Obsidian 7^[15] and OS-72-8^[14] flying Obsidian 8.^[16] Both of those members were among the TIE pilots pursuing the Millennium Falcon out of Bespin, and their starfighters were also designated as "Obsidian Seven" and "Obsidian Eight."^[14]

By 4 ABY,^[5] OS-72-10 was a member of Obsidian Squadron, flying Obsidian 10,^[17] a TIE/LN starfighter which was stationed aboard the Thunderflare. Obsidian 10 was recalled to defend the Death Star II during its construction by the time of^[2] the Battle of Endor, which Civé Rashon and other members of the squadron participated in.^[10]

Behind the scenes

Obsidian Squadron first appeared in^[18] the April 12, 1980^[19]^[20] novelization of the Star Wars original trilogy film Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back,^[18] simultaneously with The Empire Strikes Back Storybook,^[21] before making an appearance in the film,^[6] which was released May 21 of the same year.^[22] In 1997, Decipher, Inc.'s Cloud City Limited expansion set of the Star Wars Customizable Card Game released cards coining the "Obsidian 7"^[15] and "Obsidian 8" TIE fighter designations, although it was not obvious if either of the starfighters was in The Empire Strikes Back.^[16]

In 1998, the squadron was first named on a card for the Star Wars Customizable Card Game's Official Tournament Sealed Deck expansion set,^[12] and on September 1 the same year,^[23] the CD-ROM Star Wars: Behind the Magic established that Obsidian 7 and Obsidian 8 appeared in The Empire Strikes Back.^[14] Obsidian Squadron was also featured in 2012's Mission 3: Dark Whispers, a starfighter combat scenario written for the Star Wars: X-Wing Miniatures Game and published as a rules supplement in the Star Wars: X-Wing Miniatures Game Core Set. There is more than one possible outcome for that combat scenario. The outcome presented in the article is the one assumed to be canon. Other possible endings are the Alliance starfighters destroying their satellites to prevent the Empire from downloading their data, or at least one of the Imperial starfighters downloading and escaping with the Alliance satellite network's data.^[4]