Black Squadron was an elite starfighter squadron in the Imperial Navy, serving under Darth Vader's direct command until his death at the Battle of Endor.
History[]
Battle of Yavin[]
Stationed aboard the first Death Star during the Battle of Yavin, Black Squadron was the TIE unit which Vader led into battle against the attacking Rebel snubfighters—the only TIE unit to deploy against the Rebels during the battle. As Moff Wilhuff Tarkin and most of the rest of the Death Star's chain of command refused to take the threat the Rebellion posed seriously, only the squadron that Vader personally commanded launched—fortunately for the Alliance, as the giant station carried several thousand TIEs that would have easily overwhelmed the few dozen snubfighters the Rebels managed to throw against it. An element of six TIEs attacked the X-wings providing top cover, while Vader himself and two wing guards engaged the ships making the trench run. It is not often appreciated these TIE pilots were significantly outnumbered during the battle, but the members of Black Squadron were among the finest the Empire had to offer: they fought hard, and were responsible for many of the Alliance casualties.
Reformed squadron[]
After the Battle of Yavin disaster, Darth Vader went about forming a new elite TIE unit. It was still Black Squadron, but with new members, whom Vader handpicked from the ranks of the Imperial Navy. He looked in reports by officers for pilots that seemed to stand out in some way from the rest, and compiled a list of those whom he deemed as candidates for the squadron. They gathered on Vjun, inside Bast Castle, Vader's secret fortress. There, he informed them of them being selected for his personal squadron. The pilots got to know each other, give each other nicknames, and were then tested. In a simulated battle, the candidates faced each other, so that Vader was able to evaluate each pilot's different skills and combat style. In then end, the pilots of the new Black Squadron were given their first mission: to destroy a space station captured by the Rebels.
Members[]
Pre-Yavin (—0 BBY)[]
- Black Leader — Darth Vader
- Black 2 — "Mauler" Mithel (DS-61-2)
- Black 3 — "Backstabber" (DS-61-3)
- Black 4 — "Dark Curse" (DS-61-4)
- Black 8 — (DS-61-8)
- Black 11 — "Wampa"
- ST 321 — Villian Dance (ST-1-1—also flew Black 11)
- Qorl (CE3K-1977)
- Lieutenant Tanbris
Post-Yavin (0 BBY—4 ABY)[]
- Black Leader — Darth Vader
- Black 2 — Davo "Saber" Stryver
- Black 3 — Raslan "Dark Curse" Nyrox
- Black 4 — Maximilian "Parrot" Vellar
- Black 5 — Velek "Wraith" Talin
- Black 6 — Nibiru "Eagle" Kratas
- Black 7 — Hugo "Shadow" Trace
- Black 8 — Dylak "Winged Gundark" Malka
- Black 9 — Sabran "Petro" Vekkian
Post-Endor (4 ABY—6 ABY)[]
- Black Leader — Davo "Saber" Stryver
- Black 2 — Finn "Scrapper" Cadrian
- Black 3 — Raslan "Dark Curse" Nyrox
- Black 4 — Maximilian "Parrot" Vellar
- Black 5 — Velek "Wraith" Talin
- Black 6 — Nibiru "Eagle" Kratas
- Black 7 — Haddon "Devastator" Jax
- Black 8 — Melvor "Deadeye" Tarrak
- Black 9 — Sabran "Petro" Vekkian
In Service of Zsinj (6 ABY—8 ABY)[]
- Black Leader — Davo "Saber" Stryver
- Black 2 — Finn "Scrapper" Cadrian
- Black 3 — Cevan "Vulture" Prax
- Black 4 — Maximilian "Parrot" Vellar
- Black 5 — Velek "Wraith" Talin
- Black 6 — Nibiru "Eagle" Kratas
- Black 7 — Haddon "Devastator" Jax
- Black 8 — Gerak "Mynock" Needa
- Black 9 — Sabran "Petro" Vekkian
Under the Remnant (8 ABY—25 ABY)[]
- Black Leader — Kaijin Ferdus
- Black 2 — Sankor Telik
- Black 4 — Julias Zann
- Black 5 — Veras Kalan
- Black 8 — Anja Torvini
- Black 10 — Hestus Gallagane
Appearances[]
- Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope (First appearance)