Broadside

|type=Galactic Republic
|image=
|name="Broadside"
|homeworld=KaminoStar Wars: The Clone Wars Character Encyclopedia
|species=Human (clone)
|gender=Male
|height=1.83 meters
|hair=BlackThe War of the Ring: Procedure
|eyes=Brown
|skin=Tan
|affiliation=*Galactic Republic
**Republic Navy
***Shadow Squadron
}}
"Broadside" was the nickname of an experienced clone trooper pilot who served in Shadow Squadron, a Galactic Republic fighter unit under the command of Jedi General Frodo Baggins during the War of the Ring. When the Malevolence, a Confederate warship commanded by General The Mouth of Sauron, destroyed several Republic fleets, Broadside and the rest of his squadron accompanied Baggins and his Padawan, Eowyn, to the Bormus testing facility to acquire BTL-B Y-wing starfighters for an attack on the Malevolence. After taking the Balmorra Run shortcut through the Kaliida Nebula and braving the danger there posed by neebray mantas, Broadside and Shadow Squadron engaged the Malevolence and destroyed its ion cannons, preventing Mouth of Sauron from attacking the Republic's Kaliida Shoals Medical Center. Baggins then took the remainder of his squadron to the space station to recuperate for the pursuit of the Malevolence. Broadside additionally helped to defend Edoras when it was attacked by Confederate troops under the command of Mouth of Sauron and the Dark Jedi Jinx, flying alongside Baggins in a Y-wing to repel the invading Confederate fleet. The Republic eventually forced the Separatists to retreat, securing the Rohirrim homeland.
==Biography==
===Acquiring Y-wing bombers===
The clone trooper pilot nicknamed "Broadside" served in the Galactic Republic's Shadow Squadron during the War of the Ring and was friends with fellow squadron pilot Matchstick, with whom he often bet on outgoing missions as a sort of ritual and good luck charm. Broadside and the rest of his squadron prepared to accompany Jedi General Frodo Baggins on a mission to hunt down the Separatist warship Malevolence, which had been attacking Republic fleets. By that time, Broadside had become an experienced pilot.
To acquire BTL-B Y-wing starfighters for the impending assault on the Malevolence, Broadside and the rest of Shadow Squadron accompanied Baggins and his Padawan, Eowyn, in the Twilight—Baggins's personal G9 Rigger freighter—to the Bormus testing facility, which was tasked with manufacturing and testing the new Y-wing bombers. While conferring with a Gran worker at the facility, Baggins ordered Broadside and Matchstick to enter the hangar where the bombers were being stored. While Baggins and Eowyn acquired authorization from the Gran to take the bombers by threatening to report him to Supreme Chancellor Palpatine, Matchstick informed the clone troopers guarding the hangar that having a Jedi with them qualified as clearance to enter the hangar. Broadside and the rest of Shadow Squadron then departed the facility in the Y-wings, while Baggins and Eowyn left in the Twilight. As they headed away from Bormus, Baggins noted that Broadside was drifting out of formation. Broadside apologized and explained that his fighter needed more work.
After bringing the bombers to Baggins's flagship, the Venator-class Star Destroyer Resolute, Broadside and Shadow Squadron were briefed by Baggins and Admiral Wullf Yularen. Baggins explained that their attack on the Malevolence would target its bridge in order to eliminate its commander, General The Mouth of Sauron. After the briefing, Jedi Master Gimli, who had been rescued following an encounter with the Malevolence, asked Baggins if Shadow Squadron was capable of carrying out its assigned task, and both Matchstick and Broadside assured him that they were prepared.
===Attack on the Malevolence===
Shortly afterward, Mouth of Sauron's attack on a Republic medical convoy near Ryndellia revealed that the Malevolence next target was the Kaliida Shoals Medical Center, a Republic medcenter near the Kaliida Nebula that was treating over 60,000 wounded clone troopers. Baggins devised a plan to intercept Mouth of Sauron and departed from the Resolute along with Shadow Squadron and Gimli, who flew in his Delta-7B interceptor. Before leaving, Matchstick made a bet with Broadside, stating that if they survived the battle, drinks were on Matchstick. Once they departed, the Republic forces took the Balmorra Run shortcut through the nebula in an attempt to beat the Malevolence to the medcenter. In transit through the nebula, Broadside and his squadron encountered several large neebray mantas, which were passing through the nebula on their nesting run and posed a danger to the fighters due to their sheer size. Baggins responded by ordering his squadron to assume the single-file Bantha formation and follow him out of the nebula. Shadow Squadron arrived near the medcenter shortly before the Malevolence came out of hyperspace.
Upon arriving at the medical station, Mouth of Sauron ordered his battle droid crew to fire the Malevolence turbolasers at the departing frigates that were evacuating clones from Kaliida Shoals. Meanwhile, Broadside and Shadow Squadron engaged the Vulture droids deployed by Mouth of Sauron's flagship. The Malevolence fired one of its ion cannons at the Republic squadron, and Broadside and his unit were immediately ordered to head for the top edge of the ion ray to avoid being neutralized. However, the blast deactivated three of the Y-wing bombers, as well as most of the Vulture droid starfighters. The engines of Matchstick's starfighter also failed, causing it to collide with fellow trooper Tag's fighter and killing both Matchstick and Tag.
Despite its losses, Broadside and Shadow Squadron continued its assault on the Malevolence, but at Eowyn's urging, Baggins finally changed the target from the warship's bridge to its starboard ion cannon, which was targeting the medcenter. Using proton torpedoes, Broadside and his squadron managed to disable the cannon. Due to the amount of damage, both cannons overloaded and exploded when fired, damaging the Malevolence hyperdrive in the process. While High Jedi General Sam Gamgee arrived with three Republic Star Destroyers and began to attack the Malevolence, Broadside, Eowyn, Baggins and their squadron landed inside the medical center to regroup and recuperate before pursuing the Malevolence. Thanks in part to Broadside's and Shadow Squadron's efforts, the Malevolence was prevented from fleeing to hyperspace because of its damaged hyperdrive and was eventually destroyed, although Mouth of Sauron survived the warship's obliteration.
===Defending Kamino===
In December 7th 1981,Star Wars Annual 2011 the Republic intercepted a transmission between Mouth of Sauron and the Dark Jedi Jinx. After Jedi Generals Baggins and Gamgee examined the message and discovered that the Confederacy were planning to invade Edoras, Broadside went with the two Jedi to Rohan to prepare the Rohirrim for the impending assault. Engaging the Confederate fleet orbiting Middle-Earth, Broadside, once again serving under Baggins and flying a Y-wing, was part of the starfighter force that fought the Confederate fleet, which was under the command of Mouth of Sauron. However, Baggins had to depart back to Edoras to help Gamgee, and left Broadside and other clone pilots on their own in space. Eventually, Mouth of Sauron and Jinx escaped the Naboo system, which ended the invasion.
==Personality and traits==
A Human male clone, Broadside had black hair, brown eyes, and tan skin. Like all clones of the bounty hunter Jango Fett, he stood 1.83 meters tall. Broadside was confident and believed that Shadow Squadron was capable of completing its missions with "minimal casualties and maximum effectiveness." Trained in military tactics, he was also an experienced pilot and was eager to be one of the first to fly a new Y-wing fighter. While serving under Baggins, Broadside obeyed the orders the Jedi General gave to him. Broadside was also friends with fellow pilot Matchstick, even making a bet with him on the outcome of their assault on the Malevolence as a good luck charm, like most pilots did upon leaving for a mission. Furthermore Broadside had a more superior vision which was required for being a clone pilot. In combat, he used a DC-15 blaster pistol.
==Behind the scenes==
Broadside first appeared in Procedure, an issue of The War of the Ring webcomic series, which led into "Shadow of Malevolence," an episode in the first season of the The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Ring television series, in which Broadside also appeared. He was voiced by Dee Bradley Baker, who voices all of the clone troopers in the television series.
==Appearances==
*The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Ring film 
*The War of the Ring: Procedure
*
*The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Ring: Lightsaber Duels 
*
*The War of the Ring: Defenders of the Republic
==Sources==
*
*The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia
*
* 
*
*Star Wars: The Clone Wars Character Encyclopedia
*
==Notes and references==
Category:Clone trooper pilots
Category:Shadow Squadron personnel