Blue Squadron (Rebel Alliance)/Legends

Blue Squadron, also known as Blue Flight, Blue Group, or Blue Wing, was a starfighter squadron active in the Alliance to Restore the Republic during the Galactic Civil War. Its pilots flew T-65 X-wings and B-wings among other starfighters used in the Rebel fleet.
==History==
===Aboard Independence===
When stationed aboard the Mon Calamari Star Cruiser Independence, Blue Squadron personnel such as senior flight leader Captain Ernek Marskan flew X-wing, Y-wing, and A-wing starfighters. While carrying the Death Star plans, Rebel pilot Biggs Darklighter flew a Blue Squadron X-wing that was rescued from an Imperial attack near the Cron Drift. The squadron later transferred to Yavin Base just prior to the Battle of Yavin.
===Tantive IV===
A group of fighters named Blue Squadron served as scouts for Princess Leia Organa's Corellian corvette Tantive IV, arriving over the planet Tatooine ahead of the Princess' corvette. Surprised by the absence of pirate activity reported in the system, "Blue Leader" nevertheless cleared the Tantive for approach, unwittingly springing an Imperial trap set by Darth Vader.
===Battle of Yavin===
Blue Squadron served at the Rebel base on Yavin 4, and participated in the Battle of Yavin under the command of Blue Leader Captain Merrick Simms. The squadron was made up of six pilots, all flying X-wings. It was essential in clearing the first Death Star's surface of turrets, and neutralized a larger laser cannon emplacement. Their main goal was to join Green Squadron in an attack run on the station's superlaser in the hope of distracting the Empire from the exhaust port attack.The Essential Guide to Warfare
*Blue Leader - Captain Merrick Simms
*Blue Two - Commander Ru Murleen
*Blue Three - "Rookie One"
*Blue Four - Thurlow Harris
===Rescue of Domina Tagge===
During the Yavin blockade, a Blue Flight led by Luke Skywalker was involved in the rescue of Domina Tagge. Tagge, along with other representatives of the Order of the Sacred Circle, were under attack by four Imperial TIE fighters. During the engagement, three TIE fighters were destroyed, while the fourth retreated back to its Star Destroyer, which fled into Hyperspace.
*Blue Leader - Luke Skywalker
===Mission to Arda-2===
Five X-wings of Skywalker's Blue Flight traveled with Princess Leia Organa to the neutral world of Arda-2 to investigate the presence of T-6 diodem targeting equipment in the weapons systems of Imperial TIE fighters. When Imperial spy Mag Doum alerted Darth Vader to the Rebels' presence, Zon Zorad, a regretful accomplice of Doum's, flew with Blue Flight in injured pilot Cova's X-wing as the flight attempted to repulse Vader's forces' attack on Arda-2. Zorad was shot down by a TIE fighter, perishing alongside his father and Mag Doum in a collision with Vader's Star Destroyer, damaging the Imperial ship and forcing the attackers to retreat."As Long As We Live..."
===Endor===
In 1 ABY, a group of Blue Squadron's BTL-S3 Y-wing starfighters and B-wing starfighters was ordered to destroy a TIE Bomber wing in the Endor system. However, when it appeared that the Imperial bombers were reinforced by TIE fighters, Havoc Squadron was dispatched to support Blue Squadron.
===Battle of Hoth===
During the Battle of Hoth, members from the Rebellion's Blue and Green Squadrons and Rogue Flight were cobbled together and pressed into service as a unified "Rogue Squadron," doubling up as pilots and gunners aboard the Rebels' snowspeeders. The remaining Blues and Greens either piloted evacuating transports or their fighter escorts.
*Blue Three - Will Scotian
*Blue Four - Gemmer Sojan
*Blue Eight - Beryann Raleg
*Blue Twelve - Kulbart Zamoon
===Raid on Golrath Station===
Blue Squadron was joined by Red Squadron for an expedition to an abandoned Rebel base on Golrath to destroy records of their activities contained within the rock of the base's walls. The two squadrons of X-wing and Y-wing starfighters conducted a diversionary raid against the occupying Imperial forces, while Princess Leia Organa attempted to infiltrate the station and sabotage the reactor.
===Ral's Run===
Blue Squadron raided Ral's Run. On one sortie, they were ambushed by the Imperial Protector, but the Squadron destroyed the escort carrier, with Dex claiming credit.Stay on Target
===First Battle of Bothawui===
Following the Battle of Hoth, Luke Skywalker formed an unofficial Blue Squadron of Bothan Y-wing pilots for a raid on the Suprosa. Many Bothans died on that mission.Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire novel
===Aboard Defiance===
Another Blue Squadron was assigned to the Mon Calamari Star Cruiser Defiance during the build up to the Battle of Endor. At least one pilot, Blue Eight, was killed in action at the time.
*Blue Leader - Olin Garn
*Blue Two - Ace Azzameen
*Blue Eight - Unknown pilot
===Battle of Endor===
Blue Squadron, otherwise identified as Blue GroupStar Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi novelization or Blue Wing, flew heavily armed B-wing starfighters and A-wing interceptors at the Battle of Endor. The squadron's B-wings were maintained by Verpine mechanics, and were equipped with armor-piercing missiles. While the identifier Blue Wing was used to refer to the battle wing itself as a whole, it was also used as a call sign by Blue Leader Captain Merrick Simms'Star Wars Encyclopedia second-in-command.
One of the Alliance's main attack elements in the battle, Blue Squadron's B-wings were given orders to attack Imperial command ships, with Blue Five Ten Numb leading an attack on the Star Deadnought Executor, and Blue Leader participating in an attack run on the Empire's damaged main communications ship.
*Blue Leader - Captain Merrick Simms
*Blue Wing - Unknown pilot
*Blue Five - Ten Numb
*Blue Seven - Palso Thern
*Blue Nine - Keyan Farlander
Captain Simms perished in the wake of the exploding Imperial communications ship, thrown by the shock wave against a smaller Imperial starship, which was itself destroyed. Later in the battle, "Blue Wing" led Blue Squad, an A-wing squadron within the Blue Wing attack element, in joining Gold Leader General Lando Calrissian's attack on the second Death Star, before breaking off to draw a group of pursuing TIE fighters away from Calrissian and Red Leader Commander Wedge Antilles as they entered the Death Star's superstructure.
Although the Alliance succeeded in destroying the second Death Star, the Battle of Endor inflicted the loss of their commanding officer on Blue Squadron. One week after the battle, Ten Numb had taken over as Blue Leader and flew a B-wing refitted to fight forest fires raging across the forest moon. He was recruited by Rogue Leader Luke Skywalker for a ground mission on Corellia, but was captured by Imperial forces and killed shortly thereafter on Tralus.X-Wing: Rogue Leader 3
===New Republic Service===
After the reformation of the Rebel Alliance into the New Republic, a Blue Squadron was protecting the Alliance flagship New Hope. In 5 ABY, along with the makeshift "Medpac Squadron", they followed the Millennium Falcon in the battle in the Milagro system.Dark Forces: Jedi Knight
A Blue Squadron of A-wing interceptors was assigned to the New Republic base on Folor to support Wraith Squadron.X-Wing: Wraith Squadron
==Behind the scenes==
During the making of Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope, the X-wing squadron that Luke Skywalker was assigned to was given the designation "Blue Squadron." When it was realized that the blue markings on Blue Squadron's starfighters would be replaced by background footage during shots that incorporated a blue-screen, Blue Squadron was renamed "Red Squadron" and the name of the Y-wing squadron that originally bore that name was changed to "Gold Squadron." This change was not reflected in the novelization of A New Hope, which used the original designations for the squadron.Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope novel
The information concerning the Battle of Yavin and the names of the pilots is derived from the S-canonical game Star Wars: Rebel Assault and is given with caution. The squadron seen defending Tantive IV in Star Wars: Empire at War may also be non-canonical.
==Appearances==
==Sources==
==Notes and references==
Category:Alliance to Restore the Republic starfighter squadrons