- "Kanan is on Governor Tarkin's Destroyer, the Sovereign. It's still here above Lothal, but it's scheduled to leave soon."
"Where to?"
"The Mustafar System?" - ―Sabine Wren and Hera Syndulla
The Sovereign was an Imperial I-class Star Destroyer belonging to the starfleet of the Galactic Empire, and served as Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin's flagship for a period of time years before the Battle of Yavin.
Characteristics[]
The hangar bay of the Sovereign.
An Imperial I-class Star Destroyer,[2] the Sovereign measured 1,600 meters long and 900 meters wide.[3] Propelled by three Destroyer-I ion engines and four emergency-use Gemon-4 ion engines,[4] the Star Destroyer was equipped with a hyperdrive[5] and received power from a solar ionization reactor located on its ventral hull,[4] although it also had access to auxiliary power. The Sovereign's engines were controlled from an engine room, which featured multiple raised walkways linking work stations. The Star Destroyer also house multiple interrogation rooms,[5] located in the cell wing,[15] and was equipped with life support and communications systems.[5] Wilhuff Tarkin used an office within the ship, which featured a desk and multiple chairs.[16] Different levels of the ship could be accessed via turbolifts.[5]
The Sovereign possessed multiple XX-9 heavy turbolaser batterys capable of delivering an orbital bombardment, but also carried numerous ground vehicles for surface warfare.[7] In 18 BBY,[17] the starship carried TIE/ln space superiority starfighters, Lambda-class T-4a shuttles, Low Altitude Assault Transport carriers,[7] All Terrain Armored Transports,[8] All Terrain Defense Pods, and K79-S80 Imperial Troop Transports.[7] In 4 BBY,[18] Sentinel-class landing craft and one TIE Advanced v1, the Inquisitor's TIE Advanced, were also stationed on the Sovereign. These vehicles were stored in the Sovereign's hangars, which were located in an open bay on its ventral hull. The aft and forward walls of this bay both housed otherwise enclosed hangars, the former of which was designated Bay 5.[5]
The bridge of the Sovereign was located in its bridge tower. Ite featured a panoramic view of space through an arc of triangular viewports, behind which were consoles and an elevated walkway spanning the perimeter of the bridge. This a walkway also cut through the center of the bridge, separating two sunken crew pits housing banks of consoles and spaces for technicians to be seated. The walkway then continued to the rear of the room, which was sealed by a set of doors.[5] Perched atop the bridge tower was a tractor beam targeting array[6] and two deflector shield generator domes.[4]
History[]
Invasion of Mon Cala[]
Potential for diplomacy[]
- "We are standing on a battleship specifically designed for orbital bombardment. A few shots from the XX-9's would cook these finners no matter how deep they hide. Why are we planning a complex, multi-stage assault?"
"Because we are an empire, Colonel Bergon. The power of an empire is not in what it destroys—but what it controls. Mon Cala is a valuable world in many ways—its people, technology, and civilization. Why, Emperor Palpatine himself enjoys the Mon Calamari aquatic ballet. We will not destroy it. Not without cause." - ―Colonel Bergon and Governor Tarkin
In 18 BBY,[17] Emperor Palpatine ordered the invasion of[7] the Calamari sector[19] planet Mon Cala to serve as an example of the price of defiance to the Empire. Palpatine assigned Tarkin to lead the military aspects of the operation, while the Dark Lord of the Sith Darth Vader was sent to learn if Jedi were present on the world. The Sovereign was then stationed in Mon Cala's orbit, with Governor Tarkin; Imperial Ambassador Telvar; Commander Jordo,[7] the Imperial Security Bureau officer responsible for Mon Cala,[8]; Colonel Bergon; and Major Rantu stationed aboard the vessel. Upon arrival, Rantu's teams began running simulations for the invasion.[7]
At some point, Telvar left the Star Destroyer with a group of stormtroopers in a Lambda-class shuttle to engage in negotiations with the native Mon Calamari on Dac City. On the Sovereign's bridge, Tarkin then briefed Rantu, Bergon, and Jordo, discussing the difficulty the planet's seas presented to invasion, which could be averted by using Mon Cala's few above-water cities as staging grounds. Jordo then discussed the possibility of setting the planet's two species, the Mon Calamari and the Quarren, against each other by using propaganda. Bergon then enquired why the Sovereign, a vessel designed for orbital bombardment, was not utilising its XX-9 turbolasers instead of the complex assault being planned. Tarkin replied that the Empire intended to control the valuable world instead of destroying it.[7]
The Infernum passes over the Sovereign's bridge
On the planet below, Telvar discussed a trade deal with a group of Mon Calamari, including the King of Mon Cala Lee-Char; however, the deal was defused, with Mayor Raddus commenting that the presence of the Sovereign overhead suggested that Telvar was not on the same side as the Mon Calamari. Telvar then reported to the Sovereign that he would be returning to the vessel, noting that his negotiations had been unproductive. On the Star Destroyer's bridge, a lieutenant relayed this information to Tarkin, who remarked that a diplomatic solution was still preferable. Another officer, in the bridge's data pits, then informed the governor that an Imperial Zeta-class shuttle had dropped out of hyperspace and was heading towards Mon Cala. Tarkin, who was not expecting additional Imperial personnel, asked for the shuttle's designation, which was the Infernum. Upon learning this, Tarkin ordered the ship be let through, informing the lieutenant that he was familiar with the shuttle and that it represented an entirely different form of diplomacy.[7]
The start of war[]
- "Inform Major Rantu that he is to deploy landing craft immediately, on my authorization. Commander Jordo and Colonel Bergon are to begin their phases of the operation as well. I had hoped for another solution, but these fools have chosen war. So be it."
- ―Governor Tarkin, to an Imperial lieutenant
The Battle of Dac City
The Infernum then landed in Dac City close to Telvar's shuttle, and Vader; three members of the Inquisitorius, Sixth Brother, Ninth Sister, and Tenth Brother; and a group of Purge Troopers exited the craft. [7] The Jedi on Mon Cala, Ferren Barr, then detonated Telvar's shuttle as it launched,[13] which was detected by the Sovereign's sensors. When news of the fatal explosion was relayed to Tarkin by the lieutenant, the governor asked whether it was an attack, malfunction, or sabotage. The lieutenant replied that it was unclear as data were still being gathered. Tarkin then ordered the officer to inform Rantu to deploy landing craft immediately and that Jordo and Bergon were to begin their phases of the operation as well. The governor lamented that he had hoped for another solution, but that the Mon Calamari had chosen war. Subsequently, the invasion of Mon Cala began.[7]
As such, the Empire landed substantial forces on all above-ground settlements on Mon Cala. At Dac City, a battle had broken out, with the Empire using TIE fighters, Low Altitude Assault Transport carriers, K79-S80 Imperial Troop Transports, All Terrain Defense Pods, and All Terrain Armored Transports to attack the city, alongside the Infernum's contingent. Major Rantu also left the Sovereign to coordinate the invasion of the planet from a command base in the city.[8] In the resulting war, both the Mon Calamari and Quarren defended their planet from the Empire.[16]
The Sovereign orbited Mon Cala while the conflict occurred below.
King Lee-Char, hoping to end the conflict without further bloodshed, contacted the Sovereign via hologram and demanded that Tarkin withdraw the Imperial forces, claiming that the invasion was unwarranted and in violation of the Mon Calamari treaty with the Empire. Tarkin retorted that the destruction of Telvar's shuttle showed the conflict was warranted, as either Lee-Char subjects had killed the ambassador or the king was not in control of his population. Lee-Char denied these accusations, claiming that Telvar's death would not serve his people, but Tarkin asserted that Mon Calamari forces be stood down so the Empire could conduct an investigation. The king denied this request, warning Tarkin that the Empire was conducting an invasion—not an investigation—and that his people would aggressively defend themselves if the conflict continued. Tarkin once again told Lee-Char to stop fighting before ceasing the transmission.[8]
An undersea campaign[]
- "What now, governor? Retaliation?"
"I think not, lieutenant. I am leaning toward…escalation." - ―An Imperial lieutenant and Governor Tarkin
Tarkin, Bergon, and Jordo react to the Mon Calamari counterattack
Tarkin then told the lieutenant to inform Rantu that a significant counterattack would occur once the Mon Calamari had evacuated their civilians from the above-ground settlements. Although Tarkin was unsure of the nature of the attack, he was confident in the Empire's knowledge of all Mon Calamari weapons. However, as Lee-Char was captured by Vader on the planet below, Tarkin was informed that a large, strange signal was being detected from beneath the surface, all over Mon Cala. Several creatures then breached the ocean, sinking all above-ground cities on the planet and allowing the king to escape.[8]
As Bergon relayed this information to Tarkin, he noted that Dac City and the other settlements were merely outposts, with the true Mon Cala civilisation lying underwater. The governor explained that such a tactic would mean that the settlements could no longer be used as staging grounds, making an Imperial assault more difficult. As Rantu had likely perished, Tarkin assigned the next phase of the assault to Bergon, who affirmed to use aerial landing platforms to stage an undersea campaign. Tarkin then scolded Jordo for being unaware of the Mon Calamari's ability to flood their cities, attributing the loss of resources to the ISB officer, who vowed to redeem himself. Tarkin then asked an officer if there was any word from Darth Vader, to which they responded in the negative.[8]
Tarkin's reinforcement arrive to support the Sovereign.
Bergon then assumed command of an aerial landing platform, equipped with multiple Lambda shuttles, TIE fighters, and turrets. As Tarkin requested an update via hologram, Bergon reported that Imperial efforts focused on the northern hemisphere against Commander Ackbar, who she wanted to win against before engaging Raddus in the southern polar regions. As Tarkin warned against this, noting that Raddus would likely counterattack, the platform was attacked by Ackbar and a squad of aquatic vehicles. The swarm attack squad then launched missiles at the base from close range, destroying it and killing Bergon.[20]
As Tarkin was informed of the loss, he chastised Jordo for not being aware of this military technology either. As the officer claimed that he had only been at Mon Cala for days, meaning that he could not have a full picture of the planet, Tarkin dismissed him, reassigning the commander to become a stormtrooper on the surface. As Jordo was escorted off the bridge by stormtroopers, a lieutenant asked the governor if he planned to retaliate, to which Tarkin replied that he preferred to escalate, as two additional Imperial-class Star Destroyers arrived over the planet.[20]
Victory on Mon Cala[]
- "Governor Tarkin, I have ordered a cease-fire. This…this was a misunderstanding. I am ready to talk terms. Just…please…stop killing my people."
"Excellent, your majesty. I accept your surrender. I will send a shuttle to take you into custody. In the meantime…the bombardment will continue."
"No…no! Please! I've given you what you want! Please!" - ―King Lee-Char and Governor Tarkin
The Sovereign begins its orbital bombardment of Mon Cala.
These additional forces meant that the Imperials began winning all engagements on the planet. However, when informed of this on the Sovereign, Tarkin was concerned about the number of engagements occurring. He noted that the Mon Calamari and Quarren had employed two primary strategies: either hole up in their cities, resulting in Imperial forces slowly fighting in corridors, or scatter into the oceans, meaning the Empire had to split up to hunt them down. Tarkin also mentioned that Raddus, in his defense of the southern polar regions, had linked together ships of the Mon Cala Mercantile Fleet, meaning that their shields could not be breached by the Empire.[16]
Hoping to reduce the number of engagements, from his office, Tarkin contacted Darth Vader, who had almost reached the location of Barr with the Inquisitors and Purge Troopers. The governor requested that Vader allow the rest of his forces to defeat the Jedi, while he would be to secure Lee-Char. Recalling that the Emperor had demanded a swift victory, Tarkin also noted that Mon Cala's defenders had dug in for a protracted conflict, necessitating the use of the king to end the conflict.[16] Vader complied, and contacted Tarkin once Lee-Char was captured. The governor acquired Vader's location and requested Vader take the king to a window. Tarkin then ordered a lieutenant to pull Imperial forces out of the area and to fire at will. The three Star Destroyers then commenced an orbital bombardment on the planet's north, destroying at least five settlements, including Zeran Town.[13]
Three Mon Calamari starships escaped to hyperspace.
As a result, Lee-Char ordered all forces on the planet to stand down, before contacting Tarkin and offering a formal surrender contingent to the Empire ceasing the bombardment. The governor accepted, informing the king that a shuttle would be sent to detain him, but that the bombardment would continue in the meantime. The laser fire subsequently intensified and began to hit Raddus' forces in the southern region. The admiral then launched his fleet into space, with several starships being fit by fire from the Star Destroyers. However, three vessels were able to jump to hyperspace by setting aft shields to full power. A lieutenant informed Tarkin of this, although the governor stated that he was not concerned about three ships. He then ordered that the orbital bombardment be powered down, with the Empire ultimately emerging victorious on Mon Cala.[13]
Abel LaSal's stolen identity[]
- "Sir, the roster shows a Commander Abel LaSal deployed aboard the Star Destroyer Sovereign, currently docked at Fondor. But the likenesses don't match up the way they should. Shall I contact the Sovereign?"
"That won't be necessary." - ―An Imperial specialist and Moff Tarkin
In 17 BBY,[21] Moff Tarkin was reassigned and permanently stationed at Sentinel Base, an Imperial facility which oversaw the construction of the battle station[14] later known as the Death Star.[22] At some point, Abel LaSal was deployed on the Sovereign with the rank of commander, and a rebel cell forged LaSal's command cylinder codes, rank insignia plaque, and command cap disk.[14] In 14 BBY,[23] Sentinel Base was attacked by the rebel cell, drawing Tarkin away from the base and ultimately leading to the the group stealing his corvette, the Carrion Spike. The rebels then used the corvette to attack a series of Imperial facilities.[14]
In 14 BBY, the Sovereign was stationed at Fondor (pictured).
In an attempt to intercept the Carrion Spike, Tarkin used the Imperial escort carrier Goliath to travel to the planet Phindar in the Mandalore sector, where the administrator of a taker facility was instructed to refuel the rogue corvette. The group's leader, Berch Teller, then used a disguise and LaSal's forged equipment to refuel. The Phindian administrator then provided Tarkin a recording of Teller, whose code cylinder had identified him as Abel LaSal. The administrator also considered Teller's insignias to look legitimate. A specialist on the Goliath then informed Tarkin that LaSal was posted aboard the Sovereign, which was docked at Fondor,[14] a Colonies[24] planet that was home to the Fondor Shipyards used for capital ship repairs, manufacturing, and the development of classified technologies.[25]
However, the specialist noted that Teller's features, which included red hair and a facial scar, did not match LaSal's. Although the specialist asked whether to inform the Sovereign of this, Tarkin declined. Ultimately, Tarkin defeated the group and was granted the title of Grand Moff, with the Executrix becoming his personal vessel.[14] At some point, Abel LaSal served as the commander of the Sovereign. This was no longer the case[10] by 4 BBY,[26] however, as the Star Destroyer had become Tarkin's flagship.[10]
The Spectres[]
Arrival at Lothal[]
In 4 BBY,[27] Tarkin was informed by Assessor Potalla that staff at the Imperial Complex on[28] the Outer Rim Territories planet[29] Lothal had become complacent in their duties and allowed a rebel cell known as the Spectres to thrive. Hoping to deal with the situation personally,[28] later in the same year,[18] the Grand Moff travelled to the world aboard the Sovereign. After approaching Capital City, Tarkin left the Star Destroyer in a Sentinel-class landing craft along with two stormtroopers. The shuttle was then escorted to the Imperial Complex by two TIE fighters. Tarkin subsequently managed to captured the leader of the Spectres, Jedi Kanan Jarrus.[1] At some point, Admiral Kassius Konstantine was assigned to the Sovereign as Tarkin's second-in-command.[10]
Kanan Jarrus was interrogated by the Grand Inquisitor.
Following this, Jarrus was brought to the Sovereign and restrained in an interrogation chair. Imperial Security Bureau Agent Kallus's interrogated the rebel with a mind probe delivered by an interrogation droid, in an attempt to reveal if Jarrus was truly a Jedi and to extract information about other rebel cells. The interrogation proved unsuccessful and was subsequently taken over by the Grand Inquisitor, a Jedi hunter of the Imperial Inquisitorius, who instead used torture via electrocution. However, Jarrus resisted this too, prompting Tarkin to suggest transferring the Jedi to somewhere that could extract a confession: the Mustafar system in[9] the Outer Rim Territories.[19] Meanwhile, the rest of the Spectres managed uncover their leader's location by infiltrating the Arquitens-class command cruiser Tellstar. The group learned that Jarrus was aboard the Sovereign which, although currently above Lothal, was scheduled to depart for the Mustafar system soon.[9] Before the vessel left, Kallus had departed.[5]
Rescue over Mustafar[]
The Sovereign (top center) with three other Star Destroyers
After arriving over the planet Mustafar, the Sovereign formed part of a fleet consisting of three other Imperial-class Star Destroyers and several Gozanti-class cruisers. From his flagship, Tarkin began sending an all-clear message to the rest of the fleet, which would result in reinforcements being sent if an interval was missed. Meanwhile, the Grand Inquisitor continued to interrogate Jarrus, questioning him about a larger rebellion and the identity of the rebel operative Fulcrum, a code name used by former Jedi Ahsoka Tano. The Inquisitor then taunted Jarrus about the death of his Jedi Master, Depa Billaba, during Order 66 and the rebel's decision to abandon his master and the Jedi Order.[5]
Subsequently, the Spectres arrived in the Mustafar system in a stolen Gozanti-class cruiser, Transport Ship 63378. After approaching the fleet, Jarrus' Jedi Padawan, Ezra Bridger, located his master using the Force. After transmitting their codes, the rebels' transport was cleared for docking by an Imperial technician on the Sovereign's bridge. The technician also informed Konstantine and Tarkin that ten TIE fighter reinforcements were inbound and ordered that Bay 5 be opened. After being cleared, the rebels launched their brightly painted TIE fighter on autopilot, which joined the other approaching TIEs in the hangar. One stormtrooper, JJR-579, commented that the rebels' fighter was not regulation, while another trooper, JTN-303, mused that they liked it. However, the TIE had been rigged with Electro Magnetic Pulse grenades, which were detonated by rebel Sabine Wren. The resulting pulse disabled the Sovereign and knocked out all stormtroopers[5] wearing a helmet.[15]
On the Star Destroyer's bridge, an Imperial officer informed Tarkin that the starship's main power had been lost. The Grand Moff then ordered that they go to auxiliary power. Meanwhile, Transport Ship 63378 docked to the Sovereign's starboard hull, with Bridger breaching a wall with his lightsaber to gain access for himself, Wren, Hera Syndulla, and Garazeb Orrelios,[5] who made their way to the cell wing.[15] On the Star Destroyer's bridge, Tarkin was informed by the officer that the Sovereign was down to emergency power and life support only. The Grand Moff explained that his all-clear message had been interrupted, meaning reinforcements were inbound. As he said this, two Sentinel-class landing craft departed another Star Destroyer and arrived in Bay 5, deploying a group of stormtroopers.[5]
Duel in the engine room[]
Kanan Jarrus and the Grand Inquisitor engage in a duel.
The stormtroopers immediately located the rebels in the Sovereign's corridors, although Bridger sealed a blast door with his lightsaber to cut the Imperials off. As he had cut off the only way to Jarrus, Bridger then used the ducts running above the corridor. Arriving in the cell wing, Bridger then freed his master. Meanwhile, the other rebels attempted to access a turbolift, only to find it full of stormtroopers. Although managing to kill several, the group was then pursued by the Imperial troopers. Bridger and Jarrus then arrived in the Sovereign's engine room, only to find the Grand Inquisitor waiting for them. Jarrus then charged the Jedi hunter using his Padawan's lightsaber, with a duel ensuing. Bridger then used the Force to pull his master's lightsaber from the Inquisitor's belt to join the engagement.[5]
However, after several blows, the Grand Inquisitor pushed Bridger and Jarrus away, before the hunter launched his lightsaber at Padawn, causing him to scream and fall off the walkway onto another below. Believing his student to have perished, Jarrus telekinetically retrieved his own lightsaber and proclaimed that he now had nothing left to fear, before attacking the Inquisitor once more. Meanwhile, the Sovereign's original stormtroopers were beginning to wake up, assisted by Tarkin's reinforcements. Using a smoke grenade to blind the troops, Wren and the other rebels then began to make their way to Bay 5.[5]
The Grand Inquisitor falls to his death.
Resolute in the power of the Force, Jarrus then overwhelmed the Grand Inquisitor, who used his double-bladed spinning lightsaber to defend himself. Jarrus then severed the lightsaber's hilt, sending them into the engines below. This caused an explosion, which rocked the Sovereign and filled the room with fire and smoke. The Inquisitor, who had overbalanced and was clinging to a walkway, decided to let go, preferring to fall to his death in the fire below rather than face the wrath of his master, Darth Vader. Bridger then revealed himself to Jarrus and the pair escaped the room.[5]
Destruction[]
On the Sovereign's bridge, an Imperial officer informed Tarkin that there was damage to the power core and that the hyperdrive was leaking. They then stated that the ship could not be held and that Tarkin needed to evacuate immediately for his safety.[5] Before the evacuation began,[15] Wren, Syndulla, and Orrelios reached the unattended Bay 5 and escaped in their painted TIE fighter as explosions began to breach the Sovereign's outer hull. However, by the time Jarrus and Bridger arrived in the hangar,[5] the evacuation had been completed,[15] leaving only the Inquisitor's TIE Advanced, which the Jedi used to escape before Bay 5 exploded. The Star Destroyer had begun to drift askew and descend towards Mustafar below, as more explosions engulfed its hull.[5]
The Alliance sector fleet flees while the Sovereign (bottom right) explodes.
Following their escape, both rebel TIEs were pursued and fired at by Imperial fighters. The group had realised that their carrier, piloted by the droid C1-10P, had vanished. However, Transport Ship 63378 then arrived from hyperspace, accompanied by several CR90 corvettes and the Spectres' main vessel, the VCX-100 light freighter Ghost. These vessels,[5] the Alliance sector fleet led by Ahsoka Tano,[30] engaged the TIEs and allowed the Specters' TIEs to dock before the group escaped to hyperspace. As the entirety of the Sovereign was engulfed in explosions, a Sentinel-class landing craft escaped the vessel and headed for another Star Destroyer. Aboard, Tarkin was informed by a pilot that the rebels had escaped.[5] The Sovereign then crashed on Mustafar's lava fields.[31]
Legacy[]
Immediate consequences[]
- "Agent Kallus, I've exhausted every resource to find information about the rebels, but there is nothing to be found! What more does Governor Tarkin expect?"
"He expects Lothal to be punished, Minister Tua. His own Star Destroyer was demolished by these rebels. He takes that somewhat personally." - ―Minister Tua and Agent Kallus
The Sovereign crashed in Mustafar's lava fields.
The destruction of the Sovereign not only embarrassed Tarkin but also displeased Emperor Palpatine himself.[10] Following the loss of his flagship, Tarkin returned to Lothal. Upon his arrival, Kallus informed the Grand Moff of reports of unrest across Lothal, due to whispers of the incident at Mustafar, with some viewing the Empire as weak and vulnerable. Tarkin told him not to worry, as the Emperor had also dispatched Darth Vader as an alternative solution to deal with the Spectres.[5] Following the incident at Mustafar, the Executrix once again became Tarkin's flagship.[22]
Tarkin expected Lothal to be punished after the destruction of the Sovereign, which he had taken personally. Agent Kallus relayed this expectation to Lothal's Minister Maketh Tua after her failure to gather information on the Spectres. Lothal was ultimately punished by Kallus and Vader, including an increased Imperial presence and the burning of the refugee camp known as Tarkintown.[32] Meanwhile, the Spectres were inducted into the rebel Phoenix Cell following Jarrus' rescue. A summary of the incident was sent to rebel General Davits Draven by Ahsoka Tano, who considered it a net victory for the rebellion. In another message to Draven, Tano cited the destruction of the Sovereign as a reason to give the Spectres more hardware and a support network.[30]
The Executrix became Tarkin's flagship following the loss of the Sovereign.
In an entry in her journal, the rebel Senator of Chandrila, Mon Mothma, agreed that the naval action at Mustafar was a short-term win. However, she noted that the Empire had become aware of the Rebel Alliance's naval strength and that security would be swiftly tightened throughout the Outer Rim in response to the loss of a Star Destroyer. Monthma then wrote that the rebellion must start making aggressive moves or else it would be defeated. This was a moment the senator believed was inevitable, yet not one she was expecting to face so soon. At some point, rebel archivist Hendri Underholt compiled Tano's two messages and Mothma's journal entry in The Rebel Files, a compilation of information, reports, and accounts belonging to the Alliance, in the "Alliance Chron 1" section,[30] dated to between 5 BBY and 0 ABY.[33]
Later recollections[]
- "Sir, with all due respect, nobody has ever captured a Star Destroyer. And don't tell me it's because no one has ever tried. Yeah, way back in the day, we managed to take out a governor's destroyer over Mustafar, but since then, the Imperials have shored up their defenses against infiltrators. These days Star Destroyers are nearly invulnerable."
- ―Thane Kyrell, to Carlist Rieekan
Gold Two (left) believed the destruction of the Sovereign made things harder for the rebellion.
In 2 BBY,[35] the Spectres were tasked with refuelling the rebel Gold Squadron, who were escorting Mon Mothma into hiding following her treasonous remarks against the Emperor. One rebel pilot, Gold Two, remarked that she had heard a lot about Phoenix Squadron, such as them destroying the Sovereign, which Garazeb Orrelios confirmed responsibility for while laughing. The Gold Two then suggested that the Spectres think again before attempting a similar "stunt," as the Empire had tightened security across the Outer Rim as a result of the attack, making it more difficult for other rebels.[36]
Prior the Battle of Jakku in 5 ABY,[21] the New Republic, successor to the Rebel Alliance, intended to capture starships from the Empire, so assembled soldiers who had previously served on Imperial vessels. When informed of this plan by General Carlist Rieekan, pilot and former Imperial Thane Kyrell expressed unease, citing that although the Sovereign had been destroyed over Mustafar, the Empire had since increased its defenses against infiltrators and that nobody had ever captured a Star Destroyer. Although the New Republic ultimately won at Jakku, Kyrell's mission to capture the Inflictor failed, as the Star Destroyer's captain scuttled the ship rather than let it fall into enemy hands.[34]
Behind the scenes[]
Notable appearances[]
Artwork of the Devastator from Star Wars Galaxies was reused to depict the Sovereign in Star Wars: Armada.
The Sovereign was first mentioned in Tarkin, a 2014 novel written by James Luceno.[14] The Star Destroyer then made its first appearance in "Call to Action,"[1] the thirteenth episode of the first season of the animated television series Star Wars Rebels. The episode first aired on February 9, 2015.[37] Although unnamed in "Call to Action,"[1] the Star Destroyer was identified as the Sovereign in the following episode, "Rebel Resolve,"[9] which aired on February 23 of the same year.[37]
Within Fantasy Flight Games' miniatures game Star Wars: Armada, a card of the Sovereign was included in the 2018 Chimaera Expansion Pack.[38] Artwork of the Star Destroyer, illustrated by Leos Ng,[39] was reused from the 2003 Star Wars Legends video game Star Wars Galaxies. In the game, the artwork is an in-universe painting titled Imperial Star Destroyer,[40] which depicts the Imperial-class Star Destroyer Devastator.[41]
Inconsistencies[]
When depicted in Star Wars Rebels[1][5] and its related media,[10] as well as Darth Vader (2017) 15, the Sovereign is shown[20] with what Star Wars: Rogue One: The Ultimate Visual Guide identifies as a tractor beam targeting array, consistent with[22] other[2] Imperial I-class Star Destroyers.[22] However, in Star Wars: Armada,[38] Star Wars: Galactic Atlas,[12] Darth Vader (2017) 14,[8] and Darth Vader (2017) 16, the Sovereign is depicted[16] with what Star Wars: Card Trader identifies as a communications tower.[42] This feature has been shown on Imperial II-class Star Destroyers.[43] The present article assumes the former sources are correct.
In the Star Wars Rebels episode "Fire Across the Galaxy,"[5] which aired on March 2, 2015,[37] several TIE fighters land in Bay 5 as the rebels' electromagnetic pulse detonates. However, when Tarkin's reinforcements arrive in the same hangar aboard two Sentinel-class landing craft, the bay is empty. Likewise, later in the episode when the rebels arrive in the bay, the TIEs have returned and the landing craft have disappeared.[5]
The Star Wars Rebels webcomic adaptation,[2] which began publication on December 6, 2019,[44] depicts Kanan Jarrus' interrogation,[2] as shown in "Rebel Resolve,"[9] to occur in the Imperial Complex.[2] However, in the episode itself, Ezra Bridger states that Jarrus was not being interrogated in the complex, with the Spectres learning at the end of the episode that he was imprisoned on the Sovereign.[1] Additionally, Amy Beth Christenson's concept art for Jarrus' cell was titled "Imperial Star Destroyer interrogation room."[45] This article assumes the webcomic to be incorrect and that the interrogation took place on the Sovereign.
Appearances[]
- Darth Vader (2017) 13
- Darth Vader (2017) 14
- Darth Vader (2017) 15
- Darth Vader (2017) 16
- Darth Vader (2017) 17
- Tarkin (and audiobook) (First mentioned)
- Lost Stars (and audiobook) (Indirect mention only)
Star Wars Rebels — "Call to Action" (First appearance)- Battle to the End
- Star Wars Rebels — "Rebel Resolve"
- Star Wars Rebels — "Fire Across the Galaxy"
- Star Wars Rebels: The Siege of Lothal (Indirect mention only)
- Star Wars Rebels — "Secret Cargo" (Indirect mention only)
