Ace Squadron

Ace Squadron, also known as the Aces, was a racer starfighter squadron who were also employed by the Colossus refueling station as it main defense during the era of the New Republic. The squadron consisted of the five pilots Hype Fazon, Freya Fenris, Griff Halloran, Bo Keevil, and Torra Doza. Besides their defense and escort work, Ace Squadron also participated in the station's numerous races.

Description

Ace Squadron was a starfighter squadron that defended the Colossus refueling station on the planet Castilon. It was also tasked with the handling of critical shipments. The Squadron consisted of the seven best pilots—Jarek Yeager, Hype Fazon, Torra Doza, Kazuda Xiono, Freya Fenris, Griff Halloran, and Bo Keevil—in the facility. They were also considered some of the best pilots in the galaxy. Aside from their role in station security, Ace Squadron was known to engage in competitive starship racing for leisure.^[1][21]

Ace Squadron had seven racers which doubled as starfighters: Fazon's Green Ace, Doza's Blue Ace, Xiono’s Fireball, Yeager’s ship, Fenris' Red Ace, Halloran's Black Ace, and Keevil's Yellow Ace.^[1] Ace Squadron resided in the luxurious Doza Tower where they relaxed in the Aces' Lounge.^[21] Fazon kept his ship in his own personal hangar located inside Doza Tower.^[22]

History

Juggling defense and racing

During the New Republic Era, Ace Squadron defended the Colossus from an attack by Captain Kragan Gorr's Warbird gang of pirates.^[6] While Ace Squadron was escorting an important supply shipment, the Warbird gang launched another attack on the Colossus but were repelled by Team Fireball and the undercover pirate Synara San. The second attack led Captain Imanuel Doza to consider the First Order's proposal to defend the station.^[7] Later, Ace Squadron took part in defending the Colossus from the enraged rokkna mother who was seeking her child Bibo during the "Bibo incident."^[8]

Aside from their defensive role, Ace Squadron participated in several races including a race with Resistance spy Kazuda Xiono and the Platform Classic featuring Marcus Speedstar, one of the greatest racing champions in the galaxy.^[1][23] One of their members, Captain Doza’s daughter, Torra, was kidnapped by the Warbird gang at the behest of the First Order in return for triple their usual rate. Her comrades pursued the pirates but the First Order managed to rescue Torra first. This forced Captain Doza to consent to the First Order's military occupation of the Colossus.^[9]

The First Order occupation

After the First Order arrived on the Colossus under the guise of providing security, races were immediately suspended and all starfighters were grounded. Fazon protested and got arrested by stormtroopers. He was able to escape captivity with the help of Xiono and Torra.^[22] When Team Colossus, led by Xiono, deliberately sunk the Colossus into the ocean to send a message to General Leia Organa, Ace Squadron scrambled to their stations.^[24]

Following the sinking of the Colossus, Stormtrooper Commander Pyre ordered the imprisonment of Ace Squadron, deeming them a threat to the First Order after Captain Doza was apprehended for insubordination. However, Torra escaped and joined Xiono.^[25] After Team Colossus retook the station, Ace Squadron, and Xiono with his friend Jarek Yeager, participated in a dogfight with First Order starfighters during the Colossus' escape from Castilon. They then escaped on board the Colossus into hyperspace with the intent of joining the Resistance.^[10]

Station's voyage

Shortly afterward, the Colossus' hyperdrive ran out of coaxium, stranding it three parsecs from D'Qar. They soon after ran low on supplies while the First Order continued on their quest to capture or destroy the station.^[26]

After limping into the Ileenium system, the crew discovered the remnants of a fierce battle and the Resistance base. Xiono hatched a plan to recover coaxium from the wreckage of a dreadnought destroyed by the friends of his mentor Commander Poe Dameron. After Pyre's Star Destroyer arrived in the system, Ace Squadron was scrambled to defend the salvage team from TIE fighters. Once the team returned to the Colossus and refueled the hyperdrive, Ace Squadron landed back aboard, allowing them to escape back into hyperspace.^[11] However, the conflict highlighted the limitations of Ace Squadron when pitted against the trained pilots of the First Order, exposing these flaws to both Captain Doza and the Aces themselves.^[4]

Eventually, after the Skirmish over D'Qar, Xiono became their newest member and Yeager became their new Squadron Leader so the others could become good combat pilots. Their first exercise was a disaster, with the two newcomers getting the drop on the Squadron. After Yeager split them into pairs, they learned to fight together, saving their new Squadron Leader after his ship was grabbed by a jakoosk.^[4] Following a failed attempt by the Warbird gang to hunt the jakoosk, Kaz, Torra, and his astromech droid CB-23 worked together to hunt down the creature, providing enough meat for the residents of the Colossus.^[12]

After the depot was sabotaged by mercenary Nenavakasa Nalor, Ace Squadron were scrambled to defend it from Pyre's Star Destroyer while the engineering team restored functionality.^[13]

Later, Xiono along with fellow Ace pilots Torra, Freya, and their respective droids undertook a supply mission to the planet Ashas Ree. Kel and Eila stowed aboard Xiono's shuttle. Together, with Xiono and CB-23, they explored a local Sith temple and rescued an archaeologist named Mika Grey. The group was subsequently captured by a group of First Order Raiders led by Agent Raith but were saved by Grey, who activated a Sith relic that killed them. Grey accompanied the Aces, Kel and Eila back to the Colossus.^[27]

Later, Doza subsequently took the station to hide in the Outer Rim Territories. As they deployed a beacon at a rendezvous point, Ace Squadron was forced to defend it until they were beaten back, landing back aboard the station to escape.^[14]

Continued adventures

Seeking to raise credits for the Colossus and growing bored, members of Ace Squadron agreed to race with Hype’s old employer the Hutt businessman Vranki's racing droids. During the Voxx Vortex 5000, the Aces were systematically outmaneuvered by Vranki, who used unscrupulous tactics to win the various legs of the race. In the final leg, Vranki bid on the entire Colossus and the Aces. However, Xiono managed to outwit him with the help of Vozo, who used his technical savvy to beat Vranki's droid algorithms. As a result, Vranki was forced to let Ace Squadron go and gave the Colossus half a million credits.^[28]

As the Colossus continued hiding in the Outer Rim Territories, the station traveled through Guavian Death Space. Their home got attacked by the Gang, and when Captain Doza refused to give into their demands, Ace Squadron was scrambled. Using Kaz's guidance, they took out all the attacking fighter ships.^[15]

After Xiono, Yeager, San, and CB-23 undertook a mission to rescue fellow Resistance spy Norath Kev on the planet Varkana, Ace Squadron led by Torra escorted Xiono's team and Kev offworld. Ace Squadron also fought several TIE fighters. The Colossus then evacuated them offworld.^[16]

Later, Ace Squadron explored the ocean planet of Aeos Prime, which Captain Doza intended to establish as the Colossus’ new home. Xiono and CB-23 accompanied Griff and his astromech droid R5-G9. While scouting a nearby island, they encountered several indigenous Aeosians, who initially reacted with hostility, blaming the offworlders for a recent First Order attack on their village. Meanwhile, Freya and Bo Keevil were involved a dogfight with Aeosians riding Krakavora. Xiono managed to convince the Aeosian Queen that the Colossus did not pose a threat by healing one of their members. As a result, the Aeosian Queen ordered her people to stand down and made peace with Captain Doza. She allowed the Colossus to stay for as long as they wanted.^[29]

While staying on Aeos Prime, Ace Squadron resumed their races on the ocean planet, which had a similar environment to Castilon. Xiono subsequently departed on the Fireball with CB-23 to rendezvous with the Resistance since he could not stay out of the fight because he did not want the First Order to make others lose everything like they did with him during the Hosnian Cataclysm. However, he was forced to abandon his plan after encountering a spider probe droid in space, which alerted Commander Pyre and First Order Security Bureau Agent Tierny to their presence. Ace Squadron along with Xiono subsequently took part in a battle with First Order forces, downing several TIE fighters and TIE/se Bombers. With the help of their Aeosian allies, the Colossus inhabitants managed to escape back into hyperspace.^[17]

Joining the Resistance

Following a request for help from Captain Doza's wife and Torra’s mother Commander Venisa Doza and Jade Squadron, Ace Squadron accompanied Jade Squadron on a mission to breach the First Order's blockade of Dantooine and evacuate three shuttles of Resistance recruits. During the mission, the convoy were attacked by the Thunderer and one got destroyed. After the convoy returned to the Colossus with the Resistance recruits, Captain Doza let his wife’s forces stay and decided to use the Colossus to help the Resistance since he was done running from the fight.^[18]

During a mission by Xiono, Yeager, and CB-23 to rescue Tamara Ryvora from the First Order, the last remnant of the Galactic Empire caught up with the Colossus in the Barabesh system. Ace and Jade Squadrons, alongside San, took part in the defense of the Colossus, fighting TIE fighters and the Thunderer. After CB-23 lowered the Star Destroyer's shields, the two Squadrons blew up the ship's engines, destroying the vessel. Following the defeat of the First Order’s hunting party, Captain Doza and the Ace and Jade Squadrons joined Xiono, Yeager, and Ryvora in celebrating her homecoming. Several months later, Ace Squadron and Captain Doza joined the Citizens' Fleet assembled by General Lando Calrissian to help the Resistance win the decisive battle against the Sith Eternal's forces on the planet Exegol in the Unknown Regions.^[19]

Behind the scenes

Ace Squadron was created and developed for the animated series Star Wars Resistance. The first footage of the squad was released on August 17, 2018.^[31] Further details regarding the pilots that formed the squadron were released on September 14, 2018.^[2]

Appearances

Non-canon appearances

• Star Wars Resistance Racer

Sources

Notes and references