Battle over Coruscant

The Battle over Coruscant was a major battle during the Galactic Civil War between the Galactic Empire and the Alliance to Restore the Republic in orbit of the planet Coruscant. The battle led to the destabilization of Black Sun under Xizor's rule.

Prelude

Princess Leia Organa had been sent into Xizor's Palace under the guise of the deceased bounty hunter Boushh. Xizor uncovered her plot and subsequently detained her. A small team consisting of Luke Skywalker, Lando Calrissian, Dash Rendar, Chewbacca, and Benedict Vidkun avoided the palace's security by entering the palace through the Sewers of Coruscant. Vidkun, a worker hired to guide them through the sewers, suddenly turned on the group, but Dash killed him. Meanwhile, Luke found Leia, and Rendar planted pulse bombs on Xizor's sky elevator connecting his palace to the Falleen's Fist in orbit. Security pinned the group down during the escape. Lando retaliated by throwing a thermal detonator into the sewer shaft. With a thermal detonator in the sewer and pulse bombs on the elevator, Xizor's Palace had to be evacuated in five minutes. Most of the population of the building escaped. The royal guards and Xizor fled to Falleen's Fist, Xizor's personal skyhook.

Battle in orbit

Dash Rendar, Leia Organa, Luke Skywalker, Chewbacca, and Lando Calrissian fled the building in the Millennium Falcon. Dash transferred to the Outrider, and Rogue Squadron came out of hyperspace due to a distress signal sent by Leebo. Three rebel pilots were killed, and Black Sun was gaining an advantage.

Darth Vader, in the Executor, came around Coruscant with two Star Destroyers, deployed squadrons of TIE fighters, and ordered his fleet to attack Xizor's personal navy. Xizor, outraged, asked what was going on, but instead, Darth Vader gave Xizor two minutes to surrender or be killed. Xizor ignored Vader's ultimatum, and the Executor's turbolasers destroyed the skyhook, which violently exploded and killed everyone on board.

Meanwhile, even as the Imperial forces were hitting the skyhook, the Outrider entered the skyweb, its interior, in order to damage its infrastructure^[7] and gain the satisfaction that he caused its destruction himself.^[8]

Dash Rendar appeared to be killed when the Outrider was hit by debris from the explosion, but this was a trick, and he survived the battle. He left the Alliance afterward.

Aftermath

Rogue Squadron moved onto Prefsbelt IV to deliver the Tydirium to the Alliance, and Luke and company went to Tatooine to rescue Han Solo.

Behind the scenes

In the first general outline of the Shadows of the Empire project, Steve Perry wrote that the Rebels, including the Outrider, left the battle before the destruction of the skyhook; this was changed in order to include Dash Rendar's "loss" and add a dramatic finale to the story.^[8]

Appearances

• Star Wars: Empire at War: Forces of Corruption (Indirect mention only)
• Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire novel (First appearance, in book)
• Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire abridged audiobook
• Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire junior novelization
• Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire video game
• Shadows of the Empire 6
• The Rise and Fall of Darth Vader (Mentioned only)
• Return of the Jedi radio drama — "Prophecies and Destinies" (Mentioned only)
• Mara Jade – By the Emperor's Hand 6 (Indirect mention only)

Sources

Notes and references