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CR90 corvettes, also identified as the CR90 class and colloquially known as Corellian corvettes or blockade runners, were consular vessels manufactured by the Corellian Engineering Corporation. While the CR90 would see initial use within the late Galactic Republic and Imperial Senate, many vessels would be appropriated by the early rebellion and Rebel Alliance against the First Galactic Empire, despite not being designed as a combat-oriented vessel. They were later used by the navies of both the New Republic and the Resistance.

Characteristics

Blueprints of the Tantive IV, a CR90 corvette

Blueprints of the Tantive IV, a CR90 corvette

Designed by the Corellian Engineering Corporation[1] as a diplomatic ship, it would see use within the annals of the late Galactic Republic, Imperial Senate, and later as a combat craft in both the early rebellion and Rebel Alliance.[18] Measuring 150 meters in length,[1] it featured two dual and four single turbolaser turrets, and had the ability to reach a maximum speed of 950 kph. According to Luke Skywalker, some combat-outfitted CR90 ships could be equipped with six dual turbolasers. Capable of carrying an entire diplomatic escort, it had a passenger capacity in the hundreds.[13] Although the ships were not built as carriers, three RZ-1 A-wing interceptors could be attached to the docking rings, allowing for a small escort.[16] They would serve as the backbone of the early rebellion and Alliance.[5] Though not particularly heavily armed, CR90s possessed enough forward firepower to destroy a Gozanti-class cruiser quite easily.[17]

History

Clone Wars

The CR90 line was in service during the Clone Wars. Senator Bail Organa of Alderaan owned a CR90 corvette called the Tantive IV, which he used to travel to Toydaria to negotiate a relief effort for the blockade on Ryloth.[27]

Early rebellion against the Galactic Empire

After the fall of the Republic and the rise of the Galactic Empire, the CR90 continued to see service within the Empire, with several such cruisers parked at the R/M Facility Four deepdock at Belderone.[20] Additionally, the corvette would continue to be used by Bail Organa during his tenure in the Imperial Senate.[21]

Two CR90 Corvettes were part of the Botajef Defense Force, which was mobilized against the Empire when Governor Quesl declared the secession of Botajef from the Empire. Commodore Thrawn was able to put a stop to them with minimal casualties, capturing Quesl aboard his corvette using a tractor beam.[22]

Bail Organa traveled in the Tantive IV when he recovered R2-D2 and C-3PO from the rebels who operated on Lothal.[28] Organa's rebel movement also used a number of CR90s. Ahsoka Tano, under the codename "Fulcrum," traveled in one when the rebels handed the Rodian informant Tseebo over to her.[29]

Unifying the Rebellion

The Liberator and Transport One approach the blockade over Ibaar

The Liberator and Transport One approach the blockade over Ibaar

Five CR90 corvettes served as part of the Phoenix Cell under the command of Jun Sato, in addition to the flagship, a Pelta-class frigate called the Phoenix Home.[10] Three of them were used to assist the rescue of Lothal rebel leader Kanan Jarrus.[30] After the loss of the flagship in the Siege of Lothal, Commander Sato took one of the corvettes, Liberator, as his new flagship.[31] The Liberator and another corvette, under the callsign Transport One, were used in an attempt to bring relief supplies to the starving people of Ibaar. Transport One was destroyed in the first to run the Imperial blockade. It was later replaced by one of the other corvettes for the second attempt, which was successful thanks to the Prototype B6.[16] When Phoenix Cell was discovered to have been hiding on Garel, forces led by Admiral Kassius Konstantine led an assault on them. As the Liberator tried to escape, it was captured by Konstantine's tractor beam. However, the tractor beam was disabled by the Ghost, which freed the Liberator and escaped.[14]

After Mon Mothma declared the formation of the Rebel Alliance, several CR90s traveled with many more rebel ships to her location at Dantooine.[32] Shortly after, General Jan Dodonna took three CR90s with his fleet to meet Phoenix Cell, and their three CR90s, at their base on Atollon, in preparation to attack the TIE Defender project on Lothal. However, Grand Admiral Thrawn's forces ambushed the fleet of rebel ships. In the ensuing battle, three of the six CR90s were destroyed. The final three fled with the remaining rebels back to Phoenix Cell's base. When Thrawn's ground forces overran the base, the Liberator and one other CR90 escaped and attempted to run Thrawn's blockade. The Liberator escaped, but the other corvette was destroyed.[33]

Galactic Civil War

"We're still flying under a diplomatic flag. The Empire would not dare board us."
"This just came in. The Empire has issued a priority red directive. Any ships matching the description of a CR90 corvette are to be stopped and held. Priority red means all previous orders and duties are immediately superseded for all Imperial ships galaxy-wide. I've never seen this much comm traffic—the Empire's flooding every frequency with it. Whatever Rogue One beamed us from Scarif, they really want it back."
Corla Metonae and a bosun aboard the Tantive IV[34]
The CR90 corvette Candor escapes an Imperial Star Destroyer.

The CR90 corvette Candor escapes an Imperial Star Destroyer.

Between circa 2 BBY and 4 ABY,[35] the CR90 corvette Candor was active within the rebel fleet as an arms smuggling vessel under the command of Captain Jardar, who would be killed in an Imperial attack. Suddenly the highest ranking officer onboard, Minister Amilyn Holdo assumed command of the Candor and ensured it escaped, earning her a formal promotion into the CR90's new captain.[36] In 1 BBY and heading into 0 BBY,[35] after the Alliance to Restore the Republic stole the plans to the Death Star, Princess Leia Organa traveled aboard the Tantive IV to bring the plans to Alderaan. However, her ship was intercepted by the Devastator over Tatooine. The Tantive IV attempted to escape, but a shot from the Star Destroyer crippled its engines, leaving it vulnerable to boarding.[8]

During the Mid Rim Retreat, the Rebel's Twilight Company utilized the CR90 Thunderstrike as a transport before its demise on Sullust.[9] At one point during the war, the Rebels used the corvette Jaina's Light.[37] Numerous CR90s joined the Alliance Fleet near Sullust in preparation for an assault on the second Death Star. The fleet arrived at the Endor system to find it was a trap.[38] In the ensuing battle, several CR90s were destroyed.[39] Many CR90 corvettes participated in the Battle of Jakku. Captain Lindsey's corvette was heavily damaged and crashed onto the surface of Jakku.[40] Several other corvettes joined it in what would become known as the Starship Graveyard.[24]

New Republic and beyond

A CR90 in service to the New Republic

A CR90 in service to the New Republic

The CR90 corvette Nechrim's Wake served as part of the New Republic Defense Fleet under a captain.[41] Around 6 ABY,[42] the vessel crashed on Loradil on the edge of the Fenril sector, where the surviving crew encountered a group of B1-series battle droids.[41] Around 9 ABY,[43] a CR90 corvette was a part of a squadron of New Republic X-wing and B-wing fighters called in by Kh'ymm to help the Skeleton Crew defeat Silvo's pirates during the Invasion of At Attin.[44]

One CR90 that had served in the Galactic Civil War from the Battle of Scarif to the Battle of Jakku was used by the Resistance.[25] Many years after the end of the Galactic Civil War, a former Imperial senator discovered the remains of the Tantive IV lying decrepit in a hangar in the Yarma system. Sympathetic to Leia's cause, the senator repaired the former consular ship and returned it to her as a gift. Leia used the vessel as her personal flagship from the Resistance base on Ajan Kloss. Given the lack of barracks on the moon, most of the Resistance support crew lived and slept aboard the Tantive IV when not on duty; it was also used as a generator for the Resistance base.[45]

A CR90 in service to the Resistance

A CR90 in service to the Resistance

In 35 ABY,[46] multiple CR90 corvettes including the Tantive IV were part of a fleet assembled by Lando Calrissian to assist the Resistance during the battle against the Sith Eternal forces over the planet Exegol. A few corvettes, including the Tantive IV, were destroyed in the battle. Nonetheless, the engagement ultimately ended in triumph for the Resistance and the Citizens' Fleet; the Sith Eternal and Sidious himself were destroyed, which itself led to a uprising against the First Order across the galaxy.[26]

Behind the scenes

The CR90 corvette first appeared in Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope,[47] released in 1977.[48]

Appearances

Non-canon appearances

Sources

Wiki-shrinkable This out-of-universe list is incomplete. You can help Wookieepedia by expanding it.

Notes and references

  1. 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 Star Wars: The Rebel Files
  2. Starships and Speeders
  3. Star Wars Super Graphic: A Visual Guide to a Galaxy Far, Far Away
  4. Star Wars: Absolutely Everything You Need to Know
  5. 5.0 5.1 Star Wars: Ships of the Galaxy
  6. Star Wars: The Visual Encyclopedia
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6 Star Wars Encyclopedia of Starfighters and Other Vehicles
  8. 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope
  9. 9.0 9.1 Battlefront: Twilight Company
  10. 10.0 10.1 Star Wars Rebels: The Siege of Lothal
  11. 11.0 11.1 11.2 Ultimate Star Wars
  12. 12.0 12.1 StarWars.com Encyclopedia Alderaan cruiser in the Encyclopedia (original site is defunct)
  13. 13.0 13.1 13.2 Heir to the Jedi
  14. 14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 14.4 Rebels-mini-logo Star Wars Rebels — "Legacy"
  15. 15.0 15.1 Star Wars: Squadrons
  16. 16.0 16.1 16.2 Rebels-mini-logo Star Wars Rebels — "Wings of the Master"
  17. 17.0 17.1 Rebels-mini-logo Star Wars Rebels — "Iron Squadron"
  18. 18.0 18.1 18.2 18.3 StarWars-DatabankII Alderaan Cruiser in the Databank (backup link)
  19. 19.0 19.1 Star Wars: X-Wing Second EditionHuge Ship Conversion Kit Card: Republic Judiciary — CR90 Corellian Corvette
  20. 20.0 20.1 20.2 Tarkin
  21. 21.0 21.1 Leia, Princess of Alderaan
  22. 22.0 22.1 Thrawn
  23. Darth Vader (2015) 2
  24. 24.0 24.1 24.2 Star Wars Battlefront
  25. 25.0 25.1 25.2 SWResistanceLogo Star Wars Resistance — "The Recruit"
  26. 26.0 26.1 Star Wars: Episode IX The Rise of Skywalker
  27. TCW mini logo Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "Supply Lines"
  28. Rebels-mini-logo Star Wars Rebels — "Droids in Distress"
  29. Rebels-mini-logo Star Wars Rebels — "Gathering Forces"
  30. Rebels-mini-logo Star Wars Rebels — "Fire Across the Galaxy"
  31. Rebels-mini-logo Star Wars Rebels — "The Lost Commanders"
  32. Rebels-mini-logo Star Wars Rebels — "Secret Cargo"
  33. Rebels-mini-logo Star Wars Rebels — "Zero Hour"
  34. "Raymus" — From a Certain Point of View
  35. 35.0 35.1 Star Wars: Timelines
  36. "The Bridge" — Age of Resistance Special 1
  37. Star Wars: X-Wing Second EditionHuge Ship Conversion Kit Card: Jaina's Light
  38. Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi
  39. "The Levers of Power" — The Rise of the Empire
  40. Star Wars Battlefront II
  41. 41.0 41.1 Star Wars (2025) 3
  42. Premium-Era-real Marvel's New Star Wars Series to Explore the New Republic Erae by Schedeen, Jessie on IGN (January 21, 2025) (backup link archived on January 21, 2025) states the events of Star Wars begin around two years after the events of Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi, which Star Wars: Timelines dates to 4 ABY.
  43. Star Wars: Timelines dates the events of "Chapter 1: The Mandalorian" of The Mandalorian Season One to 9 ABY. In addition, SWInsider "A Certain Point of View" — Star Wars Insider 228 also dates "Part Seven: Dreams and Madness" to nine years after the events of Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope, which corresponds to 9 ABY per Timelines. "Part Seven: Dreams and Madness" takes place after the conflict on Mandalore, which is the main event depicted in "Chapter 23: The Spies" and "Chapter 24: The Return," the final two episodes of The Mandalorian Season Three. Therefore, Seasons One through Three of Star Wars: The Mandalorian must all be set in 9 ABY as well. StarWars.com SWCA 2022: 20 Highlights from Lucasfilm's Studio Showcase on StarWars.com (backup link) states that Star Wars: Skeleton Crew takes place in the same timeframe as Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Star Wars: Ahsoka—the latter of which can also be dated to 9 ABY following the reasoning here. As such, Skeleton Crew must take place around 9 ABY as well.
  44. SkeletonCrew-FinalLogo Star Wars: Skeleton Crew — "The Real Good Guys"
  45. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker: The Visual Dictionary
  46. Star Wars: Timelines dates the events of Star Wars: Episode IX The Rise of Skywalker to 35 ABY.
  47. Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope
  48. Star Wars Year By Year: A Visual History, Updated and Expanded Edition

External links