Rogue Squadron

Rogue Squadron was a legendary starfighter squadron that flew for over 130 years. Originally a part of the Rebel Alliance, it later served the Alliance of Free Planets, New Republic, Galactic Federation of Free Alliances, and Galactic Alliance Remnant. Its roster routinely included some of the galaxy's best pilots, and its successes in battle gave the squadron an almost mythical presence that reassured galactic citizens someone was in space protecting them. The Rogues were important symbols to the different governments they served and a key part of public morale. Led by a pilot with the call sign Rogue Leader, the squadron flew various types of fighter craft throughout their history, usually a version of an X-wing starfighter, and they were assisted by astromech droids in the fighters' droid sockets.

The Rogues were originally a smaller flight group known as Rogue Flight, formed by the Alliance's Commander Arhul Narra in 0 ABY from the remnants of Red Squadron following the Battle of Yavin. Luke Skywalker and Wedge Antilles led a core group of pilots on various missions in the ongoing Galactic Civil War, and the flight's members were a part of the Rogue Group that flew against the Galactic Empire in 3 ABY's Battle of Hoth. Antilles expanded the Rogues into a full twelve-person squadron after Hoth was evacuated, and they fought in the Battle of Endor one year later as Red Squadron, where Antilles helped destroy the Empire's Death Star II battle station. As the group went on to serve the New Republic, it was disbanded for a year due to the amount of new recruits who were dying too soon after signing up.

Rebuilt with a heavily-trained group of elite pilots in 6 ABY, Rogue Squadron played a key role in capturing the galactic capital world of Coruscant from the Empire, but its twelve members soon afterward resigned their commissions in order to pursue a private guerrilla war against the warlord Ysanne Isard. The operation was retroactively sanctioned by the New Republic, and the Rogues went on to fight for their government in such conflicts as the reborn Emperor Palpatine's assault on Mon Calamari, the Orinda campaign, and a battle at Yaga Minor that brought the long war to an end. When the extra-galactic Yuuzhan Vong invaded the galaxy in 25 ABY, Rogue Squadron were among the first defenders on the front lines.

Although they suffered devastating losses against the unknown enemy, Rogue Squadron persevered and helped fight the tide of the invasion for four years under the command of Gavin Darklighter. They were among the few New Republic forces who took a stand at Borleias, and they flew in the decisive Battle of Yuuzhan'tar that finally defeated the invaders. Now a part of the Galactic Alliance, the Rogues took on the insectoid Killiks during the Swarm War and a unit called Rakehell Squadron in the Second Galactic Civil War. Loyalties had been blurred during the conflict, and Rakehell Leader Wedge Antilles shot down and killed Rogue Leader Lensi. Nearly 100 years later, Rogue Squadron were a part of the Galactic Alliance Remnant, and they fought the forces of Darth Krayt's Galactic Empire in such engagements as the Battle of Mon Calamari and a climactic strike at Krayt's Coruscant stronghold.

Text and facts from the “Rogue Squadron/Legends” article on Wookieepedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0. Modified for this site.