A class of Mon Calamari Star Cruiser served in the naval forces of the Alliance to Restore the Republic during the Galactic Civil War against the Galactic Empire. With the exception of the port and starboard wings, the Star Cruiser physically resembled the MC80 Liberty Type Heavy Star Cruiser. Similar to the Liberty Type, the Star Cruiser had nine engines, the ability to travel in hyperspace, and a bulbous hull like other Mon Calamari vessels.

Shortly prior to the Battle of Endor in 4 ABY, one such starship was near the MC80A Home One Type Heavy Star Cruiser Home One while the fleet contingent prepared itself for hyperspace. Once the group arrived above the Forest Moon of Endor, all Alliance cruisers established a perimeter while rebel starfighters flew closer to the DS-2 Death Star II Mobile Battle Station. Once it was revealed that the Alliance was lured to attack the Empire on Endor, more Alliance forces joined the engagement. By the battle's end, at least six of the starships survived, along with other Alliance vessels.

Characteristics[]

A class of starship was a Mon Calamari Star Cruiser^[1] and was characterized by a light brown and bulbous hull. The cruiser physically resembled the MC80 Liberty Type Heavy Star Cruiser, with the exception of not having large winged protrusions on the port and starboard. Also, unlike the MC80 Liberty cruiser, the Star Cruiser had a small dorsal port tower between the midship and the bow. Similarly, however, the Star Cruiser had nine engines and had the ability to travel in hyperspace.^[2] It had a ventral hangar^[1] as well as at least one hangar on its starboard side. The Star Cruiser was armed with laser cannons.^[2]

History[]

A number of the Mon Calamari Star Cruiser served in the Alliance Navy during the Galactic Civil War between the Alliance to Restore the Republic and the Galactic Empire. Shortly before the Battle of Endor^[2] in 4 ABY,^[3] one such cruiser was near the MC80A Home One Type Heavy Star Cruiser Home One as the light freighter Millennium Falcon flew by while the fleet prepared itself for hyperspace travel.^[2]

Upon the fleet's arrival to the orbit of the Forest Moon of Endor, the site of the planet-destroying superweapon DS-2 Death Star II Mobile Battle Station, four of the Star Cruisers were among the ship group that contained the Home One. While the rebel starfighters flew closer to the second Death Star, the cruisers established a perimeter. Once the Alliance discovered that the Death Star's deflector shields were activated and that the Empire lured them to Endor, more Alliance forces joined the engagement. The Alliance fleet took evasive action but was confronted by a large Imperial fleet, including the Star Dreadnought Executor. Starfighter combat between Imperial and Alliance starfighters erupted between the Alliance Fleet's ships, including near several of these Star Cruisers. At least one Star Cruiser was near the medical frigate Redemption as Red Squadron engaged Imperial TIE/IN interceptors.^[2]

Eventually, the second Death Star was revealed to be operational when it fired its superlaser at the MC80 Star Cruiser Liberty, destroying it. After the destruction of the MC80A Star Cruiser Nautilian, Alliance General Lando Calrissian recommended to Admiral Gial Ackbar that the rebel fleet move closer to the Imperial Star Destroyers to gain time and at least inflict some casualties on the Imperial forces. As a result, multiple ships of the Star Cruiser class engaged Imperial forces, with one moving towards the^[2] Tector-class Harbinger^[4] along with an MC80 Liberty cruiser. At least two Star Cruisers moved towards the Executor as Ackbar ordered his forces to fire upon the Super Star Destroyer, and scores of others engaged Star Destroyers nearby. Ultimately, the Executor was destroyed and crashed into the Death Star II. The fleet, including at least six of the Star Cruisers, moved away once the main reactor of the Death Star was destroyed, resulting in a large fireball that annihilated the battle station.^[2]

Behind the scenes[]

The Mon Calamari Star Cruiser first appeared in the final installment of the original trilogy, Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi, which was released in 1983.^[2] The starship's model was created by Industrial Light & Magic for the film, though wings were later attached to the model to create more variation in the rebel fleet, thus creating the MC80 Liberty Type Heavy Star Cruiser.^[5] The Mon Calamari starships were referred to as "pickle ships" by the ILM crew due to their bulbous pods. Their unique designs prevented the model makers from kitbashing, and the parts for the models were created at ILM. Concept designers Joe Johnston and Nilo Rodis-Jamero designed the Mon Calamari ships as streamlined ships.^[1]

In the Star Wars Legends continuity, the starship was established to be the MC80a Star Cruiser by the reference book The Essential Guide to Warfare, written by Jason Fry and "Paul R. Urquhart."^[6] In the current Star Wars canon, the MC80a Star Cruiser name was attributed to the MC80A Home One Type Heavy Star Cruiser, a separate MC80 Star Cruiser variant^[7] that is identified as the MC80 Home One type Star Cruiser in Legends.^[8]

Appearances[]

• Star Wars in Pictures: The Original Trilogy (Picture only)
• Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi (First appearance)
• Star Wars: Return of the Jedi junior novelization (Indirect mention only)
• Return of the Jedi: Beware the Power of the Dark Side! (Indirect mention only)
• Return of the Jedi: Beware the Power of the Dark Side! audiobook (Indirect mention only)

Sources[]

• Star Wars: Build the Millennium Falcon 24 (Starship Fact File: Mon Calamari Star Cruiser)

Notes and references[]