Tantive IV
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| Star Wars craft | |
| Image:Tantive IV.JPG | |
| Tantive IV | |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Corellian Engineering Corporation |
| Specification | {{{Specification}}} |
| Type | Multi-Purpose Corvette |
| Length | 150 meters |
| Weapons | 6 Taim & Bak H9 dual turbolasers and 4 lasers on topside wing |
| Shield | Phoah-Kingsmeyer 484-J4e Screen Control and Shield Projector |
| Hull | Ferro-Magnesium Ceramic Hull |
| Crew | 20 officers, 35 crew, 14 gunners |
| Top Speed | Space: 22 MGLT; Atmosphere: 950 km/h |
| Troop Capacity | {{{Troop}}} |
| Affiliation | Alliance to Restore the Republic |
| Cargo Capacity | 3,000 metric tons |
| Passengers | 200 |
In the fictional Star Wars saga, the blockade runner Tantive IV, was a Corellian Corvette used by Bail Organa and later his adoptive daughter Leia Organa.<ref name="databank">Lucasfilm. Tantive IV (Rebel blockade runners). Star Wars Databank. Retrieved on 2006-08-08.</ref> The vessel has the distinction of being the very first space vessel seen (although not chronologically) in the entire series of Star Wars films. The ship's Captain was Raymus Antilles.
Contents |
[edit] History
[edit] Revenge of the Sith
The vessel's age has been left unrevealed, however it was built at some point before the events of Revenge of the Sith. At that time the vessel was Bail Organa's consular vessel. Organa would use the vessel to travel to and from Alderaan and Coruscant to attend sessions of the Senate, as well as conduct other official business.
After the Great Jedi Purge both Yoda and Obi-Wan Kenobi met Organa on his ship. The ship intercepted a message from Coruscant telling all the Jedi to return to the Jedi Temple. The Tantive IV returned to Coruscant to warn surviving Jedi away, and to confront the Emperor.
Yoda confronted Emperor Palpatine in the Senate chambers. The two fought in the main hall, with Palpatine eventually gaining the upper hand. Yoda slips out of the building, and is rescued by Organa. Yoda decides that he has to go into exile, and the pair leave the capital onboard the Tantive IV. The ship then leaves for Polis Massa. They are met at the asteroid base by Kenobi and the gravely injured Padmé Amidala. There Padmé gives birth to Luke and Leia and dies soon afterwards. Yoda, Kenobi, and Organa meet onboard the Tantive IV to decide on a course of action. They agree that Leia would go to live with Organa and his wife. Kenobi would go to Tatooine, and take Luke to live with Owen and Beru Lars. Yoda would go to Dagobah. The Tantive IV is last seen delivering baby Leia to her new home on Alderaan.
[edit] Between Episodes III and IV
In the years between episodes III and IV, Bail Organa continued to use the vessel while serving in the Senate. Eventually Organa left the Senate and became the Alderaanian Viceroy. Princess Leia then took over his seat in the Imperial Senate, and Organa handed the Tantive IV down to her at that point.
Princess Leia used the ship and her position in the Imperial Senate to help the struggling Rebel Alliance, often undertaking secret missions under the guise of humanitarian work. The vessel had diplomatic immunity, which gave it greater freedom to operate on the Alliance's behalf in a time when Imperial commanders were becoming increasingly aggressive.
At some point between the two episodes, the vessel was refitted. The ship's hull was extended between the main docking ring section and the engine block to allow the installation of a more powerful generator system. The ship was also repainted, replacing the original blue markings with red.
[edit] A New Hope
Just before the events of the A New Hope, plans for the new Death Star battle station came into Rebel hands; they were smuggled from an Imperial base to Darknell, and thence to Toprawa. On Toprawa, the Red Hand Squadron, led by Bria Tharen, assaulted and seized an Imperial communication tower, transmitting the plans to the waiting Tantive IV just before being overrun by Imperial troops and vehicles. The Tantive IV then went on a secret mission to find Obi-Wan Kenobi, one of the last Jedi that survived the Great Jedi Purge, and deliver him to Alderaan, along with the Death Star plans.
Unfortunately, the ship was intercepted over Tatooine by the Imperial Star Destroyer Devastator, under the command of Darth Vader. The Tantive IV was quickly disabled and captured, and though a small struggle was made by the crew, the Imperial Stormtroopers quickly secured the ship. Princess Leia secretly gave the Death Star plans to the droid R2-D2. R2-D2 and C-3P0 escaped from the Tantive IV from one of the escape pods. Crew members on board the Devastator, thinking that the pod had malfunctioned since they had detected no life on board it, decided not to destroy the pod.
According to the radio version of Episode IV, Vader killed Captain Antilles after the Captain refused to tell him what he had done with the plans (although in other versions of the canon, the man that was killed by Vader was another officer). Imperial troops soon captured Princess Leia. After a thorough search of the ship the Imperials were unable to find the plans. Vader took Leia prisoner. Vader then informed the Senate that everyone on board the Tantive IV died in an accident.
[edit] Return of the Jedi
During the Alliance briefing, the Tantive IV can be seen flying about. And in a few scenes during the Battle of Endor, it is seen as well. It is not clear, however, whether this ship is actually the Tantive IV or another ship of the same class.
[edit] References
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