Emergency beacon

An emergency beacon

"Have you located the source of the distress beacon?"
"It appears to be an Imperial escape pod, your Highness. One lifeform on board."

―Leia Organa and Jan Dodonna

An emergency beacon or distress beacon was a type of homing beacon that was designed for use in emergency situations to summon or locate aid. Alliance operatives used them when they were in trouble, signaling other members of the Alliance during times of distress. Sometime before the Battle of Endor, when Princess Leia Organa was preparing for a diplomatic mission to the planet of Yinchorr, Luke Skywalker forced Leia Organa to take an emergency beacon with her. The gesture proved to be life-saving, as Organa was attacked and captured by Imperials led by Governor Marcellin Wessel. Due to the emergency beacon, Organa was able to be rescued with the Millennium Falcon.

Appearances

• Lost Tribe of the Sith: Precipice
• Star Wars: The Old Republic
• Star Wars: The Old Republic: Rise of the Hutt Cartel
• Star Wars: The Old Republic: Knights of the Eternal Throne
• Philosophy
• Star Wars: The Clone Wars – "Wookiee Hunt"
• Star Wars: Droids—"Coby and the Starhunters"
• "When the Desert Wind Turns: The Stormtrooper's Tale"—Tales from the Mos Eisley Cantina
• "Raid on Brentaal" – The Far Orbit Project (as distress beacon)
• "A Boy and His Monster: The Rancor Keeper's Tale"—Tales from Jabba's Palace
• Star Wars Missions 4: Destroy the Liquidator
• "Leia's Trust"—Star Wars Comic 12 (Mentioned only)
• Star Wars (1977) 38 (First appearance)
• Star Wars (1977) 50
• Star Wars (1977) 86
• "Black Curs Blues" – Star Wars Adventure Journal 8
• "Harm's Way"—The Kathol Rift (as hyperspace distress beacon)
• Dark Force Rising
• Dark Force Rising audiobook
• The New Jedi Order: Force Heretic II: Refugee
• Dark Nest I: The Joiner King
• Dark Nest III: The Swarm War (as Rescue beacon) (Mentioned only)
• Fate of the Jedi: Conviction
• Fate of the Jedi: Conviction audiobook
• X-Wing: Mercy Kill
• X-Wing: Mercy Kill audiobook

Sources

• A Guide to the Star Wars Universe (as emergency distress beacon)
• The Star Wars Sourcebook (as distress beacon)
• Star Wars Sourcebook, Second Edition
• "Smuggler's Log" – Star Wars Adventure Journal 4 (as distress beacon)
• Galladinium's Fantastic Technology (as emergency distress beacon)
• Flashpoint! Brak Sector (as distress beacon)
• Tales of the Jedi Companion
• Star Wars Gamemaster Screen, Revised (as distress beacon)
• Star Wars Trilogy Sourcebook, Special Edition (as distress beacon)
• Platt's Smugglers Guide (as portable emergency beacon)
• Hideouts & Strongholds
• The Far Orbit Project (as emergency tracking signal)
• Alien Encounters (as distress beacon)
• Star Wars: Edge of the Empire Core Rulebook
• Chewbacca in the Encyclopedia (content now obsolete; backup link) (as "distress beacon")
• Star Wars: Age of Rebellion Core Rulebook