Stalker/Legends
The Stalker was an Imperial II-class Star Destroyer of the Imperial Navy under the command of Captain Akal Zed.
History
The Stalker was originally assigned to search the Outer Rim Territories for new worlds to subjugate,[10] and would later become part of Moff Andal's fleet patrolling the Elrood sector.[3][9]
It would later be reassigned as part of Darth Vader's Death Squadron, his personal fleet of Star Destroyers that searched for the Alliance High Command headquarters and, more specifically for Vader, the location of Luke Skywalker.[2]
Eight months after the Battle of Yavin, the ship fought Warlord Nuso Esva's forces in the Poln system as part of Death Squadron.[6]
During Vader's post-Yavin search for Skywalker, the Stalker was responsible for launching the Viper probe droid that located Echo Base on the ice planet Hoth.[2][10] In addition to the Hoth system, the Stalker also targeted the nearby Allyuen and Tokmia systems.[11] Soon thereafter, the Stalker joined Death Squadron in its blockade of the planet during the Battle of Hoth. As the Rebellion's escape transports attempted to run the blockade, the Stalker helped to disable at least one of the fugitive ships, the GR-75 medium transport Bright Hope, the final transport to evacuate Hoth.[7]
In 4 ABY, the Stalker participated in the Battle of Endor.[2] As part of Death Squadron, the ship survived the battle. Captain Zed refused to obey the new fleet commander, Gilad Pellaeon, and decided to return to the Elrood sector with his ship.[12]
Behind the scenes
Galaxy Guide 3: The Empire Strikes Back identifies the Imperial II-class Star Destroyer Avenger as the Star Destroyer that launched the Viper probe droid that discovered Echo Base. This appears to have been based on dialogue between Captain Lorth Needa and a subordinate that did not make the final cut of the the radio dramatization of The Empire Strikes Back.[13][14] However, the Star Wars Customizable Card Game later contradicted this, as did the PC program Star Wars: Behind the Magic and Inside the Worlds of Star Wars Trilogy. These three sources identify the Stalker as the Star Destroyer holding this distinction. Further adding to the confusion, Star Wars: The Visual Dictionary also identifies the Avenger as the Star Destroyer that launched the probe droid. Attempting to clarify the discrepancy, The Essential Atlas states that both ships were responsible for deploying probe droids, though does not state with absolute certainty which ship is seen in the film.
Appearances

- Star Wars: Empire at War
- Star Wars: Empire at War: Forces of Corruption
- Operation: Elrood
- Choices of One
- Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back (First appearance)
- Super Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back
- Star Wars: X-Wing Alliance
- Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi
Sources
- The Empire Strikes Back Coloring Book (1982)
- Planets of the Galaxy, Volume Three
- The Star Wars Planets Collection
Star Wars Customizable Card Game – Cloud City Limited (Card: Bright Hope) (backup link)
Star Wars Customizable Card Game – Hoth Limited (Card: Stalker) (backup link)
- Star Wars: The Annotated Screenplays
- Star Wars: Behind the Magic
- Star Wars: The Visual Dictionary
- The Official Star Wars Fact File 7 (TIE1, TIE Fighter) (Picture only)
- The Official Star Wars Fact File 11 (STA3, Imperial Star Destroyer) (Picture only)
Star Wars Trading Card Game – The Empire Strikes Back (Card: Probe the Galaxy) (backup link) (Picture only)
- Inside the Worlds of Star Wars Trilogy
- Star Wars: The Official Starships & Vehicles Collection 3 (Picture only)
- Star Wars: The Official Starships & Vehicles Collection 5 (Picture only)
- File:SWGTCGsmall.jpg Star Wars Galaxies Trading Card Game – The Shadow Syndicate (Card: Stalker) (backup link not verified!)
- The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia
- The Essential Atlas
- The Essential Guide to Warfare
- File:StarWarsLCG Logo.png Star Wars: The Card Game – Escape from Hoth (Card: The Executor Arrives) (Picture only)
Notes and references
- ↑ Star Wars: X-Wing Alliance
- ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 Star Wars: Behind the Magic
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 Operation: Elrood
- ↑ Star Wars: Empire at War: Forces of Corruption
- ↑ Planets of the Galaxy, Volume Three, p. 11
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Choices of One
- ↑ 7.0 7.1
Star Wars Customizable Card Game – Cloud City Limited (Card: Bright Hope) (backup link)
- ↑ The Essential Atlas
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Planets of the Galaxy, Volume Three
- ↑ 10.0 10.1
Star Wars Customizable Card Game – Hoth Limited (Card: Stalker) (backup link)
- ↑ Galaxy Guide 3: The Empire Strikes Back
- ↑ The Essential Guide to Warfare
- ↑ The Empire Strikes Back radio dramatization, Episode 1: Freedom's Winter
- ↑ The Empire Strikes Back: The National Public Radio Dramatization