The Hand of Justice was an Arquitens-class light cruiser which served in the navies of the Galactic Republic and Galactic Empire. During the Clone Wars, the Hand of Justice participated in the Battle of Kadavo under the command of Admiral Barton Coburn, who flew the cruiser underneath the Kadavo slave processing facility to rescue enslaved Togruta who were in danger of falling to their death in the crater beneath the structure. After the reorganization of the Republic into the Empire, the Hand of Justice continued to serve in the Imperial Navy, being refitted into an Arquitens-class command cruiser.

Description[]

The Hand of Justice,^[3] as an Arquitens-class light cruiser and later an Arquitens-class command cruiser after being refitted during the Imperial Era,^[2] was a wedge-shaped starship with a raised bridge.^[1] It had three engines at the rear, and a pair of twin turbolaser batteries.^[2] During its service in the Galactic Republic Navy, the Hand of Justice's hull was painted white with red markings along the center and sides of its hull.^[1] After the rise of the Galactic Empire, the Hand of Justice was repainted a uniform grey.^[2]

History[]

The Hand of Justice was a part of the Galactic Republic Navy during the Clone Wars.^[1] In 20 BBY,^[4] the cruiser was part of a group brought to the planet Kadavo by Jedi General Plo Koon and Admiral Barton Coburn at the request of Jedi General Anakin Skywalker to help rescue kidnapped Togruta colonists from Kiros who had been enslaved by the Zygerrian Slave Empire. During the battle, Keeper Agruss, who was in charge of the Kadavo slave processing facility, set the floor of the prisoners' cells to open, which would drop them to their deaths in the caldera below, before destroying the controls, preventing Obi-Wan Kenobi from reversing it.^[1]

On hearing the news Plo decided to move the cruiser into position to rescue the colonists, although this could not be done until Skywalker had taken out the facility's shielded turbolasers. Coburn had his bridge crew maneuver the Hand of Justice beneath the facility, scraping the ship's hull on the structure, before sending Clone Commander Wolffe and some of his troopers onto the top of the starship with jetpacks and cable guns to catch the Togruta. With the assistance of Jedi Padawan Ahsoka Tano, the clone troopers were able to rescue the colonists from falling. Once everyone was safe, the civilians and soldiers ran across the ship's hull to get inside, and the Hand of Justice extricated itself from beneath the facility. Subsequently, Plo had his gunships destroy the building, sending it falling into the caldera.^[1]

At the end of the Clone Wars, the Republic was reorganized into the Galactic Empire.^[5] The Hand of Justice continued to serve in the Imperial Navy, being refitted as an Arquitens-class command cruiser, and in this capacity visited a blue celestial body, flying through a cloud in its atmosphere.^[2]

Commanders and crew[]

During the Battle of Kadavo, the Hand of Justice was personally commanded by Admiral Coburn. Commander Wolffe was also stationed onboard with some of his men from the 104th Battalion.^[1]

Behind the scenes[]

The Hand of Justice first appeared in the Star Wars: The Clone Wars episode "Escape from Kadavo."^[1] It was first canonically identified on a card of the same name in the Imperial Light Cruiser Expansion Pack, a 2016 expansion pack for Fantasy Flight Games' miniatures game Star Wars: Armada,^[2] but it was not until the sixtieth issue of the magazine Star Wars: Build the Millennium Falcon that the name was tied to the ship from The Clone Wars.^[3] The name originated in the 2013 reference book Star Wars: The Clone Wars: Episode Guide, which was written by Jason Fry.^[6]

Appearances[]

• Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "Escape from Kadavo" (First appearance)

Sources[]

• "Escape from Kadavo" Episode Guide | The Clone Wars on StarWars.com (backup link)
• Admiral Coburn in the Encyclopedia (content now obsolete; backup link) (Indirect mention only)
• Star Wars: Build the Millennium Falcon 60 (Starship Fact File: Arquitens-class light cruiser)
• Star Wars: Armada — Imperial Light Cruiser Expansion Pack (Card: Hand of Justice) (First identified as Hand of Justice)
• Dawn of Rebellion (Picture only)
• Star Wars: Armada — Upgrade Card Collection (Card: Hand of Justice)

Notes and references[]