Lighting Squadron was a military cavalry squadron in the Grand Army of the Republic, composed of Advanced Recon Force clone troopers. During the Clone Wars, Lightning Squadron served under the leadership of Clone Commander Ponds, who reported directly to Jedi General Mace Windu. In 22 BBY the squadron deployed to Ryloth as part of a military campaign to liberate the Twi'lek homeworld from Separatist occupation.
The combined forces of the Galactic Republic and Twi'lek Resistance marched on the capital of Lessu City. The ARF troopers Razor and Stak, both of whom were part of Lightning Squadron, accompanied General Windu as the vanguard of the assault. Through their actions, the rest of the army gained entry to the city, resulting in the capture of Emir Wat Tambor and the Separatist military's withdrawal from the planet.
Lightning Squadron was a military unit of the Grand Army of the Republic. Its ranks consisted of Advanced Recon Force Scout Troopers; a variant of the standard clone trooper, ARF troopers were noted for their intelligence and survival skills, as well as their ability to pilot the All Terrain Reconnaissance Transport walkers. Their clone armor was also a variant of the Phase I clone trooper armor, designed to be lighter in weight for the purpose of speed and stealth.
Jedi General Mace Windu personally led Lightning Squadron against the Separatist forces on Ryloth.
In 22 BBY, the first year of the Clone Wars, the Twi'lek homeworld of Ryloth fell to the Confederacy of Independent Systems. In retaliation, the Galactic Republic initiated a campaign to liberate the planet and its people. After the Republic Navy secured the battle in space, the Grand Army of the Republic deployed to the surface with Jedi General Mace Windu leading the assault on the capital of Lessu City. The Separatist forces attempted to halt the invasion by using a group of Armored Assault Tanks to ambush Windu's forces, leading Clone Commander Ponds to call on the support of Lightning Squadron at the general's command. Utilizing their AT-RT walkers, the squadron's ARF troopers charged toward the enemy and although they successfully defended the army, Windu's forces sustained casualties during the skirmish.
Lightning Squadron stormed the occupied capital city of Lessu during the last phase of the Ryloth campaign.
In the aftermath of the ambush, Windu scouted ahead taking the ARF troopers Razor and Stak—both of Lightning Squadron—with him. Upon encountering Cham Syndulla, leader of the Twi'lek Resistance, the rebel Twi'leks brought the ARF troopers and their Jedi officer to the resistance headquarters where Windu ultimately convinced the rebels to fight alongside the Grand Army in a combined effort to free Ryloth from Separatist control. Before commencing with the main attack on the capital, Windu infiltrated Lessu and distracted the battle droids while Razor and Stak made their way to the control room and reactivated the plasma bridge, allowing both clone troopers and rebels to enter the city. The battle ultimately concluded in a decisive victory for the Republic, resulting in the Separatists' full retreat as well as the capture of Emir Wat Tambor, a member of the Separatist Council.
General Windu and Commander Ponds then took Lightning Squadron to Ridlay to investigate the planet's communication blackout. Upon their landing on Ridlay, the squadron saw the planet had gone completely dark and one of its villages abandoned. They were then approached by a villager who claimed that there were ghosts. Ponds, Razor, and the rest of the squadron came under attack by these ghosts. They were unable to push the ghost back and were forced to retreat to the villagers' shelter. Windu, Ponds, and the rest of the squadron realized the reason behind the ghosts attack was due to Separtist force being led by Count Dooku himself.
As Windu fought Dooku, Ponds and the squadron fought the battle droids. During the fight, one of the ghosts took Pax. After Dooku left, Windu ordered Ponds to get Lightning Squadron out.
Lightning Squadron first appeared in the Season One episode "Liberty on Ryloth" of the 2009 Star Wars: The Clone Wars television series.
- Ultimate Star Wars
- Star Wars Helmet Collection 37
- Star Wars: On the Front Lines
- Star Wars Helmet Collection 76
- Star Wars: Battles that Changed the Galaxy