The MC95 Star Cruiser was a class of Mon Calamari Star Cruiser present in the the galaxy by the time following the Battle of Crait during the war between the First Order and the Resistance in 34 ABY. In 35 ABY, several were Star Cruisers were in service to the Mon Calamari monarchy, and several others formed part of the naval forces of the Resistance.
Many MC95 Star Cruisers participated in the Battle of Exegol that saw the final destruction of the Sith and defeat of the Sith Eternal forces as part of the Citizens' Fleet. The MC95 Star Cruiser gave rise to other sub-models, including the MC95A, MC95B, MC95C, MC95D, and MC95E models.
The MC95 Star Cruiser was a class of Star Cruiser of Mon Calamari design. Following the success of the MC80 Star Cruiser and the MC85 Star Cruiser, the Mon Calamari manufactured the MC95 and created at least five sub-variants, the MC95A, the MC95B, the MC95C, the MC95D, and the MC95E. The MC95 was equipped with a hyperdrive which gave it the capability of entering hyperspace at lightspeed, and was equipped with engines. The MC95 Star Cruiser had a bridge, as well as two hangars. Characteristic of other Mon Calamari ship designs, the MC95 Star Cruiser had a bulbous hull with differing modules. It could be disabled when struck by powerful Force lightning.
An MC95 Star Cruiser during the Battle of Batuu.
As a capital ship, the MC95 Star Cruiser had the ability to participate in naval warfare, and could serve in the capacity of a flagship. As a cruiser of this gigantic size, the MC95 could easily rival with some Resurgent-class Star Destroyers in combat, and would likely have been equipped with very powerful shields like most MC-series star cruisers.
During the Resistance's mission to Mon Cala after the Battle of Crait, the Mon Calamari monarchy allied with the Resistance and dispatched Aftab Ackbar and his starship along with several other Nebulon-C escort frigates, MG-100 StarFortress SF-17s, and starfighters to escape with the Millennium Falcon just as the First Order arrived. Later, two such starships were part of an attack on the Finalizer and two other Resurgent-class Star Destroyers over Batuu as part of a strike fleet. Several MC95 Star Cruisers participated in the Battle of Exegol in 35 ABY between the Resistance and the Sith Eternal.
The MC95 Star Cruiser first appeared in the Star Wars comic book Allegiance 4 in 2019, and was developed for Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge according to Lucasfilm Story Group Leland Chee. It was first identified in an installment of Star Wars By the Numbers on StarWarsKids.com. Pablo Hidalgo later confirmed that one of the MC95 Star Cruisers in Galaxy's Edge was named the Ardency, which was made official on May 24, 2018, and was previously known as the "Alcatraz Pickle Ship" before receiving its official name.
The Ardency was created for Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, an amusement ride in Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge that first opened in December 5, 2019. Phil Szostak began identifying ships to use in Star Wars: Episode IX The Rise of Skywalker in August of 2018, several months after the model was made for Galaxy's Edge, although he clarified that Industrial Light & Magic's work may have begun sooner.