"Blade Squadron", a pair of short stories, was co-authored by David J. Williams together with Mark S. Williams. These stories were featured in both Star Wars Insider 149 and also in Star Wars Insider 150. The inspiration for the story came from artwork depicting a battle scene that was ultimately cut from Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi. The narrative centers on a squadron of B-wing starfighters as they undertake a perilous, almost certainly fatal, mission during the Battle of Endor.
Blade Squadron holds the distinction of being the inaugural Insider short story, and also the initial story outside of the films and the The Clone Wars television program, to be officially recognized as part of the new canon established following the April 25, 2014 reboot. Subsequently, the story was republished on the StarWars.com website.
The Battle of Endor looms. In anticipation of the forthcoming conflict, Blade Squadron has recently received an upgrade, now equipped with the advanced A/SF-01 B-Wing Assault Starfighter, more commonly known as the "B-Wing." Wing Commander Adon Fox is tasked with leading Blade Squadron on a suicide mission targeting the Devastator. This action is intended to support Rebel Command's broader strategic objective: to engage and ultimately destroy the Death Star II, which is currently under construction while orbiting Endor's moon.
The two-part Blade Squadron story was presented as the monthly short fiction offering in the 149th and 150th editions of the Star Wars Insider publication. The announcement concerning the new Lucasfilm canon policy on April 25, 2014 occurred between the releases of these two issues, casting doubt on the story's canonical status. However, in Star Wars Insider 150, it was confirmed that Blade Squadron was indeed part of the new canon. This made it the first prose work, and the first story overall, to be officially designated as canon, separate from the main films and the Star Wars: The Clone Wars animated series.