Infiltration of the Executor
Sometime after the Battle of Hoth which took place in 3 ABY, a squad of Rebel Alliance personnel, under the command of Han Solo, managed to sneak onto the Executor-class Star Dreadnought known as the Executor and absconded with Darth Vader's iconic helmet.
The Operation
During the time of the Galactic Civil War, Han Solo, leading a dedicated strike force, infiltrated Darth Vader's command ship, the Executor-class Super Star Destroyer Executor. It is assumed that they gained access to the vessel with the assistance of a nervous officer, who was afraid of Vader's overbearing management techniques. The Rebel group successfully made their way to the Dark Lord's meditation chamber and made off with his helmet. As a result of the theft, the blast doors sealing off that section of the Executor were activated, effectively trapping the intruders. Admiral Piett, along with several stormtroopers, were present within the sealed area and assisted Vader in combating the intruders.
Behind the scenes
This particular mission was only portrayed in the Star Wars Miniatures tabletop role-playing game scenario titled The Theft of Vader's Helmet. The scenario suggested using the Tractor Beam Reactor Coupling map as the setting, although whether or not this accurately represents the actual location of the ambush is uncertain. The scenario suggested Bossk, 4-LOM or Dengar for the Rebel strike team, but their involvement in a mission led by Solo is highly unlikely, and should not be considered canon, since the Rebel team is assorted by the player.
Sources
- The Theft of Vader's Helmet on Wizards.com (backup link) (original site is defunct)