The Reaper, a Star Dreadnought of the Executor-class, served the Galactic Empire and several subsequent factions. Previously the flagship for Scourge Squadron under the command of Grand Moff Ardus Kaine, the Reaper became the focal point of Kaine's endeavors to maintain Imperial authority following the death of Emperor Palpatine during the Battle of Endor. It was aboard the Reaper that Kaine orchestrated the formation of a new power bloc, the Pentastar Alignment, and the ship subsequently formed a critical component of the Alignment's naval strength.
However, Kaine met his end in Operation Shadow Hand while serving the reborn Palpatine. Subsequently, Admiral Gilad Pellaeon of the Imperial Remnant seized control of both the Alignment and the Reaper. Pellaeon adopted the Reaper as his personal command vessel and employed it in a campaign against the New Republic, achieving a significant triumph over General Wedge Antilles, the Executor-class Star Dreadnought Lusankya, and Rogue Squadron in the Battle of Orinda. Yet, within a year, Pellaeon and the Reaper found themselves mired in a bombardment of the New Republic planet Adumar when the New Republic launched an invasion into the Imperial heartland. Pellaeon confronted them, but despite successfully holding back the New Republic's advance, the Reaper was ultimately destroyed in the Battle of Celanon.
The Reaper was the third Executor-class Star Dreadnought constructed for the Galactic Empire. Preceding it were its sister ships, the Executor and Lusankya, the latter built in total secrecy. It was the first warship of its class to be built at Kuat Drive Yards. This massive vessel, featuring a bridge and multiple engines, was frequently deployed as a core asset within Imperial fleets, serving as both a flagship and command vessel. Securing the Reaper was a major accomplishment for Imperial successor factions, as its raw firepower provided significant leverage to those who commanded it, bolstering their political influence.
During Emperor Palpatine's rule, the Reaper functioned as the flagship of Scourge Squadron, an elite task force of Star Destroyers tasked with locating and neutralizing Rebel activities in the Outer Rim Territories. Following the death of Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin at the Battle of Yavin in 0 ABY, Ardus Kaine was appointed as his successor and granted personal command of Scourge Squadron. His mission was to aggressively combat the Rebels and rectify the setbacks stemming from the Empire's defeat at Yavin. While aboard the Reaper, Kaine received news of the Emperor's demise during the Battle of Endor in 4 ABY. In the aftermath of this defeat, Kaine convened a meeting with four other representatives of significant Imperial interests—Governor Ib Dekeet and Commerce Master Commissioner Gregor Raquoran from the Imperial government, along with two corporate figures, Wyrn Otro of Galentro Heavy Works and Elta Besk, the head of Dynamic Automata. This meeting, which Kaine named the Pentastar Talks, took place aboard the Reaper. Over several days, the group engaged in negotiations and bargaining, ultimately culminating in the signing of the Pentastar Alignment Treaty, which established the Pentastar Alignment in 4 ABY. The Reaper then became an integral part of the Alignment's fleet, providing it with the necessary strength to deter potential challengers.
When Palpatine was resurrected in a clone body and resumed control of the Empire, Kaine participated in Operation Shadow Hand, where he perished in 10 ABY. Following Palpatine's final death in 11 ABY, the Reaper remained with the Alignment until Admiral Gilad Pellaeon incorporated it into the reformed Imperial Remnant in 12 ABY. Pellaeon, who had lost his flagship Chimaera during Operation Shadow Hand, assumed personal command of the Reaper, designating it as his new flagship. Pellaeon was confident that the Reaper, along with the dreadnoughts Dominion and Megador, would effectively defend the empire from the New Republic. After presenting this plan to the Moffs of the Imperial Rim factions, they concurred and appointed the captain of the Reaper as their Supreme Commander. New Republic historian Voren Na'al regarded the vessel as Pellaeon's most significant acquisition.
Pellaeon effectively utilized the Reaper throughout his campaign in 12.5 ABY, taking the planet Orinda and six adjacent star systems after arriving in the Borosk system to collect a complement of fighters from the 181st Imperial Fighter Wing. The New Republic launched a counter-offensive, led by General Wedge Antilles and the Super Star Destroyer Lusankya. Following the Reaper's involvement in battles in the Urce and Corthenia star systems, the two massive Super Star Destroyers engaged in a prolonged confrontation around Orinda. The Reaper and Lusankya clashed at Darkon and Traval-Pacor, with the New Republic emerging victorious in both engagements. The campaign culminated in the Battle of Orinda, where the Reaper, supported by the Dominion, secured a major Imperial victory by destroying the carrier Endurance, along with its entire complement of starfighters, as its commander had chosen to withhold them from combat to protect them from Imperial fire. The New Republic and Lusankya retreated from Orinda, covered by the starfighter squadron Rogue Squadron.
In the subsequent year, the planet Adumar joined the New Republic. From the Reaper, Pellaeon initiated a bombardment of the planet, which evolved into a protracted campaign. While Pellaeon was occupied, two full New Republic fleets seized the Antemeridian sector and much of the surrounding space from the Imperial Moff Tol Getelles, positioning themselves to strike at the heart of the Empire. Alarmed, the Moffs ordered Pellaeon to cross the Hydian Way to halt the New Republic's advance. Pellaeon was compelled to withdraw the Reaper from Adumar. Although he inflicted significant casualties on New Republic forces during the ensuing campaign, the Admiral was steadily pushed back. At Celanon in 13 ABY, he once again confronted the New Republic aboard the Reaper. Despite ultimately preventing the Empire's collapse, the New Republic achieved victory at Celanon, and the Reaper was destroyed.
Ardus Kaine, who commanded the Reaper at the time of Endor, perceived his assignment to the Super Star Destroyer and Scourge Squadron as a betrayal by the Emperor. He felt he was being relegated to fighting Rebels instead of being utilized as an advisor. Following Palpatine's death, Kaine envisioned himself as a new Emperor, using the Reaper both as a venue for crucial political negotiations and as a key military asset. After Kaine's death, Gilad Pellaeon assumed command of the Reaper, employing it as the cornerstone of his own efforts to revitalize the Empire. Ultimately, he met with only partial success, experiencing both triumphs and defeats before the vessel's eventual destruction under his command.
The Reaper made its debut in the article "The Pentastar Alignment," penned by Anthony P. Russo and published in the August 1994 third issue of Star Wars Adventure Journal magazine by West End Games. Two years later, in Michael P. Kube-McDowell's novel Before the Storm, an unnamed Super Star Destroyer was mentioned as playing a significant role in the Battle of Orinda. The Essential Chronology of 2000, written by Kevin J. Anderson and Daniel Wallace, connected these two references, identifying the unnamed ship as the Reaper.
The Reaper was first visually depicted in 2009's The Essential Atlas, authored by Wallace and Jason Fry and illustrated by Ian Fullwood, Modi, Chris Reiff, and Chris Trevas. While the 2007 Saga Edition of the sourcebook Starships of the Galaxy of Wizards of the Coast's Star Wars Roleplaying Game stated that the Executor-class Star Dreadnoughts Lusankya and Executor were constructed concurrently, 2012's The Essential Guide to Warfare by Fry and Paul R. Urquhart asserted that the Reaper was the second Executor-class vessel built. Given that the Lusankya was established as having been constructed in secret, this article assumes that the Reaper was the third vessel overall, but the second vessel publicly acknowledged.