Venator-class Star Destroyer

The Venator-class Star Destroyer, also known as the Venator-class cruiser, and sometimes referred to as the Jedi cruiser, Republic cruiser, Republic attack cruiser, or Republic Star Destroyer, represented a specific type of Star Destroyer classified as a cruiser. Beyond its cruiser designation, particularly as an attack cruiser, the Venator was also categorized as a battleship and destroyer. Lira Wessex conceived its design, with Kuat Drive Yards handling the manufacturing at a cost of 59,000,000 credits, for the Galactic Republic's naval operations during the Clone Wars. By the Imperial Era, Corellian Shipyards also participated in the Venator's construction.

With dimensions ranging from 1,137 to 1,155.0 meters in length, a wingspan of 548 meters, and a height of 268 meters, the Venator was protected by robust deflector shields combined with hull armor plating, and it featured a diverse array of weaponry. It also included a long-range sensor array, a navigation computer, and related systems. Typically, Venator-class ships carried a crew of 7,400 individuals, including officers, pilots, and enlisted personnel, alongside approximately 2,000 troops. The Venator could transport 7,000 metric tons of cargo and had sufficient supplies to last for two standard years.

In the early stages of the Clone Wars, the Venator-class Star Destroyer was characterized by its extensive hangar capacity. The forward section incorporated a central passage that stretched 0.5 kilometers, flanked by bays for starships on both sides. Access was primarily through large doors located on the ship's upper surface. At the front of this passage, near the bow, was a set of hyperspace transport rings. Towards the rear of the passage, floor doors could open to allow Republic frigates to dock.

Alternatively, if no cruiser was docked, this space could be utilized by personnel for direct deployment onto the battlefield or to deploy walkers without needing dropships. A raised command station at the rear oversaw this passage. Further aft, the Venator-class included two independent docking bays on the port and starboard sides, each secured by blast doors. However, later models underwent modifications to enhance firepower, reducing the size of the main hangar.

Towards the war's conclusion, a modified Venator variant emerged, featuring smaller doors on the dorsal side and lacking ventral access. The original blast doors leading to the main hangar were replaced with enhanced lighting, a crane, and sometimes additional weaponry, such as an integrated beam weapon. Furthermore, the side doors no longer led to independent hangars but to a passage connecting both sides of the ship. The central hangar row then merged with the smaller passage in the middle, replacing the former command station location. At the front of the main passage was a small opening for launching starfighters without using the main doors.

Venator-class Star Destroyers were equipped with two bridges, the starboard bridge acting as the ship's primary command center and the port bridge dedicated to starfighter operations. Positioned above the main hull, these bridges offered a broad, panoramic view of combat. However, their exposed location made them susceptible to attack. The bridges featured large front windows, with two sunken areas behind them and a raised command walkway in between. This design element became a standard in Imperial vessels, emphasizing command hierarchy. Further back, a holotable was situated between two sets of blast doors, facilitating communication, ship analysis, and troop movement coordination.

As a formidable warship, the Venator-class Star Destroyer possessed a diverse arsenal of weapons. On its dorsal surface, eight double-barreled DBY-827 heavy turbolaser turrets, positioned four on each side of the bridge area, served as a primary source of firepower. These heavy turbolasers could fire in alternating bursts from each barrel at variable, rapid rates or fire both barrels simultaneously at a slower but still variable rate. The DBY-827's precise, long-range tracking capabilities were ideal for engaging distant targets, while its rapid rotation in close-quarters combat allowed it to quickly track nearby targets. The DBY-827 turrets offered seven different blast intensity settings, allowing for damage modulation based on the situation, and the Venator could allocate nearly its entire reactor output to these heavy guns when necessary. During the Battle of Bothawui, one Venator had at least four DBY-827's mounted on its ventral side.

Another form of firepower came from the AV-7 Anti-vehicle Artillery Cannon, mounted without legs, which could be operated by a single soldier and was also used as an artillery piece for Republic ground forces. The Venator's artillery decks featured extensive rows of these cannons, aimed roughly perpendicular to the ship's length to engage vessels at close range. The AV-7 cannons and their ammunition were vulnerable to explosions if struck by enemy fire during ship-to-ship engagements.

The Venator also featured at least 52 point-defense laser cannons for anti-starfighter defense. One type was a swiveling double-barreled turret operated by a single gunner, with a field of fire allowing it to swing and engage targets in various directions. For target practice, mechanical skeet filled with explosives could be launched from these emplacements.

Near the ship's front, the Venator-class had two pairs of medium dual turbolasers positioned along the hull trench, one on each side. At the rear, light laser cannons defended against enemy starfighters. Additionally, four heavy proton torpedo launchers and six heavy tractor beam projectors were part of its combat systems, along with beam weapons attached to the ventral docking bay on certain Venators, capable of destroying a Munificent-class star frigate with a concentrated shot. This blast could originate from an installed laser cannon or Self-Propelled Heavy Artillery Turbolaser. Numerous other gun emplacements were located along the Venator's hull trenches.

The Venator-class was equipped with either eight or ten ion thrust engines in three different sizes, symmetrically arranged with half on each side at the rear. Each engine was composed of multiple chambers and rings, with interiors coated in a blast primer. The propulsion was generated by a pulse reaction that ignited the reactor core rods. If three engines on each side failed, auxiliary power would activate.

The engines could be individually controlled from the command bridge. Individuals without protective gear in close proximity to active ion engines could suffer severe burns requiring immediate medical attention, although recovery was possible with minimal exposure.

Venators typically required specialized landing strips for atmospheric landings, such as those at a cruiser staging area on Coruscant, whereas Acclamator-class assault ships could land directly on surfaces using their legs. However, surface landings on natural terrain were possible, as demonstrated during the Battle of Kashyyyk, when a Venator landed at the city of Kachirho to deploy Republic ground forces in support of the Wookiees. The Venator also had retrorockets for atmospheric use.

The Venator boasted a significant starfighter complement, accommodating various craft such as Alpha-3 Nimbus-class V-wing starfighters, Eta-2 Actis-class light interceptors, Aggressive ReConnaissance-170 starfighters, V-19 Torrent starfighters, BTL-B Y-wing starfighter/bombers, and Clone Z-95 Headhunters, with some configurations capable of carrying up to 92 starfighters of different types. It could also carry up to 40 Low Altitude Assault Transport/infantrys, a variety of shuttles, and landing craft. Venators were able to deploy approximately 24 All Terrain Tactical Enforcer walkers, other ground vehicles, and modular components for establishing a planetary garrison. While possessing large hangars, the Venator could prioritize either a large number of space superiority fighters or a smaller number of larger gunships.

The primary reactor of the Venator-class Star Destroyer was a large, dome-shaped chamber located along the ship's center line, beneath the bridge tower. At maximum power, it could annihilate up to 40,000 tons of fuel per second. Various reactant pumps and ducts, along with cylindrical annihilation reactant silos, were positioned in front of the main reactor. At least one subsidiary reactor, also dome-shaped but smaller, was located in the left aft "wing" of the vessel, surrounded by a collection of power cells.

One compartment related to the reactor operations of the Venator contained three vertical shafts and walkways suspended over a chasm. Some walkways extended from three directions between the shafts, converging at a central control station. Clusters of cylindrical structures were located both above and below this station, along with extensive tubing throughout the room. Damage to these systems could cripple the vessel.

Each Venator-class ship was equipped with a class 1.0 main hyperdrive and a class 15 backup hyperdrive. At least one hyperdrive generator was located at the rear of the rearmost "fin" separating the ion drive thrusters, with the main inertial compressor in front of it and the stern power feeds slightly further forward.

Similar to the reactor operations compartments, the hyperdrive room was a cavernous chamber with walkways on at least three levels intersecting above a deep chasm. Four tall columns, equidistant from a group of consoles, spanned the height of the room and could be damaged or dislodged by significant force.

As the flagship of the Republic starfleet, the Venator-class was primarily designed for ship-to-ship combat. Its large starfighter complement further supported its role as a combat vessel. However, the Venator also served as a cargo transport, troop carrier, and replenishment or supply vessel. In the Imperial Military, the Venator-class Star Destroyer remained a notable capital ship for enforcing control.

The Venator was introduced to the galaxy in 22 BBY with the outbreak of the Clone Wars at the First Battle of Geonosis, serving as a vessel in the Republic Navy. Weeks into the war, a Venator appeared over Coruscant, witnessed by newly-promoted Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker in the Chancellor's office, where he confessed to Supreme Chancellor Sheev Palpatine about his slaughter of the Tusken Raiders who had kidnapped his mother, Shmi. Jedi General Obi-Wan Kenobi, Senator Padmé Amidala, and clone troopers from the 7th Sky Corps were deployed from a Venator-class Star Destroyer to Krystar to rescue Republic prisoners held by the Separatists.

Early in the conflict, the Separatists invaded Christophsis to secure access to the Corellian Run and the planet's resources. A fleet of three Venators, including the flagship Resolute, and three Pelta-class frigates, led by Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker and Admiral Wullf Yularen, was dispatched to engage the thirty-ship blockade commanded by Admiral Trench, but was forced to retreat behind the moon Leesis. The Republic force was reinforced by Kenobi's Venator Negotiator, carrying the prototype IPV-2C Stealth Corvette, which Skywalker used to destroy Trench's Invincible and break through the blockade. While Skywalker delivered supplies to Senator Bail Organa on the surface, the rest of the Republic fleet attacked the blockade.

During the ground war, the Jedi Council sent Yularen aboard a Venator to penetrate the blockade again and land Padawan Ahsoka Tano on the surface. On its return journey, the ship engaged three Munificent-class star frigates and successfully withdrew. In the next attack, Yularen, accompanied by Jedi Master Yoda, commanded the Resolute to lead two other Venators and four Acclamator-class assault ships to breach the Separatist blockade. The Republic forced the Separatist armada into retreat, allowing the Acclamators to land troops and secure a victory. After the Christophsis campaign, the 501st Legion under Skywalker and Tano rescued Rotta, Jabba Desilijic Tiure's son, from the B'omarr Order Monastery on Teth. To reinforce the ground forces, Yularen arrived on a Venator, deploying Kenobi and clone pilots aboard fighters before engaging a Separatist Munificent. A vulture droid's suicide attack damaged the ship's port rear hangar, killing several clone pilots and crew, but the mission to save Rotta was a Republic success.

Later that year, the Confederacy initiated an invasion of Ryloth, a world situated in the Outer Rim. This involved an engagement with a fleet of at least two Venator-class Star Destroyers commanded by Republic Admiral Dao, who were tasked with protecting Jedi General Ima-Gun Di and the Outer Rim garrison. As resources dwindled for Dao's fleet, Master Mace Windu stated it was ultimately obliterated. Covert deliveries of provisions were made to Ryloth's pro-Republic resistance through neutral Toydaria. Subsequently, Master Yoda journeyed to the moon Rugosa to discuss the establishment of a Republic base on Toydaria with King Katuunko, only to be ambushed by Asajj Ventress, a Dark Acolyte, under the orders of Count Dooku. Following the defeat of Ventress's droid battalion and the securing of Katuunko's allegiance, Yoda's Consular-class cruiser returned accompanied by two Jedi cruisers. The Grand Master then traveled back to Coruscant aboard one of the Venators.

During 22 BBY, Supreme Commander Grievous of the Separatists initiated a multi–month campaign targeting the Republic starfleet utilizing the Malevolence. This Subjugator-class heavy cruiser was armed with two mega-ion cannons capable of easily disabling any vessel's systems. At the Battle of the Phu system, the Malevolence annihilated Jedi Master Ares Nune's task force, consisting of three Venators. Grievous then moved towards the Abregado system, prompting the dispatch of Master Plo Koon to intercept the Subjugator. However, the Malevolence disabled Plo Koon's fleet of three Venators, including the flagship Triumphant, using its port ion cannon, resulting in their complete destruction. While some Venators remained inactive, Master Mace Windu ordered a redeployment of all battle groups for convoy escort duties. In the Bith system, the Negotiator was strategically positioned alongside another Venator and Acclamators near a blue celestial body, contributing to the protection of essential Republic convoys. Against orders, Skywalker and Tano successfully undertook a mission to rescue Koon and uncover the nature of Grievous's formidable weapon.

At the Battle of the Ryndellia system, the Malevolence destroyed a medical convoy comprising one Venator and three Peltas, leading the Republic to anticipate Grievous's next target: the Kaliida Shoals Medical Center. The Galactic Senate devised a plan to deploy Shadow Squadron, whose Y-wings were stationed aboard the Resolute, to attack the enemy warship. The Negotiator, accompanied by several other Venators, was escorting the Resolute. Kenobi decided to take the Negotiator, Resolute, and a third Venator on a circuitous route to the space station, while Skywalker would guide his squadron through a shortcut within the Kaliida Nebula to intercept the Subjugator. After the Y-wings successfully neutralized both ion cannons and safeguarded the station, Kenobi's three Venators emerged from hyperspace and initiated a pursuit of the retreating Separatist vessel. Despite the Venators' inability to destroy the Malevolence with their firepower, the massive ship was ultimately obliterated due to a navigational error during a hyperspace jump into the Dead Moon of Antar. This error was facilitated by a Jedi boarding party that sabotaged its navicomputer, thus concluding the chase.

Following the Malevolence Campaign, Republic starfighters under Skywalker eliminated a Separatist fighter group in the Corvair sector. Subsequently, Yularen and Skywalker, aboard the Resolute, formulated a strategy to neutralize a droid foundry located on the moon Kudo III. Despite the admiral's preference for a long-range strike, Skywalker opted to personally survey the site, discovering enslaved laborers. After liberating the workers and returning to the Resolute, Skywalker prevented unnecessary bloodshed. Later, a Republic fleet consisting of at least three Consular-class frigates and six Venator-class Star Destroyers patrolled a sector of space to defend Kamino from potential enemy attacks, particularly from General Grievous's armada. Rishi Station, a Republic outpost situated on the Rishi Moon, was attacked by Separatist commando droids, who hard-wired an all-clear signal to mask the approach of Grievous's fleet. The visiting clone trooper officers and surviving clones at the base eventually reclaimed and destroyed the station, disabling the false signal. Alerted to the situation, Skywalker and Kenobi moved their fleet to the Rishi system to confront Grievous. Encountering six Venator-class Star Destroyers, Grievous, believing himself outmatched, ordered his forces to retreat.

Grievous initiated another offensive, defeating a Republic battle group at Falleen before advancing towards Bothawui. During the ensuing battle, the Resolute and two other Venators under Skywalker and Yularen lured Grievous's six Munificent-class vessels through the Fervse'dra asteroid belt. There, hidden AT-TEs and the Venators' firepower completely destroyed the Separatist fleet; Grievous escaped in his fighter. The campaign culminated in a Republic victory when Skywalker, Tano, and clone troops successfully managed to infiltrate and destroy the Separatist Skytop Station listening post.

When Senator Padmé Amidala journeyed to Rodia to engage in diplomatic discussions with Senator Onaconda Farr, Separatist droid forces detained her under the command of Viceroy Nute Gunray. Amidala's protocol droid C-3PO evaded capture and contacted a Republic clone trooper; the cruiser Tranquility was dispatched with the 41st Elite Corps, leading to Gunray's arrest after his battle droids were defeated by the senatorial representative Jar Jar Binks. In 21 BBY, the Viceroy was transported aboard a Consular-class frigate, escorted by Jedi Master Luminara Unduli and Ahsoka Tano. He was subsequently moved from the frigate to a jail cell on the Tranquility, guarded by Captain Faro Argyus, who was secretly a Separatist agent.

Later, the Tranquility came under attack by Droch-class boarding ships, breaching the Star Destroyer's hull and deploying droids and Dark Acolyte Asajj Ventress onto the vessel. Ventress sabotaged the engine room, triggering various malfunctions. While Argyus facilitated Gunray's escape, she engaged the two Jedi in combat. In one attempt by the Republic to capture Count Dooku, General Skywalker was dispatched aboard Count Dooku's frigate under the guise of surrender. General Kenobi later boarded the frigate, and the two Jedi confronted Dooku. Simultaneously, the Resolute engaged the Munificent. Following an unsuccessful pursuit through the Vanqor system and on Vanqor, Tano and the clones, dispatched on a Nu-class shuttle, rescued the Jedi Generals.

Above Quell, Aayla Secura's task force, consisting of three Venators, participated in a battle against a minimum of five Munificents. As the situation grew dire, the Resolute under Yularen and Skywalker was deployed to extract Secura from her flagship, the Liberty. Ultimately, all three Venators under Secura's command were destroyed, resulting in a Confederate victory. During the battle, the Consular carrying Secura and her rescuers inadvertently jumped to the Maridun system. On Maridun, the Jedi defended a Lurmen village against Separatist forces led by weapons designer Lok Durd. Shortly thereafter, three of Yularen's Venators secured the planet.

The Republic initiated an offensive to reclaim Ryloth, dispatching a fleet of three Venator-class Star Destroyers—the Resolute, Defender, and Redeemer—under the command of Skywalker, Yularen, and Tano, to break Captain Mar Tuuk's planetary blockade. While Skywalker and Yularen commanded the fleet from the Resolute, Tano led Blue Squadron. The Republic fleet was taken by surprise by Separatist reinforcements consisting of four Munificents, leading to a withdrawal. Amidst Tano's insubordination, a vulture droid collided with the Resolute's bridge, injuring the admiral. While the Resolute and Defender managed to escape, the Redeemer was destroyed in space.

After the Resolute and the Defender retreated from the system, Skywalker received communication from Masters Windu and Kenobi, who instructed him to continue his attack to avoid postponing the Republic's planned invasion. With the Defender severely damaged and ablaze, Skywalker devised a plan to pilot the Defender alone into Tuuk's Lucrehulk. Tano, aboard the Resolute, planned to employ a Marg Sabl maneuver to attack the Munificents. The plan succeeded; the Defender rammed the Lucrehulk, and Y-wings from the Resolute disabled all six Munificents, enabling the Republic invasion fleet to land on Ryloth. Eventually, the Republic's ground forces retook the planet.

During the First Battle of Felucia, Plo Koon's naval force of three Venators breached a Separatist blockade over the planet, destroying one Munificent and damaging another. Consequently, Koon's fighters and gunships were able to reach the surface and evacuate the stranded Republic troops. Later, bounty hunter Cad Bane infiltrated the Jedi Temple and absconded with a holocron. To unlock the device, Bane orchestrated a Separatist attack on Jedi Master Bolla Ropal on Devaron. The Resolute was deployed to the Devaron system to confront Bane, destroying four Munificents and disabling the hyperdrive of Bane's frigate. Skywalker, Tano, and the clones boarded the ship but failed to save Ropal, who was fatally electrocuted. In the resulting skirmish, the Munificent was destroyed, and the Republic forces, along with Bane—disguised as a clone—returned to the Resolute.

Once aboard the Venator, Bane stole a parked V-19 Torrent and Syliure-31 ring, escaping into hyperspace. Utilizing the holocron's information, he kidnapped a Force-sensitive child on Glee Anselm and another on Rodia for Darth Sidious's experiments. On Naboo, the Jedi apprehended him and transferred him to a prison cell on the Resolute. Following his interrogation, the prisoner accompanied Windu and Kenobi to Black Stall Station where the Jedi recovered the holocron, but Bane escaped. Having analyzed Bane's Rogue-class starfighter aboard the Resolute, Skywalker and Tano rescued the kidnapped children from Mustafar.

Later in the Clone Wars, the Galactic Republic convened a strategy conference in the Carida system, aboard the Valor orbiting the planet Carida. Unbeknownst to the Republic, the Confederacy of Independent Systems was planning to bomb Valor and disrupt the conference. As part of their scheme, Separatist forces successfully hijacked the Renown, a Venator-class Star Destroyer belonging to the Republic. This vessel had been stationed in orbit above Abafar, an Outer Rim world abundant in rhydonium, an extremely valuable and highly volatile starship fuel. The Separatists were extracting this fuel from a mining facility they had established on the planet's surface, intending to load the Star Destroyer with thousands of rhydonium canisters, transforming it into a concealed bomb.

After escaping from Abafar, the Republic's D-Squad, a clandestine unit comprising Republic astromech droids and one DUM-series pit droid under the leadership of Zilkin Colonel Meebur Gascon, boarded the Star Destroyer, mistakenly believing that the Republic had dispatched the Renown to rescue them. However, upon reaching the Star Destroyer's command bridge, they discovered the Separatists had hijacked the vessel. After narrowly evading pursuing battle droids, Colonel Gascon and the droids discovered a detonator bearing the Separatist Alliance's colors in the center of the hangar bay control room. This led them to realize the ship was, in fact, a massive, disguised bomb. Upon opening the hangar doors, they found thousands of rhydonium canisters stacked together, prompting Colonel Gascon to remark that the quantity of rhydonium aboard the vessel was sufficient to potentially destroy the entire Republic Navy.

While aboard the Renown in hyperspace, D-Squad encountered a small group of Republic droids who had served aboard the Star Destroyer before the Separatists seized control. Among them was BNI-393, an LEP-series service droid, who informed the squad that the Separatists had hijacked the ship and were heading towards a space station in the Carida system. This revelation led the Zilkin to understand that the Separatists intended to use the Renown to destroy the Republic space station Valor, the location of the Republic's strategy conference. Forced to act, the team decided to thwart the Separatists' plans by triggering the ship's explosion prematurely. However, their efforts were complicated when the super tactical droid overseeing the operation deployed a swarm of buzz droids to eliminate the squad. The buzz droids were ultimately defeated, but at the cost of one of the team's members, M5-BZ, who sacrificed himself by opening the airlock and pulling the buzz droids into hyperspace. Following BZ's sacrifice, the Star Destroyer exited hyperspace in the Carida system, and its engines were set to maximum power.

Before the super tactical droid could initiate the countdown sequence, he encountered R2-D2, who managed to keep the Separatist droid away from the detonator, buying a small window of opportunity to trigger the detonation before the Renown reached the station. This resulted in the simultaneous explosion of the rhydonium canisters, destroying the Star Destroyer and creating a massive blast that engulfed the station and all nearby vessels. The explosion sent debris hurtling through space, obliterating a single Arquitens-class light cruiser and damaging the station.

Near the conclusion of the Clone Wars and, subsequently, the Galactic Republic, the Confederacy of Independent Systems—under the direction of Darth Sidious, the Confederacy's true leader—launched a large and unexpected attack on Coruscant, a planet in the Core Worlds and the Republic's capital. The goal was to capture Supreme Chancellor Sheev Palpatine, who secretly orchestrated the battle and arranged for his own kidnapping by the Kaleesh cyborg Grievous as part of his plan to draw Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker closer to the dark side of the Force.

Leading up to the assault, the Republic and Separatist Alliance were embroiled in the culmination of the Outer Rim Sieges campaign, fought primarily on various worlds in the Outer Rim Territories, far from Coruscant. As a consequence of the Sieges, the majority of the Republic's fleets, experienced officers, and Jedi Generals were occupied on various fronts, leaving Coruscant sparsely defended by the remaining officers and the underprepared Coruscant Home Defense Fleet, which had seen little to no action during the Clone Wars. This presented the Separatists with an opportunity to launch an unanticipated and seemingly effortless attack on the Republic's capital.

Despite the widespread belief that the Separatists would never attempt such an attack, the Confederacy unexpectedly assaulted Coruscant with a fleet of over 1,000 starships led by Grievous's flagship, the modified Providence-class Dreadnought Invisible Hand. This caught the Home Defense Fleet off guard and quickly overwhelmed them. The Chancellor, after a prolonged chase through the Federal District, was taken captive by Grievous and brought back to the Invisible Hand.

Upon learning of the Separatist attack, the Republic's Open Circle Fleet and Jedi Generals Kenobi and Skywalker were summoned back to Coruscant to rescue the Chancellor from Grievous. Despite being outnumbered, the Coruscant Home Defense Fleet attempted to prevent the Invisible Hand from escaping with the Chancellor onboard. Before the Separatists could flee the besieged capital, the Open Circle Armada and the two Jedi arrived, bolstering the number of Venator-class Star Destroyers to the thousands, including the Star Destroyer Ro-ti-Mundi. These engaged the large number of Munificent-class star frigates, Recusant-class light destroyers, and Lucrehulk-class Battleships escorting the Invisible Hand. This allowed Generals Kenobi and Skywalker to enter the chaotic fray of turbolaser fire and starships with their personal Eta-2 Actis-class light interceptors. Struggling to reach the flagship due to interference from hundreds of Vulture droids, droid tri-fighters, and a brief evasion of discord missiles, including two that deployed buzz droids onto Obi-Wan's starfighter, which were nonetheless destroyed, the Jedi quickly discovered that the hangar bay still had its deflector shields raised. Anakin fired on a vulnerable point of the hangar to deactivate the shields, granting them only seconds to enter the hangar before the blast shields closed completely.

While aboard the Invisible Hand, the Jedi successfully freed the Chancellor from his imprisonment and eliminated Count Dooku, the Sith Lord and leader of the Confederacy. Directly following their victory over Dooku, the massive dreadnought briefly clashed with the Venator-class Star Destroyer Guarlara, with both vessels unleashing turbolaser fire upon one another. During this engagement, the Guarlara inflicted substantial damage on the Invisible Hand, causing it to briefly descend toward the planet below before the crew regained command. Despite the rescue of the Chancellor and the destruction of a significant portion of the CIS Navy, Grievous managed to escape his flagship via an escape pod, which was subsequently recovered by the Lucrehulk-class Battleship Profusion. However, only a few days later, Kenobi defeated Grievous, and soon after, Skywalker embraced the dark side of the Force. He then massacred the Separatist Council on Mustafar and commanded the Trade Federation to immediately deactivate all remaining Separatist droids, bringing the Clone Wars to an official end.

Ahsoka Tano commanded the Venator-class Star Destroyer Tribunal of the Open Circle Fleet, along with her special division of the 501st Legion. After successfully capturing the former Sith Lord Maul on Mandalore, the cruiser transported Tano, Commander Rex, and the division back to Coruscant, with Maul securely detained on the detention level. However, as they traveled to Coruscant, Order 66 was executed, and the clones turned against Tano, also attempting to eliminate Maul on Darth Sidious's orders. Tano freed Maul as a diversion, which enabled her to ambush Rex and remove his control chip, freeing him from the brainwashing. The resulting conflict on the Venator led to its crash on a desolate moon after Maul destroyed the hyperdrive, resulting in the death of all aboard except for Maul, Tano, and Rex. The remains of the Venator remained on the moon throughout the Imperial Era, buried in snow, until the Empire discovered it and Darth Vader, Skywalker's Sith identity, personally investigated it, recovering his former apprentice's lightsaber from the crash site before departing.

In the closing moments of the Clone Wars, another Venator, under the command of Jedi Master Chiata, engaged in combat with a Separatist dreadnought. Although the Venator successfully destroyed its opponent, it sustained critical damage and crashed on the isolated planet of Zeffo. Chiata, her Padawan Marseph, the Clone Commander of her unit, and the majority of the clone unit survived the crash, but the implementation of Order 66 resulted in the deaths of all involved. Chiata was buried in the wreckage of the cruiser by her Padawan before he succumbed to his own injuries, and the native villagers buried the clones, erecting a shrine to them near the crash site. The wreckage of this Venator also persisted into the time of the Empire, becoming inhabited by various native creatures.

Jedi Master Jaro Tapal commanded the Albedo Brave, a Venator-class Star Destroyer, along with his 13th "Iron" Battalion. After successfully securing the planet of Bracca following a prolonged campaign, the Albedo Brave was stationed in orbit above the planet and was scheduled to proceed to Mygeeto when Order 66 was issued. This event forced Master Tapal and his Padawan Cal Kestis to fight for their lives against their former allies. Despite the two Jedi eliminating numerous clones in their path, including the battalion's commander, and reaching the escape pod bay, they were overwhelmed. Tapal sustained a fatal wound just as they boarded an escape pod. To conceal their escape, Tapal sabotaged the reactors of the Albedo Brave, resulting in its destruction and the deaths of all surviving clones aboard.

Following the establishment of the Galactic Empire, Venator-class Star Destroyers remained in service as capital ships within the Imperial Navy. The red markings of the Republic were removed from Imperial Venators, and they were repainted in a whitish-grey color, similar to their successor warships. Within the Imperial Starfleet, the Venator-class was recognized for its dominance, and Imperial officers of the new regime were placed in command of these Star Destroyers.

Shortly after the Republic's transformation into the Empire, a newly constructed Venator-class Star Destroyer from Santhe Shipyards served as the transport for the newly appointed Galactic Emperor Sheev Palpatine during an inspection of the under-construction DS-1 Death Star Mobile Battle Station in orbit around Geonosis. Wilhuff Tarkin, who was granted the title of Moff under the new regime, and Anakin Skywalker, who had assumed the identity of the Dark Lord of the Sith Darth Vader after his fall to the dark side of the Force at the end of the war, accompanied the Emperor aboard the destroyer. Due to the presence of such high-ranking personnel, the Star Destroyer was permitted to travel directly from the Core Worlds to Geonosis without reporting to Sentinel Base. The vessel, joined by at least two other Venators in space, was assigned to protect the Death Star.

Vader commanded one Venator-class Star Destroyer, which housed his personal meditation chamber. Admiral Mummert interrupted Vader's preparations for meditation, informing him that Imperial starships could not be deployed to the Hortolo system by the deadline. The Sith Lord, angered by the admiral's incompetence, used the Force to choke him to death. Subsequently, an Imperial general reported Imperial troop deployments to the Winnikk system to Vader. Dissatisfied that only 10,000 troops had been dispatched instead of the 50,000 he had ordered, Vader used the Force to choke the general to death as well. A third Imperial officer disturbed Darth Vader, announcing that his personal TIE fighter could not be repaired, despite the crew's efforts. Again frustrated by the excuses, Lord Vader used the Force to choke him to death too. Before beginning his meditation, Vader became irritated by the MSE-6-series repair droid in the room, which had observed the entire episode, when it bumped into his leg, and destroyed it. By 14 BBY, the Imperial-class Star Destroyer Perilous had replaced this Venator as Darth Vader's flagship.

In the weeks following the rise of the Galactic Empire, a Venator-class Star Destroyer from the initial production run was among numerous older models awaiting scrapping on Bracca. Captain Rex and Clone Force 99 visited it to utilize its onboard medical facilities, similar to those on the Tribunal, to remove the latter's control chips. After a brief conflict in which Wrecker's control chip activated and caused him to attack his comrades, the chips were successfully removed. Rex departed from Bracca, while the Bad Batch remained to salvage munitions from the Venator's weapons bay. However, members of the local Scrapper Guild spotted them and reported their presence to the Empire, which dispatched their former comrade Crosshair and a contingent of Imperial troops to eliminate them.

Despite the wreck's deteriorated state, many of the Venator's systems, including engines and weapons, remained operational. The Bad Batch utilized both to evade the Imperial troops. As they attempted to escape through the Venator's main starboard engine, Crosshair ordered the engine activated to kill them, but the Bad Batch managed to escape by detonating salvaged explosives within the engine tube, causing it to break off while the ion drive was still active. Crosshair was exposed to the full power of the ion drive and sustained severe burns to his face, requiring immediate medical attention.

During the operation to withdraw the Empire's clones from Kamino in the early months of the regime, three Venator-class Star Destroyers of the Imperial Navy were stationed above Tipoca City. Various transport craft ferried goods and personnel from the city to the Star Destroyers, with Vice Admiral Edmon Rampart and Commander Crosshair overseeing the process. As the evacuation neared completion, the Venators moved further away from the city. Crosshair brought his former squadmate, the renegade clone commando Hunter, who had been captured on a rescue mission on Daro, to Tipoca City, intending to lure the rest of Clone Force 99 into a trap. However, after the Bad Batch arrived, Crosshair killed his squad to convince his brothers to join him. Realizing this betrayal, ES-02 departed the city aboard the last outgoing ship, returning to the Venators.

On the bridge of one of the Star Destroyers, Vice Admiral Rampart informed Governor Wilhuff Tarkin that all personnel and technology were safely under Imperial control. Tarkin then ordered him to destroy Tipoca City. The Venators advanced through the stormy clouds before pausing in the correct position. Upon Rampart's order to the clone navigation officers to open fire, the three warships unleashed a steady barrage from their starboard and port dual medium turbolaser cannons. The turbolaser fire ignited the city, causing fiery explosions that ripped through the domed buildings, toppled platforms, and felled the underwater stilts, plunging the burning facilities into the depths of the ocean.

The aerial bombardment continued, causing the Tipoca City Military Complex to collapse into the water while the Bad Batch, Crosshair, and AZI-3 were still inside. After the guns fell silent, a clone stormtrooper reported to Rampart that all Kaminoan facilities had collapsed into the sea. Satisfied with the outcome, the Vice Admiral withdrew his ships to rendezvous with the fleet, leaving the remains of the city to sink beneath the waves. In this way, the Empire destroyed Tipoca City, although the Bad Batch and their companions ultimately managed to escape their underwater predicament.

Several months after the destruction of the Kaminoan cities and cloning facilities, multiple Venator-class Star Destroyers were stationed on Coruscant, with several remaining in orbit above Imperial City. Among the ships was Vice Admiral Rampart's personal Venator, VZ-114, which was docked at Coruscant's Imperial Shipyard for maintenance and repairs. While his Venator was being serviced, Rampart attended the Imperial Senate to oversee the passage of the Imperial Defense Recruitment Bill, which would formalize the Imperial Military's transition from a clone army to a recruitment-based force. Senator Riyo Chuchi collaborated with the rogue clones of Clone Force 99 to expose Rampart's treachery to the Senate. As Chuchi stalled the bill's passage in the Senate Building, the rogue clones infiltrated Rampart's Venator to obtain its command log, which contained the records of Kamino's destruction. After battling through the ship's clone stormtrooper crew and extracting the command log, the clone mercenaries fired the Venator's engines and escaped in an escape pod as VZ-114 slid off its docking clamps and crashed to the bottom of the shipyard. Ultimately, the command log was delivered to the Senate Building, where recorded footage of Rampart's fleet destroying Kamino was shown to the entire Senate. Rampart was subsequently arrested, but the Imperial Defense Recruitment Bill was still passed at the behest of Emperor Palpatine.

Between 19 BBY and 18 BBY, a juvenile Zillo Beast cloned by the Imperial Advanced Science Division escaped captivity, causing the vessel it was aboard to crash on the planet Silla. Consequently, two Venators were dispatched to the planet to recapture the beast, which had grown substantially after consuming electricity. After emerging from hyperspace, one of the Venators deployed numerous Alpha-3 Nimbus-class V-wing starfighters and LAAT/I gunships, which descended to the planet's surface and engaged the Zillo Beast clone, eventually recapturing it.

In 18 BBY, a Venator assisted a Gozanti-class cruiser under the command of Captain Pearce that was under attack by rogue clones. Soon after, several Venators were deployed to the planet of Ord Mantell as Imperial forces conducted a raid in Ord Mantell City to capture the rogue clone "Omega," while also subsequently occupying the planet.

While the DS-1 Death Star Mobile Battle Station was under construction in orbit around Geonosis, at least three Venators were stationed near the massive battle station. Darth Sidious, the Galactic Emperor, and Darth Vader observed the construction of the superweapon from aboard one Venator-class Star Destroyer, accompanied by Tarkin. The bridge crew of this Venator consisted of non-clone human personnel, such as Barrow Oicunn, who had previously served in the Republic Navy but was now loyal to the Empire, rather than clone naval officers.

During the campaign at Salient in the Salient system in 18 BBY, Moff Wilhuff Tarkin commanded several Venator-class Star Destroyers reassigned from Telos. Supporting Tarkin's Imperial I-class Star Destroyer Executrix, the Venators launched ARC-170 starfighters as part of the operation against Captain Saw Gerrera. Tarkin considered both the Venator and the ARC-170 to be older-generation models that were being phased out at this time.

In 15 BBY, the crew of a Venator named the Strikefast encountered an Unidentified planet while pursuing smugglers in Wild Space. Following Imperial UA Protocols, teams of clone stormtroopers and Imperial Navy Troopers were deployed to the planet's surface to identify any intelligent alien life. Mitth'raw'nuruodo, an exiled officer of the Chiss Ascendancy, noticed the Imperial presence and continually harassed the troopers as they conducted their search. Thrawn eventually stole the armor from a clone stormtrooper he had killed and infiltrated the Strikefast, but he was quickly discovered. Captain Voss Parck, impressed by the Chiss's extensive knowledge of strategy and tactics, brought Thrawn back to Coruscant for a personal audience with the Emperor.

Between 9 BBY and 2 BBY, at least four Venator-class Star Destroyers served as escorts to an Imperial-class Star Destroyer above Coruscant, where Morgan Elsbeth presented her designs for the TIE/d "Defender" Multi-Role Starfighter to the Empire.

Around 2 BBY, a Venator-class Star Destroyer under the command of Imperial Moff Ahr arrived above the planet of Namzor to suppress an insurgent uprising and secure the rebels' Coaxium supplies. Numerous V-wing starfighters were deployed from the Venator and strafed the insurgents' positions, inflicting heavy casualties. Ahr, noticing a deposit of Coaxium near the insurgent lines, recalled the starfighters to his Venator to secure the supplies. However, Darth Vader, who was participating in the attack, disregarded Ahr's orders and continued strafing the rebel positions until both the insurgents and the Coaxium deposit were destroyed.

At least one Venator-class Star Destroyer would go on to fight on the frontlines of the Galactic Civil War alongside half a dozen Imperial-Class Star Destroyers.

As early as 19 BBY, many older Venator-class Star Destroyers from the first production line and other Republic Era starships began to be scrapped on planets like Bracca, which had been the site of a major campaign during the war. The dismantling of these older Venators continued into 14 BBY. Large numbers of workers meticulously sorted through the salvaged parts, and the recoverable materials were used to support the construction of newer Imperial machinery and ships.

The design of the Venator-class Star Destroyer ultimately evolved into the similarly wedge-shaped Victory-class Star Destroyer and Imperial-class Star Destroyer, the iconic battleship of the Galactic Empire. However, it was still in production by 5 BBY, and at least one Venator-class was stationed at the Anthan Prime Orbital Dockyard several months after the Battle of Yavin. During the Battle at Padmé's tomb around 3 ABY, the former Naboo Royal Handmaidens of Padmé Amidala realized they could not defeat the Sith Lord Darth Vader, but Eirtaé seized the opportunity to strike, and therefore tap into, Vader's armor with her electrified spear. Given an incomplete mess of code, Eirtaé traveled to the wreck of a Venator that had been in service during the Republic Era and accessed its systems, cross-referencing Vader's data with its technology to find forty-seven percent of Vader's command codes.

A mostly undamaged Venator was found derelict on Coruscant's Level 201, even as the Millennium Falcon flew by the abandoned Star Destroyer during the Coruscant aerial battle. During the second Death Star's construction, Venator-class Star Destroyers were still actively used by the Empire; some guarded the Sanctuary Pipeline that led to the Endor system and the Death Star. After the Death Star's destruction in 4 ABY, the New Republic's Vanguard Squadron encountered the remains of a Venator-class while escorting three GR-75 medium transports, just before meeting the Imperial II-class Star Destroyer called Overseer. This was part of a New Republic trap in the Zavian Abyss, where their Starhawk prototype was revealed.

By the time of the New Republic Era, a Venator-class Star Destroyer's broken form rested on the junkyard world of the Necropolis. In 34 ABY, Rey, a Force-sensitive scavenger, traveled to the Necropolis to fix the Millennium Falcon. Ara-Nea, a Necropolis junk boss, allowed her to scavenge parts for five hundred credits. Rey, viewing the debris field from atop a Venator's dorsal hull, considered it a "feast," unlike a typical day of scavenging.

The Venator-class Star Destroyer was first seen in the movie Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith. Vēnātor is Latin for "hunter." The Venator's central opening hangar doors were in Ryan Church's Revenge of the Sith concept art, but were not shown in use until the Star Wars: Clone Wars micro-series and the Star Wars: The Clone Wars series. The Venator's two bridges suggested it was more of a warship; Church added the second bridge after previous ships suffered losses. Church envisioned the Venator as a ship designed during the Clone Wars, not before, and wanted the design to distinguish it from the Acclamator-class in Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones. Church's Venator design had a long "tail," resembling a sword.

Church began designing the Venator before the Revenge of the Sith script was complete. He drew inspiration from aircraft carriers and the F-16XL fighter jet. As Revenge of the Sith's story evolved, Church created concept art of a Venator crashing on Mustafar. George Lucas requested the removal of the long tail from the Venator's concept art, as many recent ships had similar designs. The Andor sizzle reel showed a Venator being taken apart in the scrapyards of the planet Ferrix.

The roleplaying game supplement Rise of the Separatists asserts that the Venator was introduced around twenty years before the Clone Wars began, around 42 BBY. However, the article ""Peace" à la Tarkin – The Imperial Fleet on a mission of terror" claims the Venator was developed during the Clone Wars. The Star Wars Encyclopedia of Starfighters and Other Vehicles states the Venator was introduced during the war due to "a demand for larger and more powerful battleships." Ultimate Star Wars and its updated edition both say the Venator was first deployed during the Clone Wars. Star Wars: Complete Vehicles and Star Wars Complete Vehicles, New Edition also state that the Venator was "new" during the Clone Wars.

Star Wars: Timelines later provided a Star Destroyer development timeline, stating that Kuat Drive Yards received a secret order for "Star Destroyers" and other warships in 31 BBY. It doesn't explicitly state if the Venator resulted from this order, Project Icefang. Given the Venator's earliest known appearance in the 22 BBY novel Brotherhood, this article assumes the Venator was introduced in 22 BBY if it was first deployed in the Clone Wars, as stated by Ultimate Star Wars and Ultimate Star Wars, New Edition. Since Brotherhood is set only weeks into the Clone Wars, it is unclear whether the Venator was developed then, as suggested by "Peace" à la Tarkin and Encyclopedia of Starfighters and Other Vehicles, or beforehand and only saw action when the conflict began, as suggested by Timelines. Concept artist Ryan Church intended the Venator to be a ship developed during the war after "hard won lessons" about the Acclamator's weaknesses, stemming from the Acclamator not being developed in wartime.