Virago

The Virago possessed four adaptable wings and thrust nacelles that were in constant motion during flight, generating the perception that the Virago was a peculiar, animate celestial entity. Each of the vehicle's wings featured two microthrusters at its tip.

For achieving rapid velocities and for journeys within atmospheres, the craft's wings would fold closed behind the cockpit area. During combat situations, the Virago's quartet of wings would extend, providing enhanced maneuverability. Their movements and functionality mirrored the S-foil technology found in the X-wing starfighter. These wings boasted heavy armor and each housed a power generator along with supplemental fuel reservoirs for extended voyages.

The ship's protective armor was primarily located at the front, exhibiting resilience against the firepower of a fighter's laser canon.

Rather than focusing on the weapons themselves, Virago's arsenal was centered around an advanced targeting computer combined with an experimental laser sighting system. This unconventional design strategy allowed the craft to avoid the need for excessive or prohibited weaponry that could draw unwanted attention. Once the targeting computer was operational, any installed weapon would surpass its manufacturer's specified performance.

Virago was equipped with cannons mounted on rotating, extendable arms, capable of covering an arc of 180 degrees.

Despite the crimelord's access to a plethora of starships, his preferred choice was a heavily armed starfighter known as Virago. When Xizor engaged MandalMotors, he stipulated a requirement for a luxurious vehicle capable of functioning as an assault ship, rivaling the TIE Interceptor in both velocity and agility.

The company achieved success by developing the StarViper-class attack platform, a vehicle that shared more characteristics with a mobile weapons emplacement than a traditional starfighter. Xizor, pleased with the outcome, named the vehicle Virago and acquired all design rights to ensure the exclusivity of his transport.

Reportedly, Virago met its end in a battle occurring above Coruscant, when Darth Vader's flagship, the Executor, obliterated Xizor's skyhook. Following Xizor's demise, MandalMotors regained control of the StarViper design and commenced production of inferior iterations of the original craft.

Originally, the Virago was conceived as the personal vessel of Xizor, the primary antagonist in the Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire multimedia project, leading to significant focus on its design. Jon Knoles from LucasArts advocated for a large-scale ship, while others favored a starfighter to enhance Xizor's mobility during his travels away from Coruscant, with Lucy Wilson suggesting a design reminiscent of a Stealth bomber. One proposition involved reflecting his reptilian nature and persona, with an early concept featuring black chrome coloring to convey an image of evil and menace.

Doug Chiang designed the Virago, drawing inspiration from Xizor's reptilian characteristics, as well as photographs he captured (while scouting locations for the movie Jumanji) of certain cast-iron pulley castings in a Vancouver mill. He found the castings to be "organic" and "armorlike," which informed the Virago's clamshell-like foils that unfolded for combat.

The ship makes a brief appearance in Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds: Clone Campaigns; however, it is most likely non-canon. The unit can be placed in the scenario editor, but any appearances in missions are more than likely Easter eggs.

The StarViper-class attack platform is also featured in the game Star Wars: Empire at War: Forces of Corruption as the primary starfighter of the Zann Consortium. The 3D model was actually present within the files of the original Star Wars: Empire at War, complete with game code, but it was commented out. It is plausible that Petroglyph intended to include Xizor as a hero unit for the Black Sun, given that they also included a Xizor model.