Star Wars: What Is The Invisible Hand & Who Was Its Captain?
Along with lightsabers and the Force, one of the most popular elements of "Star Wars" is its countless space battles. From era to era, brave pilots take to the vastness of space in hopes of securing victory for their faction. In the case of the Clone Wars, the Grand Army of the Republic and the Confederacy of Independent Systems duke it out among the stars, with massive capital ships serving as main hubs for either side. One of the most fearsome to aid the latter team takes on the name of the Invisible Hand.
The Invisible Hand is the massive Providence-class carrier or destroyer of the Supreme Commander of the Droid Armies, also referred to as the Separatist Supreme Commander. During the Clone Wars, this title goes to none other than the infamous General Grievous, a ruthless Kaleesh cyborg who became known far and wide for his bad attitude, persistent cough, and searing hatred for the Jedi. Though he becomes synonymous with the ship, the Neimoidian Lushros Dofine actually serves as the Invisible Hand's captain. He runs the bridge when the ship is under the watchful eye of Trade Federation leader Nute Gunray and maintains his position under Grievious' watch during numerous Clone Wars conflicts.
Dofine only narrowly survives the destruction of the Invisible Hand during one of the Clone Wars' final conflicts — a pivotal battle that further cements the vessel's place in the "Star Wars" history books.
The Invisible Hand is present during the attack on Coruscant
For centuries, Coruscant served as the capital of the Galactic Republic, housing numerous government personnel and facilities. Near the end of the Clone Wars, the CIS attacked the planet in a conflict known as the Siege of Coruscant. This space battle, shown thoroughly in "Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith," sees Republic forces fend off the CIS right above the planet following Chancellor Palpatine's (Ian McDiarmid) abduction. The Invisible Hand is at the forefront of the fight, though by the time it dies down, the ship is destroyed and crashes on Coruscant's surface. Lushros Dofine is shown making a run for the escape pods as the flagship crumbles.
Not only is this battle notable for being the first successful invasion of Coruscant in ages, but it furthers Palpatine's nefarious plan as well. With the war reaching the capital, the Chancellor is able to use public fear to expand his power and put more resources into the military. In other words, the Chancellor takes one huge step forward in reorganizing the Republic into an Empire and becoming the Emperor atop it all. One could easily argue he was the true invisible hand, guiding the galaxy and everyone in it from the shadows throughout the Clone Wars into an era of oppression, fear, and pain.
As if it wasn't already a noteworthy vessel, the Invisible Hand became an undeniably relevant piece of galactic history through the Siege of Coruscant.