Characters and Biographies | Protagonists & Allies
Including any alterations to their personas or origin stories…
Index of Individual Characters:
- Threepio
- R2D2
- Yoda
- Owen Lars
- Obi Wan Kenobi
- Halagad Ventor
- Tan Skywalker
- Mon Mothma
- Bail Organa
- Garm Bel Iblis
- Leia
- Han Solo
- Chewbacca & Wookiees
- Lando Calrissian
- Wedge Antilles
- The Devist family of clones
^ If anyone has any more information or material for the ‘Characters and Biographies’ section, please post them up.
There is a separate category for the Jedi; as a group, or an order of knights, above.
1. Threepio
‘Kenner’s 1997 12" Action Figure of C-3PO, from their Star Wars Collector Series’
"With his prissy-manner and compulsive odds-quoting, C-3PO is one of the most famous droids in the galaxy! A Cybot Galactica 3PO Human Cyborg Relations Droid, Threepio was activated 112 years before his adventures with the Alliance.
Threepio is outfitted with a TranLang Communication module which allows him to be fluent in over 6 million galactic languages. They range from common dialects to more obscure and archaic languages from forgotten systems. Fitted with personality modules, this droid experiences emotions and feelings similar to those of a human who could very well lend to the fact that he takes unusual pleasure in worrying, complaining and whining!
Both he and R2-D2, the most famous droid duo this side of the galaxy, came into galactic prominence completely by mistake.
They were owned by the Royal House of Alderaan and ordered to restrict and protect all references to Princess Leia. During an attack by the Imperials, Leia places stolen Imperial data inside R2-D2 and then ordered him to find Obi-Wan Kenobi and bring him back to Alderaan. While laser fire was erupting around them, R2-D2 jumped into an escape pod and the fussy mother hen-like Threeepio hopped in alongside. Landing on the planet of Tatooine, they were sold to the Lars homestead. Soon after, they met their new master, young Luke Skywalker. From then on, the adventures were the most exciting both droids had ever experienced.
Because Threepio has never been through a memory wipe, he has acquired much wisdom and insight, and has become an integral part of the Alliance. He is a constant presence at the side of Princess Leia acting as an essential part in negotiations and truce-makings.
Authentically styled straight from Star Wars, this special edition, fully poseable, 12" C-3PO, available for the first time ever, is destined to become a classic collectible."
More images and info: https://geekbodega.com/products/c-3po-star-wars-collector-series-kenner-1997-12-action-figure
^ ‘The Essential Guide to Droids’ book, from 1999 - https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/The_Essential_Guide_to_Droids
^ from ‘The Making Of Star Wars’ book, by JW Rinzler, on Page 351.
2. R2D2
From ‘The Making Of Star Wars’ book, by JW Rinzler, on Page 352:
3. Yoda
^ ‘1980 Topps Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back Series 1’: Yoda listed as 973 years old
wookieepedia page: https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/1980_Topps_Star_Wars:_The_Empire_Strikes_Back_Series_1
^ ‘1996 Topps Star Wars Finest: #38 - Yoda’:
Yoda chilling out with some other Jedi Force Ghosts friends who have to visit (obviously before Qui-Gon became the first Jedi to learn this power/ability in Episode III: ROTS)
wookieepedia page: https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/1996_Topps_Star_Wars_Finest
In the 1994 novel ‘Jedi Search’, by Kevin J. Anderson, Leia infers that Dagobah had been Yoda’s home for centuries:
wookieepedia for the Jedi Search novel: https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Jedi_Search#Continuity
A screenshot from Chapter 24 of Jedi Search; where Leia considers Dagobah for a possible Jedi Academy, stating that:
“What about Dagobah itself? she thought, putting a fingertip on her lower lip. The swamps had hidden Yoda for centuries”
4. Owen Lars
In the official 1983 Return of the Jedi novelization, by James Kahn, Ben Kenobi tells Luke that Owen was his own brother:
In the official licensed 1995 Premiere Limited set of the Star Wars Customizable Card Game, released by Decipher, it is stated that Owen Lars is the “brother of Obi-Wan Kenobi”:
https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Premiere_Limited & https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Owen_(Kenobi)
^ ‘The Essential Guide to Characters’ book, 1995 - https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/The_Essential_Guide_to_Characters
5. Obi Wan Kenobi:
^ A screenshot on the ‘Obi Wan Kenobi’ section of the useful resource ‘Lost Episodes’ website, via Archive•.com:-
https://web.archive.org/web/20060509041453/http://lostepisodes.fateback.com/prequels/obiwan.html
and…
‘The first Prequel era story’ (w/ Obi Wan): See Cat #1 of Settings, Planets and Systems | Organisations and Governments
^ more info: “Star Wars (1977) comic #24”, published in 1979 - https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Star_Wars_(1977)_24
The following screenshot highlights the subtle differences in conversations; about or with Obi Wan Kenobi - from the 1977 film - differences between the movie, the 1976 film novelization, the 1977 comic, and the 1981 radio play:
^ from ‘Appendix’ of ‘May The Source Be With You: Extended Edition’ article at andrewrilstone•com
A screenshot of a Ben Kenobi biography from the “Heroes & Villains” section of the 1977 Official Star Wars Poster Monthly:
wookieepedia page: https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Star_Wars_Official_Poster_Monthly
In Chapter 3 of James Kahn’s 1983 novelization of Return Of The Jedi, Obi Wan tells Luke of his fight against Vader, with Vader falling into “a molten pit”, all those years ago:
wookieepedia page: https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Star_Wars:_Return_of_the_Jedi_(novelization)
A younger Obi Wan Kenobi:
^ by Hugh Fleming, in 1994.
Painted for Topps’ Star Wars Galaxy 2 card set: https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/1994_Topps_Star_Wars_Galaxy_Series_2
more info: https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Hugh_Fleming
Fleming describes additional inspiration for his painting on the card’s back:
“I beg of you, George, don’t succumb to inevitable studio demands that Steven Seagal play young Obi-Wan in the next trilogy…” frets Australian illustrator Hugh Fleming. “My vote is with actor/director Kenneth Branagh, the only performer with the dignity and presence to fill Sir Alec Guinness’ Jedi robes.”
6. Halagad Ventor - Jedi Knight and apprentice of Obi Wan Kenobi
'Halagad Ventor was a male Human Jedi Knight who was trained at an unusually late age, due to the fact that he was passed over for training initially during his childhood on Alderaan. Jedi Master Everen Ettene eventually agreed to take him as a Padawan at the Almas Academy. Since the nature of his training was unnatural, Ventor’s actions as a Jedi were considered unorthodox, and he neglected the more subtle aspects of the Force.
Ventor served as a Jedi General during the Clone Wars, and was a recipient of the Medallion of Honor. Under the leadership of Obi-Wan Kenobi, he helped liberate the planet Skye from Zeta Magnus, a genetic terrorist, during which time he engaged in a Concordance of Fealty with Anakin Skywalker. Later in the Outer Rim Sieges, Ventor commanded a team which included Sha Koon assisting to purge the Confederacy of Independent Systems from the planet Bal’demnic.
Surviving Order 66, Ventor teamed up with Jedi Master Ashka Boda to establish a network of fellow surviving Jedi. He was soon captured by the new Galactic Empire and interrogated by former protege, Darth Vader. Ventor was forced to reveal the secret location of his hidden Jedi network. He eventually escaped Vader and fled to Trinta, where madness and the dark side of the Force consumed him.’
^ from the wookieepedia page https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Halagad_Ventor
‘Domain of Evil is an adventure supplement for Star Wars: The Roleplaying Game published by West End Games. It was written by Jim Bambra and published in 1991. It was republished in Classic Adventures: Volume Two. It is perhaps most notable for introducing Halagad Ventor.’
^ wookieepedia page: https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Domain_of_Evil
“Halagad” is an anagram of “Galahad” - one of the more famous Knights of the Round Table at King Arthur’s Court.
7. Tan Skywalker (Luke’s father)
‘The name of Tan originated with Russ Manning, a Star Wars writer and illustrator who published numerous black-and-white newspaper comic strips in the late 1970s and early 1980s. In one 1978 series of strips that was later titled The Constancia Affair, Luke Skywalker’s parents were called “Master and Mistress Tan Skywalker.” The name “Anakin” was only revealed in the 1983 movie Return of the Jedi, five years after the release of The Constantia Affair.’
^ wookieepedia page for Tan Skywalker: https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Tan_(title)#Behind_the_scenes
wookieepedia page for ‘The Constancia Affair’ comic strip: https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/The_Constancia_Affair
8. Mon Mothma
^ from 'The Official Star Wars Fact File in 2001: an official Star Wars website article publicising them (via Archive):
https://web.archive.org/web/20050209010448/https://www.starwars.com/eu/lit/ref/news20010317.html
Also see Cat. #10 & #11 below on Mon Mothma’s “A Call To Reason” manifesto and information from ‘The Farlander Papers’ in the ‘Settings, Planets and Systems | Organisations and Governments’ section.
wookieepedia page: https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Mon_Mothma/Legends
9. Bail Organa
^ A screenshot of the ‘Bail Organa’ section of the 1994 book: ‘A Guide To The Star Wars Universe’, 2nd edition.
^ and from the same 1994 book: ‘A Guide To The Star Wars Universe’, 2nd edition, on Aldreraan:-
Bail’s original first name was “Prestor”, the name used in the 1981 Star Wars radio play, and was voiced by actor Stephen Elliott:
^ wikipedia page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Wars_(radio_series)
How Star Wars has depicted the rise of the Rebel Alliance through the years - article at Polygon (in ‘The Rebellion’s Origin On Radio’ section)
Obi Wan Kenobi served under Bail Organa in the Clone Wars. Leia’s holo message: www.youtube.com/watch?v=8N_Cj3ZS9-A
^ Mon Mothma and Bail Organa on ‘The Birth Of The Rebellion’. From Page 9 of the ‘Rebel Alliance Sourcebook’
wookieepedia page: https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/The_Rebel_Alliance_Sourcebook_(Second_Edition)
Star Wars Universe Wiki: https://starwars-universe.fandom.com/wiki/Bail_Organa
wookieepedia page for Bail Organa: https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Bail_Prestor_Organa/Legends
wookieepedia page for Bail Organa’s office: https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Bail_Prestor_Organa’s_office_(Aldera)
10. Garm Bel Iblis
From Pages 24-26 of the “Star Wars: The Essential Chronology” book (2000 edition), by Kevin J. Anderson and Daniel Wallace:
^ wookieepedia page https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/The_Essential_Chronology_(real-world_book)
The book is from 2000, and while it does contain events from The Phantom Menace, it obviously doesn’t contain the timelines, events and characters from the other two PT films.
The screenshot above also mentions Bail Organa, Mon Mothma, and Garm Bel Iblis of Corellia; the third Rebellion co-founder (the three main revolutionary groups coming together to work as one; the 3 signatories of Alliance to Restore The Republic), and Garm somehow being a character I often forget about.
A fan theory on Garm Bel Iblis maybe appearing in Andor’s 2nd season (and that we may have already seen him in the 1st season of Andor?):
www.inverse.com/entertainment/andor-luthen-fate
wookieepedia page for Garm Bel Iblis: https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Garm_Bel_Iblis/Legends
‘GARM BEL IBLIS Character Entry | Star Wars Legends Lore’
www.youtube.com/watch?v=AnHrFztYvb8 - 11 minute YouTube video at Corey’s Datapad
A screenshot of the 2000 ‘A Guide to the Star Wars Universe, Third Edition, Revised and Expanded’ book:
^ wookieepedia page: https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/A_Guide_to_the_Star_Wars_Universe,_Third_Edition,_Revised_and_Expanded
A screenshot of the 1995 ‘The Essential Guide to Characters’ book:
^ wookieepedia page: https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/The_Essential_Guide_to_Characters
11. Leia
From the Star Wars Marvel comics; the 1982 release of “The Search Begins”:
^ wookieepedia page for Star Wars Marvel comic #68: https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Star_Wars_(1977)_68
The story is during the search for Boba Fett and Han Solo after Empire Strikes Back, but characters recall events from The Clone Wars: including Leia fighting in them! The OT heroes split up to track down some bounty hunters:
'Of the three bounty hunters on their list, Princess Leia is assigned to hunt down Dengar, last seen on the planet Mandalore. Landing just outside the capital city of Kedalbe, Leia and C-3PO make their way on foot before encountering a caravan of individuals. To their surprise, the procession is a group of slavers, herding a group of enslaved Mandalorians. Before Leia and C-3PO can sneak away, the caravan comes under attack by a group of Mandalorian soldiers led by what looks to be, Boba Fett. During the battle, Leia ends up saving “Fett” from a slaver’s attack, and is shocked to find herself fighting by the Mandalorian’s side.
Following the end of the battle, the Mandalorian leader introduces himself to Leia. He is not actually Boba Fett, but another Mandalorian named Fenn Shysa. Shysa brings Leia and C-3PO back to his base and explains to her how he has spent the past few years trying to free his people from the Galactic Empire’s influence in the aftermath of the Clone Wars. Shysa then tells Leia of his role in the Clone Wars, claiming that he fought for the Empire, was led into battle by Boba Fett, and even became acquainted with Leia during briefing missions. Shysa finishes his tale by telling Leia that of all the Mandalorian Protectors, only three survived, his commander, his childhood friend, Tobbi Dala, and himself.’
www.bobafettfanclub.com/bounty/books/comics/sw_68 & www.therealgentlemenofleisure.com/2017/08/force-in-focus-star-wars-68.html
^ 'This issue introduces the planet Mandalore. Along with Shysa, this issue introduces the planet Mandalore, along with the concept that it is the home to a group of supercommandoes all wearing Fett-like armor, explicitly making Boba Fett a Mandalorian as a result, elements leftover from early drafts of the Empire Strikes Back script adopted here.
In addition to learning Boba Fett is from Mandalore, through Shysa, this issue also provides some backstory for Boba Fett, saying he was the commander of the Mandalorian Protectors who fought alongside the Empire during the Clone Wars, before becoming disillusioned and striking out on his own as bounty hunter.’
Leia also had brothers - at least two of them; presumed killed on Alderaan along with her parents:
^ From ‘The Making Of Star Wars’ book, by JW Rinzler, on Page 353:
Leia being the Mal’ary’ush, and learning of Vader’s cruel deception on the Noghri during the Clone Wars, in 35 BBY:
In 9 ABY Leia finds that during the Clone Wars, some 44 years ago, Vader & Palpatine poisoned the planet of Honoghr. Then lied to it’s Noghri inhabitants, that the Republic was responsible; making them sworn enemies, keeping them in virtual slavery & servitude since.
^ from the ‘Dark Force Rising’ comic - Issue #5, in 1997: https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Dark_Force_Rising_5
'Mal’ary’ush was Honoghran for ‘Daughter of the Savior’. The Savior in question was Darth Vader, whom the Noghri people revered. Years earlier, a starship carrying noxious chemicals crashed on Honoghr and threatened to destroy the entire planet. They believed Emperor Palpatine sent Vader to the planet to help them, but in reality Palpatine was responsible for the devastation of Honoghr, as a way to bend their allegiance to the Galactic Empire.
The daughter was Leia Organa Solo, who years later would find herself at the mercy of the Noghri people in the Republic’s battle against their new master, Grand Admiral Thrawn. However, one Noghri, Khabarakh, through the use of the sense of smell inherent to the Noghri—acute enough to smell even one’s bloodline—discovered she was the daughter of Vader and pledged to help her escape Imperial custody. Later, Leia would reveal the treachery of Palpatine to the Noghri, which emboldened them to finally break their allegiance to the Galactic Empire.’
From Chapter 24 of the ‘Dark Force Rising’ book:
‘Leia put her hand against the smooth wood of the genealogy chart, her knees suddenly feeling weak with shock. Forty-four years. Not the five or eight or even ten that she’d assumed. Forty-four. “It didn’t happen during the Rebellion,” she heard herself say. “It happened during the Clone Wars.”’
a screenshot of the relevant part of the book:
^ from https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Mal'ary'ush & https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Noghri_revolution
& https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Mission_to_Honoghr & https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Noghri/Legends#Lady_Vader
12. Han Solo
In the Brian Daley’s 1979 book ‘Han Solo’s Revenge’, Han makes a brief mention of the Clone Wars:
^ A screenshot from: www.reddit.com/r/StarWars/comments/80ah66/what_we_knew_about_the_clone_wars_before_the_pt
In these intriguing early EU books, Han is an orphan, traveled with “space gypsies,” and learned to fly at the “Space Academy”.
More info:
Han Solo at Stars’ End: https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Han_Solo_at_Stars’_End
Han Solo’s Revenge: https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Han_Solo’s_Revenge
Han Solo and the Lost Legacy: https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Han_Solo_and_the_Lost_Legacy
The Han Solo Adventures: https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/The_Han_Solo_Adventures
^ a compilation of the 3 above books, published in 1992.
From ‘The Making Of Star Wars’ book, by JW Rinzler, on Page 350:-
13. Chewbacca - and adult Wookiees being telepathic
^ Thought Waves first appeared in ‘The Wookiee Storybook’, a picture book written by Eleanor Ehrhardt, illustrated by Patricia Wynne, and published in 1979.
Thought Waves wookieepedia page: https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Thought_wave
The Wookiee Storybook wookieepedia page: https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/The_Wookiee_Storybook
14. Lando Calrissian
Lando’s original backstory had him being a clone…
'At their first story conference [for Empire Strikes Back], Lucas essentially talked at Brackett about the ideas he had floating around his head; the discussion was transcribed and the highlights were eventually reproduced in JW Rinzler’s The Making of the Empire Strikes Back.
“I wanted to bring in someone from Han’s past,” Lucas explained to Brackett. “Even though the Star Wars saga is essentially about Luke’s destiny and his past, I wanted to round out Han Solo’s character a little bit. The ‘gambler’ used to hang with Han, but is a different kind of person, more of a rogue and a con artist type than a fast-shooting, fast-talking type like Han.”
Initially conceived as someone who might run a general store on Chewbacca’s home planet (“a guy who trades with the Indians sort of thing”), Lucas saw his new character as “a slick, riverboat gambler type of dude”.
“Han Solo is a rather crude, rough-and-tumble kind of guy; this guy will be a very slicked down, elegant, James Bond-type,” he continued.
"Maybe he could look human but not really be human. He’s possibly a clone. The princess doesn’t trust him because of that; Leia might refer to him in a derogatory way.
"If we set him up as a clone, maybe in one of the other Episodes, we can have him run across a clan of them who are all exactly like him. We won’t go into the whole mythology of where they come from or whether clones were good or bad. We’ll assume that they were slightly weird in their own way and were partly responsible for the war.
“We’ll assume that on these planets of clones, there are many countries, say about 700 countries, and he’s from one of the ruling clone clans.”
^ snippet & screenshot from the the superb and informative The Calrissian clone connection article - at Force Material.
The Empire Strikes Back – First Draft, by Leigh Brackett - at Starkiller: The Jedi Bendu script website (a quality resource)
Lando Calrissian Was NEARLY Star Wars’ First Clone - a 2021 article at CBR
Lando Calrissian Was The Original Clone Per George Lucas - a 45 second video at the Star Wars Apprentice YouTube channel
Lando Kadar wookieepedia page: https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Lando_Kadar
Some early Star Wars novels featuring Lando…
The Calrissian Trilogy of books - by L. Neil Smith, in 1983.
Lando Calrissian & Mindharp of Sharu: https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Lando_Calrissian_and_the_Mindharp_of_Sharu
Lando Calrissian & Flamewind of Oseon: https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Lando_Calrissian_and_the_Flamewind_of_Oseon
Lando Calrissian & Starcave of ThonBoka: https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Lando_Calrissian_and_the_Starcave_of_ThonBoka
The Lando Calrissian Adventures wookieepedia page: https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/The_Lando_Calrissian_Adventures
^ a compilation of the 3 Lando Calrissian books above, released in 1994.
15. Wedge Antilles
In the 2nd book of Michael A. Stackpole ‘X-Wing’ series; ‘Wedge’s Gamble’ book, from 1996:
In 7ABY X-Wing pilot Wedge Antilles finds Imperial propaganda about the Jedi Purge in a museum on Coruscant. The document states that after the end of the Clone Wars the Jedi, when taking non-human disciples started to become corrupt, eventually plotting to take control of the galaxy… was foiled by Palpatine and the only Jedi (Darth Vader) who remained loyal, saving everyone from “a tyrannical Jedi state”…
^ wookieepedia page for ‘Wedge’s Gamble’ book: https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/X-Wing:_Wedge’s_Gamble
16. The Devist family of clones:
From chapter 4 of the 1998 ‘Vision Of The Future’ novel by Timothy Zahn; more insight and information is provided on clones, and the general perceptions of them decades after the Clone Wars:
wookieepedia page for Vision Of The Future: https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Vision_of_the_Future
wookieepedia page for Carib Devist: https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Carib_Devist
wookieepedia page for the Devist family of Clones: https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Devist_family
wookieepedia page for Soontir Fel: https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Soontir_Fel/Legends
A Thread Index:
• Introduction
• A quick note on ‘Canon’ (yep, I know…)
• Timelines: Story Events and Alterations
• Settings, Planets and Systems | Organisations and Governments
• The Jedi (as an Order Of Knights; their Way Of Life, the Force, Robes, Lightsabers etc)
• Characters and Biographies | Protagonists and Allies (including changes of persona or origin story)
• Characters and Biographies | Antagonists, Adversaries and their Allies (including changes of persona or origin story)
• Miscellaneous
• Blank Post (a spare post for possible future use; if ever required)
• A list of ‘Suggestions, Claims, Memories, and Posts’ on more pre-PT era material: to be checked and confirmed
• Index of Relevant OriginalTrilogy.com Threads
• Credits