Ames Uravan

For other uses, see Ames.

"Ready! Aim! And fire!"
"Stop! Stop! Stop! Krennic, stop! It was me! It was me! They have nothing to do with it. Spare them."

―Director Orson Krennic and Galen Erso, prior to the execution of Uravan and his colleagues — 20?cb=20250116042720

▶️ (file info)^[3]

Ames Uravan was a human male scientist and engineer from the Outer Rim planet Christophsis. A pioneer in the kyber crystal research field, Uravan was forcibly conscripted into Imperial service around 19 BBY. During that time, he was assigned to the kyber crystal research team division of the Tarkin Initiative, which was stationed at the Eadu Energy Conversion Laboratory on the mountainous Outer Rim planet Eadu. Under the leadership of the crystallographer Galen Erso, Uravan and his colleagues worked to turn kyber crystals into a viable energy source for the superlaser of the Death Star battle station, giving it the capability to destroy entire planets. Uravan's duties on Eadu included synthetically fusing together kyber crystal fragments imported from the Mid Rim moon Jedha.

In 1 BBY, Imperial Director Orson Krennic found evidence that a member of Uravan's research team had conspired with a cargo pilot to send a message to the Rebel Alliance about the Death Star project. Krennic brought death troopers to confront Uravan and his colleagues, instructing the traitor to expose himself. Despite Erso admitting to the betrayal, Krennic proceeded to have the troopers execute Uravan and the rest of his research team.

Biography

Imperial service

A native of^[1] the Outer Rim Territories planet^[6] Christophsis,^[1] Ames Uravan was a gifted scientist and engineer^[4] who pioneered phase-shifted grafting techniques in the fields of crystalline engineering^[1] kyber crystal research. He^[4] was forcibly conscripted into the service of the Galactic Empire^[1] around 19 BBY^[2] to serve as a specialist^[4] on the kyber crystal research team, a division of the Tarkin Initiative managed by Director Orson Krennic.^[1] Identification records of the scientists working for Krennic,^[7] including Uravan,^[1] were deleted from public databases upon their admittance to Imperial service.^[7]

Uravan and his colleagues were stationed in the Outer Rim planet Eadu's Energy Conversion Laboratory, where they were kept secluded in laboratories^[1] hidden by the world's mountainous terrain.^[8] The scientists worked to make kyber crystals a viable energy source for the superlaser of the Death Star, a Geonosian-designed battle station that would, with the superlaser, possess the capability to destroy entire planets. While on Eadu, Uravan's duties included overseeing the shipments of kyber crystal fragments from the Mid Rim moon Jedha. Using a phase-shifted grafting technique, he fused the fragments together synthetically,^[1] taking care to preserve their delicate qualities.^[4] The kyber crystal research team's day-to-day needs on Eadu were managed by Sirro Argonne, its operations manager.^[1]

By 13 BBY,^[9] work on the superlaser had stalled^[10] and left the project years behind schedule,^[11] prompting Krennic to abduct his former colleague, the crystallographer Galen Erso, and bring him into Imperial service. Erso's extraordinary intellect managed to revitalize the division's progress,^[10] and Uravan and his team were able to complete the Death Star's superlaser after several years under his leadership.^[1] By 1 BBY,^[2] Uravan held the title of doctor.^[1]

Executed on Eadu

"Gentlemen, one of you betrayed the Empire. One of you has conspired with a pilot to send messages to the Rebellion. And I urge that traitor to step forward."

―Director Orson Krennic, confronting Ames Uravan and his colleagues — 20?cb=20250116042720

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Ames Uravan (center) and his colleagues learn about Krennic's unplanned visit.

In 1 BBY,^[2] Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin informed Director Krennic that a rebel sympathizer within Erso's research team had conspired with a cargo pilot to deliver a message to the Rebel Alliance concerning the Death Star. Krennic traveled to Eadu with a group of death troopers to investigate,^[3] informing the laboratory's workers, including Uravan, of his shuttle's impending arrival.^[12] Stormtroopers ushered the scientists out of the laboratories^[10] to near the entrance of Krennic's shuttle.^[13] The director then assembled his death trooper unit around the scientists, recalling them each by name, including Uravan.^[10]

Krennic announced his knowledge of the conspiracy against the Empire and instructed the traitor to expose himself. The director received no response in the moments afterward and concluded that the scientists had conspired in a group effort. As Krennic's death troopers readied themselves to execute the scientists, Erso intervened and confessed to being the traitor in an attempt to save his team. However, as soon as Erso stepped out of the way, Uravan and his colleagues were shot and killed by the death troopers per Krennic's orders.^[3]

Uravan's work contributed to the completion of the Death Star project,^[10] although the space station was destroyed soon after his death when the Rebel Alliance targeted a faulty thermal exhaust port^[4] that Erso had deliberately planted inside.^[10] In 35 ABY,^[14] the historian Beaumont Kin negatively compared Uravan's team to Erso in^[11] his^[15] book The Rise and Fall of the Galactic Empire.^[11]

Personality and traits

"In Erso's absence Krennic was forced to try and persevere with his other captive scientists, none of whom possessed the raw intellect of the man he had lost."

―Beaumont Kin, The Rise and Fall of the Galactic Empire^[11]

Ames Uravan's forced conscription into Imperial service resulted in the passion for his crystal-centered endeavors to weaken.^[1] The time spent in the kyber crystal research team's laboratories on Eadu left him frail and unused to the outdoors by the time of his death.^[13] Although Uravan and Krennic were acquaintances, the director felt no particular fondness toward him. Uravan was terrified at the prospect of death when confronted by Krennic's death troopers and was relieved when Erso stepped in to save his team, although it proved a futile gesture.^[10] In his book, Kin expressed his opinion that neither Uravan or any of Krennic's other captive scientists possessed Erso's "raw intellect."^[11] Uravan was a human^[1] male^[3] who had light skin, brown eyes, and brown hair.^[1] He was around 1.83 meters tall.^[5]

Skills and abilities

Uravan was a skilled scientist able to complete a phase-shifted grafting technique to connect kyber crystal fragments together synthetically.^[1] His precision allowed for the crystals' delicate qualities to be preserved.^[4]

Equipment

On Eadu, Uravan (center) wore a blue-and-white engineering jumpsuit.

As a member of the kyber crystal research team, Uravan wore a blue-and-white, long-sleeved engineering jumpsuit.^[10] The jumpsuit's antiseptic coveralls sported the dark-gray insignia of the Empire on the left sleeve.^[1] The fractured kyber-crystal–inspired^[8] logo of the Tarkin Initiative was present on the chest of Uravan's coveralls.^[1]

His uniform included a tunic that would change colors when in the presence of dangerous radiation and shoes that were grounded against potential static charges present within laboratories. His jumpsuit included a chest pocket that held two code cylinders programmed with access to restricted areas.^[1]

Behind the scenes

"For the Visual Guide, gave a bunch of these scientists names that were basically phonemes made up of Los Alamos scientists' names chopped up, tossed into a blender and stuck together again."

―Pablo Hidalgo^[16]

Jon McCoy's concept artwork of the Eadu scientists' deaths for Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. — Jon McCoy's concept artwork of the Eadu scientists' deaths for *Rogue One: A Star Wars Story*.

Ames Uravan first appeared in the Anthology film Rogue One: A Star Wars Story,^[3] as well as in its adult^[10] and junior novelizations,^[13] which released the same day as the film on December 16, 2016.^[17] The scientist was portrayed by actor Robert Benedetti-Hall.^[3] He was first debuted visually in a trailer for the film released on the official Star Wars YouTube channel on October 13 of the same year.^[18]

Although the film's credits refer to him as "Engineer,"^[3] Uravan's name was revealed in both Star Wars: Rogue One: The Ultimate Visual Guide, an accompanying reference book written by Pablo Hidalgo,^[1] and in Star Wars: Rogue One: Secret Mission, a DK Readers title authored by Jason Fry.^[19] Both were released alongside the film on December 16.^[17] Hidalgo created several of the scientists' names by combining elements from the names of the real-life scientists associated with the Los Alamos National Laboratory.^[16] For Rogue One, concept artwork of the scientists' death scene was created by artist Jon McCoy.^[20]