Chiraneau

"Lord Vader, this is an unexpected pleasure. We're honored by your presence."

―Tiaan Jerjerrod greets Vader on behalf of Chiraneau and the others present — 20?cb=20250116042720

Chiraneau was a human who served in the Navy of the Galactic Empire and worked as a Rear Admiral and an advisor to Fleet Admiral Firmus Piett. The Rear Admiral was a part of both the Navy's officer corps and starfighter corps, piloting a VT-49 Decimator. In 4 ABY, Chiraneau was present on board the Death Star II battle station and was among the Imperial officers present when the Sith Lord Darth Vader arrived on board.

Biography

Chiraneau served as a rear admiral in the Imperial Navy and as advisor to Admiral Firmus Piett.

Chiraneau was a human who served as a Rear Admiral in the officer corps of the Imperial Navy of the Galactic Empire.^[1] They functioned as an advisor to^[3] Fleet Admiral^[4] Firmus Piett,^[3] the commander of the Executor-class Star Dreadnought Executor and Death Squadron.^[5] Chiraneau also flew in the Imperial Starfighter Corps.^[3]

In 4 ABY,^[6] Chiraneau was present on board the Death Star II battle station while it was under construction in the Endor system. When the Sith Lord Darth Vader arrived on the space station to inspect the progress of its construction, Chiraneau was among the group of Imperial officers who stood silently at attention in one of the station's hangars as Vader disembarked from his shuttle and spoke with Moff Tiaan Jerjerrod, commander of the Death Star.^[2] In the hope of showing Chiraneau and the others present how aligned and attuned he and Vader were based on the harmony in the choreography of their parting, Jerjerrod matched the Sith's gait and rhythm when leaving the hangar.^[7] Not long after Vader's arrival, the Death Star II was destroyed by the Alliance to Restore the Republic during the Battle of Endor.^[2]

Personality and traits

Chiraneau had light skin and gray hair.^[2]

Equipment

The Rear Admiral wore a gray Imperial officer's uniform including a matching cap with an officer's disk and a black belt that also bore an officer's disk on its buckle. Chiraneau also wore black boots and black gloves^[2] and bore a rank insignia plaque with six red pips above six blue pips. They owned at least two code cylinders^[1] and piloted a VT-49 Decimator.^[3]

Behind the scenes

Chiraneau first appeared in the original trilogy film Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi,^[2] which was released on March 25, 1983.^[8] Mike Havord portrayed the character^[9] as well as^[10] Colonel Jendon in the film.^[11] According to^[12] actor^[13] Kenneth Coombs, Havord had also portrayed an Imperial officer in the 1977 film Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope, although this character has not been identified as Chiraneau, Jendon, or a separate individual.^[12] The hangar scene was filmed on Stage 6 at Elstree Studios between February 22 and February 24, 1982. The floor of the hangar had to be repainted several times due to the movement and positioning of the various extras on the set, which caused regular damage.^[14] Production photos reveal that Chiraneau appeared in an additional scene made for Return of the Jedi that did not make the final cut of the film. In the scene, Chiraneau and several other Imperial officers accompany Vader as they approach the Death Star's hangar in order to greet Galactic Emperor Sheev Palpatine upon his arrival.^[15]

Chiraneau in an additional deleted scene set as the Emperor arrived on the Death Star II

In the film, Chiraneau and all other officers in his scene are depicted with a rank insignia plaque showing three red squares above three blue,^[2] which denotes a commander.^[16] However, on a card released in the 2015 Imperial Assault Carrier Expansion Pack made by Fantasy Flight Games for the Star Wars: X-Wing Miniatures Game, which was also the first source to identify Chiraneau in canon, the character is depicted with a plaque showing six red squares over six blue.^[1] As the rank plaques shown in Return of the Jedi have been acknowledged to be a costuming error,^[17] this article treats the card to be correct.^[1]

Footage of Vader's arrival on the second Death Star was reused for his return from^[18] the planet^[19] Bespin to^[18] his flagship, the Executor,^[19] in the 1997 Special Edition release of The Empire Strikes Back. As such, Havord is seen in the Special Edition version alongside other extras who portrayed Imperial officers in Return of the Jedi, however, this article assumes these to be separate characters.^[18] Chiraneau's name originated in the Star Wars Legends continuity, where it was first used on a card in the 2000 Death Star II Limited expansion set of the Star Wars Customizable Card Game produced by Decipher^[20]