Orson Callan Krennic

Orson Callan Krennic was a human male who served as Director of the Imperial Military Department of Advanced Weapons Research, which belonged to Imperial Intelligence and the Imperial Security Bureau during the Imperial Era. Additionally, he was the commander of the DS-1 Death Star Mobile Battle Station up to the beginning of the Galactic Civil War. Born on Lexrul during the Republic Era, fifty-one years before the Battle of Yavin, Krennic began his career as a Lieutenant Commander in the Galactic Republic. Following the Clone Wars he was promoted to commander and later the fleet equivalent of admiral upon the formation of the Galactic Empire. Persistent and ambitious, Krennic was responsible for the development and construction of the Empire's enormous Death Star superweapon. An old friend of crystallographer Galen Erso, Krennic manipulated the brilliant scientist into researching synthetic kyber crystals under the pretext of researching sustainable energy. In reality, Krennic weaponized Erso's crystal research for the battle station's planet-killing superlaser, hoping this would place him above his long-time rival Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin and win the favor of Emperor Palpatine. Krennic was also held accountable for security of the project, quelling rumors of the Empire's secret enterprise for the two decades of its assembly. For these many purposes he commanded a squad of death troopers, serving as both a sword and shield when the Director found himself in battle.

During the final stages of the Death Star's construction, the project faced potential exposure in the form of a rather talkative cargo pilot. Krennic restlessly sought to silence these rumors, ordering the first successful discharge of the superlaser on the sacred moon of Jedha, where news of the technological terror had reached. However, Krennic was ultimately unable to contain the project's secrecy, and the Rebel Alliance soon launched an attack on the coastal planet Scarif where data tapes containing a complete technical readout of the station were being held. After Director Krennic failed to prevent the theft of these tapes, Tarkin deployed the Death Star in a continued effort to eliminate the compromised facility. Krennic met his end in this second blast of his own creation, an ironic culmination of his life's work. Soon afterward, the Rebellion successfully exploited a vulnerability in the Death Star discovered through the stolen plans, detonating the reactor module and leading to the downfall of Krennic's achievement.

Biography

Early life

Orson Callan Krennic was a human male born in Sativran City on the planet Lexrul^[1] in the year 51 BBY.^[2] At the age of fifteen, he earned a place in the Galactic Republic's Future Program on Brentaal, wherein he met and befriended fellow student Galen Erso.^[1] The two friends had very different personalities, as Galen needed to be pushed into going to social events, while Krennic's nocturnal carousing became legendary among the Futures Program. Nonetheless, Krennic graduated with high honors to the astonishment of his classmates.^[5]

The two worked well together, but Galen shrank in the shadow of Krennic's personality and charisma. Although Krennic's listed area of excellence was architecture, his counselors noted that Krennic's ability to manipulate and read others was just as effective.^[1] After a time in the program, he was offered a position in the Republic Corps of Engineers and joined it, which led to him supervising large onworld and deep space construction projects. This increased influence allowed Krennic to land Erso a visiting professorship at the Institute of Applied Science^[5] at the time when Erso had focused on kyber crystal research.^[1]

Constructing the Death Star

Seizing the moment

In 23 BBY,^[10] Krennic helped to engineer the massive construction and overhaul facility over Kartoosh. During the Clone Wars, Krennic grew to become a member of the Republic's Strategic Advisory Cell, and, despite publicly still being represented as a member of the Corps of Engineers, only those within the cell were aware of Krennic's involvement as a member of the top-secret Republic Special Weapons Group. As part of this group, Krennic returned to studying, particularly in regards to the weapons Rothana, Kuat, and others had built for the Grand Army, and Baktoid, Hoersch-Kessel Drive, and others were engineering for the Separatists.^[5]

At a meeting discussing the schematics for the Death Star obtained by the Republic sometime following the Second Battle of Geonosis, it was debated whether the Republic could create such a weapon before the Separatists were able to—a basic ring structure had already been completed, but problems arose with the labor force responsible for its construction, as well as the superweapon that would give the station its devastating power. Krennic met with Vice Chair Mas Amedda to discuss the weapon, within which Krennic suggested using the work of his former colleague Galen Erso. Erso had been focusing his research on how crystals could be used to supply power, and had most recently focused on kyber crystals. Erso was currently imprisoned by the Separatists on Vallt, but Krennic believed that the research could be weaponized. Amedda agreed to let Krennic arrange for his rescue, yet Krennic had to do so without making the Republic's involvement clear.^[5]

Rescue on Vallt

Krennic enlisted the help of smuggler Has Obitt to travel to the planet of Merj, where they and a team of other smugglers captured two Separatist Morseerian scientists. Going to Vallt disguised as employees of Zerpen Industries, the company that Galen Erso belonged to, Krennic arranged for the two scientists to be received by the Separatists in exchange for Galen, Lyra, and their daughter, Jyn Erso. Upon making their way off the planet, they were intercepted by a Separatist warship. Krennic called for assistance from Commander Prakas, who arrived in a Republic cruiser and opened fire on Vallt, destroying the Keep where the Ersos had been kept, much to their distaste. In an attempt to persuade Galen to leave his strictly pacifist ways, Krennic took them to Galen's home planet of Grange, which had come under siege. Galen, however, maintained his resolve to stay neutral in the Clone Wars: Despite his fierce desire for the engineer's knowledge and talents, Krennic knew that Galen would have to mostly come to his own decision based on knowledge as opposed to being quickly and simply persuaded.^[5]

Rebirth of the Geonosian hive

Upon return from Vallt, Krennic arranged for a meeting with Geonosian archduke Poggle the Lesser, who was prisoner to the Republic. Using his knowledge of the Geonosians from his studies as part of the Strategic Advisory Cell, Krennic appealed to Poggle and the work of his hive in the construction of the Droid Army and the Death Star plans. Knowing that the hives on Geonosis would turn back to their native barbaric infighting at the lack of their archduke and any construction projects, Poggle agreed to assist in the construction of the battle station.^[5]

Not long later, Galen Erso came to Krennic with plans for an energy facility project the two could embark on together, which Krennic promptly declined. Mas Amedda arranged for a meeting with Krennic to discuss his unauthorized attack on Vallt and his interrogation of Poggle, yet Krennic's overall progress toward the creation of the Death Star won him Amedda's favor. Krennic then attended a Futures Program reunion, where he witnessed Galen Erso be accused of siding with the Separatists for not actively assisting with the Republic since his capture on Vallt by Dagio Belcoze, much to Krennic's approval.^[5]

Krennic joined Poggle back on his home planet of Geonosis, where he endured observing days of gladiatorial games in the Petranaki Arena, held in celebration of Meckgin. Here, Poggle announced that the hive would be constructing the Death Star, following which the Geonosians cheered and returned to intensified combat.^[5]

The troubled birth of the Death Star

Poggle, despite not being entirely sold on this philosophy, reasoned that making the drones perform work beneath their skill level would increase their ultimate output. The Geonosians began making significant progress on constructing the Death Star, which soon went from resembling a ring to a gyroscopic shape. Meanwhile, Krennic arranged for espionage charges against Erso to be dropped, attempting to gain favor from Erso in order to convince him to join Project Stardust. Ultimately, Krennic hoped for more influence in the Republic and independence from his long time rival Admiral Wilhuff Tarkin, whom he despised. Krennic contacted Galen and informed him of a job at Helical HyperCom at a large production facility on Lokori, in an attempt to have the mundane nature of the facility, as well as the continuous Separatist attacks on the planet, lead Galen to become more desperate for a fulfilling job.^[5]

Awakened one night by his comlink, Krennic was informed that the Death Star's infancy was in jeopardy, with the Geonosian drones turning back and destroying their three months worth of work as well as the marines who occupied the facility. Poggle revealed that he had given the drones the order to rebel, and escaped to return to Count Dooku, dealing a massive blow to Krennic's reputation.^[5]

Project Celestial Power

Not long after Krennic's betrayal by Poggle the Lesser, the Clone Wars ended, and the Republic was now the Galactic Empire.^[5] Krennic served as one of the regime's Imperial officers^[11] and was an officer within the Imperial Security Bureau,^[12] eventually enrolling in the ISB Academy and Offices.^[13] Krennic also held a post-war administrative post at the Institute of Applied Science on Coruscant, where he screened scientists for expertise on energy manipulation, materials science, and theoretical physics. In the early years of the Empire's reign, Krennic became the director for Project Celestial Power.^[14] Krennic met with the Ersos on Kanzi following news that Galen had been offered a permanent administrative position on Lokori. Krennic then offered Galen a position as part of Project Celestial Power, which Krennic implied would have the primary focus of bringing power to planets ravaged by the Clone Wars. Galen accepted this position and would work on Coruscant in a new facility.^[5]

Galen Erso began intense research on the kyber crystals Krennic had provided him with, whilst Tarkin met with Krennic in a shipyard in Kartoosh. Here, Krennic explained the potential power of the Death Star, which Tarkin regarded with mild skepticism, as well as announcing his plans to select certain worlds for the exclusive mining of resources essential to the construction of the Death Star. Tarkin found favor in Krennic's promises and allowed Krennic to overreach his authority in order to gain the resources needed and put them tighter into Tarkin's own grasp. Krennic would use Has Obitt and other smugglers to perform smuggling operations which would require the Empire to take complete control over mining corporations—this would give Krennic the resources he needed and turn the smugglers against the Empire, which Krennic could later use to his advantage to oppose anyone who tried to circumvent his advancement of power.^[5]

Lyra Erso grew wary of the Empire's true intentions for Project Celestial Power and the Empire and informed Galen of this. Krennic had access to surveillance recordings and grew wary of Lyra's influence on Galen.^[5]

Disaster on Malpaz

In attempts to weaponize Galen's research, a research facility on Malpaz had exploded, leading to a massive loss of life and a mass exodus on the planet. Krennic worked to ensure it was interpreted as an attack. Following this, Krennic again met with Mas Amedda—in the face of disapproval, Krennic suggested having his rank be raised in order to give the impression that the project was going more smoothly than it truly was. Krennic suggested being promoted to Rear Admiral, but he was promoted to the lower rank of full Commander.^[5]

Krennic met with the Erso family following a discussion Lyra had with a former colleague of Galen Erso, who believed that Krennic was responsible for the incident on Malpaz. Krennic suggested to Lyra that she take a break from parenting and go back to exploring as she used to do. With Lyra out of the equation, Krennic called Galen to meet with him in private. Here, Galen mentioned doubts Lyra had, as well as his own. Galen was shown the world of Malpaz, and Krennic claimed that it was an attack by those who wished to bring instability through sowing chaos into the Empire. Galen was upset to see his work being attacked by those who solely wanted to ruin the lives of others. Krennic had maneuvered Galen to his side, and Galen agreed to work more intensely but under complete secrecy from anyone, including Lyra.^[5]

The Summit

Around 18 BBY,^[15] Krennic was called by Governor Tarkin to attend a summit at his compound Raven's Peak alongside General Hurst Romodi, Admiral Barton Coburn, and Chief Scientist Doctor Royce Hemlock of the Advanced Science Division on his homeworld Eriadu. After listening to Romodi and Hemlock discuss their projects, Krennic was asked by Tarkin to enlighten them to the status on Project Stardust, which he was happy to oblige. Hemlock was quite interested in Krennic's work, since he knew it was of great importance to Emperor Palpatine. The compound was then attacked by Partisans as well as Clone Force 99, the latter whom were trying to trace Hemlock to his secret base, though Tarkin ensured Krennic, Coburn, and Romodi they were safe as the lockdown system was engaged in the meeting room and continued the summit with Hemlock being the only one who believed in Tarkin. Nonetheless, the compound was left damaged much to Tarkin's anger.^[16]

Creation of the superweapon

With Galen in his grasp, Krennic then sprang a trap on Tarkin. As Obitt had been angered by the destruction he had indirectly caused by following Krennic, he staged a rebellion alongside Saw Gerrera against the Imperial occupation of the Salient system and Zerpen Industries headquarters. Knowing Tarkin would not back down through fear of making the Empire look weak, he was preoccupied while Krennic was able to advance his plan without Tarkin claiming any involvement. During this battle, Galen's research advanced, and Krennic was able to get a prototype weapon created. From aboard a Star Destroyer, Krennic had the superweapon tested. The weapon was aimed at two black holes known as the Hero Twins so as to prevent any incident similar to what happened on Malpaz. At Krennic's command, the weapon was fired, and its collimating beams raced into the two black holes. It was a successful weaponizing of Galen's research, ensuring their place in history.^[5] At some point, however, Krennic admitted to the Emperor that the station's primary weapon was not yet fully operational.^[17]

When Darth Vader arrived on Geonosis to discover who was sabotaging Project Stardust Krennic greeted him. He and Lord Vader then came under attack when an explosion went off and almost buried him and Vader alive. Vader used the Force to lift the rubble away from them. At his office, Krennic told Vader that he believed that Tarkin was behind the attack, but had no proof. He informed Lord Vader that there were several accidents that were sabotaged by someone. Lord Vader assured Krennic that the perpetrator would be found. Krennic was visited by Lord Vader after his investigation on Coruscant and showed him a Ootheca egg that was found in Galen Erso's Office. He told Vader that Erso received blueprints from the Geonosians and that a rogue infestation of Geonosians must have sent him the egg in order to get Erso's help. Krennic supplied Lord Vader with a squad of death troopers in order to deal with these Geonosians.^[18]

When Lyra returned to Galen from her expedition on Alpinn, she found him difficult to communicate with, as if he were under immense pressure. Krennic had given the task of taking her to Alpinn to Has Obitt, who Krennic had learned had showed her the destruction of the worlds he was involved in smuggling for on behalf of Krennic. Krennic informed Lyra that her disruption of Galen's research would set back the project massively and that there could be trouble for her and her family if she was to prove fatal to his research. Elated with the successful test, Krennic went to meet with Project Celestial Power workers on Hypori. Here, a former colleague of Galen and friend of Lyra Erso named Reeva Demesne inquired about what exactly they were working on, as the scale of their project was unlike anything seen before. Krennic came under scrutiny, as he was accused of using their research for the creation of a superweapon and their destruction was ordered.^[5]

Racked with concern over not being given specific updates from Krennic and being obsessed with his advancement of kyber crystal research, Galen realized he had been neglecting his child Jyn. Lyra then met with Galen, realizing they were under surveillance following Krennic's prior threat to their family - she had tried to contact Reeva Demesne, but she was no longer listed as an employee, nor were various other workers and friends. Lyra had a friend from her journey to Alpinn known as Nari Sable relay data to them from Malpaz and Hypori, and found evidence of destruction at Imperial hands as opposed to anarchists, despite Galen being told by Krennic that anarchists were to blame for the destruction he saw. They arranged a meeting with Krennic, wherein they raised questions over the devastated planets and Reeva. Krennic interpreted the meeting as a trap—he left and made plans for the possible removal of Lyra and Jyn from Galen's life. On his journey back, Krennic received a transmission from Tarkin, regarding the arrival of Has Obitt on Coruscant. Krennic assumed that Obitt had planned on revenge, and perhaps the retrieval of the Ersos off of Coruscant. Krennic raced back, only to find that Obitt had arrived with none of the Erso family in sight—they had vanished from under his nose in another location with the assistance of Saw Gerrera, and slipped from Krennic's grasp. Krennic was demoted by Amedda back to Lieutenant Commander. Angered, he vowed to find the Ersos again, leaving no stone unturned. Meanwhile, he would make what progress he could, whilst being observed and overseen from afar by Tarkin.^[5]

Tarkin and Krennic

At some point in time, after sifting through files from Imperial Intelligence, Krennic learned the planet Mustafar had been the site where Vader was injured and lost the use of his limbs.^[20] Funding for Hemlock's Imperial cloning program had been completely diverted to Stardust after Hemlock had been killed in an attack led by Clone Force 99.^[21] Sometime after the loss of the Ersos, Krennic, who had nonetheless managed to stand under the title director, sent the KX-series security droid K-4D8 to the planet Agaris under official orders to assist Tarkin in overseeing the transportation of the first shipment of quadanium back to Sentinel Base.^[19]

In 14 BBY,^[3] Tarkin was granted control over the Outer Rim Territories when he was named the first Grand Moff of the Empire by Palpatine. While he was given full control over the Death Star with that promotion,^[22] Tarkin decided to maintain distance between himself and the project for the time being.^[23] In doing so, he could write off the Death Star as Krennic's project that had been nothing but the Empire's money and excuses for years on end.^[24] While Tarkin planned to assume responsibility of Project Stardust once it proved to be successful, he kept his distance^[23] and blamed its setbacks on Krennic.^[24]

Finding Galen Erso

After landing a lofty appointment in Imperial Intelligence, Krennic used every tool at his disposal to track down Galen Erso.^[1] In 13 BBY,^[3] Krennic, who by that time was the Director of the Imperial Military Department of Advanced Weapons Research, discovered the Ersos on the remote planet Lah'mu, where they lived a simple farming life. Landing near their homestead in his personal Delta-class T-3c shuttle, Krennic approached from afar with his death troopers on either side. Alerted to the sudden Imperial presence, Galen sent his daughter into hiding, guided by his wife, while he confronted his old friend outside the homestead. When Krennic expressed surprise at Erso's choice of a lonely, agrarian lifestyle, the scientist agreed, claiming Lyra had passed away. Krennic, skeptical, ordered the house searched and turned to Erso to explain his visit.^[4]

The Death Star, he revealed, was still unfinished, and the only hope for its completion lay in Erso's advanced research into crystallography. Erso protested on moral grounds, but they were interrupted by Lyra, who held the cloaked Imperial officer at gunpoint in an effort to prevent her husband's abduction. After failing to convince her to drop the weapon, Krennic ordered his troopers to execute Lyra, but not before taking a blaster bolt to the shoulder. Krennic ordered the troopers to search for Jyn. Thereafter, Krennic was again rejoined with Galen, whilst Jyn concealed herself from the troopers.^[4] Around 9 BBY,^[25] Gerrera had come close enough to discovering the Death Star that it needed to be moved from Geonosis^[26] to the planet Scarif.^[4] At some point, Krennic was joined by a subordinate named Brierly Ronan, who developed a fierce loyalty to the director and was granted the title Assistant Director.^[27]

The Ghorman project

Around 4 BBY, Krennic hosted the top secret conference at the Maltheen Divide, showing a promotional tourism video about the Great Valleys of Ghorman, Ghorman garments and the Ghorman Valley Horn. After the video explained the 40 billion Ghorlectipods and the silk they produced for its citizens, Krennic ended the video, stating that Ghorman is of great interest to the Empire and that its Kalkite would be needed to coat the Empire's reactor lenses in three years. After an engineering officer explained it would present challenges to the population, Admiral Daysar asked to clarify further, to which the officer explained that removing the kalkite would render the planet unstable and gouge mining would destabilize the planet's core, which Krennic conceded. After the presentation, Krennic spoke with^[28] the ambitious^[29] ISB Supervisor Dedra Meero about her thoughts on the matter. Although Meero feigned that she was still mulling it over, Krennic told her that he could see that she had formulated a plan from the minute he had begun speaking. Meero stated that there needed to be a rebel opposition present to allow the Empire to justify the takeover.^[28] The Empire would secretly encourage the rebel Ghorman Front to push back against Imperial rule in order to bring about the conditions for the planet's takeover.^[30]

Coruscant festivities

At some point, Krennic sat in on committee meetings involving Imperial Senator Mon Mothma.^[30] In 3 BBY,^[31] Krennic attended the Investiture party of the oligarch Davo Sculdun at his Coruscant office. At the event, Krennic was one of a group of select guests gathered by Sculdun to view the oligarch's collection of rare artifacts. Krennic was introduced to Mothma and her husband Perrin Fertha, and although they remained cordial, Krennic and Mothma maintained an argument about various topics that Sculdun broached when showing off his collection.^[30]

As Sculdun brought the group to the Lost Tairn, an ancient stone carving of the Grand Carmeenian Forest, Krennic spoke about the Battle of Carmeen, which he had learned about in the ISB Academy, saying that many Carmeenians had died. Mothma interjected that the battle had been more of an execution, and Krennic only chuckled as Mothma continued to speak critically of both the event and Krennic's mentality. As the group approached the Tinian Codex, Krennic asked Kleya Marki, who had been standing near the artifact, what was special about it. ISB member Lonni Jung, who had been next to Marki, spoke up and informed him of the language carved into the piece that was based on touch, as the Tinians saw blindness as a gift and sight as a curse. Unknown to Krennic, Marki and Jung were both involved in a secret rebel network and had been removing a listening device from the codex.^[30]

Ghorman payoff

When their efforts culminated in the Ghorman Massacre in 2 BBY, where hundreds of Ghor were slaughtered after the Empire fired on its own troops in order to start violence, the planet was completely taken over. Martial domain was declared, and strip-mining efforts,^[32] using equipment that had been preemptively moved onto Ghorman in preparation for their operations,^[33] immediately began harvesting kalkite for Krennic's project,^[32] Plans for the forced resettlement of Ghorman's population was scheduled around Krennic's timetable.^[33]

Imperial Ball

Around 1 BBY,^[3] Krennic attended the annual Imperial Ball on the eighteenth anniversary of Empire Day. His considerable status, as well as his choice to wear his distinctive white cape that was created during the early Clone Wars while he was in the engineering Corps, drew the attention of those present at the fashionable gathering. In fact, inspired by his arrival, Krennic's subordinate Tifino drunkenly revealed confidential information about the project to inquisitive HoloNet reporter Calliope Drouth. Within meters of Krennic, a drunk Tifino divulged the Imperial commander's interest in the sacred moon Jedha. Tifino's friend, shuttle pilot Ianna Wick, added that Krennic's interest in Jedha arose from its kyber crystal deposits. Later during the party, Drouth's malfunctioning reporting droid fell to Krennic's feet, prompting him to retrieve the unit and offer to repair it. Aware of the sensitive conversations the droid had recorded, Drouth intended to decline the offer, but the droid eventually reactivated. Drouth was later able to broadcast the information she learned in her news story using hand signals.^[34]

Continuing the program

In 1 BBY,^[3] the secrecy of the project showed signs of unraveling. Krennic was alerted by Captain Wells that Gerrera, joined by two other rebels, had hijacked a cargo transport carrying a massive kyber crystal, which ended in the destruction of the asset.^[8] These rebels had previously discovered and destroyed a similar kyber crystal^[35] and had found evidence of a large-scale Imperial construction project on Geonosis.^[36]

Despite Gerrera's hunt for answers,^[36] Krennic was successful in gaining continued support for his project over his peers. For instance, Grand Admiral Thrawn was informed by Tarkin^[24]—who maintained his cover of being uninterested in the Death Star^[23]—that his TIE/d "Defender" Multi-Role Starfighter program was at risk and implied its future was uncertain as Krennic attempted to persuade the Empire to divert the funding to Project Stardust.^[24]

Defunding the Defender

The Sev Tok conference

Tarkin organized a meeting to discuss the various delays plaguing Project Stardust. Although originally scheduled to be on Coruscant, the meeting's location was altered by the Emperor to take place aboard the Imperial Star Destroyer Firedrake, flagship of Grand Admiral Balanhai Savit and the Third Fleet, located in the Sev Tok system. When Krennic's shuttle arrived in the Firedrake's hangar bay, Savit departed the aft bridge to welcome him aboard, further instructed by Tarkin to relay a greeting on the Moff's behalf.^[27]

At the conference, Tarkin introduced its participants to Thrawn, including Krennic. Krennic, cautious but defiantly hostile, accused Thrawn of taking funding away from Project Stardust, who countered that his intent was to preserve funding already promised to him. Tarkin then brought the Emperor into the conversation via hologram, eliciting a confident smile from Krennic, but the Emperor quickly soured as he asked the engineer about Stardust's delays. Krennic claimed that the project itself was on schedule and only suffered from supply chain issues, which the Emperor again questioned. Tarkin, blaming Krennic, explained that Thrawn had been invited for a consultation, though had not yet been made aware of the situation, causing the Emperor to implore Krennic to elaborate.^[27]

Krennic began to raise mynocks as the cause of interference with the equipment transfer point. When Tarkin amended that it was grallocs, Krennic frustratedly retorted that the two were cousin species. Savit, noting grallocs to be tougher, brought up Governor Haveland's troubles with them in the Esaga sector, though Krennic dismissed them as a nuisance. Tarkin disputed the term nuisance as the Emperor expressed anger towards Krennic, who reiterated his control over the situation. The Emperor invited Thrawn's opinion, who suggested that the more experienced Savit find a solution, but Tarkin dismissed the idea. Tired of the arguing, the Emperor directly asked Tarkin his intent.^[27]

Tarkin proposed Thrawn wager the funding for his TIE Defender project on his ability to solve an issue with Stardust supply lines. Krennic begrudgingly agreed, going on to add a time constraint of one week to the Grand Admiral's task. Savit objected that the timetable was unfair, but Krennic reasoned that Thrawn was useless otherwise and that failure would be grounds to question the Grand Admiral's abilities. The Emperor left the decision to Thrawn, who agreed to all conditions. Satisfied, the Emperor's hologram disappeared. Krennic then informed Thrawn of his intention to send a representative to observe. Tarkin dismissed the idea as unnecessary, but Krennic cited irregularities with Thrawn's previous work and desired to ensure that Imperial procedure was followed to the letter.^[27]

Thrawn instructed Krennic to transmit the coordinates of the transfer point to the Chimaera by the quarter hour, and that if his observer was not aboard by that time, he would be left behind. Krennic, smiling, told Thrawn that Assistant Director Brierly Ronan would arrive with the data, feigning civility as he called out Tarkin's own security concerns.^[27]

Briefing Ronan

As Krennic entered a suite, Ronan rose and asked if the meeting had gone well; Krennic bitterly replied that it had not. Krennic inquired if Ronan knew of Thrawn and, when the man admitted his unfamiliarity, instructed him to download information pertaining to the Grand Admiral from the Firedrake's databanks. When Ronan asked what was going on, Krennic described Thrawn as Tarkin's latest weapon, an attempt by the Grand Moff to wrest away control of Stardust. Krennic conveyed how the Emperor had sat and smiled during the conversation, causing Ronan to feel contempt.^[27]

Krennic explained the wager to Ronan, who was surprised by Thrawn's acceptance, then presented the ideal scenario: that Thrawn eliminate the grallocs after his allotted week had lapsed. Ronan agreed, but questioned what prevented Thrawn from stopping his investigation after his time ran out. Krennic conceded the possibility but ultimately believed that Thrawn was stubborn enough to see the problem through if he was close. Krennic then instructed Ronan to observe aboard the Chimaera and report on Thrawn's progress, transmitting the details of any approaches that held promise.^[27]

Ronan asked what he was to do if Thrawn did give up. Krennic told Ronan not to let him, but that if he did, to gather whatever information Thrawn had ascertained to create a solution of their own. Without no further questions, Krennic dismissed Ronan, providing instructions to meet Thrawn in the hangar bay and encrypted coordinates to the transfer point. As Ronan turned to leave, Krennic warned him to watch Thrawn carefully; that the Grand Admiral was smart, and that Tarkin's gambit may be more complex than was apparent. Ronan assured Krennic that he would be ready.^[27]

Scrap with Savit

Some time later, Krennic received a report from Ronan that Thrawn had engaged in a battle near one of Stardust's transfer points. Krennic requested more details, but the assistant director was apparently unable to respond.^[27]

Krennic contacted Savit via hologram, demanding information on Thrawn's activities. Savit asked Krennic to elaborate, but the director, uninformed because of his inability to reach Ronan, again told the Grand Admiral to go figure out what was going on, who was involved, and stop it. Posing that Thrawn had gone pirate-hunting, Krennic speculated that he would have to move the transfer point and put Stardust behind schedule. Savit pointed out that Stardust was already behind schedule and told Krennic that Ronan should send more details, which Krennic reiterated he was unable to do.^[27]

When Savit downplayed the situation's urgency, Krennic proposed that Ronan was being interfered with by the crew of the Chimaera, considering their loyalty to Thrawn to be fanatic. Savit countered that devotion was a sign of trust and respect, instructing Krennic to stop worrying about Thrawn and to focus on getting Stardust back on track. Krennic framed Savit's inaction as an insinuation that he should ignore Thrawn's "insanity" and mind his own business, but Savit calmly replied that he couldn't abandon his duties to deal with a problem that Krennic had not proven existed.^[27]

Staring, Krennic asked Savit if he liked Thrawn, who neutrally responded that Thrawn was a fellow Grand Admiral. Krennic doubled down, describing both as cultured because of their respective interests in art and music, and informing Savit that he had attended one of his mother's cultural galas years ago, recalling Savit's opera To the Stars. Praising his composition and performance, Krennic lauded Savit for rearranging the piece into a full orchestra enjoyed by Governor Grazlos and then-Chancellor Palpatine himself. Savit, Krennic suggested, had not only attracted positive attention, but used To the Stars and later works to gain favoritism among the Coruscanti elite that led directly to his promotion.^[27]

Savit, matching Krennic's smile, affirmed that Coruscant's culture was a glove that covered the fist of Imperial power, then asked if Krennic was threatening him or his family. Krennic played coy, suggesting that what was once favored among the elite could be lost among discarded dregs. Savit retorted that Krennic must not understand the elite before taking a priority transmission, leaving Krennic on hold. The director snarled at Savit, who, upon his return, again raised the elite and veiled threats. Krennic brought the discussion around to the threat Thrawn's actions posed to Stardust.^[27]

Savit reminded Krennic that if Thrawn failed, Stardust would receive the TIE Defender funding. Krennic retaliated that the grallocs would still harass his cargoes and ruin his schedule and alluded to Savit's support of the TIE Defender program. Savit provided that his support of the Defender was no secret, believing it to be more important than the Death Star, casually dropping the true name of the top-secret battle station. Krennic maintained his composure, guaranteeing that Ronan would ensure Thrawn missed his deadline and find a way to destroy the grallocs, keeping the Defender funding. Savit then keyed the originator of the priority transmission—Grand Moff Tarkin—into the conversation.^[27]

Reconsidering, Savit declared his decision to aid Thrawn so that the Defender project could continue; Savit then made Tarkin's presence visible to Krennic, leading the Grand Moff to greet the director. Krennic, becoming adversarial, returned the gesture. Tarkin relayed that Thrawn had won his engagement with the assistance of his TIE Defenders. Krennic asked who the Chimaera had been fighting, though Tarkin could only confirm the involvement of two non-Imperial ships. The director pressed the possibility of pirates or rebels. Tarkin promised to share the information should he receive it.^[27]

Krennic invited Tarkin in pressing Savit to investigate, which Tarkin declined to do unless Thrawn requested it. Savit thanked Tarkin, then Krennic, who he suggested he might see at another of his mother's cultural galas, an unspoken message that threats against his family would not be tolerated. Savit then keyed off of the holocall.^[27]

Kurost at all costs

Receiving more reports from Ronan, Krennic once again contacted Savit via video transmission, stressing a danger to the Kurost system transfer point and, as Governor Haveland's forces were unable to respond, urging the Grand Admiral's Third Fleet to intervene. Savit explained to the director that his fleet was engaged against anti-Imperial pirates and that abandoning the operation could prove disastrous, though Krennic bit back that not protecting the transfer point could be even more so. With the pirates fighting for their lives, Savit figured that they did not have time to prey on non-essential cargoes, aware that the goods transported through Kurost were low-priority. Krennic clarified that Ronan was not worried about pirates, but the interest of two alien factions.^[27]

Savit asked Krennic what Thrawn was doing about it. Krennic hesitated, admitting that Ronan had been vague, but presented the impression that Thrawn was in need of assistance. Savit revealed that his sources indicated Thrawn had the situation under control and wondered if Ronan was jumping at shadows, visibly striking a nerve. Krennic retorted that, unlike some other individuals, Ronan had the Empire's best interests at heart. Savit reasoned that Krennic's suggestion was unadvantageous; the transfer point was already under heavy guard and any pirates raiding supply lines were now likely to target the freighters as they came out of assembly systems in the Esaga sector.^[27]

Krennic pressed Savit, asking what he intended to do. Savit advised sending ships to the Esaga staging areas to catch the thieves, sarcastically asking if that met with Krennic's approval. Krennic, ignoring the mockery, concurred and insinuated that Savit would keep him informed of his progress. The Grand Admiral responded in kind that Krennic would keep him apprised of Ronan's assessments from the Chimaera, both promises they had no intention of upholding.^[27]

The verdict

Again via hologram, Krennic was present for Ronan's report to Tarkin and himself regarding the funding wager. Ronan informed them that Thrawn had lost the wager, having failed to destroy the grallocs that had hampered Stardust's cargo transports. At Tarkin's inquiry, Ronan dismissed Thrawn's arrest of Savit, the true culprit behind the disappearing Stardust shipments, as irrelevant. Krennic pondered Ronan's reports of Thrawn's contact with alien military forces, which Ronan mitigated as unimportant, promising the full details a final report that he truthfully intended to bury so as to avoid questions of treason. Ruling in Krennic's favor, Tarkin awarded the TIE Defender funding to Stardust accordingly.^[27]

Tarkin assured Thrawn that funding the TIE Defender program would become a priority once Krennic's project was fully armed and operational. Thrawn in turn offered a suggestion regarding Stardust, which Krennic reluctantly agreed to hear. Proposing the heightened possibility of an attack as Stardust approached its activation, Thrawn suggested assigning Darth Vader to Stardust to oversee, assess, and deal with any potential threats, to Krennic's incredulous objection. Tarkin, delighted by the idea, agreed to pass it along to the Emperor at his convenience. Thrawn, who had to depart to deal with the growing rebellion on Lothal, promised to return Ronan to Krennic at the earliest opportunity. Krennic thanked Thrawn and told him he looked forward to working together in the future, a lie to a man whom he would never trust again. In total truth, however, Thrawn's suggestion to add Vader to the project served as a way to divorce Ronan from the program, knowing the man would be unable to hide his contempt for the Emperor from Vader and forcing him to join the Chiss Ascendancy.^[27]

Interrogating Dedra Meero

When word reached Krennic that classified information about the Death Star had been in the hands of Dedra Meero and had leaked out, Krennic traveled to Coruscant to interrogate ISB Supervisor Dedra Meero, who was arrested on orders of Major Partagaz after her botched arrest of Luthen Rael, and was discovered to be in possession of documents related to Jedha and Eadu, leading him to suspect her of being a rebel spy. Turning off the recording device before entering the interrogation room, Krennic demanded to know who else knew about the Death Star, save for those with clearance. Meero first named Lagret's brother before Krennic asked if Lonni Jung, who was killed by Rael earlier and was in possession of her code cert, was on her list of suspects, catching her by surprise, before she defended that he likely stole it.^[37]

When he followed up with Galen Erso's name, Meero admitted that she received several intel bundles forwarded to her office by mistake. But instead of reporting it, she resorted to reading through them in her search for Axis. Krennic then informed her that Jung spent three hours logged into her account searching through her files and likely passed compromising intel to Rael. Meero defended that she found a Jedha report of Krennic's team interrogating a Partisan spy working as a valet for the local Moff, and he told them that he was recruited by a man with a Fondor Haulcraft full of antiquities, but they ended up torturing him to death and buried the report instead of passing it to her to help uncover Rael as Axis. Krennic then furiously questioned how someone so competent so foolishly confronted Rael by herself.^[37]

Meero then mentioned that Rael's assistant, Kleya Marki, likely possessed knowledge of the Death Star. As they were interrupted by Lieutenant Moy, Meero advised getting all agents covering every transit point to find her, but Krennic forcefully grabbed her face and declared the ISB would handle the search for Marki without her. He then spoke with Moy in private.^[37]

Pursuing Axis' killer

Later, when Supervisor Heert reported that Marki infiltrated Lina Soh Hospital to assassinate Rael, Krennic ordered him to apprehend the rebel spy at all costs, threatening to place him in the "ever-lengthening ISB death march." Heert then asked what they'd be charging Marki with for the warrant, Partagaz ordered a cover story that she escaped the hospital with an infectious disease. As soon as Krennic sent Heert off, he warned Partagaz he couldn't protect him from the Emperor's wrath for the leak. Partagaz refuted that it was a miracle they've concealed the Death Star's existence for as long as they did, given that it was supposed to be completed. Krennic dismissed his complaints as being similar to Tarkin's, asserting that the superweapon was days away from being operational; Partagaz advised him to save the "sermon" for the Emperor which caused both him and Krennic to be silent at the mention of his name. Krennic then departed for Scarif, wishing Partagaz luck in stopping the "plague".^[37]

Krennic later observed the unfinished Death Star from the bridge of a Star Destroyer.^[38]

Tarkin's game

As Project Stardust neared completion^[4] in 1 BBY,^[3] Krennic boarded Tarkin's Star Destroyer, the Executrix, and watched the long-anticipated installation of the superlaser in the Governor's presence. Impatient, Tarkin condemned Krennic with news of a recent security breach — a defecting cargo pilot who had reported the nature of the superweapon to Gerrera's rebels. When Tarkin theorized if the Senate got wind of the project, it would incite countless systems to join the Rebellion, Krennic protested that the completed Death Star would render secrecy unnecessary. Tarkin, still skeptical, admonished the Director and suggested the superweapon be tested on Jedha, where news of the superweapon was leaked, warning him of those he would have to confront if the test was a failure.^[4]

Confident in the superweapon he spent nineteen years building, Krennic defiantly told Tarkin that he would not fail.^[4] Nevertheless, Krennic considered the possibility that Tarkin was setting him up for sabotage to the point that should the Death Star fail in its objective at Jedha, Tarkin would use his alliance with Vader to shield himself from the punishment that would theoretically befall him and Krennic. Krennic then resolved to reach out to his contacts within Tarkin's inner circle at the same time that he would be making final preparations for the Death Star.^[39]

The Death Star's completion

Destruction of Jedha City

When the Death Star was completed, Krennic met with the Governor and other high-ranking members of the Empire and ordered the battle station into orbit over Jedha. However, the Director was disappointed to see that neither the Emperor, nor his favored emissary Darth Vader, were present for the occasion. Tarkin explained that their absence served as a protection for Krennic should another failure occur during the testing of the weapon.^[4]

Intending to overcome this disappointment and showcase the full potential of the Death Star, Krennic readied the superlaser to destroy the entirety of the desert moon. Tarkin, on the other hand, ordered a weaker blast to avoid public exposure. Acquiescing, Krennic targeted Jedha City and, consummating decades' worth of work, smote the city with a single-reactor ignition of the superlaser. As he watched the shock waves of the blast radiate across the moon's surface, Krennic remarked on its beauty. The resulting explosion reduced the city, Saw Gerrera's fanatical rebel cell, and the last remnants of the Jedi all to ash.^[4]

The blast exceeded Tarkin's expectations and put to rest the remaining doubts about the Death Star's viability as a weapon for the Empire. Impressed by its power, the Grand Moff announced that he would be immediately taking command of the battle station. An enraged Krennic openly challenged Tarkin, declaring the Death Star to be his achievement. Yet Tarkin, unfazed, held Krennic to be incompetent and revealed that the defecting pilot had originated from the Imperial facility on Eadu, all on the Director's watch. Still seething, Krennic left to deal with the defector personally.^[4]

At a meeting of the Joint Chiefs in the Death Star conference room, Krennic vigorously reaffirmed the battle station's destructive power, slamming his fist on the conference table and insisting that it could wipe out much more than a city. Cassio Tagge, present at the meeting as Chief of the Imperial Army, admired Krennic's resolve, but found his antics somewhat childish.^[9]

Crisis on Eadu

Determined to find the Rebel collaborator, Krennic arranged for a meeting with Erso and his team of scientists — Sirro Argonne, Rasett Milio, Vlex Onopin, Ames Uravan, and Feyn Vann^[1] — at their laboratory on the stormy planet Eadu. Krennic, flanked by his squadron of death troopers, arrived and assembled Erso's research team. Gathering them on an open platform, the Director announced his knowledge of the conspiracy and instructed the traitor to expose himself. When no response came, Krennic concluded that the scientists conspired in a "group effort" and readied his troopers for a firing squad execution. At this moment Erso intervened and confessed to the act, but the Director ordered the other scientists executed nonetheless. Krennic then knocked Erso to the ground, advising him of the successful discharge of the Death Star's superlaser upon Jedha City. Suddenly, the two were attacked by several Rebel T-65B X-wing starfighters in an ambush that killed Galen and led Krennic to flee, but not before observing Erso's daughter, who arrived on Eadu contemporaneously.^[4]

Struggle for influence

With Erso silenced, Krennic sought to reclaim control of the Death Star from Tarkin. However, he knew that the only way for him to supplant the Governor was to gain the favor of Emperor Palpatine. Determined to be granted an audience, Krennic's opportunity came when he received a summons from Darth Vader to come to his personal fortress on the planet Mustafar. Despite his fear of the mysterious Sith Lord, the Director knew Vader had direct access to the Emperor and could potentially petition the reclusive ruler to grant Krennic an audience.^[4]

Traveling to Mustafar, Krennic was greeted by Vader on a platform overlooking the volcanic landscape of the planet. The Sith Lord expressed his concern that the Death Star became more of a problem than the solution it was meant to be, citing Krennic's inability to keep the project a secret. The Director defended himself and his creation, claiming that he had delivered a remarkable weapon to the Emperor. He petitioned the Sith Lord to grant him an opportunity to personally meet with Emperor Palpatine and advise him of the Death Star's unprecedented potential. Vader was far more concerned with the awareness that was growing around the battle station's existence. Rumors had reached the higher levels of the Empire of the destruction of Jedha City and the attack on the Eadu facility by the Rebellion. While Krennic attempted to shift blame onto Governor Tarkin for ordering the demonstration on Jedha in the first place, the Sith Lord was not impressed by this futile effort. He reminded the Director that the secrecy behind the Death Star project was paramount to prevent open defiance from the Senate and their defection to the Rebellion. While Imperial authorities had passed off the Jedha incident as a mining disaster, Galen Erso's treachery could have been a bitter blow. Vader told Krennic not to rest until he could ensure the Emperor that the Death Star project had not been compromised by Erso's betrayal.^[4]

As the Sith Lord made to leave, Krennic made a last plea for his continued control of the project, hoping to remain in command of the battle station. However, Vader's patience had run thin. When Krennic asked him to speak to the Emperor on his behalf, the Sith Lord choked the Director using the Force. After Krennic fell to his knees, Vader warned him to temper his ambitions lest they cause his downfall, before releasing him.^[4] As Vader left the recovering Krennic on the floor, Krennic determined that Tarkin had not yet won and that the Grand Moff's failure to take the Death Star and blockade Jedha could later be used against him. As Krennic was accompanied out of the facility, Vader's aide gave him a gentle warning to keep all that he had seen in the facility to himself.^[39]

Battle of Scarif and death

Learning the Death Star plans could be vulnerable to attack, Krennic ventured to the tropical world of Scarif, where a full technical readout of the station was available. Upon arrival, Krennic was extremely displeased by the condition of the facility. General Sotorus Ramda and his garrison had grown complacent and lax, trusting the automated defenses of Scarif's Citadel Tower to do their jobs for them. Brushing off Ramda's greeting, Krennic demanded that all of Erso's dispatches be called up for inspection immediately. Shortly afterward, explosions erupted across Scarif's horizon, visible to all those present in the tower. Whirling around to face the command center, a frustrated Krennic ordered the garrison be deployed. Not long afterward, news came that the rebel fleet was amassing outside Scarif's Shield Gate, whereupon Krennic ordered the base to be locked down completely.^[4]

As the resident Imperial forces engaged the Rebels, Krennic was horrified to learn from a Lieutenant that the data vault was accessed without authorization. Deducing the rebels infiltrated the vault in an attempt to thieve the Death Star plans, and irritated with the state of the battle, the Director ordered his guard squadron into combat but held two back as an escort to the data vault. Entering the vault through an auxiliary door, Krennic and his guards found Captain Cassian Andor and Jyn in the process of stealing the tape. In the subsequent shootout, both of Krennic's death trooper escorts were killed, but Krennic managed to shoot Andor with his DT-29 heavy blaster pistol. Presuming him dead, Krennic followed Erso to a deck near the top of the tower, where she was attempting to transmit the plans to the Alliance fleet. Holding her at gunpoint, Krennic learnt Erso was the daughter of Galen and that she exposed the vulnerability her father built into the station. Krennic sneered in response, noting that the signal would be unable to penetrate Scarif's shield and that the Imperial forces were poised for a tactical victory. Before he could kill her, however, Andor, who had survived, wounded Krennic with a shot to his shoulder. The Director then fell to the floor, incapacitated, as Jyn transmitted the plans to the Rebel flagship Profundity,^[1] where they were received by Admiral Raddus.^[4]

As Erso and Andor left, the Death Star, commanded by Tarkin, emerged out of hyperspace over Scarif. In an ultimately vain effort to prevent the Rebels' heist of the plans, Tarkin targeted the compromised Imperial base. Krennic, injured and in pain on the tower platform, looked to the sky and found the sphere of the Death Star looming over him;^[4] he had little time to reflect on the irony of dying at the hand of the superweapon he spent nearly his entire life making.^[39] As he beheld the superweapon, Krennic thought about Tarkin, believing the Governor's impatience and political commitments would lead him to overlook the station's architectural weaknesses.^[40] Indeed, Krennic saw the flaw that Erso had spoken of: a single thermal exhaust port that fed into the station's main reactor, the deliberate, posthumous revenge of Doctor Erso.^[39] The Death Star then fired a single-reactor ignition, blasting through Krennic's position at the top of the tower, killing him, before striking the distant seaside. All planetary forces, including Erso and Andor, were swallowed by the resulting explosion.^[4]

Legacy

Within minutes of Krennic's death, the Death Star plans were successfully stolen, and they fell into the hands of Princess Leia Organa. A few days later, Governor Tarkin convened another meeting of the Joint Chiefs to report the Senate was dissolved. He then explained the Empire would maintain control of the galaxy through fear of the Death Star,^[42] just as Krennic predicted.^[4] Tarkin later unleashed the full scale of the station's power on Leia's homeworld, the subversive planet of Alderaan. After Leia's rescue by a group of Rebels that were tracked to the Alliance's headquarters on the jungle moon of Yavin, Tarkin moved the Death Star near the planet in an effort to crush the Rebellion with one swift stroke. However, in the subsequent battle, Lord Vader’s son and Leia’s older twin brother Jedi Lieutenant Luke Skywalker fired a pair of proton torpedoes into Erso's deliberate design flaw, which the Rebels discovered through an analysis of the plans. Skywalker's torpedoes ruptured the main reactor, as Krennic envisioned in his dying thoughts,^[39] causing a cataclysmic explosion that tore apart his creation and Governor Tarkin and the Imperial command structure aboard to die at the hands of Lieutenant Skywalker.^[42]

Despite Krennic's mixed legacy as a director, the Advanced Weapons Research agency remained in existence, and was tasked with building a second, more advanced Death Star, which underwent construction in orbit of Endor's Forest Moon, supervised by Moff and Commander Tiaan Jerjerrod, who helped build the first Death Star.^[43] However, Rebel pilots General Lando Calrissian and Nien Nunb managed to destroy it with the Millennium Falcon during the Battle of Endor.^[44]

During the battle of Scarif, Governor Tarkin thought about what Krennic's legacy would be. While Tarkin noted that the weapon demonstration on Jedha City had proved spectacular in his eyes, he ultimately believed the director would only be a footnote in Imperial history, and Krennic would always be tied to the "mining disaster" on Jedha.^[40] Tarkin also considered discipline aboard the Death Star "less than perfect" under Krennic's direction, stating as much to Chief Gunner Endo Frant following a failed test firing of the battle station's superlaser at Rango Tan.^[45] When The Rebel Files were recovered by the Resistance in 34 ABY, Organa noted that Krennic received little credit in historical records despite his significant role in the development of Imperial weapons, something that certainly would have irritated him, and for which Organa was glad.^[41] In fact, even other Imperial officers such as Grand General Cassio Tagge referred to the Death Star as "Tarkin's folly" and not Krennic's.^[46]

Despite not getting credit in the history of this time period,^[41] Krennic was remembered by the Whills. Krennic was mentioned by name, along with Jyn and K-2SO, by a member of the Whills as someone to be remembered in galactic history sometime after the Battle of Endor.^[47]

Personality and traits

Orson Krennic was a human male with short gray hair, blue eyes, and light skin. He wore a white Imperial military uniform,^[4] similar to those used by other members of the ISB, like Colonel Wullf Yularen,^[42] with an unusual addition of a white cape not commonly seen on other Imperial officers.^[4] An ambitious officer,^[12] Krennic sought to earn the favor of Emperor Palpatine,^[4] using his knowledge of the Empire's system to manipulate it and ascend in the Imperial hierarchy. He was known to be unpredictable and volatile. During his time as part of the Futures Program, Krennic was renowned for his "nocturnal carousing" and partying, as well as frequently coming to Galen's rescue to ward off his tormentors. He had lofty aspirations and a high opinion of himself and his capabilities, feeling that he deserved respect within the Empire's ranks. Even though he regularly manipulated and deceived his friend, Krennic did believe he was helping Erso, as he believed he was giving Erso the chance to become a truly famous figure.^[5]

However, after Erso abandoned the program upon learning of its truth,^[5] Krennic was no longer interested in manipulating Erso into the work, instead taking him by force and having Lyra killed^[4] after their years of rivalry about Galen's future. Krennic was also not afraid to go toe-to-toe with other highly placed officials of the Galactic Empire, including Mas Amedda.^[5] He had a rivalry with Grand Moff Tarkin, who claimed to not share his optimism regarding Project Stardust. When Tarkin used the event of Galen Erso's defection to position himself at the helm of the newly minted battle station, Krennic was infuriated. Krennic would travel to Mustafar with the audacity to make a direct request of Darth Vader, asking if he could be put in charge of the Death Star, which led the irritated Sith Lord to Force-choke him.^[4]

Krennic was devoid of many human qualities such as compassion, mercy, and regard for innocent lives. Additionally, he remarked on the subsequent cloud of flame and smoke as something of beauty, remorseless of having just murdered hundreds of thousands of innocent people.^[41] He was also dismissive of the Force and its importance in the galaxy, speaking of having just destroyed the last remnants of the Jedi with undisguised pride; that may have changed somewhat, however, after feeling Darth Vader's power firsthand. Krennic was willing to kill people who served him, such as when he ordered the execution of the scientists on Eadu despite Galen having just admitted to being the traitor among the development staff. He also showed at least some sadism, as after knocking Galen to the ground, Krennic gloated about his use of the Death Star in the destruction of Jedha City, specifically noting every element of Jedha City, including Saw's Partisans, being gone as a result.^[4]

Krennic was not afraid to personally enter combat if necessary. Flanked by two death troopers, he rushed to the data vault of Scarif Base and fought, albeit unsuccessfully, to prevent the theft of the Death Star plans by Cassian Andor and Jyn Erso. He was also somewhat sarcastic, especially when irritated with his underlings' incompetence, as upon witnessing the explosions triggered by the Rebel forces alongside everyone else in Citadel Tower, Krennic bluntly yelled to the present personnel (who were still staring out toward the explosions) "Are we blind?!" before ordering the deployment of the base's garrison to drive off the attackers. In battle, Krennic used a DT-29 heavy blaster pistol which he owned personally.^[4]

Skills and abilities

Krennic was a skilled manipulator,^[5] although he was more of an architect than a politician.^[40] Grand Moff Tarkin believed Krennic's ability to ensure discipline aboard the Death Star was poor.^[45]

Behind the scenes

Development

Orson Krennic is portrayed by Ben Mendelsohn in the Star Wars Anthology Series film Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Mendelsohn's casting in the film was first announced on August 15, 2015,^[49] and the character was revealed in the first teaser trailer for the film on April 7, 2016.^[50]

Krennic was originally conceived by John Knoll as a character for the unproduced Star Wars live-action TV show, but the series was put on hold indefinitely.^[51] The character in Knoll's original story draft was a double agent in Jyn Erso's Rogue One team reporting to the Imperial Security Bureau, specifically to his boss Willix Cree.^[52] In addition, one of the earlier planned endings for the story had Krennic somehow surviving the Death Star's blast on Scarif unlike Erso and Cassian, only to be executed aboard a Star Destroyer by Darth Vader for failing to stop the theft of the Death Star plans. This was cut, however, as the writer couldn't come up with any good explanation of how Krennic could have survived the Death Star's blast on Scarif.^[53]

Krennic was a type of character Mendelsohn had never expected to play.^[54] Mendelsohn pondered if he should portray Krennic with a "posh English accent": Rogue One director Gareth Edwards responded he didn't need to. "It feels like if the Empire ever have a job vacancy, they go to the Royal Shakespeare Company to headhunt people," the filmmaker later commented. "I like the idea that Ben's character was much more working-class."^[55] The character's distinctive white uniform was inspired by that worn in Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope by Wullf Yularen, which costume designer Glyn Dillon thought made a great look for a villain. Additionally, costume designer David Crossman stated that Krennic's white uniform also served as a perfect contrast with Darth Vader.^[48]

Further appearances

Returns and teases

Although Krennic, and his Stardust project, were mentioned in the fourth season of Star Wars Rebels, Krennic ultimately didn't appear in the series due to the creative decision of the show's executive producer Dave Filoni, stating that he wasn't sure that adding many Star Wars villains together worked for him.^[56] Despite Filoni's decision, an earlier draft of the episode "A Fool's Hope" included a scene featuring the show's antagonists plotting about the Empire's future, which would have called for the inclusion of Krennic. However, the scene was cut early on in spite of the fact that Krennic's appearance was already designed.^[57] Krennic would, ultimately, make his animated debut^[16] on March 29, 2023,^[58] in the Star Wars: The Bad Batch Season 2 episode "The Summit," where Mendelsohn returned to the character as his voice actor.^[16]

For Krennic's appearance in the 2019 novel Thrawn: Treason, author Timothy Zahn deliberately drew on real world history, comparing Tarkin and Krennic's turf war of influence to how dictator Adolf Hitler set his top officials against each other to ensure they would not unite against him. By ensuring the two were fighting each other, Zahn reasoned, Palpatine was making sure Tarkin and Krennic would not be able to form a common front and take his place. Zahn had fun writing the political contest between both characters, noting further how it was beyond the "perception" of Grand Admiral Thrawn because he did not understand politics.^[59] In crafting the story, Zahn juxtaposed Thrawn and Krennic as characters with different strategies when presented with problems; believing Krennic was someone obsessed with power, Zahn believed Krennic responded to crises with acts of total warfare, whereas Thrawn would prefer more surgical actions. The novel also introduced Krennic's subordinate Brierly Ronan, whom Zahn introduced to the Star Wars fandom at Celebration Chicago as someone very loyal to Krennic and rather disdainful of Thrawn. By design, Ronan was given a shorter cape than the higher-ranking Krennic.^[60]

Mendelsohn again returned to the role of Krennic in the second season of the Disney+ series Andor.^[61] Shortly after the conclusion Andor Season 1, Mendelson was approached about returning as Krennic by Andor creator Tony Gilroy before he had a chance to see Andor Season 1, yet he was still very eager to again appear as Krennic.^[62] In early 2024, Mendehlson denied that he would be returning to Star Wars in the near future, claiming that Lucasfilm had not reached out to him for any new projects. All the same, he did offer interest in returning to Krennic, stating he wanted to see more exploration of Krennic's effort to take over the whole gameboard if given the chance.^[54] However, Andor star Diego Luna later teased that stated familiar faces from Rogue One would be appearing in Andor Season 2 as its events approached those of Rogue One. Krennic's return was then confirmed by Director Alonso Ruizpalacios, seemingly by accident; in his interview with Playlist, he noted how much he enjoyed directing "heavyweight actors" like Mendelsohn.^[63] Footage of Mendelsohn as Krennic was finally shown at Disney's D23 fan event on August 9, 2024, outright confirming his return at long last.^[64][65] Interviewed by Empire Magazine, Mendelsohn teased Krennic would have a rivalry with series villain Dedra Meero.^[61]

Andor Season 2

Mendelsohn's experience on Andor took him by "joyous surprise."^[62] Mendelson, who also expressed love for Andor and the works of Tony Gilroy,^[66] also explained Krennic in the series as a version of the character who was building up to his appearance in Rogue One and achievements—mainly the completion of the Death Star—in that film. In explaining the look into the earlier Krennic, he pointed to the AC/DC song "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap," even if, by his own admission, the "dirty deeds" in question would not be cheap.^[67] According to Mendelson, Krennic has reached the pinnacle of his achievement in Rogue One and thus is more "animated" in the film compared to Andor, with Mendelson saying Krennic instead appears "fruiter" and "in more of a halcyon period" during Andor as his ascendent is still ongoing. In explaining why Krennic was "fruiter" to Variety, he said that Krennic could enjoy himself more in Andor, appearing "completely mathematical" about his operation and appearing "completely horrifying" in a way that is not present in Rogue One. He was very satisfied with the chance at playing the ascendant, room-controlling Krennic in Andor, with some of the ideas present within coming from Mendelson himself.^[62]

According to Mon Mothma actress Genevieve O'Reilly, Mothma is on the "knife's edge" in her scene with Krennic in "What a Festive Evening," wherein she would love to "bring him down" but knows she cannot and needs to maintain her composure.^[68] Mendelson stated it took him more time than his other appearances to find his "groove" in the scene as he and O'Reilly were depicting two characters who knew each other, but the two performers themselves had never been on screen together. All the same, he enjoyed filming the tension-filled moment. He also described Krennic as having an "airy" presence in the scene. More of the conversation was filmed than what is shown on screen, including Krennic trying to bait Mothma into being openly anti-Imperial.^[62]

Contradictions

Written before Rogue One was released and its cast was established into Star Wars lore,^[4] Star Wars Adventures 12 claims that Tarkin was in charge of the Death Star's construction.^[69] Even though Tarkin held overall control of the battle station,^[70] oversight of the weapon's construction fell to Krennic^[4] as per the Grand Moff's wishes, as it allowed him to blame its setbacks on Krennic.^[24][23]

Appearances

Non-canon appearances

• Star Wars Go Rogue | Chapter 4 on the official Star Wars YouTube channel (backup link) (Posted on StarWars.com)
• LEGO Star Wars Mini Movies: Capture the Crate Part 1 on the official LEGO YouTube channel (backup link)
• LEGO Star Wars Mini Movies: Capture the Crate Part 2 on the official LEGO YouTube channel (backup link)
• "Rogue Mission!" — LEGO Club Magazine November/December 2016
• LEGO Star Wars Mini Movies: Capture the Crate Part 3 on the official LEGO YouTube channel (backup link)
• LEGO Star Wars Mini Movies: Star Wars: Rogue One As Told By LEGO on the official LEGO YouTube channel (backup link)
• LEGO Star Wars Mini Movies: Microfighter Misadventures on the official LEGO YouTube channel (backup link)
• Star Wars: Rivals
• LEGO Star Wars Battle Story: Let Vader Handle It on the official LEGO YouTube channel (backup link)
• Disney Magic Kingdoms (Indirect mention only)
• LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga (DLC)

Sources

Non-canon sources

• LEGO Star Wars Yoda's Galaxy Atlas
• LEGO Kids Memory Game
• LEGO Star Wars Character Encyclopedia Updated Edition
• That's No Moon, It's The LEGO Group's Latest Death Star Set on StarWars.com (backup link)

Notes and references

External links

• Orson Krennic on Wikipedia
• Director Orson Krennic on the Brickipedia
• Orson Krennic on the Disney Wiki