- "Enlist with me, learn the Empire's secrets, then defect with that intel to the Rebellion! We'll have enough money to start a new life and help the rebels win the war! Caya, this could be our chance to do something that matters!"
- ―Hoyel, to Caya
Hoyel, designated TK-814, was a human male who worked for the Galactic Empire as a scout trooper. He was later captured by Ewoks on the forest moon Endor.
Biography
Early life
- "We can't just leave it here. It's starving to death."
- ―Hoyel, to Caya, on the condition of the Kavith wolf
Sometime prior to 4 ABY, after a long snowstorm on the icy planet Kavith III; Hoyel emerged to check his family's trap line along with his best friend, Caya. They watched the night sky as auroras streaking across, displaying beautiful vibrant colors. With their wooden slipper on, they trekked over the snow, collecting trapped frozen hares buried underneath. Before walking any further, Caya stopped and discovered a Kavith wolf. Inspecting the creature closer, the two boys discovered that the wolf had been caught by a trap.[1]
Leaving home
- "You promised you wouldn't enlist."
"It's the only way off this planet." - ―Caya and Hoyel
When he was nineteen years old, Hoyel decided to enlist in the Galactic Empire. Although he did not believe in the Empire's cause, he thought it was the only way to escape the frozen wasteland that was Kavith III. Caya attempted to convince him not to leave, saying that they could collectively save credits and buy a ticket offworld on a ship, but Hoyel insisted that they could join the Empire and later defect to the Rebellion. Caya begged him to stay, but the next morning, Hoyel left.[1]
Stationed on Endor
- "No, wait, please! You can keep the helmet! I won't tell anyone—"
"Yub." - ―Hoyel and Peekpa
Peekpa leaves Hoyel, taking all of his equipment.
By 4 ABY, Hoyel had been stationed on the forest[1] moon[5] Endor for six months.[1] In his white scout trooper armor, he patrolled through the forest on his 74-Z speeder bike. Unfocused, he did not realized a cable set up between two redwood trees, which flung him and his speeder bike away, destroying the bike.[4] His fall caused some injuries, though he was more worried about the wage cut he could receive due to the damaged and broken equipment. Realized about his current situation, Hoyel scanned his surroundings and spotted the Ewok[1] Peekpa, collecting and inspecting his Imperial equipment.[4] Worried about his equipment, Hoyel then shouted,[1] which caught the attention of Peekpa. She approached the injured scout trooper and bashed his head with a club, knocking him out. Peekpa left right after, taking the scavanged Imperial equipment with her.[4]
Sometimes later, Hoyel regained his consciousness, though he felt an agonizing pain due to his injuries. He was being dragged across the forest by a large group of Ewoks. He was brought to an outpost and put in captivity by the Ewoks. At the outpost, he saw many stormtrooper helmets, each one impaled by a spear, falling unconscious by the horrors he witnessed. After a day, Hoyel finally woke up to a whisper by another captive, TK-830. They both exchanged their number designation to each other, with TK-830 introducing fellow captives TK-093, TK-121, and TK-246. Hoyel realized that they were a missing Imperial squad and asked where the other six of their ten-man group were. TK-830 replied that they were being eaten by the Ewoks.[1]
Days later, as Hoyel lost hope of ever being rescued, only he and TK-830 remained. Eventually, Hoyel acquired a sharp piece of armor that was swept his way in a rainstorm. He began to saw through the ropes binding him. As a party of Ewoks approached him, he had a vision of Caya and the Kavith wolf. Just then, the Death Star exploded in the sky above them, and Hoyel decided to saw off his finger as a means to escape. Swiftly cutting through the bone, he wriggled out of the ropes and made a mad dash into the forest, following his vision of Caya and the Kavith wolf, all while TK-830 screamed for help.[1]
Behind the scenes
- "So this story is, funnily enough, a continuation of that—"
- ―Alyssa Wong, confirming the connectivity between the two stories she wrote for Hoyel
Hoyel first appeared in the comic story "Peekpa's Tale," written by Alyssa Wong and illustrated by Caspar Wijngaard from the comic book one-shot Return of the Jedi – Ewoks 1,[4] which released on April 12, 2023.[7] His name and number designation was later identified in the short story "Wolf Trap," also written by Alyssa Wong for the anthology novel From a Certain Point of View: Return of the Jedi and its audiobook, which released on August 29, 2023.[8]
Appearances
- "Peekpa's Tale" — Return of the Jedi – Ewoks 1 (First appearance)
- "Wolf Trap" — From a Certain Point of View: Return of the Jedi (and audiobook) (First identified as Hoyel and TK-814)
Notes and references
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 "Wolf Trap" — From a Certain Point of View: Return of the Jedi
- ↑ "Wolf Trap" happens concurrently with the events of Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi, which Star Wars: Galactic Atlas dates to 4 ABY. Hoyel enlisted to join the Galactic Empire when he was nineteen years old, which means he was born by 15 BBY.
- ↑ Star Wars Character Encyclopedia: Updated and Expanded establishes that the stormtroopers of the Galactic Empire were all humans.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 "Peekpa's Tale" — Return of the Jedi – Ewoks 1
- ↑
Endor in the Databank (backup link)
- ↑
Return of Alyssa Wong! — ForceTime: A Star Wars Podcast on Spotify: "Author Alyssa Wong returns to the show to discuss their many Star Wars projects including The High Republic: Tales of Light and Life, From a Certain Point of View: Return of the Jedi, and Doctor Aphra (2020)!" (backup link)
- ↑
Star Wars: Return Of The Jedi – Ewoks (2023) #1 on Marvel Comics' official website (backup link)
- ↑
From a Certain Point of View: Return of the Jedi (Star Wars) on Penguin Random House's official website (backup link)
External links
Alyssa Wong (they/them) 💖🌈 (@crashwong) on Twitter (post on August 29, 2023): "Today!! FROM A CERTAIN POINT OF VIEW: RETURN OF THE JEDI is out! I've got a story called "Wolf Trap" about an unlucky scout trooper on Endor... this guy from "Peekpa's Story" in my + @Casparnova's Marvel EWOKS comic. Enjoy--and tell me what you think! #FromaCertainPOVReturns" (backup link)