Cal Alder

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Cal Alder was a Human male lieutenant of the Alliance to Restore the Republic during the Galactic Civil War. A highly trained, expert scout from the Outer Rim Territories planet Kal'Shebbol, Alder served with Major Bren Derlin for many years during some of the Alliance's most dangerous operations before being assigned to the Alliance High Command's Echo Base on the ice planet Hoth by 3 ABY.

Alder was responsible for patrolling the base's outer perimeter under Derlin's command, and he was the one to inform Derlin that Luke Skywalker and Han Solo still had not reported in to the base after Skywalker had gone missing during a routine scouting mission. Despite their absence, Derlin tasked Alder with closing the base's shield doors for the night, reluctantly trapping them out in the cold.

During the Battle of Hoth, Alder helped to direct snowspeeder groups against the invading Imperial force and survived the engagement. In 8 ABY, he helped to organize the DarkStryder Campaign, a New Republic operation to stop the rogue Imperial warlord Moff Kentor Sarne.

Contents 1 Biography 2 Personality and traits 3 Behind the scenes 4 Appearances 5 Sources 6 Notes and references

[edit] Biography

A lieutenant of the Alliance to Restore the Republic,^[5] Cal Alder was a highly trained,^[1] expert scout. He was originally from Kal'Shebbol,^[6] the capital planet of the Kathol sector,^[7] located along the Trition Trade Route^[8] in the Outer Rim Territories^[9] at the edge of the galaxy.^[10]

He had served with Major Bren Derlin in the Alliance Army for many years, fighting in some of the Alliance's most perilous campaigns, including the Battle of Nentan, by the time he was assigned to the Alliance High Command headquarters of Echo Base on the remote ice planet Hoth. Alder's expertise in terrain scouting and native creatures impressed Derlin, and his abilities made him among the first to arrive at the base. As one of the finest forward scouts present,^[4] Alder's duties included patrolling the facility's outer perimeter on the planet's icy wastes,^[3] under Derlin's command.^[1]

When Luke Skywalker and Han Solo went missing out in one of Hoth's brutally cold nighttime blizzards in 3 ABY, Alder coordinated a search party for the two men.^[4] Although Echo Base waited as long as possible before closing the protective shield doors for the night, in hopes that the two would return safely, Alder's responsibilities required him to report to Derlin that with the dropping temperatures threatening the conditions of the base's interior, Skywalker and Solo had still not reported in. Derlin was forced to inform Princess Leia Organa that the doors would have to be closed for the night, to which she reluctantly agreed. With her approval, Alder carried out Derlin's order to close the base's shield doors, effectively trapping Skywalker and Solo out, leaving them to their fates.^[2][5]

During the subsequent Battle of Hoth, Alder served along the main defensive perimeter, where he helped to organize snowspeeder groups against the invading line of Imperial assault walkers. Despite the heavy losses suffered by the Rebellion, Alder survived the engagement.^[4]

Years later, in 8 ABY,^[7] Alder helped plan the DarkStryder Campaign in his home sector of Kathol under the leadership of New Republic Special Forces agent Lieutenant Judder Page^[4] to topple the rogue Imperial warlord Moff Kentor Sarne.^[7]

[edit] Personality and traits

Alder was highly trained as an expert scout in his service to the Rebellion,^[6] among the best stationed at Echo Base. His expertise in terrain and native creatures made him one of the earliest to arrive at the newly completed outpost.^[4] When Alder informed Derlin that Skywalker and Solo still had not checked in from Hoth's exterior, he did so with crisp efficiency, initially unaware that Leia Organa, whose thoughts rested heavily on her beleaguered friends, was nearby and could overhear his report. Derlin calmly raised a hand to cut him off mid-sentence in order to lower Alder's voice for the Princess's benefit.^[2]

[edit] Behind the scenes

Cal Alder's character first appeared in Donald F. Glut's 1980 novelization of Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back, just prior to his inclusion in the film.^[2][5] Actor Jack McKenzie portrayed Alder on-screen.^[2]

McKenzie is credited only as "Deck Lieutenant" in the film.^[2] However, this crediting should not confuse Alder with the character of Tamizander Rey, also an Echo Base deck officer, who is actually addressed as such by Han Solo in the film.^[4] The Alder character was first identified by name in the November 1996 Hoth Limited expansion set of the Star Wars Customizable Card Game.^[6]

Alder's backstory was greatly expanded on in the Star Wars Insider 74 article Who's Who in Echo Base, written by Josh Radke. The article connects Alder with information from The DarkStryder Campaign, a West End Games Star Wars: The Roleplaying Game adventure. This, in turn, is a connection drawing upon information originally found on Alder's SWCCG card, which identifies him as being a native of the planet Kal'Shebbol, a planet first created for The DarkStryder Campaign. Alder's inclusion in the in-universe DarkStryder Campaign is one of the few Expanded Universe references to the West End Games roleplaying adventure.^[4]

While the Who's Who in Echo Base article identifies Alder as being a lieutenant in his respective character entry, the "Corporal Corman Quien" entry within the same article lists Alder as a sergeant.^[2]

[edit] Appearances

• Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back novelization (First appearance)
• Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back

[edit] Sources

• Galaxy Guide 3: The Empire Strikes Back, Second Edition (Picture only)
• Star Wars Customizable Card Game – Hoth Limited (Card: Cal Alder) (First identified as Cal Alder)
• Star Wars: The Annotated Screenplays
• Star Wars Trilogy Sourcebook - Special Edition (Picture only)
• Star Wars Encyclopedia
• Star Wars: Behind the Magic
• Star Wars: The Action Figure Archive (Picture only)
• "Who's Who in Echo Base" - Star Wars Insider 74
• Star Wars: The Complete Visual Dictionary
• The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia
•  Cal Alder in the Databank

[edit] Notes and references