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Warning: This infobox has missing parameters: parents, pronouns, children, siblings, partners, families, feathers and unrecognized parameters: imageBG, era
Major Kem Monnon was the chief of the Rebel Alliance Corps of Engineers, which was responsible for establishing the famous Echo Base on the arctic world of Hoth. The Corps, led by Monnon, constructed the base over the remains of the Mon Calamari pirate Salmakk's former base. They expanded upon the pirate's base, working with preexisting ice caves to expedite the process.
Biography
Choosing a new base
- "Because of its inhospitable conditions, Hoth is a great place to hide, a perfect isolated base for the Rebel Alliance."
- ―Kem Monnon
Before joining the Rebellion, Kem Monnon traveled around the galaxy, working on tramp space freighters, and gathering information. When the Yavin base was destroyed, Monnon utilized this knowledge about the galaxy to find a suitable planet to build another base. He soon realized that Hoth was perfect due to the fact that the Empire would never search for them there. He believed that the rebels should use the environment to their own needs. When the first reconnaissance team mapped the planet, they found a set of natural caves that was the perfect location for the new base.[1]
Constructing Echo base
Major Kem Monnon.
- "We opened up Echo base in record time."
- ―Kem Monnon
The Rebellion moved the fleet to the planet and started the construction. The first job of the Corps of Engineers, led by Monnon, was expand the caves. Power conduits and communications tubes ran along the walls. The personal quarters were built with plastic and could be heated to a comfortable temperature. After the building was done, the Echo Base was opened.[1]
Life in Hoth
- "The ice planet seemed a terrible option, a horrendously difficult place to establish living quarters... but it was also a place were the Empire would never suspect us."
- ―Kem Monnon
Living in such hard conditions was tough, but Kem and the rest of the troopers did their best for making the base habitable. It was made of solid ice and they needed to keep the structures at freezing temperatures. Because of this, many rebels decided that living in their heated transports vessels was much more comfortable than the living quarters. As the time passed, the inhabitants found new ways of amusement, like using the frozen lakes in the meteor craters as ice-skating rings and the "tauntaun rodeo". [1]
Personality and traits
- "For completeness, because I do not like surprises, they probed much deeper than what eventually became the main complex of Echo Base."
- ―Kem Monnon
Kem Monnon liked everything well-planed and clear. He didn't liked surprises, than he watched every stage of the base construction to make sure that anything would go wrong. He paid much attention to the discipline and security of his subordinates, punishing any lack of attention in this quest. Monnon's ability to motivate his crews were vital to the base construction. He admired General Rieekan and his defensive posture, and didn't tolerate anyone complaining about it.[1]
Behind the scenes
He was also the "in-universe" author of the Hoth chapter of The Illustrated Star Wars Universe. In his account, he describes what life was like for the Rebels on Hoth and the native life of the planet.[1] Despite being a member of the Rebel Alliance, the image used to represent Monnon is Nilo Rodis-Jamero's concept art of the Bespin Cloud Car pilots that was the basis of the action figures of those pilots.
Sources
- The Illustrated Star Wars Universe (First mentioned)
- Galaxy Guide 3: The Empire Strikes Back, Second Edition
- The Official Star Wars Fact File 12 (REG1, The Alliance Regroups) (Quote only)
- The Official Star Wars Fact File 13 (HOT6, Hoth – Echo Base)
"Who's Who in Echo Base" — Star Wars Insider 74- "Galactic Gazetteer: Hoth and the Greater Javin" (original article link) on Wizards.com (content now obsolete; backup link)
- Inside the Worlds of Star Wars Trilogy
- Star Wars: Complete Locations
- Star Wars: The Official Starships & Vehicles Collection 10
- Echo Base in the Databank (content now obsolete; backup link)
