Palo Torshan
Physical description
Species	Human[1]
Gender	Male[1]
Skin color	Light[1]
Chronological and political information
Era(s)	Rebellion era[1]
Affiliation	Alliance to Restore the Republic[1]

[Source]

Palo Torshan was a Human male Rebel Alliance major and one of the top security personnel at the Alliance High Command headquarters of Echo Base on the ice planet Hoth by 3 ABY, where he developed counterintelligence tactics. Torshan formerly served under General Jan Dodonna on Yavin 4, participating in the strategy conferences in preparation for the Rebellion's assault on the first Death Star battlestation during the Battle of Yavin in 0 BBY.

BiographyEdit

Major Palo Torshan was a Human male member of the Alliance to Restore the Republic during the early stages of the Galactic Civil War. Torshan served under General Jan Dodonna at the Rebellion's secret base on the moon of Yavin 4, where he attended the strategic conferences planning the Rebel assault on the Galactic Empire's first Death Star battlestation during the Battle of Yavin in 0 BBY. By 3 ABY, Torshan continued to serve Alliance High Command at the Rebellion's new headquarters of Echo Base on the remote ice world Hoth.^[1]

On Hoth Torshan served as coordinator of Rebel security for Echo Base and developed counterintelligence techniques.^[1] He suggested that the Rebels reprogram R-3PO, one of Echo Base's more temperamental and troublesome protocol droids, to be set loose in the base in search of Imperial espionage droids. Torshan also suggested the Rebels not give R-3PO a memory wipe or repaint his red-colored outer casing, since no one would suspect such a flamboyant and moody droid of being a spy. R-3PO would go on to foil several Imperial infiltration attempts at Echo Base.^[2]

Torshan was present in Echo Base's tauntaun stable,^[3] struggling with all his physical strength with another soldier to calm one of the agitated beasts that was trying to break free,^[4] during the night Rebel Commander Luke Skywalker went missing after a scouting mission of Echo Base's perimeter, just prior to the Battle of Hoth.^[3] He watched as Han Solo departed the base on his own tauntaun in search of Skywalker.^[5]

Personality and traitsEdit

Palo Torshan's instincts concerning R-3PO's value as a spy droid proved correct, after R-3PO snuffed out several Imperial infiltrations of Echo Base and, later, with Alliance High Command.^[2] Torshan also possessed a certain level of Force-attunement. He had light skin.^[1]

EquipmentEdit

During his service at Echo Base, Torshan donned the cold-weather armor standard of the Rebel personnel on Hoth. His outfit included the set's headgear, anti-glare goggles, padded vest, right and left bicep padding,^[1] gloves,^[3] leggings, and boots.^[5]

Behind the scenesEdit

Palo Torshan appears briefly as a background extra in the film Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back, during the scene in which Han Solo takes a tauntaun out into the Hoth night to locate the missing Luke Skywalker.^[3] Actor Richard Bonehill portrayed the character in the film,^[6] uncredited.^[3] Bonehill, who also played a number of other masked characters in both The Empire Strikes Back and Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi, originally filled in as Han Solo's tauntaun handler in place of actor Kit Hillier,^[6] whom actor Harrison Ford—who played Solo—personally replaced during film rehearsal because of Hillier's inability to hold onto the mechanical tauntaun's reins.^[7] The character was first identified by name and provided a brief backstory on the "Major Palo Torshan" card as part of the November 1998 Special Edition Limited expansion set of the Star Wars Customizable Card Game.^[1]

AppearancesEdit

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

SourcesEdit

• Star Wars Customizable Card Game – Special Edition Limited (Card: Major Palo Torshan) (First identified as Palo Torshan)
• Star Wars: The Action Figure Archive (Picture only)
• "Who's Who in Echo Base"—Star Wars Insider 74

Notes and referencesEdit

External linksEdit

•  Palo Torshan in The Completely Unofficial Star Wars Encyclopedia (backup link on Archive.org)