Pharl McQuarrie

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Pharl McQuarrie was a general of the Alliance to Restore the Republic during the Galactic Civil War. A native of the planet Ralltiir, McQuarrie served as a respected military advisor for many years until the Imperial subjugation of Ralltiir just weeks before the Battle of Yavin in 0 BBY. After fleeing his homeworld to seek assistance from the Alliance, McQuarrie returned to take command of the Ralltiiri Rebel resistance movement, helping to deliver information concerning the existence of a secret Imperial superweapon, the first Death Star, to Princess Leia Organa. McQuarrie's efforts would directly lead to the subsequent capturing of the Death Star plans and the destruction of the battlestation shortly thereafter. General Carlist Rieekan later selected McQuarrie to serve as his second-in-command at the Rebellion's new Echo Base on the planet Hoth, where McQuarrie was instrumental in the facility's construction. He would go on to serve in the Rebel defeat at the Battle of Hoth in 3 ABY.

Contents 1 Biography 2 Personality and traits 3 Behind the scenes 4 Appearances 5 Sources 6 Notes and references 7 External links

[edit] Biography

Pharl McQuarrie was a native of the planet Ralltiir, in the Core Worlds, where he served as a respected military advisor for many years prior to 0 BBY.^[1] Following the Imperial subjugation of the Ralltiir system^[1] several weeks prior to the Battle of Yavin, in which the Empire clamped down on the increasing numbers of Ralltiiri Rebel sympathizers,^[2] McQuarrie fled his homeworld to seek aid from the Alliance.^[1]

Coincidentally, the Alliance had just learned that a Ralltiiri Rebel cell had come into possession of information concerning the existence of the Empire's new secret superweapon, the first Death Star. Working in tandem with his close friend Jeroen Webb, McQuarrie sneaked past the Imperial blockade of the planet, back into Ralltiir, where he took command of the local resistance. McQuarrie helped stage a diversionary raid that allowed the Death Star information to reach Princess Leia Organa of Alderaan.^[1]

The success of the Ralltiir mission directly led to the subsequent capture of the Death Star plans at the Battle of Toprawa as part of Operation: Skyhook.^[1] Thanks in part to McQuarrie's contributions, the Rebel Alliance would utilize the Death Star schematics to formulate an assault that would ultimately destroy the battlestation in the Battle of Yavin.^[3]

Later, General Carlist Rieekan personally selected McQuarrie to be his second-in-command at the Rebellion's secret Echo Base on the Outer Rim Territories ice planet Hoth as a general,^[1] where he would once more serve alongside Webb.^[4] McQuarrie was instrumental in the construction of the ice facility,^[5] finished in 2 ABY.^[6] Just prior to the Battle of Hoth in 3 ABY, Echo Base deck officer Commander Tamizander Rey suggested to McQuarrie that no ship be allowed to leave Hoth until the base's shield generator was activated, a plan ultimately approved by Rieekan. McQuarrie would go on to participate in the staggering Rebel defeat at the Battle of Hoth.^[1]

[edit] Personality and traits

Pharl McQuarrie was a talented military tactician, serving as a respected advisor to Ralltiir's military forces for years until the Imperial occupation of his homeworld. He employed his tactical prowess against the Empire by taking over Ralltiir's Rebel underground in order to help pass along details of the Death Star to the Alliance leadership. His abilities would earn him assignment at Echo Base as second-in-command to Carlist Rieekan.^[1]

During his time on Hoth, McQuarrie armed himself with a DH-17 blaster pistol. He also preferred a blaster rifle for armament.^[7]

[edit] Behind the scenes

The character of Pharl McQuarrie first appeared in the film Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back, portrayed by none other than Star Wars conceptual artist Ralph McQuarrie. Indeed, the name "Pharl" is an anagram of "Ralph."^[1] McQuarrie appears in the film fleetingly as an Echo Base extra, barely visible as he moves from right to left across camera. Appropriately enough, McQuarrie passes in front of a large self-created matte painting of several GR-75 medium transports.^[8]

The character was first introduced by last name and rank and provided a bit of a backstory in the November 1998 Special Edition Limited expansion set of the Star Wars Customizable Card Game.^[5] McQuarrie's backstory was again expounded on in the Star Wars Insider 74 article Who's Who in Echo Base, written by Josh Radke, which identified his first name. Although the article claims that McQuarrie is not seen in the film and that Decipher, the creators of the SWCCG, created a card for the artist as a nod to him,^[1] McQuarrie himself confirmed his appearance in the film in an interview on his website.^[9]

The Star Wars: The 30th Anniversary Collection toy line featured an action figure of the Pharl McQuarrie character as part of its 2007 The Empire Strikes Back series, the toy line's sixth wave.^[7]

[edit] Appearances

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

[edit] Sources

• Star Wars Customizable Card Game – Special Edition Limited (Card: General McQuarrie) (First identified as McQuarrie)
• "Who's Who in Echo Base" - Star Wars Insider 74 (First identified as Pharl)
• Star Wars: The 30th Anniversary Collection (General McQuarrie)
• The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia

[edit] Notes and references

[edit] External links

• Interview with Ralph McQuarrie
• Star Wars: The 30th Anniversary Collection "General McQuarrie" action figure at Rebelscum.com