Ansin Thobel

"You may fire when ready."

―Tarkin gives orders to fire on Scarif to Thobel and others operating the superlaser —

Corporal Ansin Thobel was a human male who served the Galactic Empire in the Imperial Navy, stationed as a trooper on the Death Star superweapon. Primarily tasked with keeping the station secure, Thobel was also cross-trained in operational duties and sometimes manned a sensor suite.

In 1 BBY, Thobel took part in the firing sequence when the Death Star fired on Jedha City and destroyed it during the first test of the station's superlaser. He then also took part in the firing sequence when the Death Star fired on the Citadel Tower on the planet Scarif in an unsuccessful attempt to stop the Alliance to Restore the Republic from stealing the Death Star plans.

Biography[]

First shot[]

"Target Jedha City. Prepare single reactor ignition."

―Krennic gives orders to fire on Jedha to Thobel and others operating the superlaser —

Listen (file info)^[3]

ThobelButtons-Encyclopedia — Ansin Thobel served as a Death Star Trooper, working as both a sentry and manning a sensor suite.

Ansin Thobel was a human who served as a trooper within the Imperial Navy^[1] during the heyday of the Galactic Empire.^[2] Holding the rank of corporal^[1] in the infantry,^[4] he was trained in shipboard combat, repulsing boarders, and pacifying escaped prisoners, with cross training in operational duties. Thobel was eventually transferred to the Death Star superweapon and became a Death Star Trooper^[1] squad commander,^[5] with his primary role being securing the station through sentry duty and patrols.^[4] He worked sentry duty shifts in the station's command sector,^[1] and, in order to protect important personnel like Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin or Director Orson Krennic, he was sometimes stationed on the command bridge.^[4] When not on sentry duty, the officer manned a sensor suite station in the general sector.^[1]

In 1 BBY,^[6] the Death Star's construction was completed, and it traveled to the Jedha system in order to carry out a test of its superlaser for the first time. Once the station was over the moon of Jedha, Krennic gave the order for the laser to fire on a single reactor ignition in order to destroy Jedha City on the moon below. During the firing sequence for the weapon, Thobel turned a numbered dial at a large control station before a weapons technician began punching buttons beside the trooper. The weapon then fired, obliterating the city. The successful test prompted Tarkin to replace Krennic as commander of the Death Star.^[3]

Second shot[]

"Commence primary ignition sequence."

―An automated voice as Thobel turns a dial —

Listen (file info)^[3]

CitadelTowerDestroyedStarWars — Thobel took part in the firing sequence that destroyed the Citadel Tower on Scarif.

Shortly after the destruction of Jedha City, Tarkin learned that members of the Alliance to Restore the Republic were on the planet Scarif, the location of the Death Star plans, and so he ordered that the station travel to the Scarif system. Once there, Tarkin found an Alliance fleet in orbit attempting to steal the plans. To try and prevent this, Tarkin ordered that the Death Star fire on the Citadel Tower on Scarif where the plans were stored. As primary ignition of a single reactor commenced in the firing sequence, Thobel once again pressed the numbered dial.^[3]

The superlaser then fired, destroying the tower and killing Krennic^[3]—former protectee of Thobel^[4]—and many rebels and other Imperials below. The blast failed to stop the theft of the plans however, as they had already been transmitted to the fleet. The rebels managed to escape with the plans^[3] and ultimately used them to destroy the Death Star in 0 BBY.^[7]

Personality and traits[]

As a young man, Thobel had only the vaguest awareness of the profound immorality of his naval career.^[2] He had light skin and gray eyes.^[1]

Skills and abilities[]

Thobel had average speed, strength, intelligence, and diplomatic skills. He had slightly below average fighting skills and was not Force-sensitive.^[8]

Equipment[]

DeathStarTrooperHelmet-HC34 — Ansin Thobel wore a distinctive Imperial Navy Troopers' helmet.

While on duty, Thobel wore a black fabric uniform including gloves and a belt with a secret data compartment in the buckle. He donned the distinctive helmet of the Imperial Navy trooper that had a reinforced neck guard on its chin strap,^[9] a built-in communications tranceiver, a sweeping area at the back to provide additional head and neck protection, and additional radiation shielding due to the proximity in which Thobel and his colleagues had to work to the superlaser.^[10] The trooper also carried a SE-14r light repeating blaster, which he stored in a holster on his right hip.^[1]