Daine Jir

For other uses, see Daine and Jir.

"Holding her is dangerous. If word of this gets out, it could generate sympathy for the Rebellion in the Senate."

―Daine Jir, to Darth Vader, referring to Leia Organa^[3]

Daine Jir was a bold and outspoken 501st Legion Human male Imperial stormtrooper officer serving under Darth Vader aboard the Imperial I-class Star Destroyer Devastator as a commander during the hunt for the stolen Death Star plans in 0 BBY. Jir—part of a family that had donated a genetic template for the Imperial stormtrooper development program— proved himself to be a competent and ruthless officer. However, many suspected he would not last long under Vader's command after he called one of the Dark Lord's decisions into doubt. Vader was impressed with Jir's brutal honesty, and promoted him instead of killing him.

In 0 BBY, Jir led a contingent of the 501st in an attack on the CR90 corvette Tantive IV, on which Vader believed Senator Leia Organa had received transmissions containing the Death Star plans. The 501st picked off the Rebel forces aboard the ship and captured Organa, but despite a thorough search of the corvette no trace of the plans could be found. Jir was tasked with sending a distress signal from the ship and alerting the Imperial Senate that all aboard were killed. His ultimate fate was unknown.

Biography[]

Commander of the 501st[]

"…dead man walking…"

―Murmurs about Daine Jir after he defied Vader for the first time^[2]

A tall, slim Human^[1] male,^[2] Daine Jir was a member of the Jir family, who were known to have donated a genetic template for the Imperial stormtrooper development program.^[4] Jir himself^[2] was a stormtrooper in the 501st Legion, having served as a noncombat officer^[5] with the rank of lieutenant in the same legion,^[2] known for its exploits at Kamino and Polis Massa as well as quelling a prison break on the Death Star.^[6] Jir subjected his troops through constant crisis simulations,^[7] and those were used along with constant training regimens to ensure that he maintained high performance levels.^[8]

Devastator-ANH — Daine Jir was posted to the Imperial Star Destroyer *Devastator*.

By 0 BBY, Jir and the 501st were posted aboard^[8] the Imperial I-class Star Destroyer^[9] Devastator, and served directly under Dark Lord of the Sith Darth Vader, Emperor Palpatine's enforcer.^[3] Vader was a fearsome figure who was known to execute his subordinates for the merest of errors,^[10] and after Jir first spoke out against one of Vader's suggestions, his peers began to count his days amongst the living; Vader had Force choked men for far less. The Dark Lord, however, found Jir's brutal honesty a refreshing contrast to the usual manipulative rhetoric of most Imperial officers, and promoted him to commander. Of the officers in the Galactic Civil War, it was later said that Jir, like Admiral Firmus Piett and Captain Janus Bonn, was one of the select few Imperial officers who had ever earned Vader's respect.^[2]

Attack on the Tantive IV[]

"Send a distress signal and then inform the Senate that all aboard were killed."

―Darth Vader, to Daine Jir^[3]

In 0 BBY, members of the Alliance to Restore the Republic on the planet Toprawa stole plans to the Empire's secret Death Star project, which were transmitted to Imperial Senator Leia Organa—herself a member of the Rebel Alliance—and her crew on board the CR90 corvette Tantive IV. By the time Imperial Intelligence located the leak, Organa had fled in the Tantive IV; vowing to retrieve the stolen information at any cost, Darth Vader took the Devastator in pursuit,^[11] along with Jir and the 501st.^[3] Vader also hoped capturing the ship would provide the Empire with the location of the Rebels' secret base.^[11]

VaderPoint-ANH — Jir, beside Darth Vader as he confronts Leia Organa

The Devastator intercepted the Tantive IV over the remote world of Tatooine in the Outer Rim Territories; the Star Destroyer tractor beamed the ship, and Vader ordered the 501st to prepare to board. Jir stayed behind with Vader as the legion's contingent of stormtroopers entered the Tantive IV to engage what little soldiers the Rebellion had defending the ship. The Imperials killed many of them, allowing Vader—accompanied by Jir—to enter and oversee the search for the Death Star plans; however, no trace of the plans could be found, and the Imperials were also unable to locate Princess Leia Organa.^[3] Jir and Commander Nahdonnis Praji stormed the ship's bridge and captured the Tantive IV's captain, Raymus Antilles,^[12] whom Vader killed during an interrogation. Eventually, Organa was located, but they were unable to find the Death Star plans.^[3]

Jir's stormtroopers escorted Organa to him and Vader, who began questioning her. Organa was defiant, reiterating that she was on a diplomatic mission and that the Senate would not stand for Vader's actions. Furious, Vader accused her of conspiring with the Rebellion and had her taken aboard his Star Destroyer for interrogation at a later time. After Organa was gone, Jir spoke to Vader, believing that Organa would not buckle under even Vader's interrogation. He bluntly told Vader that holding her in custody could generate sympathy for the Rebel Alliance in the Senate, but the Dark Lord knew she was his only link to the Rebel base.^[3] Jir also perhaps had a bit of sympathy for the woman when he told the Dark Lord that Organa would rather die than giving away any information to Vader.^[1] Vader ordered Jir to send a distress signal from the ship and claim all aboard were killed.^[3] Officially, the Tantive IV was reported as destroyed in an asteroid storm, with no survivors.^[13] The Devastator transferred Organa to the Death Star, where Jir's prediction that Organa would not betray the Alliance proved true,^[3] and Jir's fate remained unknown.^[7]

Personality and traits[]

"She'll die before she'll tell you anything."
"Leave that to me."

―Daine Jir and Darth Vader^[3]

Jir Vader — Commander Jir alongside Darth Vader

A typical Imperial leader,^[14] Daine Jir was bold and outspoken,^[2] with brown hair and light skin.^[3] Competent and ruthless,^[2] his aggressive and independent thinking made him respected, even by Lord Vader.^[15] He was known to question the decisions of Darth Vader without fear of the consequences,^[2] being one of the few Imperial officers not afraid of the Dark Lord.^[7] While other officers believed Jir would be soon executed, his suggestions were appreciated by Vader, who personally promoted him from lieutenant to commander.^[5]

Behind the scenes[]

"She should be destroyed, Lord Vader."

―Jir, to Darth Vader, in the Marvel comic Star Wars 1^[16]

Daine Jir first appeared in the 1976 novelization of Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope, where he was given several lines of dialogue, though he was not identified by name.^[1] In 1977, he appeared in A New Hope, where he was given slightly shortened dialogue.^[3] His scenes were filmed in mid 1976 in the United Kingdom.^[17] He also appeared in the first issue of Marvel Comics's A New Hope adaptation, though he was given a different appearance, with black sideburns, along with different dialogue in the comic's adaptation of his scene, including suggesting Organa's execution, and with Vader directly ordering Jir to carry out Praji's duties, with the latter character not appearing.^[16] The character also filled the same role in the radio dramatization of A New Hope, although he was not named and had different dialogue. Additional dialogue differing from the film had Vader asking Jir why Organa had chosen Tatooine, as it appeared to be completely lacking in any military presence; Jir told him that sensors confirmed Vader's suspicion, but could offer no possible reasons for Organa's choosing Tatooine.^[12]

DaineJir-Marvel — Jir in the Marvel adaptation of *A New Hope*

The character was first named when Decipher's Star Wars Customizable Card Game identified him as "Daine Jir" in 1997. "Daine Jir" is likely a play on the word "danger," inspired by Jir's line: "holding her is dangerous."^[2] The identity of the actor who played Jir in A New Hope was not known for many years, but in 2007, The Making of Star Wars: The Definitive Story Behind the Original Film included a photograph caption stating that the "commander" in scene 11 was played by Constantin De Goguel.^[17] However, less than a month later, the StarWars.com Visual Guides authored by Pablo Hidalgo stated that Jir was portrayed by Al Lampert, as per the film's production notes.^[4] According to Lampert, Jir was originally supposed to be portrayed by Scottish actor Ken Hutchison, but he had a beard which George Lucas disapproved of, and the role was given to Lampert.^[18]

In the Star Wars Trading Card Game, Jir was represented as a "Star Destroyer Commander" and was included as an Imperial Navy member,^[19] which contradicted with him being an established member of the Stormtrooper Corps.^[2]