Hija was a Human male lieutenant of the Imperial Navy during the early stages of the Galactic Civil War. He served as the chief gunnery officer aboard the Imperial Star Destroyer Devastator, under the command of Lord Darth Vader. In 7 BBY, Vader commanded Hija to conduct an orbital bombardment of the planet Falleen in order to stop an Imperial-produced bacterial plague from spreading out of control. Later, in 0 BBY, Hija participated in the Devastator's capture of the Rebel CR90 corvette Tantive IV, during which he spotted an escape pod fleeing from the impounded Rebel vessel. However, Gunnery Captain Bolvan ordered Hija not to fire on the pod because the Devastator's gunnery sensors detected no lifeforms aboard.

Biography[]

The Human^[1] male^[2] Hija was a member of the Galactic Empire's navy during the Imperial Period.^[1] By 7 BBY,^[4] he was serving under Captain Bolvan as a lieutenant^[3] aboard the Imperial I-class Star Destroyer^[5] Devastator, commanded by the Dark Lord Darth Vader.^[3]

Hija was the chief gunnery officer^[6] aboard the Devastator when the Star Destroyer arrived at the planet Falleen in 7 BBY as a part of Vader's exploration tour visiting Imperial weapon development projects.^[7] After hearing Bolvan's report on an accident in a biological research facility and the following spread of a flesh-eating bacterium across Falleen's surface, Vader ordered an orbital bombardment of the surface to halt any further spread of the leaking bioweapon.^[3] Hija was responsible for firing the devastating turbolaser bombardment from the Devastator that destroyed the weapons facility^[8] and everything within forty kilometers^[3] to cover up the mishap.^[8] Among the 200,000 Falleen casualties in the ensuing destruction was the family of Prince Xizor, who later led the Black Sun criminal organization.^[9]

In 0 BBY,^[10] during the Galactic Civil War,^[1] Hija was still serving as the chief gunnery officer of the Devastator, under the direct command of^[8] the now–Gunnery Captain Bolvan.^[11] After Rebel agents transmitted the stolen plans of the first Death Star, a new Imperial superweapon, to the Rebel CR90 corvette Tantive IV, Senator Leia Organa's consular ship, the Devastator pursued and captured the Rebel vessel over the planet Tatooine. Several escape pods were jettisoned from the Tantive IV during the battle. Hija spotted the pod that, unbeknownst to the Imperials, contained the Rebel droids C-3PO and R2-D2, the latter of whom carried the stolen Death Star plans in his memory banks.^[1] However, since the Devastator's gunnery sensors detected no lifeforms within the escape pod, Bolvan ordered Hija to hold his fire in order to conserve power, allowing the droids to escape.^[2]

Personality and traits[]

When Darth Vader ordered Hija to conduct the orbital bombardment of Falleen that would kill thousands, the lieutenant did not hesitate and carried out his duties at once.^[3] Later, when Bolvan instructed him to refrain from firing on the Tantive IV's fleeing escape pod, Hija followed the command of his superior unhesitatingly. Hija and fair skin, brown hair, and chose to wear the prominent sideburns^[1] that were popular among Imperial officers around the time of the Battle of Yavin.^[12]

Equipment[]

Hija wore a black Imperial Navy crewman's uniform.^[1]

Behind the scenes[]

The Hija character first appeared in the December 1976 novelization of Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope,^[2] ghostwritten by Alan Dean Foster.^[13] The character was then portrayed by John Wreford^[14] in the original trilogy film itself in 1977.^[1] The A New Hope novel refers to Hija as "one of" the chief gunnery officers under Bolvan's command aboard the Devastator.^[2] However, the Star Wars Encyclopedia,^[6] Star Wars: Behind the Magic,^[5] and The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia state that Hija was "the" Devastator's chief gunnery officer.^[8] In the revised fourth draft script of A New Hope, as presented in Star Wars: Behind the Magic, Hija is identified as "Chief Pilot," despite managing the Star Destroyer's weapons.^[5]

Appearances[]

• The Rise and Fall of Darth Vader (Indirect mention only)
• "The Lesser Evil" — Shadows of the Empire Sourcebook
• Star Wars: A New Hope novelization (First appearance)
• Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope junior novelization
• Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope
• Star Wars: A New Hope - The Special Edition 1 (Voice only)
• Star Wars Manga: A New Hope 1

Non-canon appearances[]

• William Shakespeare's Star Wars: Verily, A New Hope

Sources[]

Explore all of Wookieepedia's media for this article subject:
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• The Art of Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope
• A Guide to the Star Wars Universe
• A Guide to the Star Wars Universe, Second Edition, Revised and Expanded
• Shadows of the Empire Sourcebook
• Star Wars: The Annotated Screenplays
• Star Wars Encyclopedia
• Star Wars: Behind the Magic
• The Official Star Wars Fact File 8 (TAN2, Tantive IV and Escape Pod) (Indirect mention only)
• The Official Star Wars Fact File 10 (HUN1, The Hunt for the Droids) (Indirect mention only)
• The Official Star Wars Fact File 69 (XIZ2, Prince Xizor)
• Episode IV Visual Guide — Chapter 4: Artoo's Mission on StarWars.com (content now obsolete; backup link)
• The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia

Notes and references[]