Rothwell, also referred to as the man in the dark cloak, was a human male who was the trainer of Rieve at the Grand Arena on Vespaara. He started working in the Arena two days before Rieve became a Hunter. During the reign of the Galactic Empire, Rothwell operated a successful trade and smuggling business in Coronet City on Corellia. He worked hard to control a significant portion of trade in the city. Around 4 ABY,[2] a shipment of medical supplies intended to be sold to one of his Imperial contacts was given to Rebel sympathizer Feyr Jos'han by mistake. Their courier, Rieve, set out to deliver the supplies to a Pantoran rebel when Rothwell sent out at least 14 of his goons to intercept the teenage courier. After cornering her in an alley, she burst out with the Force, harming the bodies and minds of his men. She escaped and completed her delivery.[1]
Rothwell assumed that the girl that took out his men was part of another cartel or gang, that she was trying to prove herself by taking out his people and destroying his livelihood. In a desperate attempt to get revenge, he led a group of Stormtroopers to pursue the orphan employee of Jos'han by searching a series of orphanages. Unable to find the girl who escaped his men's grasp, Rothwell was unable to prove to his Imperial contact that the missing supplies were stolen. He and his employees were henceforth taken into Imperial custody for supporting Rebel activity and he was sent to a labor camp.[1]
After the fall of the Empire, he was set free. He returned to Coronet City, but lost his contacts, money, and reputation. He picked up odd jobs in his determination to survive and eventually get revenge on the girl he blamed for losing his livelihood. He slowly rebuilt his enterprise, and struggled to find Rieve, who had escaped from Corellia the night after she took out his people. He scoured the Core Worlds, Colonies, and Inner Rim. He heard rumors of Rieve potentially performing in a band on Nar Shaddaa, but she had disappeared from there too.[1]
Around 9 ABY,[3] Rothwell learned of an advertisement for Balada the Hutt's Hunters of the Outer Rim tournament announcing a new Sith Lord-themed Hunter. One of his couriers never forgot Rieve's face, so Rothwell was certain the girl he sought was on Vespaara. He decided to apply to be her trainer, and was hired by Daq Dragus. He maintained an underground fighting ring in the industrial areas of the boomtown near the Grand Arena, and began manipulating Rieve to undermine her success. At strategic moments, he sabotaged Rieve's equipment, and planted seeds of doubt in her mind, hoping she would show her villainous potential to her new employers.[1]
Rothwell came to realize that Rieve was not the woman he thought her to be, less adept and cunning than the picture he formed in his mind. Nevertheless, he lured her to his underground fighting ring, jeopardizing her future in the Hunters of the Outer Rim. Unfortunately, when Rothwell revealed his true self to Rieve and sent his fighters to destroy her as he sabotaged Balada's arena, Rieve managed to escape. He sent many of his goons to destroy significant portions of the arena, to marginal success. He used a holographic disguise matrix to lure two Hunters away from his position while he approached an alone Rieve backstage. He attempted to shoot her with a blaster, but she used her lightsaber and the Force to defend herself. Soon, she had him beaten, and Daq Dragus approached to apprehend. Rothwell, few options remaining, pulled out a Class-A thermal detonator, which if armed, could destroy a significant portion of the backstage area. Rothwell armed and dropped the thermal detonator. Rieve managed to contain the explosion using the Force, and Rothwell was apprehended by Dragus. Rothwell was soon taken into New Republic custody and transported off-world.[1]
Appearances[]
- Hunters: Battle for the Arena (First appearance, simultaneous with audiobook)
- Hunters: Battle for the Arena audiobook
Notes and references[]
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 Hunters: Battle for the Arena
- ↑ A flashback in Hunters: Battle for the Arena takes place before the fall of the Galactic Empire, which Star Wars: Galactic Atlas dates to 5 ABY. In the main story, Rieve is 21 years old, but in the flashback, which takes place during the Imperial Era, she is 16 years old. Therefore, the flashback takes place around 4 ABY.
- ↑ Hunters: Battle for the Arena takes place after the fall of the Galactic Empire, which Star Wars: Galactic Atlas dates to 5 ABY. In the story, Rieve is 20 years old, but in a flashback, which takes place during the Imperial Era, she is 16 years old. So the novel can not take place more than four years after the Fall of the Empire. As it also takes place after Aran Tal joined the Hunters of the Outer Rim, which Star Wars: Timelines dates to 9 ABY, the book must be set in that year.