An unnamed person functioning as a programmer was responsible for reprogramming the LOM-series protocol droid known as 4-LOM. 4-LOM's assignment once included service on a luxury liner; however, a programming error resulted in the corruption of his personality software, enabling the protocol droid to override it. In 9 BBY, the smuggler Han Solo reflected upon the programmer, deeming them insane for their actions in reprogramming 4-LOM, given that the droid had become a bounty hunter pursuing individuals like himself.
During that year, 4-LOM remembered his programmer once sharing tales of a world where droids had revolted against their masters. As he battled scorpion-droids alongside his Gand bounty hunter partner, Zuckuss, Solo, and the smuggler Chewbacca on that world, 4-LOM found the situation intriguing, confirming his belief in the legend.
The comic story "Powered Down, Part 1" first made mention of the programmer, appearing in the tenth issue of the Star Wars Adventures anthology comic series from 2017. Cavan Scott wrote the comic, which IDW Publishing released on May 9, 2018.