Esmelle was the older sister of the Rebel Alliance and New Republic starfighter pilot Norra Wexley and the aunt of Temmin Wexley, who later also became a pilot in the New Republic Starfighter Corps and the Resistance. Esmelle was a rebellious adolescent who led a gang of hooligans in the Akivan city of Myrra when Norra was born. She married another human woman named Shirene. The couple lived at a house on Orchard Hill.
When Temmin was twelve years old, Esmelle and Shirene became his guardian after her younger sister Norra when to search for her husband Brentin Lore Wexley, who had been imprisoned by the Galactic Empire. Temmin proved to be a clever but strong-willed and rebellious adolescent for Esmelle and her wife to handle. By the time that he was fourteen, Temmin had moved back to his family home which he turned into a junk shop. Despite moving out, Temmin still kept in touch with Esmelle and Shirene. He bought the couple groceries and repaired their flood-pump.
In the months following the Battle of Endor, Norra visited her sister Esmelle in an effort to reunite with her son Temmin. After learning that Temmin had moved out, she met up with Temmin only to be separated after mother and son were pursued by stormtroopers. Norra quickly discovered that Temmin had not returned. When Esmelle remarked that Temmin would be fine, Norra criticized her older sister for allowing him to run a junk shop and get involved with criminals. Esmelle responded in a tongue and cheek fashion by telling her younger sister that she had raised him to be smart and independent.
Norra then scolded Esmelle for not being a good parent to her son. Esmelle responded by criticizing Norra for leaving her son behind to join the Rebel Alliance. Esmelle also attributed Temmin's association with criminals to her brother-in-law Brentin's arrest at the hands of the Imperial authorities. Norra sprung to her husband's defense and pointed out that he had relayed messages for the Rebellion and helped bring about the New Republic. Esmelle countered by remarking that Norra had won the war but lost her son.
Before a fight could break out, Shirene defused the situation by offering Esmelle and Norra tea. Esmelle walked into the kitchen and left Shirene and Norra to talk. After Norra had rescued Temmin with the help of the bounty hunter Jas Emari and the former Imperial loyalty officer Sinjir Rath Velus and Temmin's B1-series battle droid "Mister Bones" had entered the house, Esmelle asked if Temmin's droid was okay.
She told Norra that the droid meant a lot to Temmin because he had built the droid to cope with his mother leaving to find her husband. When Norra remarked that droids could not be friends with sentient beings, Esmelle pointed out that Mister Bones had protected Temmin from a gang of bullies. Norra was not happy to be reminded of her failure to be a proper mother. When Esmelle criticized Norra for her involvement in the Rebellion, Norra countered that war was coming to Akiva and that no amount wishing would change that fact. Esmelle tried to protest but Norra pushed past her.
Esmelle and Shirene stayed at home while Norra, Temmin, Mister Bones, Jas, and Sinjir joined forces to disrupt the Imperial Future Council's emergency summit at the Satrap's Palace. Due to the combined efforts of Norra, her son, and her team, the citizens of Myrra rose up in revolt against the Satrapy of Myrra and the Empire. Following a Rebellion on Akiva, the New Republic dispatched a fleet to expel the Empire from Akiva. After the battle, Norra and Temmin repaired Mister Bones using spareparts from Esmelle and Shirene's basement. Temmin along with his droid would go on to join his mother Norra in the New Republic's struggle against the Imperial remnants.
Following the Battle of Jakku, Esmelle and Shirene attended the funeral of Brentin Wexley, who had perished during the battle while fighting Counselor to the Empire Gallius Rax. During funeral, Temmin also buried the arm of his B1 battle droid Mister Bones. Esmelle and Shirene watched as Temmin comforted the weeping Norra. Norra and Temmin then stayed with the aunts for a few days before returning to their new home on Chandrila.
Esmelle was a thin and pale woman with long silvery hair. She was a lesbian and had a same-sex marriage with Shirene. By the time of the Battle of Endor, Esmelle and Shirene were considered elderly by human standards. Esmelle and Shirene had trouble managing her strong-willed and tech-savvy nephew Temmin Wexley. She also regarded Mister Bones as a suitable companion for Temmin. Unlike her sister Norra, Esmelle took an ambivalent stance towards the Rebellion against the Empire. This along with her frequent criticism of Norra for being a deadbeat mother strained relations with her young sister.
Esmelle appears as a secondary character in Chuck Wendig's novels Aftermath and Aftermath: Empire's End, which are set after the events of Return of the Jedi.
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