Staven was a male human who was a member of Saw Gerrera's Partisans. Prior to her abandonment by Saw in 5 BBY, Jyn Erso was lectured for hours by Staven one night for miswiring a detonator. Staven also gave Jyn her first sip of fermented bantha milk and allowed her to sit with the adults who told dirty jokes before anyone else. After Saw's death, he went on to found the extremist group the Dreamers. After leading several terrorist attacks using intelligence from the Mentor, and attempting to kill him, he and the Dreamers were killed by the members of Inferno Squad.
Growing up in the Imperial Era, Staven's homeworld was subject to an Imperial blockade that began to starve the planet's people. Eventually, rebel leader Saw Gerrera organized a supply run to the planet to feed the suffering people, and families, including Staven's were saved by his efforts.
Later, Staven was among a group that joined Saw Gerrera's Partisans on the planet Wrea sometime after 13 BBY. Staven once participated in a mission and miswired a detonator that caused one of his comrades to lose a hand. However, Staven's strengths soon became his expertise with the ballistics. As he trained with the other Partisans on Wrea, he became friends with many of his comrades, including Maia, the goddaughter of Gerrera's friend Lux Bonteri, and Jyn Erso, whom Gerrera had adopted. Staven, despite not knowing Jyn's true identity as the daughter of Imperial scientist Galen Walton Erso, helped her learn to wire detonators and even invited her to get drunk drinking fermented bantha milk with the regulars when Gerrera left Wrea. When Gerrera tested Erso's knowledge with the detonators, Staven was instructed to point out her mistake after she attempted to wire the detonator kit unsuccessfully. Later that night, Staven went to Erso's room to comfort her and brought her supper. He reminded Erso that their lives were dark and told her to not let that darkness overtake her.
Eventually, Staven was chosen to help Erso on her first solo mission. Staven was chosen to drop Erso off on the planet Horuz, where she was instructed to assassinate Dorin Bell, who was recruited by the Empire for kyber crystal research. Staven dropped her off near a small canyon. However, in the end, Bell was killed by other traps the Partisans had set up as insurances.
After the Destruction of Jedha City and the death of Gerrera and most of his Partisans, Staven formed his own group called the Dreamers to carry on Gerrera's dream. The group formed a base on the planet Jeosyn. Staven worked with Lux Bonteri, now known simply as the Mentor, who had information from his daughter, who worked for the Empire. Staven did not entirely trust the Mentor but relied on him for his information to carry out missions. The group started as a smaller operation, but quickly grew its ranks. Staven became romantically involved with one member of the Dreamers, Nadrine.
- Star Wars: Timelines
- Star Wars: The Rise and Fall of the Galactic Empire