During the Galactic Civil War, a Human male named Anod briefly held the title of crown prince on the planet Velmor. As the younger son of King Lorac and Queen Denira, Anod was positioned to become a potential monarch favorable to the Imperial cause. This occurred following an Imperial-orchestrated coup that resulted in the death of Anod's parents and forced his elder brother, Denid, into hiding. In 3 ABY, Denid's return, coinciding with Anod's impending coronation, ignited a succession crisis ultimately leading to Anod's demise.
Anod, a male Human hailing from the planet Velmor, was the second son of its rulers, King Lorac and Queen Denira. His formative years coincided with the rise of the Galactic Empire. In 17 BBY, Imperial operatives incited a riotous mob to attack the royal palace after discovering Lorac's anti-Imperial sentiments. Despite Anod's youth, his known Imperial sympathies led Lord Regent Zelor to secure his life by arranging a deal with the Empire, ensuring Anod's eventual ascension as a pro-Imperial king. The king and queen were killed during the uprising, but Anod's older brother, Denid, survived and escaped thanks to the courage of the king's advisor, Jedidiah.
As per the agreement, Anod remained safe, and Zelor assumed the throne as regent until Anod reached adulthood and could inherit the kingship of Velmor. He was constantly guarded by his personal bodyguard, Ergric Betos. Over the subsequent years, Zeta Traal, an Imperial diplomatic emissary, became a permanent fixture at the Velmorian court, gaining the confidence of both Anod and Zelor. Traal, however, considered Anod weak-willed and unintelligent, planning to manipulate him as an Imperial puppet once he became king.
In 3 ABY, Anod's coronation was underway when it was dramatically interrupted by Denid's return. Denid arrived on Velmor with his lover Loren and a bounty hunter named Kohl Marcus. Denid's reappearance immediately cast doubt on the succession. After Denid's identity was confirmed, Traal and Zelor quickly devised a new strategy. To maintain Anod's claim to the throne, they attempted to hire Marcus to assassinate Denid and Loren, intending to eliminate the hunter afterward to conceal their involvement. However, Zelor, having grown accustomed to power, secretly planned to kill Anod himself, unwilling to relinquish control.
Ultimately, all these schemes failed due to a critical misjudgment: "Marcus" was actually Luke Skywalker, a Commander of the Rebel Alliance, and "Loren" was none other than Leia Organa, a leader within the Rebellion. When Skywalker refused to commit murder during a ceremonial hunt, Zelor ordered Anod to execute them himself. Anod surprised them, shooting both Denid and Organa, though he mistakenly set his blaster to stun. Anod then aimed at Skywalker, but when Skywalker activated his lightsaber in response, Traal recognized his identity. Realizing Skywalker's capture would be immensely valuable to the Empire, Traal promptly turned her weapon on Anod, killing the prince without hesitation.
From an early age, Anod demonstrated loyalty to the Empire, developing into a man of weak will who consistently relied on the counsel of those around him. Imperial agents themselves regarded Anod as a "provincial fool," easily manipulated and controlled, a sentiment echoed by his regent, Zelor. Despite feeling resentment at being openly insulted by his advisors, Anod did nothing to challenge them. By 3 ABY, Anod was determined to secure Velmor's throne, viewing the return of his long-lost brother Denid with only anger and frustration.
Anod's first appearance was in Star Wars (1977) 49, penned by Mike W. Barr and published in 1981. Walter Simonson provided the illustrations for the comic.