Ardo Banch was a lieutenant of the human species within the ranks of the Galactic Empire, stationed on the desert planet of Tatooine. In the year 3 ABY, Banch extended a greeting to the Sith Lord Darth Vader upon his arrival. Vader sought information pertaining to his son, Luke Skywalker, and Banch directed the Sith toward a data terminal containing local records. Subsequently, Vader journeyed to the Lars Homestead. Banch caught up to him there in a repulsorcraft to relay information about intercepted Imperial transmissions. Tragically, the lieutenant met his death when the repulsorcraft was targeted by gunfire from a criminal gang.
Ardo Banch was a human who was a member of the officer corps that served the Galactic Empire. In the year 3 ABY, Banch held the rank of lieutenant and was a member of the Imperial garrison on the planet Tatooine. During this time, the Sith Lord Darth Vader arrived on the planet, accompanied by a pair of death troopers and the analysis droid ZED-6-7. Vader's mission was to gather intelligence regarding his son, Luke Skywalker. As the Sith Lord disembarked from his Lambda-class T-4a shuttle, the Imperial officer, along with a dozen stormtroopers, greeted him. Banch introduced themself and offered any assistance they could provide; however, one of the death troopers interrupted them. Unable to comprehend the trooper, Banch reiterated their offer of assistance and, at ZED-6-7's request, provided the location of a terminal containing local records.
Banch then attempted to follow Vader and the droid to the terminal, but a death trooper stopped them and they remained outside. The Sith and his group then departed in the shuttle toward the Lars Homestead, the location where Skywalker had been raised. After the lieutenant's subordinates intercepted certain transmissions, Banch set out in a repulsorcraft to inform Vader. As the lieutenant hailed the Sith from the vehicle, gunfire from a vessel belonging to a gang that intended to rob Vader struck the repulsorcraft, resulting in Banch's death. Vader then eliminated those responsible for the attack.
Ardo Banch possessed fair skin and brown hair. Despite receiving no response from the Sith, the lieutenant consistently offered assistance to Vader. However, Banch appeared unsure of how to interact with the death troopers and was unable to understand their encrypted speech.
When greeting Vader, Banch was adorned in a gray Imperial officer's uniform, complete with a gray cap, black boots, and a black belt. The lieutenant's tunic featured an Imperial code cylinder on each breast and a rank insignia plaque displaying three blue pips above three red. Banch had access to both a terminal and a repulsorcraft.
Ardo Banch made his debut appearance in the first issue of the 2020 comic-book series titled Star Wars: Darth Vader. Greg Pak penned the issue, Raffaele Ienco provided the illustrations, and Marvel Comics published it on February 5, 2020.