Ariole Yu

Ariole Yu, a human male, existed during the Imperial Era. As a young boy, Yu became an orphan and was subsequently taken in by the Sixth Kin, a criminal enterprise led by Wen Delphis. He underwent training to become a fighter and kill on behalf of the organization. His mentor was Gallin Crae, a lieutenant within the Sixth Kin. Crae also served as a mentor to Just Lucky, and the trio developed a familial bond.

Yu and Lucky eventually entered into a romantic relationship. Their connection experienced periods of turbulence, leading to at least one separation before they reconciled. One night, after the two of them had spent time together in an apartment located in the South Stretch Worker's District of Canto Bight on the planet Cantonica, Yu was awakened by Lucky rising early and preparing to leave. When Yu inquired about his destination, Lucky simply instructed him to return to sleep. However, Yu prevented him from leaving and stated that he had a question to ask. Yu began by expressing his thoughts about their future together, professing his love for Lucky and his desire to spend his life with him. As Yu began to pose his question, Lucky interrupted him with a kiss on the forehead, telling him to ask upon his return. In reality, Lucky was abandoning Yu and the Sixth Kin due to his brother Pak's mounting debts, which he didn't want to involve Yu in, and because he felt compelled to protect his brother.

Some years later, Yu confronted Just Lucky's brother, Pak, leaving him with a facial bruise due to his debt to Delphis. After Lucky resumed working for the Sixth Kin to settle the debt, he encountered Yu on Canto Bight while returning to Delphis after a successful assignment. Yu confronted him about his brother's situation and inquired about his opinion of the bruise he had inflicted, to which Lucky responded with a joke that Yu hadn't changed and that he could have simply called if he was eager to see him. Yu accompanied Lucky into the organization's headquarters to meet with Delphis, informing Lucky that Delphis had requested a meeting with both of them, though he admitted he was unaware of the reason. Delphis then instructed the two to collect a debt from Koz.

The pursuit of Koz led Yu and Lucky to Club Lazuli, where Yu engaged in combat with Koz's accomplices, demanding information about Koz's whereabouts while Lucky observed. After Lucky defeated the last remaining henchman, much to Yu's frustration as he had desired to do so himself, Yu spotted Koz fleeing from the rear of the club. The two gave chase, and after Lucky apprehended him, Yu threatened Koz, warning him that he was not as patient as Wen Delphis, but that he would let him go if he paid up. Koz laughed and forewarned them of an impending event that they would be unable to prevent. He warned that it was larger than all of them and that the Sixth Kin would soon cease to exist. Subsequently, a large number of Koz's underlings descended upon the scene. Yu and Lucky successfully defeated them all, an outcome that Yu expressed pride in, prompting Lucky to remark that he believed Yu would refuse to die simply to spite him. Yu inquired about Lucky's well-being, but added that he didn't care. Lucky stated that he was fine but was perplexed by the unfolding situation, unsure why Koz was so bold and had so much support. Yu theorized that someone was aware that Wen Delphis would dispatch them to deal with Koz and had used him as bait to lure them in. Based on Koz's warning of an impending event that would destroy the Sixth Kin, Yu believed that they were going to make an example out of the two of them to send a message to Wen Delphis. Lucky concurred with Yu, and the latter decided that they needed to return to Wen Delphis so that she and they could obtain answers.

Yu and Lucky's confrontation confirmed Delphis' suspicion that a traitor existed within the Sixth Kin, whom she believed to be Gallin Crae, the boys' former mentor and the organization's former lieutenant. She dispatched Yu and Lucky to the Auction for Han Solo, believing that Crae would be meeting with his handler there. Delphis warned them that if they wished to protect their families, they had to eliminate Crae or never return to Canto Bight.

Before their departure, Yu and Lucky encountered bounty hunters Dengar and Beilert Valance. Yu commented to Dengar that he was brave for being present after cheating at sabacc with weequay pirates. Lucky questioned Dengar about his intention to repay his debt to the Sixth Kin and retrieve his ship, but Yu suggested that he would likely lose it again to the organization due to his gambling habits. The two then departed from the bounty hunters, as Yu believed they had more pressing matters to attend to.

Yu departed Canto Bight aboard his ship, the Fleeting, accompanied by Lucky. Yu explained to him that virtually every syndicate would be present at the auction, primarily to witness the return of the organization hosting it, Crimson Dawn. He expressed hope that everyone would be too preoccupied with Han Solo to notice their assassination of Crae and subsequent escape. However, Lucky was distracted, and when Yu called him out for it expressed his confusion about the mission as Crae had always been loyal to Delphis and wondered what happened. Yu reflected on the time the three of them were family, before angrily reminding Lucky that he left too. Yu told him that it didn't matter why Crae made his choice, only that he did and now needed to answer for it. Yu instructed Lucky to focus on the task at hand to avoid getting them both killed.

The Auction for Han Solo took place on the planet Jekara, within Crimson Dawn's fortress-flagship, the Vermillion. Ariole Yu and Just Lucky arrived and spotted Crae in the crowd. Yu realized that it was too risky to take him out there, and instead decided to take him out after the auction started and they could get him alone. Lucky noted that Crae had gotten old, but did not share Lucky's sympathy, saying that Crae was a seasoned killer and they could take any advantage they could get.

As the auction commenced, Yu and Lucky observed Crae heading towards a backstage area and followed him. Upon catching up to him, he activated an Electrostaff, and Yu realized that Crae had anticipated their pursuit, much to his surprise. Crae informed them that they were his finest creations, and therefore he was aware of their intentions. He remarked that Lucky had matured, but stated that Yu had not, provoking his anger. Lucky cautioned Yu that Crae was attempting to bait him, but Yu disregarded the warning and initiated a fight with Crae using Brass knuckles. Crae quickly gained the advantage in the fight and fought them off easily, but Yu and Lucky refused to stand down.

Crae expressed disappointment that the two of them fought like they were enemies, while Lucky realized that Crae had been working for Crimson Dawn. Yu lashed out, telling Crae that he had betrayed the Sixth Kin and them and ruined their family. Crae remarked that Yu had always been sentimental and loyal to a fault. He added that the boys' strengths should have complimented each other but that their weaknesses were too abundant as he knocked Yu to the floor. He explained to Yu that he had realized that Wen Delphis was paranoid and eliminated the people closest to her, so he got out to. He met Qi'ra, Crimson Dawn's leader, who he said had a vision for the future that Yu could be a part of and be a family again. But Lucky rejected this and held a blaster to his head. Then the assassin Deathstick stepped in, and incapacitated Yu and Lucky with Dathomirian poison laced weapons and forced them to surrender. The two of them were sent to the Vermillion's brig, and put in a cell with Doctor Chelli Aphra and Sana Starros.

Lucky woke up and found Yu unconscious, causing him to freak out, begging for Yu to not be dead. He was incredibly relieved when he checked and could feel Yu's pulse. He then apologized for abandoning Yu and the Sixth Kin, explaining how he didn't want to bring his brother's troubles to Yu and how he wanted to protect his brother. Lucky thought Yu couldn't hear him, believing that to be the reason he could talk to him so easily, but Yu was really conscious and had heard what he said.

Later, after Aphra and Starros had come to, Crae came to the cell and asked Yu and Lucky if they had considered his offer to join Crimson Dawn. Yu started to reject it, before Lucky stopped him and said they were still thinking it over, telling Yu to just give him time to convince him. Aphra, Lucky, and Starros deliberately made a scene to draw Crae back over and have him open the cell. Yu and Lucky fought Crae while Aphra hot-wired a A3L-N sentinel droid that he had arrived with. Crae exploited Yu's wound to best him and held him in front of him as Aphra threatened to kill him with the droid's energy blasts. Crae asked if she would kill Yu to kill him, and Aphra said that she had no idea who Yu was and absolutely would. But Aphra ricocheted the blast off of the wall and into Crae's back, sparing Yu but leaving him frozen looking at Crae's body. Lucky told Yu they needed to go, and asked him how his wound was as they left. Yu said that it was fine and told Lucky to stop acting like he should expect anything from him, which caused Aphra to comment on their relationship problems.

Yu and the others then raided one of the Vermillion's armories, with Yu getting two daggers at Lucky's suggestion, and traveled to the gallery of artifacts to try and retrieve their belongings and a Data crystal necklace for Aphra. There they encountered Qi'ra and Margo, who were securing the necklace in the vault. After they left, Aphra tried to get the necklace but was stopped by the arrival of Deathstick. Yu and Starros managed to get Deathstick off of Aphra by shooting at her, with both of them complimenting each other's shots afterward. They were then attacked by a group of Crimson Dawn guards, but they were stopped by Aphra, who used a piece of technology created by a dark side of the Force-affiliated cult called the Ascendant to stop them. She used the device, called a Thought dowser, to mind control Deathstick and the Crimson Dawn soldiers into stabbing themselves, causing Yu to taunt Deathstick about being poisoned. The group escaped to the hangar, but Yu and Lucky then immediately held up blasters to Aphra and Starros just as Aphra and Starros held up blasters to them. But Aphra got the upper hand when she threw an explosive at the Fleeting, greatly angering Yu.

Yu and Lucky were left stranded. The two were approached in the hangar by Crimson Dawn guards, Crae, and Deathstick, the latter two of whom were both injured. Crae ordered the boys to lay down their weapons before they made it worse for themselves. In response to this Deathstick asked Crae if she was still not allowed to kill them, to which Qi'ra answered as she arrived that it wouldn't be necessary. Qi'ra introduced herself to Lucky and Yu, and told them that she knew of them from Crae talking about them, and from what he said had hoped they would have been 'better behaved.' She then invited the two inside for a talk.

Qi'ra sat down with the boys over a drink. She told them that Crae had told her about what they had been through with Wen Delphis and the Sixth Kin, and knew that they had been conscripted into the organization without a choice, been trained as killers by the Delphis, and had their autonomy restricted. Qi'ra empathized with this, showing them her Crimson Dawn tattoo that represented her former enslavement under the organization. She told the boys that they had options now, and that together they could create a galaxy free from tyrants like Wen Delphis, the Empire, and the Tagges. She explained that that was the future that Crimson Dawn wanted to make and offered them the chance to join the syndicate so that they could be a part of it. She told them to think about it, and that she would be waiting when they made up their minds.

Later, Just Lucky met with Wen Delphis and informed her that he and Yu had completed the mission and killed Gallin Crae. But Delphis said that Yu had told them something different, which meant one of them was lying. Lucky insisted that he had nothing to lie for, but that Yu was only in it for himself and would love to take Lucky down because he had never gotten over his broken heart. He told Delphis to sort things out with Yu, but after leaving expressed frustration to Yu as they both knew what had gone down on Jekara.

Sometime after, Lucky went to Club Lazuli in the hopes that Yu would be there as he usually was on his nights off, helping to kickout disgruntled tourists. He spoke with Di'reni, the bartender of the bar, who asked about Yu, as she hadn't seen him since he'd gotten back from Jekara and figured he and Lucky had another falling out. Lucky expressed his worry and that his reason for coming there was to find Yu, which surprised Di'Reni. She realized that something big must've happened between them on Jekara as they came back all torn up and now Lucky was acting emotionally invested with him. Lucky eventually left, but before he did told Di'Reni to let him know if Yu came by so they could talk.

Eventually, Yu found Lucky waiting for him outside of his apartment in the South Stretch District, the same apartment where Lucky had left him so long ago. Yu told him that he had a lot of nerve coming there, but Lucky said that he knew and just didn't know where else to find him. However, Lucky called him 'Ari', which spurred Yu to hold his blaster up to him and warn him that he had lost the right to call him that years ago. Yu told Lucky that Wen Delphis had put a price on Lucky's head as she thought he'd turned traitor. Lucky realized that Delphis had done a similar thing to him, telling him that his brother was missing, Yu was acting suspicious and that their stories were different, and realized that she was baiting the two of them to take each other down. Lucky said that Yu had always been loyal to her, but asked him if she still deserved his loyalty. Yu holstered his blaster and asked Lucky why he was really there, and Lucky told him that they needed to talk about what happened aboard the Vermillion and about Crimson Dawn.

Yu spoke with Lucky inside his apartment, and revealed that he believed Qi'ra, and that there was something about her that inspired him just like Crae had said. Yu told Lucky that he had seen his face and knew Lucky had believed it too, but Lucky said that taking on the Empire and the Tagges was crazy and something worse might take their place. This upset Yu, who told Lucky that he was ridiculous and it made sense he was working for Ronen Tagge, an oppressive and manipulative heir of the Tagge family. Lucky insisted that Yu was just being an idealist and that he didn't have a choice, but Yu refused to accept that and said that Lucky always had a choice and it was better to be an idealist than a coward. Lucky apologized and told Yu that he didn't come there to fight with him, but instead wanted to ask him to join him on a big job with a payout that could get them off Cantonica and away from the Sixth Kin, Tagges, and Crimson Dawn. Yu was skeptical and told Lucky that they both knew it was never that easy.

The job was for Ronen Tagge, and it was to take the Spark Eternal, a powerful technology made by the Ascendant cult, from Doctor Aphra. While Yu flew the Fleeting towards the Vermillion, Lucky ordered Tagge's crew to follow Sana Starros to find Aphra but both his and the crew's uncertainty made Yu question him if that was always how he ran his crew. Lucky told the group to focus on retrieval not assassination, before hanging up the call. Yu was surprised that Lucky, an assassin, was shying away from murder, but Lucky said that that position made them know how precious life was and Tagge wasn't paying them enough to kill, only to retrieve the Spark. Yu remarked that he was a man of principles, but Lucky admitted that while he didn't want to kill, they usually weren't allowed the luxury using mercy. As the ship arrived at the Vermillion, Yu sarcastically added that it was a good thing Crimson Dawn was known for their mercy. Lucky assured him that it was their best lead because it the last place they had seen Aphra and Ascendant technology was when she had used the thought dowser, and because if it came down to it Crimson Dawn would know where to find her.

When Yu and Lucky landed in the Vermillion's hangar and boarded it, they immediately found themselves face to face with the Spark Eternal, which was possessing the body of Doctor Aphra. Eventually they ended up with the Spark in the Archivist's office, with the Spark holding their Null Blade and Yu ready to fight, his brass knuckles raised. While Yu attempted to open the door to the office, Lucky spoke with the Spark, who was approaching them and dragging the Null Blade on the floor. He made an aside to Yu telling him to open the door, but the Spark said that the door was locked before swinging the Null Blade at the two of them, forcing them to dodge by throwing themselves on the floor. As they got up and started running from the Spark, Yu yelled Lucky's name and Lucky decided that they needed to forget Qi'ra and Ronen and get out of there. The Spark caught up to them and swung at the two again, but they once again dodged and the Spark only sliced the Archivist's desk in half. Kho Phon Farrus then appeared on Archivist's holoprojector saying they needed to speak with the Archivist. While the Spark spoke to Farrus, impersonating the Archivist, Lucky and Yu ran out of the room.

Yu and Lucky ran into Sana Starros and her crew, which consisted of Magna Tolvan, Eustacia Okka, and Detta Yao. When Starros asked what they were doing there, Lucky warned them about the Spark Eternal and told them not to go after it and Aphra. While they spoke, Tolvan shot approaching Crimson Dawn gaurds, and Yu turned and watched. After Yu and Lucky ran away, Yao commented that Yu was cute, referring to him as 'the short one' out of him and Lucky.

Ariole Yu made his debut in the eighth issue of the 2020 comic series Star Wars: Doctor Aphra, penned by Alyssa Wong. Wong disclosed on Twitter that Yu was initially considered to be named Ario, after the first name of comic artist Ario Anindito, but concerns arose about potential misfortunes befalling the character bearing Anindito's name.