Barney, a male Human hailing from Belderone, served both the Rebel Alliance and subsequently the Alliance of Free Planets. Until 3 ABY, Barney and his close companion Flint were employed at an Imperial AT-AT manufacturing facility, until Rebel operatives arrived on Belderone. Their attempts to support the Rebels led to an Imperial reprisal, devastating their village. This event drove Flint to the dark side under the tutelage of Darth Vader. Later, Barney received training from Jedi Knight Luke Skywalker, and in 4 ABY, he played a crucial role in thwarting an Imperial invasion of Naldar, an attack spearheaded by his former friend, Flint.
Barney, a male Human, spent his formative years on the planet of Belderone. This Outer Rim world was a significant production hub for Imperial AT-AT walkers throughout the Galactic Civil War. Growing up in a town under complete Imperial control, Barney and his closest friend, Flint, found employment in the local Imperial factory. Unbeknownst to them, their daily labor contributed to the construction of these war machines. As the conflict with the Rebel Alliance intensified, the war reached Belderone in 3 ABY. A ship carrying Rebel agents, including prominent figures like Luke Skywalker and Leia Organa, landed with the aim of bolstering Rebel activities on Belderone and the nearby planet of Kulthis.
Drawn by the unusual presence of non-Imperial visitors, Barney and Flint eagerly volunteered to greet the Rebels. They were particularly captivated by Skywalker's lightsaber, especially since Flint's deceased father had been a Jedi Knight. Barney and Flint were at Flint's mother's tavern when an Imperial assassination squad's attempt to kill the Rebels failed. Inspired, they followed the Rebels, seeking to join their cause. Guiding the Rebels to their workplace, the friends discovered a fleet of fully operational AT-ATs preparing to move. The Empire was launching a pre-emptive strike on Belderone, heading directly towards Barney and Flint's village. A severe landspeeder accident occurred as they raced home, leaving Barney unconscious. Upon awakening, he found his hometown in ruins, his family perished, and Flint gone, having chosen to train as a Dark Side Adept under the Sith Lord Darth Vader. With no reason to remain, Barney joined the Rebels, hoping to realize his ambition of liberating the galaxy and becoming a Jedi Knight.
Barney continued to fight with the Rebellion, experiencing their climactic victory on Endor in 4 ABY. Afterwards, he served the newly formed Alliance of Free Planets at their Endor base. Under Skywalker's direct tutelage, Barney trained as a soldier, but he grew frustrated by the Jedi's reluctance to teach him and other students about the Force. Barney accompanied Skywalker and an Alliance detachment to Naldar, a planet near Belderone, after Princess Vila of Naldar appealed for help following the Imperial subjugation of her world. To his astonishment, Barney discovered that Flint, now a dark side adept, was leading the Imperial forces on Naldar. Skywalker and Flint clashed, but when a stormtrooper's blaster wounded the Jedi, Barney intervened, attempting to reason with his lifelong friend. As Flint declared his intention to use his Imperial army to attack the rest of the Alliance in the sector, Barney dared Flint to kill him first. Barney's defiant act caused Flint to reconsider, leading him to stand down and dismantle his war machines, thus ending the Imperial threat in the region.
Having grown up oppressed by the Galactic Empire and forced to contribute to its war efforts, Barney yearned to be part of the solution to the galaxy's problems, harboring Rebel sympathies for a long time. In their youth, Barney and Flint were inseparable, and despite occasional frustration with Flint's enthusiasm, they regarded themselves as partners in protecting their community. Barney's deep understanding of Flint allowed him to confront his former friend, even when he was in command of an Imperial army, correctly assuming that Flint lacked the cruelty to kill him. Witnessing Luke Skywalker's use of the Force for the first time captivated Barney, sparking an immediate fascination with becoming a Jedi Knight. The prospect of Jedi training motivated Barney to leave Belderone and join the Rebellion. However, he later became disillusioned by Skywalker's hesitation to train him as a Jedi.
Barney's debut was in Star Wars Annual (1977) 3, penned by Mary Jo Duffy and released in 1983. He subsequently appeared in Star Wars (1977) 92, which serves as a sequel to the Annual. Klaus Janson and Jan Duursema provided the illustrations for Barney's two comic book appearances.