CZ-1, named after its designation, functioned as a tutor droid. The Kyrell family, inhabitants of the planet Jelucan, were its owners. It primarily tutored a young Thane Kyrell during the years after the Galactic Empire was established. The droid was quite aged at this point and found movement to be challenging.
CZ-1 fulfilled the role of a tutor droid for the Kyrell family, instructing both Dalven and Thane Kyrell. When Thane reached the age of thirteen years, CZ-1 oversaw the adolescent as he took a mathematics examination. Upon the boy's mention of being tardy for his flight training, CZ-1 replied that subject mastery and following his brother Dalven into the Imperial Academy required lesson completion.
Thane considered attempting to dislodge the droid's restraining bolt, but instead chose persuasion. Thane explained to CZ-1 that flight practice was essential for Imperial Academy acceptance. CZ-1 countered that the Kyrells' private hangar and aircraft allowed for anytime practice, to which Thane retorted that CZ-1's presence ensured math lessons could also occur anytime. He argued that coordinating with his friend Ciena Ree depended on her availability, and since she was free on that day, prioritizing flight time was more beneficial. Thane further enticed CZ-1 with the promise of a lubrication bath.
After contemplating Thane's proposition, CZ-1 consented to the lubrication bath due to joint stiffness. Thane pledged to return that evening and resume mathematics lessons the following day. Subsequently, Thane joined Ciena for flight practice in his older brother Dalven's V-171 airspeeder.
By the time Thane and Ciena reached fourteen, CZ-1 was present during a history lesson at their secret location, the Fortress. The tutor droid praised Ciena's knowledge of Clone Wars history. However, he then suggested she should focus more on her calculus, which upset Ciena. After Thane joked about installing a tact upgrade, the antiquated droid asserted that education was his purpose. He reminded them that Thane had smuggled him into the ridgecrawler for study sessions to ensure their success in the Jelucan preparatory academy entrance exams. CZ-1 maintained that tact would hinder his educational function.
As Ciena expressed her frustration, Thane offered encouragement. With CZ-1's guidance, both children successfully passed their entrance exams and gained admission to the Jelucan preparatory academy. Subsequently, the two teenagers achieved acceptance into the Royal Imperial Academy on Coruscant and ultimately enlisted in the Imperial Navy.
CZ-1 was an aged tutor droid designed to instruct children in subjects like mathematics and history. Thane Kyrell described him as possessing a surprisingly cunning personality and skilled debating abilities. Nevertheless, Thane could reason with him and even resorted to bribery on one occasion to secure flight practice time. CZ-1 sometimes lacked tact in conversation due to his dedication to his tutoring duties. As a droid, he found lubrication baths enjoyable as they eased his joint stiffness.
CZ-1's debut occurred in Claudia Gray's 2015 young adult novel, Lost Stars, which was released as a component of the Journey to Star Wars: The Force Awakens series. His dialogue is presented from the perspective of Thane Kyrell, a primary character in the novel.