Dean Jinzler was a Human male and the youngest of the four Jinzler children.
Dean's parents were both employees at the Jedi Temple on Coruscant. After his older sister Lorana was born and taken in by the Jedi Order, his parents were dismissed in accordance with the Jedi Code regarding emotional attachments and relationships. However, his parents kept track of Lorana's Jedi training via a friend who still worked at the Temple. Dean was the youngest of the four Jinzler children and grew up loathing his elder sister for being a Jedi.
Dean's parents were truly proud of Lorana, which caused Dean to feel jealous and unloved. In actuality, his parents offered him the same love and encouragement as they gave Lorana, but Dean blocked this out and created a false belief that grew with him over the years. Lorana and Dean met for the first and only time, just before Lorana embarked upon the ill-fated Outbound Flight mission, which led to her death. During their heated conversation, Dean inspected, Lorana's green-bladed lightsaber and revealed to her that was a gift from their parents. They gave the amethyst to a group of citizens from the mid-levels of the planet Coruscant who were once rescued by Lorana and her Jedi Master Jorus C'baoth. In turn the citizens gave her the amethyst for her lightsaber on behalf of her and Dean's mother and father. Lorana departed from Outbound Flight on bad terms with Dean. After the Battle for Outbound Flight, Lorana instructed Jorj Car'das to find Dean and tell him to let go of his hatred towards her and their parents.
Like his father, Dean trained as an electronics technician, achieving certificates in comm tech, droid maintenance and hyperdrive tech and working in the Senate Support Services. Dean traveled the galaxy frequently during the Clone Wars, spending a brief time in the Hadar sector following the Wars, during which he learned an ingenious trick for exterminating infestations of conduit worms.
Two years after the New Republic and the Galactic Empire signed their historic peace treaty, Dean joined Talon Karrde's operation. Following advice from Car'das, Dean transferred to the Comra listening station, where he intercepted a transmission coming from Nirauan, for the attention of Luke and Mara Jade Skywalker. The Chiss had located the wreckage of Outbound Flight, and Dean, masquerading as a New Republic Ambassador, joined the expedition.
During the mission Luke and Mara recovered Lorana's damaged Lorana Jinzler's lightsaber from the remains of Dreadnaught-One, but later used it to destroy a droideka. At first, Dean thought he needed Lorana's lightsaber, as his last remaining material connection to his sister. However, journey to the place where Lorana sacrificed her life helped Dean come to terms with the bitter feelings he once had for his sister. As a result, Dean was able to accept the loss and felt it was fitting that the weapon was sacrificed to protect the survivors of Outbound Flight, just as Lorana had given her own life. He also came to terms with the lie he'd been living over the past sixty years, finally accepting himself for who he was. After the mission, Dean retired to the Empire of the Hand.
Dean Jinzler was a human male, with short-cropped dark hair, which later turned silver, and gray eyes. Lorana referred to Dean as being medium in height and build. He was taller than Bearsh, and weighed at least fifteen kilos more than the Vagaari. Dean was jealous of his older sister Lorana for being a Jedi and felt unloved by his parents. After seeing Outbound Flight's wreckage in person, he realized he was holding a grudge against Lorana, and came to terms with his past, letting go of his anger.
Dean Jinzler first appeared in the 2004 novel Survivor's Quest written by Timothy Zahn.