Fafnir originated from Akuria II, a planet inhabited by the Akurian species. Following the capture of the majority of Colonel Odan's forces during an assault on his War Sled, Fafnir rose to the position of second-in-command under Odan.
Odan, operating from the Rebel Base located on Akuria II, tasked Fafnir and a team of Akurians with the mission of rescuing Luke Skywalker and Leia Organa, who were scheduled to arrive on Akuria II for a meeting with Odan. The Imperials present on the planet devised a scheme where their leader would impersonate Odan, aiming to gain the trust of the two Rebels and extract information about the Rebel Alliance.
Upon Fafnir and his team's arrival to liberate Skywalker and Organa from this deception, their intimidating appearance led to them being perceived as enemies. Furthermore, their inability to communicate in Basic only intensified the struggle, hindering their rescue efforts. As the Imperials posing as Rebels emerged, Fafnir and his group were compelled to retreat, managing to secure only Skywalker's droids, R2-D2 and C-3PO. After returning the droids to the Rebel base, Fafnir and Odan engaged in a heated argument regarding the failed rescue attempt. However, Odan eventually ceased placing blame and began devising a new rescue strategy utilizing Skywalker's droids.
Fafnir, Odan, and the two droids embarked on a snow flyer to pursue the impostor Imperials who had seized Odan's War Sled, with the intention of intercepting them and executing a rescue. However, the group discovered the War Sled heading for a collision with the Geyser Sea. After boarding the uncontrolled vehicle, they found that the Imperials had locked the controls and restrained Skywalker in one of the cockpit seats. With no means to halt the vehicle's suicidal trajectory, Fafnir swiftly freed the Rebel leader. Following Odan's instructions, he breached several bulkheads, revealing power skis that the Rebels had previously concealed. The Rebels then used the power skis to escape. Despite escaping one imminent death, a massive snowstorm emerged, placing them all in immediate peril once again. To ensure their survival, Fafnir, Skywalker, and Odan employed their blasters to create a hole in the ground, seeking refuge from the storm.
Regrettably for the stranded group, the hole they created connected to an ice worm tunnel, causing the entire party to plummet deep into the planet's depths. However, capitalizing on the situation, Fafnir and the other Rebels utilized their power skis to navigate the Ice Worm tunnel swiftly, aiming to overtake the Imperials who still held Leia Organa captive. As the group traversed the tunnel, they eventually located the Imperials, who had chosen to wait out the storm on the surface directly above them. As Skywalker formulated a plan to surprise their adversaries, a colossal ice worm materialized, poised to devour the team. Mounting their power skis, Fafnir and the rest of the group managed to divert the Worm's course by directing the exhaust from their vehicles into its face. The creature, propelled upward, crashed into the parked Imperials above, dispersing the entire group.
As Fafnir and his companions ascended through the hole created by the Ice Worm, the Ice Worm and the remaining stormtroopers engaged in a fierce battle, ultimately annihilating each other. The Rebels surveyed the aftermath of the brief but brutal conflict; however, they were unable to locate the Princess. The Imperial leader had fled the scene in a Snow Flyer, attempting to return to the Imperial's Polar Base. Fortunately, Skywalker managed to intercept the Snow Flyer on his power ski and rescued the Princess. With the Imperial leader captured, the Rebels resolved to implement their own deception, coercing the Imperial to provide them with the access codes to enter the Polar Base.
As Odan and the other Rebels utilized the access codes to breach the gate into the Imperial garrison, Fafnir rallied the remaining Akurians and launched an assault on the base. Once the energy gate was disabled, the Akurians surged into the opening. Aided by Skywalker and Organa, who had commandeered TIE/LN starfighters, Fafnir and his people successfully defeated the Imperials and terminated the Imperial presence on their planet.
Fafnir initially presented himself as a quiet and obedient individual, readily complying with Odan's directives. However, this demeanor stemmed solely from Fafnir's unwavering loyalty to the Akuria II Rebels. Should the boisterous Odan become excessively harsh with Fafnir, Fafnir would reveal his displeasure with a growl, hinting at the profound emotions concealed beneath his reserved exterior.
Like many Akurians, Fafnir had endured abuse and persecution at the hands of the Empire. Upon the breach of the Imperial Polar Base's defenses, Fafnir transformed from a subdued sidekick into a commander, leading an army of his fellow Akurians to invade and conquer the base.
Fafnir, characteristic of Akurians, possessed considerable size and strength, enabling him to breach bulkheads with relative ease. His dense fur provided insulation against the frigid temperatures of the Akurian Polar Wastes, affording him a distinct advantage over the humans clad in their thermal suits.
Despite his inability to converse in Basic, Fafnir demonstrated a strong aptitude for technology. He exhibited proficiency in piloting vehicles such as power skis, which he could operate single-handedly while carrying heavy loads, and possessed skill with a blaster rifle.
Fafnir commonly wore a utility belt and bandolier, and carried a blaster rifle.
The name Fafnir originates from a character in Norse mythology.