Gelesi, a Human male living on the planet of Onderon, resided with his wife and daughter in the walled city of Iziz. The year 3951 BBY marked a turning point when his superior officer and close confidant, Sullio, met a murderous end outside a local cantina. Consequently, Gelesi inherited Sullio's former role and the rank of Captain of the Guard. As an officer within the Onderonian military, his responsibilities included scrutinizing starport visas at the Iziz Starport, controlling entry and exit to the planet. The era was defined by a deep political schism between loyalists of Queen Talia and her faction, advocating for Onderon's continued membership in the Galactic Republic, and the separatist supporters backing her cousin, General Vaklu. Torn between his allegiance to the Queen and his growing disillusionment with the Republic, Gelesi found himself in a state of ambivalence, sympathizing with the separatist argument that Onderon's involvement had dragged it into excessive conflicts. Following the outbreak of a military coup orchestrated by Vaklu, Gelesi ultimately sided with Talia's faction, actively defending the Queen during a final offensive by separatist forces targeting the Royal Palace.
During the Dark Wars era, specifically in 3951 BBY, Gelesi, a Human male, was a family man with a wife and a young daughter. In that year, he resided in the walled city of Iziz, located on the planet of Onderon, and served in the Onderonian military. He rose to the position of one of three Captains of the Guard after the murder of his predecessor and close friend, Sullio, just outside an Iziz cantina. Sullio's demise deeply affected Gelesi, not only due to their friendship but also because he reluctantly inherited her responsibilities at the Iziz Starport, where he was tasked with verifying the starport visas of individuals seeking to leave the planet. This situation instilled in Gelesi a growing sense of paranoia, fearing a similar fate that would leave his family without a father. To cope with the mounting stress, he adopted one of Sullio's habits: visiting a cantina in Iziz's Merchant Quarter for a drink after each shift.
At the time, the city of Iziz was embroiled in controversy regarding the political views of Queen Talia of Onderon and her unwavering support for the Galactic Republic. Opponents of the Queen's devotion argued that Onderon's best interests lay in seceding from the Republic, largely because the planet had been compelled to participate in numerous wars as a member. These individuals coalesced around Talia's cousin, General Vaklu, who spearheaded the separatist movement. Conversely, the Queen's supporters, known as the Royalists, believed that the trade advantages and protection offered by the Republic outweighed the drawbacks of involvement in conflicts. Gelesi found himself torn between these factions, owing to his loyalty to the Queen, his distrust of the Republic, and his sympathy for the separatist viewpoint that Onderon had been drawn into excessive battles.
Gelesi was among the soldiers who verified a starport visa belonging to Meetra Surik as the former Jedi Knight departed the planet. Shortly thereafter, Onderon descended into full-scale civil war between the separatist faction and the Royalists, with Gelesi aligning himself with the latter. During an assault on the Iziz Royal Palace by Vaklu's militarized allies, he encountered Surik, who had been asked to assume military command of the Royalists upon her return. Together, they fought to repel the insurgents. With his forces defeated, Vaklu was apprehended, bringing an end to the war.
Gelesi, a fair-skinned Human male characterized by brown hair and green eyes, held a position within the Onderon Military, identifiable by his military fatigues. Generally, he was a neutral officer, conflicted by his support for Queen Talia and his sympathy for certain beliefs held by Vaklu's faction, compounded by his distrust of the Republic. Following Sullio's murder, Gelesi was reluctantly assigned to her role at Iziz Starport, responsible for scanning starport visas.
Before Sullio's death, Gelesi had questioned her habit of visiting a cantina after each shift. However, upon inheriting her job, he adopted the same practice, driven by fears for his own life and the safety of his family. In his own estimation, the stress of the position and the belief that he might share Sullio's fate led to increasing paranoia. He was plagued by the feeling of being targeted by some unknown force. This anxiety grew to the point where Gelesi contemplated abandoning his post and fleeing the planet with his family, but ultimately decided against it.
The character of Gelesi was conceived for the Obsidian Entertainment video game Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords. He was later included in The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia, published in 2008.
The Jedi Exile, controlled by the player, can pursue alternative paths by supporting Vaklu's faction during her initial visit to Onderon. At the behest of Anda, a Vaklu supporter, the Exile can eliminate the three Captains of the Guard to weaken the Royalist military in preparation for the attack on the Royal Palace. Anda offers the Exile 2,500 credits for each captain eliminated.
If the Exile supports Vaklu during her first visit to Onderon, she encounters Gelesi in the cantina in Iziz's Merchant Quarter, where she can persuade him to leave the city to protect his family. Another method of removing him involves Panar, a Beast Rider who frequents the Beast Rider's Den in the cantina, threatening to kidnap and marry Gelesi's daughter. If persuasion fails, a group of thugs outside the cantina can be hired to attack Gelesi, prompting him to flee the planet out of concern for his family's safety. If the latter option is chosen, Anda expresses anger because she preferred the captains to be removed discreetly; however, she still compensates the Exile. This side quest is only accessible if the Exile supports Vaklu during her initial visit to Iziz, and it may or may not impact her alignment with the Force in a dark manner. If the Exile completes this path and supports Talia during her second visit to the planet, Gelesi will have already left, preventing him from aiding the Royalists in the final battle.
Given that The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia established that the Exile supported the Queen during her second visit, this article assumes that she also acted as a Royalist during her first visit and did not remove Gelesi.