Bertroff Hissa

Biography

Early life and career

Bertroff Hissa's birth occurred on the desolate and uncharted planet of PL-40112-CE-021105 in the Wild Space region of the galaxy, to a Human father and a Sephi mother. His parents, former political activists and counter-culture proponents, sought a "simple and natural" existence there. Growing up in isolation, Hissa struggled to form connections, becoming a solitary figure. However, his encounter with the Galactic Empire, the autocratic regime led by Emperor Palpatine, marked a turning point. An Imperial surveying team, headed by Commander Quarsh Panaka from Naboo, arrived on the planet. The offworlders inadvertently stirred up a group of Rozzum, interdimensional beings left there long ago by the Order of the Terrible Glare, a violent offshoot of the Jedi Order from the Pius Dea Crusades.

Despite their speciesist prejudices, the Imperials found the Rozzum more terrifying than any "alien" they had ever encountered. The Imperials and the natives of PL-40112-CE-021105 united to fight the monsters. Hissa and his parents were drafted into service under Commander Panaka's command. The unlikely alliance between the Empire and the near-Humans proved victorious, but only Hissa and Panaka survived. Following this, Hissa began an improbable career in the Galactic Empire, despite its xenophobic and Human supremacist ideology. Within the Imperial Military, Hissa faced significant prejudice due to his near-Human heritage, but Panaka championed him until his promotion to Moff of the Chommell sector.

Grand Moff

Hissa eventually rose to the rank of Grand Moff, a rare achievement for a non-Human within the Empire. He also discovered that many of his peers on the "Moffship," especially Grand Admiral Rufaan Tigellinus, harbored xenophobic sentiments. Tigellinus even claimed to be allergic to the slightest trace of alien blood. Hissa's origins remained largely unknown due to his reluctance to discuss his past, although his jaws, featuring razor-sharp teeth and tapered ears (the former of which he had sharpened to intimidate others), clearly indicated his mixed heritage. Rumors circulated that he possessed Devaronian or Pau'an genetics, or was a Twi'lek who had removed his own lekku. Hissa actively encouraged these rumors. He had a receding hairline, thick eyebrows, and a prominent beard. As one of the few non-Humans to ascend to a powerful position in the Galactic Empire, Hissa became the Grand Moff of a sector in the Outer Rim Territories, including Kessel, where he based his operations. During his tenure as Moff, he made several enemies, including Rufaan Tigellinus, who despised him for his alien heritage and sought to discredit him. However, Hissa maintained his position and reported directly to Emperor Palpatine. Hissa, in turn, despised Tigellinus and his Humanocentric views.

While stationed on Kessel, Hissa learned of Trioculus, a three-eye slave who had successfully eradicated a Rebel cell in his village. Impressed by Trioculus's loyalty and dedication to the Imperial cause, the Grand Moff befriended him. Trioculus advanced to the rank of Lord Overseer and Supreme Slavelord of the Kessel spice mines. When Reskell Twane, Trioculus's predecessor and mentor, was captured by the Rybet Moruth Doole and offered to Trioculus in exchange for control of half of Kessel, Trioculus sought Hissa's advice. Hissa advised Trioculus that a true Imperial should never yield to threats, and Trioculus followed his counsel, rejecting Doole's offer. By the end of the Galactic Civil War, Hissa wielded considerable influence among the other Moffs and was widely respected.

Quorl Matrin, an Imperial governor representing the Gordian Reach and sharing Hissa's interest in archaeology, was another close friend of Hissa's. Matrin often called Hissa "Troff" and amused him with impersonations of their superiors. They maintained contact even when Matrin was away, such as during his expedition to Stenos to study the Stenax species. Matrin intended to keep Hissa informed of his progress, including his difficulties engaging with the natives, but their relationship ended abruptly when Quorl was torn apart by the Stenax.

Struggle for power

The deaths of Emperor Palpatine and Darth Vader at the Battle of Endor in 4 ABY created a significant power vacuum within the Empire. Numerous individuals vied to succeed Palpatine, with Ysanne Isard, the former Director of Imperial Intelligence, eventually gaining the support of most of the Imperial remnants. However, Hissa and many of his fellow Moffs sought to maintain their power and formed the Central Committee of Grand Moffs to challenge Isard, with Hissa as its leader. The Committee, stationed on their own Moffship, included senior Moffs such as Muzzer, Thistleborn, and Dunhausen. Many considered Hissa's former enemy, Rufaan Tigellinus, as a potential leader in his place. To counter this threat, Hissa offered Tigellinus a humiliating position on the Committee, knowing that refusal would result in his execution. Moff Vilim Disra, a friend of Tigellinus, manipulated him into refusing. Hissa and the other Committee members reacted with fury and had Tigellinus killed, while Disra seized his seat and the majority of his assets.

While some Imperials sided with the Committee of Grand Moffs, most remained loyal to Isard. The Moffs were aware of Palpatine's heir, his three-eyed son, Triclops, who had been rejected and banished to the spice mines of Kessel. Rumors surrounded Triclops, and Hissa and his fellow Moffs believed that installing him as a figurehead would garner the support of much of the Imperial forces, enabling them to overthrow Isard and seize control of the galaxy. However, there were complexities in installing Triclops as the new Emperor; the three-eyed man was believed to be insane, and Hissa knew he would slowly destroy the Empire. Therefore, Hissa kept Triclops's existence a secret and brought in Trioculus, his old ally from Kessel.

Trioculus, another three-eyed mutant, was considered a more suitable Emperor by the Committee. He craved power, and the Moffs believed that by making him the public leader and demonstrating unwavering loyalty, he would allow them to make his decisions. Presenting Trioculus as a candidate would grant the committee true power, and his claim to be Palpatine's son would arouse little suspicion. They also fitted him with implants that could simulate Force lightning, further supporting his claim. However, the Prophets of the Dark Side, led by an impostor posing as Supreme Prophet Kadann, had issued a false prophecy stating that the new Emperor would wear the glove of Darth Vader, which had supposedly survived the destruction of the second Death Star above Endor. The prophets wielded considerable influence during Palpatine's reign, so, despite recognizing Trioculus as the new Emperor, Hissa and the Moffs decided to search for the glove, hoping to gain Kadann's dark blessing.

Meeting on Kessel

Hissa and his associates convened an Imperial gathering at Kessendra Stadium on Kessel, where they unveiled the new Emperor to a crowd of high-ranking Imperials. Hissa addressed the audience, composed of individuals of various Imperial ranks, stating that the Emperor's death, Vader's death, and the destruction of the Death Star were merely minor setbacks. He declared that the Rebels had yet to witness their true power and that with new weapons on the horizon, Hissa's Empire would crush the Rebel Alliance and rule the galaxy. To the attendees' surprise, Hissa announced that Palpatine's lineage continued and introduced Trioculus.

However, questions about Trioculus's legitimacy immediately arose. An Imperial Royal Guard informed them that Admiral Josef Grunger had proclaimed himself the new leader of the Empire, but Hissa and Trioculus remained unfazed, with the three-eyed slavelord declaring that he would soon deal with Grunger. Another questioned Trioculus, pointing out that he did not possess the glove of Darth Vader and therefore could not have received Kadann's blessing. Enraged by their doubt, Trioculus used his implants to electrocute them, instantly instilling fear and respect in many other attendees. With numerous admirals and Moffs pledging their allegiance to Trioculus and the Central Committee of Grand Moffs, Hissa and the mutant departed the stadium in triumph.

Despite Trioculus's widespread recognition as Emperor, Hissa faced a challenging situation. Gaining Kadann's blessing would attract many supporters, and the Prophets themselves would be valuable allies. However, if someone else found the glove and presented it to the Supreme Prophet, the Committee would lose its power and credibility. Hissa resolved to find the glove before anyone else, but it was a difficult task. They deployed probe droids to search the Moddell sector, and every Imperial loyal to Hissa was on the lookout for the glove.

While their agents tirelessly searched for Vader's glove, Hissa and the other Moffs met with Trioculus at his mansion on Kessel. The mutant desired a new secret base of operations and sought the Committee's input. This was a novel experience for them, as neither Vader nor Palpatine had valued their opinions. After several suggestions, Hissa proposed Hoth, where the Empire had defeated the Rebel Alliance two years earlier, which resonated with Trioculus. As they ordered every warlord and admiral loyal to them to move their troops to Hoth, Grand Admiral Miltin Takel, in a spice-induced haze, accused Trioculus of acting rashly. Trioculus stunned Takel, and Hissa, interpreting his superior's unspoken order, shot Takel with his sidearm.

The elusive glove

Days passed, and the glove remained undiscovered. Hissa and Trioculus grew concerned—the only reported sighting was actually a droid hand, which was of little use to them. Finally, they located the glove on Mon Calamari, the ocean planet of the Mon Calamari species. Captain Dunwell had been dispatched by the Empire to hunt the local Whaladons, considered a delicacy by the Committee. Dunwell had discovered what he believed to be wreckage from the Death Star and had observed a glove through his team's x-ray surveys. Hissa and Trioculus immediately traveled to Calamari, where Dunwell showed them the x-rays. Although the Death Star had exploded on the opposite side of the galaxy from Calamari, the debris had passed through a black hole and landed on the ocean floor of Calamari. After convincing them that it was the glove, Dunwell transported them to the wreckage in his Whaladon-hunting submarine.

They eventually reached the wreckage, and Trioculus retrieved the glove alone, while Hissa remained with Dunwell in the submarine. Trioculus soon returned, and the glove fit his hand perfectly. Meanwhile, Luke Skywalker and Admiral Gial Ackbar had traveled to Calamari to free the Whaladons and had spotted Trioculus aboard Dunwell's submarine. Dunwell's vessel captured the Jedi's submarine, but Skywalker infiltrated it and set it to self-destruct. Trioculus and Skywalker fought, but Skywalker's Jedi powers proved too strong for Trioculus. Luke subdued him before fleeing the ship. With only two minutes remaining, Hissa and Trioculus escaped in an escape sub, abandoning Dunwell, who had been spying on them and discovered that Trioculus was not who he claimed to be. Despite nearly perishing and being forced to leave Dunwell to die, the mission was ultimately successful, as they had recovered the glove.

With the glove secured, Hissa and Trioculus journeyed to the space station Scardia in the Null Zone to obtain Kadann's dark blessing and recognition of Trioculus as Palpatine's rightful heir. In reality, Kadann was an impostor incapable of making genuine prophecies; he relied on a network of spies and often manipulated events through bribery, sabotage, and treachery to ensure his prophecies came true.

The Lost City of the Jedi

They met with High Prophet Jedgar, who led them to Kadann. Hissa declared that Trioculus was Palpatine's son, but Kadann saw through the deception. The Grand Moff and his friend consulted; Hissa knew of Kadann's spy network and advised Trioculus that the man knew everything and could not be deceived. At Hissa's urging, Trioculus agreed to reveal their secrets and plans to Kadann, knowing that any attempts at deception would fail. They confessed everything, including Hissa's motivations for installing Trioculus as Emperor. Kadann understood and was not angered by their lies; they presented the glove and requested his blessing. However, the Prophet issued another vague prophecy, warning them of a Jedi Prince in the Lost City of the Jedi on Yavin 4 who could destroy him. Trioculus vowed to find and kill this Jedi Prince, and Kadann granted him his dark blessing.

Hissa and Trioculus faced a daunting task. Although Kadann had provided a vague clue about the city's location, finding it would take days. The supreme prophet urged them to locate the Jedi Prince as soon as possible. Together, they devised a plan: they would issue the Senate Planetary Intelligence Network an ultimatum so terrible that the Rebels would be forced to reveal the city's location, which Trioculus believed they knew. They dispatched masses of probe droids to the moon, locating SPIN's base of operations. They then sent a droid, armed with a self-destruct mechanism, into the Rebels' meeting place, where leaders such as Mon Mothma, Ackbar, Leia Organa, Luke Skywalker, and Han Solo were present. Hissa and Trioculus observed the proceedings from orbit through miniature cameras installed on the droid. They watched the Rebels attempt to destroy the droid, which evaded their every move. After witnessing the pandemonium in the Rebel chambers, Trioculus issued a statement to SPIN, demanding that they reveal the location of the Lost City of the Jedi within twenty seconds, or the droid would detonate, killing them all. In reality, neither Skywalker nor the others knew the city's location, so they desperately tried to destroy the droid before it could destroy them. However, Skywalker foiled Trioculus's plans by destroying the droid with his lightsaber. Trioculus remained unfazed; he and Hissa had a backup plan, and he had found his "future wife," Leia Organa, with whom he had instantly fallen in love.

Hissa ordered hundreds of Imperial vehicles to burn down the forests of Yavin 4, which were obstructing their search for the "round wall of green marble" described by Kadann. However, this would have unforeseen consequences for Trioculus and his allies. Although he had kept it secret, Vader's glove was negatively affecting the mutant's health. His eyesight had gradually deteriorated until he was unable to see, and Hissa sought a cure. The Empire had captured a Ho'Din healer named Baji during their purges of the forests and brought him before Hissa and Trioculus, hoping he could restore their leader's eyesight. The Ho'Din provided them with a temporary cure of kibo seeds, but his supply was dwindling, and the Empire was burning down the remaining kibo plants. Desperate, Hissa's master broke into Baji's home to steal the remaining seeds, but he returned with severe burns. He eventually decided to discard the glove, having his droid create a replica, though he kept it with him at all times.

Their efforts to find the Lost City failed, and the Jedi Prince, named Ken, was taken in by Luke Skywalker and the other members of SPIN. Hissa and his master vowed to destroy the Rebels and placed a bounty on Ken.

A shift in power

Although they had yet to capture the elusive Jedi Prince, Hissa and Trioculus began to operate separately for a time, with the Grand Moff focusing on capturing Ken, while Trioculus sought to win over Princess Leia. Hissa even personally posted advertising for the bounty on walls, including in the Mos Eisley cantina, when Zorba Desilijic Tiure returned from his lengthy prison sentence on the planet Kip, searching for his son Jabba. Hissa informed him that Princess Leia Organa had strangled Jabba during the Battle of the Great Pit of Carkoon one year prior. Pleased by the Hutt's suffering, Hissa departed Mos Eisley, acting independently while Trioculus pursued his own goals.

While Hissa was away, Trioculus intensified his efforts to abduct Princess Leia, intending to claim her as his wife. Simultaneously, Ken fell into Zorba's clutches, while Trioculus succeeded in capturing Princess Leia. Zorba sought retribution against the Alderaanian for his son's demise, while Trioculus aimed to seize the Jedi Prince. A compromise proved unsatisfactory for both parties, leading to a clash between Trioculus's stormtroopers and Zorba's forces, culminating in Trioculus's imprisonment in a carbonite slab on Bespin. However, the Moffs had devised a scheme.

Zorba had ascended to the position of Baron Administrator of Cloud City, granting him command over the entire Cloud City police force. The Chief of the Cloud Police, secretly aligned with the Empire, informed the Moffs of Trioculus's carbonite location. They formulated a plan and, under the veil of night, transferred Trioculus's body to their Imperial Strike Cruiser. Hissa rejoiced at his master's arrival, but before they could release him from the carbonite, High Prophet Jedgar appeared on the Scardia Voyager, demanding Trioculus be handed over to the Prophets of the Dark Side.

Hissa was bewildered, considering Kadann had already bestowed his dark blessing upon Trioculus. Yet Jedgar remained firm, informing Hissa that Kadann no longer recognized Trioculus as Emperor. He commanded the Moff to pledge allegiance to the Prophets, and upon Hissa's refusal, the High Prophet revealed a dossier of the Moff's activities, far exceeding the size of other Moffs' files. After witnessing just one page, the Humanoid swore loyalty to Kadann. Jedgar had the carbonite block moved to his ship and compelled Hissa to accompany him on a mission to the planet Duro. The Grand Moff was unaware of their destination's purpose, as Kadann was withholding top-secret information from the Committee. The Supreme Prophet had orchestrated a coup, now wielding absolute authority over the Empire.

Calamity on Duro

On their way to Duro, Hissa's vessel encountered the Millennium Falcon, piloted by the Rebel hero Han Solo. Seizing an opportunity to impress Jedgar and the Prophets, Hissa ordered his best gunners to target the ship. Despite inflicting damage, Solo skillfully evaded them and landed on Duro. Upon landing, Hissa finally discovered the mission's objective—Triclops had escaped, and Jedgar needed to recapture him. Meanwhile, Kadann had Trioculus's carbonite block destroyed on his space station, consolidating the Prophets' control over the Central Committee of Grand Moffs.

They lacked knowledge of Triclops's whereabouts, but they knew that he could not leave the valley where his asylum was located without transportation. Employing a massive drill, they breached the roof of a cavern, where they encountered prominent members of the Rebel Alliance, along with Triclops and Ken, the Jedi Prince. Spotting Ken, Jedgar instructed Hissa to seize the boy as a hostage; the Grand Moff complied, forcing Luke Skywalker to cease his attack. Skywalker dropped his weapon at Hissa's demand, but Triclops, now aligned with the Rebels, used his third eye to generate a powerful magnetic force, pulling Ken away from Hissa. Triclops then approached Hissa, seeking revenge for the Moff's role in his imprisonment. However, before Triclops could inflict harm, Hissa plunged into a pool of acidic liquid leaking from Tiercam Dam. As the valley crumbled, the Imperials and Rebels fled, leaving Hissa nearly alone, screaming in agony from the acid's effects.

Moff Conference

Trapped in the acid, Hissa lost his limbs. Abandoned by Jedgar and the Prophets, a lone stormtrooper rescued him from the corrosive substance moments before it consumed him entirely. The Grand Moff received mechanical arms—salvaged from a malfunctioning JMM assassin droid—but his legs could not be replaced, confining him to a hoverchair for the rest of his days. Enraged by Jedgar's abandonment, he convened a Mofference with his fellow Committee members aboard their Moffship orbiting Tatooine, to strategize how to retaliate against the Prophets who had usurped their power. Rumors circulated, suggesting Kadann planned to dissolve the Committee and demote each Moff, assigning them undesirable tasks on remote planets.

Their meeting was soon disrupted when MD-5, Trioculus's former personal droid, announced that Zorba the Hutt's personal starship, the Zorba Express, was within range of their tractor beams. With the other Moffs' approval, Hissa ordered the Moffship to pull in the Zorba Express, hoping to avenge themselves against the Hutt gangster.

The few loyal stormtroopers they had boarded the ship, taking Zorba and his Barabel bodyguard Tibor hostage. Hissa however, soon smelled carbonite, and had the ship thoroughly searched. They soon found Trioculus, encased in a block of carbonite. Zorba had left but a replica in the Cloud City museum, fooling the Empire while he kept the real block close to himself. They unfroze Trioculus, and Hissa spent several minutes informing him of all that had happened while he was unconscious. Trioculus then threatened Zorba with death, though the Hutt made a deal with Hissa and Trioculus: he would give them Princess Leia in return for his freedom. Leia was located on the Zorba Express; Trioculus asked for her hand in matrimony, though she immediately refused. He forced her into marriage regardless, hoping to gain favor by killing Zorba. He had the Hutt thrown into the sarlacc pit, though this simply repulsed Leia further.

Trioculus insisted on an immediate marriage ceremony; Hissa was tasked with reciting a passage from the Dark Book of Imperial Justice before officiating the wedding aboard the Moffship. However, SPIN had learned of Leia's abduction; before the wedding could proceed, Skywalker, Solo, and Lando Calrissian replaced Leia with a Human replica droid. The Leia Organa HRD was indistinguishable from the real Leia, and neither Hissa nor Trioculus noticed that anything was amiss. The wedding commenced as planned, with Hissa reading from the Dark Book of Imperial Justice, though soon the Leia Organa HRD displayed its advanced weaponry, shooting a laser bolt at Trioculus's chest. Hissa immediately fired at the HRD many times, destroying it, though Trioculus was badly injured.

Hissa and MD-5 worked tirelessly to save Trioculus's life, but they knew his end was near. On his deathbed, Trioculus warned Hissa, who had remained loyal throughout, about Kadann, foretelling his relentless pursuit to destroy and discredit the Moffs. Hissa was in particular danger, having been the most devoted to Trioculus and having defied the Prophets. The dying Emperor implored his friend to eliminate Luke Skywalker before passing away. He was cremated, his ashes scattered in pods across the galaxy.

Demise

Zorba, meanwhile, had survived his ordeal within the Sarlacc—Hutt meat being one of the few things the creature found indigestible. Driven by vengeance against Hissa, he journeyed to Scardia to meet with Kadann, revealing the Moff's treachery. The Prophets' extensive spy network had already uncovered this, and several Star Destroyers were searching for the Moffship. Kadann also sought the Lost City of the Jedi, hoping to uncover the secrets of the Jedi Knights and crush the Rebellion.

The Supreme Prophet quickly located the Moffs, captured them, and subjected them to a trial on his space station above Scardia. Accused of treason against the Empire, Moffs Thistleborn, Dunhausen, and Muzzer confessed, but Hissa denied the charges. He argued that he deserved recognition as an Imperial war hero, having lost his limbs on a mission for Kadann, and that Zorba's testimony was unreliable. Kadann delivered a prophecy regarding the verdict and shared it with the jurors, instructing them not to be swayed by it. They found the Moffs guilty, singling out Hissa as the most culpable and deserving of severe punishment. Kadann sentenced the other Moffs to exile on harsh worlds, but he condemned Hissa to a slow and agonizing death. The Grand Moff would be starved and driven to the brink of insanity, then served a meal of biscuits infested with spice grubs. The parasites would slowly consume him from the inside out, until he perished.

Before he could fully grasp his fate, Hissa was transported to Yavin 4, where Imperial spies had supposedly located the Lost City of the Jedi. However, Kadann soon questioned the accuracy of his information and sent Hissa—chained to his hoverchair—into the city to assess its safety. His suspicions proved correct; the Grand Moff was immediately engulfed in a torrent of molten lava and died instantly.

Character and Attributes

Moff Hissa was a devious individual, often acting behind others' backs to advance his own interests. Driven by an insatiable hunger for power, Hissa refused to be a minor figure under Ysanne Isard's rule, forming the Central Committee of Grand Moffs and creating yet another division within the post-Endor Empire. Even after the Committee's formation, Hissa sought greater power, installing Trioculus as a symbolic Emperor, while he and the other Moffs wielded the true authority. Despite often operating in secret from his allies, Hissa demonstrated unwavering loyalty to both the Empire and his fellow Moffs. Surprisingly, he also held great respect for Trioculus—merely a puppet in Hissa's scheme—remaining loyal even when siding with Kadann would have been more advantageous. The two may have shared a bond, being among the few non-Humans to attain prominent positions within the Humanocentric Empire. Despite essentially using him to further his own power, Hissa was extremely helpful to Trioculus, and attempted to cater for his every need, be it taking him hunting to reduce his stress, assisting him in courting Princess Leia, or finding him a cure for his eyesight.

Hissa also possessed considerable courage, being the only Moff to confront Kadann and refute the accusations against him. He also risked persecution by a multitude of individuals when proposing Trioculus as the true leader of the Empire, among them Ysanne Isard and the Prophets of the Dark Side.

Production Notes

Bertroff Hissa was conceived by Paul and Hollace Davids for their Jedi Prince series of books, where he functioned as one of the three primary antagonists. While the events depicted in the books are considered less important by the rest of the Expanded Universe, Hissa received mentions in Star Wars Insider 66, The Essential Guide to Characters, and Star Wars Gamer 1, which also revealed his first name. In the 20 Most Memorable Moments of the Expanded Universe, an article published in Star Wars Insider 83, "the Villainy of Emperor Trioculus and Grand Moff Hissa" was recognized as the fourth "goofiest moment" in the EU.

Bertroff Hissa and his right hand man, Trioculus, both had backstories created by Abel G. Peña and Rich Handley, which were due to appear in Aliens in the Empire, but these were cut by Lucasfilm before the article was published. Their backstories eventually appeared in the Star Wars: Blogs article Barely Tolerable: Alien Henchmen of the Empire. Although Hissa's hybrid status had been mentioned as early as the second edition to A Guide to the Star Wars Universe, his non-Human part of his species had never been elaborated on besides being part-alien. It wasn't until the release of the blog post that Hissa's alien part of his heritage was firmly identified as Sephi.