Serving as a Captain within the Rebel Alliance, male Human Hanc Thorben was stationed at Haven Base located on the planet Arbra. During the Galactic Civil War, this officer also functioned as a pilot within Rogue Squadron. In 3 ABY, Thorben was a member of the Flying Bantha Squadron's four-person team during the Rebel's operation to eliminate the Empire's teezl device. Before participating in the mission, he personally oversaw the refitting of four Imperial TIE starfighters.
Rising to the rank of Captain by 3 ABY, Hanc Thorben, a male Human, contributed his technical abilities to the Rebel Alliance during the Galactic Civil War. Selected for a vital mission at the peak of the conflict, Thorben, an esteemed member of Rogue Squadron, became one of four Rogue pilots forming the specialized unit known as Flying Bantha Squadron. On the fringes of known space, the Galactic Empire discovered a powerful natural hyperspace communicator, the teezl, which could enable immediate mass coordination across the Imperial war machine. Recognizing its potential to alter the course of the war, Thorben and the Flying Banthas—under the command of Yavin hero Luke Skywalker—were charged with ensuring the teezl never reached the Imperial capital.
The Flying Banthas opted for a covert approach, acquiring four rebuilt Imperial TIE starfighters to blend in with the massive armada escorting the teezl. As Refit Supervisor, Thorben directly oversaw the preparation of these ships, leading a team of technical experts to implement crucial modifications, including increased laser cannon power, enhanced shielding, and the addition of an ejector seat. Despite his belief that the mission was suicidal, Thorben aimed to provide his team with the best possible chance of survival. Following successful tests during a sortie at the Imperial outpost of Spindrift, Thorben explored the Imperial base and discovered the route coordinates of the Imperial armada, equipping them with the necessary tools for the raid. Shortly after the Spindrift raid, Thorben accompanied Skywalker and other Rogues on a mission to Shalyvane, the homeworld of fellow Flying Bantha Shira Brie, to support Brie in performing a critical religious rite for her people. The Rebels were ambushed by Em'liy natives and found themselves trapped in an intense firefight, only escaping when Brie maneuvered around the Em'liy force and strafed their attackers with her X-wing.
When the moment arrived to launch the raid on the teezl's armada, Thorben, along with Skywalker, Brie, and Alph, secured recognition codes for the Imperial convoy from a captured TIE pilot before infiltrating the armada. Once in formation, the Flying Banthas launched their attack from within, causing widespread confusion among Imperial forces who struggled to identify the source of the attack. Admiral Mils Giel of the Empire responded by ordering the teezl to jam Rebel transmissions. Isolated from the rest of his squadron, Thorben sustained significant damage, forcing him to withdraw from the battle and return to Haven Base on Arbra. Thorben was one of only two Flying Banthas to return safely. Skywalker successfully destroyed the teezl and returned victorious, but Thorben greeted him with troubling news: the flight commander was under investigation for allegedly shooting down Brie in a friendly fire incident.
To Thorben's relief, Skywalker was exonerated of treason charges when it was revealed that Brie was an Imperial double agent. In the aftermath of the verdict, Thorben was speaking with fellow Rebel officer Gemmer Sojan when Sojan's comment about a glowing paperweight from the former Rebel base at Golrath Station piqued his interest. Upon examining the trinket, Thorben discovered that Golrath stone possessed the unique ability to replay events that had occurred nearby, potentially exposing Rebel secrets to Imperials investigating the facility. Thorben promptly reported this information to Rebel leadership, leading to a subsequent raid on Golrath that resulted in the station's destruction.
Hanc Thorben, a taciturn man with a receding hairline, possessed technical expertise that proved essential to the Flying Bantha Squadron's assault on the teezl. Despite his personal pessimism about surviving, Thorben dedicated himself to maximizing the chances of survival for himself and his fellow pilots. He held Luke Skywalker, his flight commander, in high regard, believing him to be the leader the Rebellion needed to secure victory. In addition to his technical prowess, Thorben was a skilled starfighter pilot and proficient in close-quarters blaster combat.
Hanc Thorben made appearances in several issues of the original Marvel Comics Star Wars run, with writing by David Michelinie and Walt Simonson and illustrations by Simonson and Tom Palmer. The 2003 Cory J. Herndon Wizards of the Coast article titled Arbra: Sanctuary In the Storm featured a section written from Thorben's perspective and was the first source to identify his first name as "Hanc."