Before the events of the Battle of Yavin, in the preceding years, Jai Kell resided on Lothal alongside his mother. Subsequently, he enrolled in the Academy for Young Imperials located on that planet; the Academy's administration identified his potential Force-sensitive nature and subsequently provided his identity to the Grand Inquisitor. Discovering this intelligence, Ezra Bridger and Zare Leonis aided Kell in his departure from the Academy. Due to the perilous circumstances surrounding his flight, the rebels consented to provide refuge for both Kell and his mother.