Jes Gistang was a female Human from Corellia who fought as a stormtrooper for the Galactic Empire of Darth Krayt around 137 ABY, during the time of the Second Imperial Civil War. As a child, she lived on the streets, but she was eventually taken in by the local Imperial Mission and subsequently chosen to serve in the Stormtrooper Corps. She quickly became a heavy-weapons expert within Joker Squad of the 407th Stormtrooper Division, where she operated the unit's BB-23 heavy blaster cannon, which they called the "big gun."
When Lieutenant Gil Cassel told Joker Squad that the 407th was assigned to destroy the 908th Stormtrooper Division on Borosk because they had defected to the forces of the ousted Emperor Roan Fel, Gistang became angry at the idea of killing fellow stormtroopers. She even suggested that Joker Squad should join Fel's forces instead. Despite her objections, Gistang participated in the Battle of Borosk when Joker Squad received their orders. However, she died on the second day of the battle when a stray blaster bolt hit one of her spare power packs for the big gun, causing an explosion that vaporized her.
Jes Gistang, a Corellian by birth, experienced a difficult childhood on the streets. Her life took a turn for the better when the Imperial Mission, an organization dedicated to spreading Imperial influence and providing assistance to worlds in need, intervened and offered her support. Through the Imperial Mission, Gistang entered Imperial service and was eventually selected for the Stormtrooper Corps. She became a member of Joker Squad within the 407th Stormtrooper Division, headquartered on Yinchorr under the command of Lieutenant Gil Cassel. Her role was to manage the squad's heavy artillery, including a BB-23 heavy blaster cannon known as the "big gun." However, like many stormtroopers, Gistang began to question her loyalty to the Empire after the Sith Lord Darth Krayt overthrew Emperor Roan Fel and took control of the galaxy.
In approximately 137 ABY, Sergeant Ran Harkas introduced Anson Trask to Gistang and the rest of Joker Squad. Trask was a new recruit, fresh from training on Yinchorr. Gistang joined the other members of Joker Squad in creating a betting pool to predict how long Trask would survive. She bet ten credits that he would only last six hours after landing, knowing that new troopers often had short lifespans. After Trask received a cold reception from the squad, Gistang casually suggested that he relax and not take it personally, explaining to the newcomer that his standard-issue equipment would be exchanged for more valuable items that Joker Squad needed.
Shortly after, Cassel arrived to inform them that the 908th Stormtrooper Division was planning to defect to Fel's forces. He explained that Grand Admiral Morlish Veed and the Council of Moffs, wanting to preserve the 908th's base on Borosk, had ordered the 407th to eliminate the traitors. Gistang was the first to openly question the order, expressing her dismay at being sent to kill fellow stormtroopers. However, Cassel quickly dismissed her objection, pointing out that the 908th was no longer an ally after their decision to go rogue. Cassel also mentioned that Joker Squad would be operating under the command of Sith Lord Darth Maleval because Krayt was unsure if the 407th would also defect. Despite their reservations, the troopers of Joker Squad agreed that their duty was to follow orders, and they prepared to capture the 908th's headquarters.
During the Battle of Borosk, Gistang and Joker Squad were ordered to lead the attack. Their initial objective was to secure the gun and shield emplacements along the perimeter wall of the 908th's base. Gistang played a crucial role in the battle, using the big gun to inflict significant damage on enemy targets. At one point, a 908th stormtrooper attempted to sneak up behind her, but Trask saved her life by eliminating the enemy, marking his first kill as a stormtrooper. Gaining confidence for the first time, Trask protected Gistang's back for the remainder of the day's fighting. The 407th eventually secured a gun platform and was allowed to rest for the night.
During the rest period, Gistang noticed that Trask was exhausted from his first day of combat and asked him if the battle matched his expectations. Trask explained that he had joined the 407th to follow in the footsteps of his father, a former member of the unit, and wondered what his father would have thought about killing fellow troopers. Gistang then briefly shared her own background before describing the personalities of the other members of Joker Squad. Meanwhile, Maleval confronted Cassel, ordering Joker Squad to lead the attack the next day and kill every member of the 908th as traitors, despite their reluctance to fight other stormtroopers. Maleval warned them that he would be watching and would kill them all if they hesitated.
Hondo Karr, a trooper in Joker Squad, brandished his vibroknife behind Maleval's back, causing the Sith Lord to use the Force push on him, creating an uproar among Joker Squad. Gistang started to go after Maleval herself, but Harkas forcibly ordered her to stand down, even though all the troopers secretly wanted to kill the Sith Lord. After Maleval left, Gistang angrily argued to Cassel that the Borosk operation was wrong and suggested that they should join the 908th, abandon the war, or even allow the 908th to escape. However, Harkas reminded them of their duty as troopers, and Gistang reluctantly agreed to complete the mission.
When the battle resumed, Joker Squad breached the main fortress of the 908th around midday. Inside the building's corridors, the fighting became close-quarters, but Joker Squad continued to advance and eventually entered the main mess hall. The 908th had set up gun emplacements on the upper-level walkways, and a stray blaster bolt struck one of the extra power packs that Gistang carried on her utility belt for the big gun. The resulting explosion killed Gistang and seriously injured Harkas. Nevertheless, the 407th captured the enemy fortress, while the 908th fought to the end.
Having grown up on the streets, Jes Gistang viewed Imperial service as a significant improvement over her previous life. She quickly integrated into the 407th Stormtrooper Division and became a skilled and responsible soldier. Her expertise with heavy weaponry made her a valuable asset in combat. Gistang displayed a dark sense of humor regarding Anson Trask's chances of survival when he joined Joker Squad, participating in a betting pool to predict his lifespan. After Trask survived his first combat experience and saved Gistang's life, she shared some details of her past with him.
Already questioning her loyalty to Darth Krayt's Empire, Gistang was deeply troubled by the order to eliminate a fellow stormtrooper unit that had defected to the enemy, a mission that challenged her ideals and courage. She openly expressed her anger to her superior officer, Lieutenant Gil Cassel, stating that the mission was wrong and suggesting that they should defect or desert the Imperial Army. After Darth Maleval threatened Joker Squad's lives and attacked Hondo Karr, Gistang became so enraged that she had to be restrained from attacking the Sith Lord. However, her sense of duty ultimately compelled her to fight in the battle, where she was killed.
Gistang was a female Human with red hair, blue eyes, and light skin. She typically wore her hair tightly braided behind her head during the mission to Borosk, but she sometimes wore it down.
While serving in the Imperial Army, Jes Gistang wore custom-fitted stormtrooper armor. As a heavy-weapons and artillery expert in Joker Squad, she was responsible for operating the unit's BB-23 heavy blaster cannon. This weapon provided significant firepower but required a new power pack every four shots. Gistang carried spare power packs on her armor's utility belt, a vulnerability that proved fatal when one of the packs exploded after being hit by a blaster bolt. Her equipment also included a missile launcher, a DLT-19 heavy blaster rifle, an ARC-9965 blaster rifle, an E-11 blaster rifle, two fragmentation grenades, and a medpac.
Jes Gistang appears in the fourth issue of the Star Wars: Legacy comic series, which was written by John Ostrander, illustrated by Travel Foreman, and published by Dark Horse Comics on October 11, 2006.
The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia, published in 2008, states in the Jes Gistang character entry that Gistang died when the power pack on her heavy blaster rifle was hit by enemy fire, causing an explosion. However, Legacy 4 shows that one of Gistang's spare power packs on her utility belt was hit. Additionally, the Legacy Era Campaign Guide, published in 2009, identifies the heavy weapon Gistang used as the BB-23 heavy blaster cannon.