A male human known as Kaplan held the rank of colonel within the ranks of the First Order. The events of 34 ABY saw Kaplan stationed inside a control center located within Hangar Six aboard the Finalizer, a Resurgent-class Star Destroyer, as it journeyed to the planet of Jakku. Their mission: to secure a fragment of a map that pinpointed the whereabouts of Jedi Master Luke Skywalker.
Following the capture of Resistance pilot Poe Dameron, who was brought aboard the Finalizer for questioning, Dameron and a defecting First Order stormtrooper identified as FN-2187 executed an escape. They stole a TIE/sf space superiority fighter from Hangar Six to facilitate their departure. The starfighter, still tethered by its support cable, failed to clear the hangar after takeoff. Petty Officer Thanisson promptly notified Kaplan of the unfolding escape attempt. As Dameron worked to sever the support cabling, FN-2187 unleashed a barrage upon the main control room, where Kaplan and Thanisson were situated, resulting in their deaths. The TIE fighter, however, sustained damage during the escape and ultimately crashed on Jakku.
During the conflict between the First Order and the Resistance, a splinter group from the New Republic, Kaplan, a male human, served in the military branch of the First Order. In 34 ABY, Kaplan achieved the rank of colonel and was assigned to the main control room of Hangar Six aboard the Finalizer, a Resurgent-class Star Destroyer.
The Finalizer's journey to the Jakku system and the planet of Jakku was prompted by the search for Lor San Tekka, a retired explorer who possessed a fragment of a map leading to Jedi Master Luke Skywalker. Following the deployment of First Order forces to Tuanul, San Tekka's village, the explorer met his death. Poe Dameron, a Resistance pilot, was captured, but Dameron's astromech droid, BB-8, successfully absconded with the map fragment, eluding capture by the First Order.
As the search for BB-8 intensified, Dameron was brought aboard the Finalizer for interrogation. However, FN-2187, a stormtrooper seeking to defect, freed the pilot. Under the guise of escorting the prisoner, the trooper led Dameron into Hangar Six and hastily boarded a TIE/sf space superiority fighter located in Bay Two. Their attempt to take off was thwarted when they discovered the starfighter was still connected to its support cabling, alerting Petty Officer Thanisson in the control room.
Thanisson promptly informed Kaplan of the unauthorized departure. Kaplan ordered that the TIE be prevented from escaping and that General Armitage Hux, the First Order's military head, be notified. Squads of stormtroopers armed with F-11D blaster rifles and FWMB-10 repeating blasters attempted to shoot down the starfighter, but FN-2187 successfully repelled them using the vehicle's Lb-14 dual heavy laser turret. The trooper then turned the turret on the control room, causing an explosion that shattered the windows and ejected Thanisson from his seat. Kaplan and the other officers attempted to evade the blast, but both Kaplan and Thanisson were killed. Once Dameron disconnected the support cabling, the fighter escaped the Finalizer and headed towards Jakku, only to be shot down by the battlecruiser and crash on the planet's surface.
Kaplan possessed fair skin and gray eyes. They shared a surname with a renowned warlord from the Galactic Empire, whose name was commemorated on bands worn by First Order colonels. Kaplan spoke Galactic Basic Standard with a distinct aristocratic accent.
Kaplan's attire consisted of a teal First Order military uniform, complete with a cap.
Pip Torrens portrayed Kaplan in Star Wars: Episode VII The Force Awakens, the 2015 film that launched the sequel trilogy. Their identification is in the credits. Kaplan shares a name with Michael Kaplan, the film's costume designer. The character also made an appearance in the film's novelization, penned by Alan Dean Foster and released alongside the film, where their single line of dialogue is slightly different.