Krane, a male Human, achieved the rank of admiral within the Alliance to Restore the Republic during the Galactic Civil War. This resolute officer, harboring an intense disdain for the Galactic Empire, firmly believed that the Alliance's triumph hinged on fielding a highly trained and effective combat force. In the year 3 ABY, Krane personally oversaw the training of the Rebel pilot known as "Rookie One" in the operation of an Imperial TIE fighter that had been captured. This training occurred just before the young pilot's mission to acquire one of the Empire's newly developed TIE phantom starfighters. Krane accompanied Rookie One during the initial phase of his journey to the planet Imdaar, playing a crucial role in repelling a squadron of TIE interceptors and ensuring Rookie One's safe arrival.
As a male Human existing in the time of the Galactic Empire, Krane joined the Alliance to Restore the Republic amidst the Galactic Civil War, eventually attaining the rank of admiral by 3 ABY. In the months following the Imperial assault on the Rebel base located on the planet Hoth, Alliance ships faced attacks from a novel Imperial weapon: the TIE/ph phantom. This starfighter, equipped with a cloaking device, could strike without being detected. Intelligence indicated significant Imperial naval activity near Imdaar in the Dantus sector of the Outer Rim Territories, with the Executor-class Star Dreadnought Terror deploying a full wing of these new starfighters.
The Alliance devised a plan to dispatch a pilot known as "Rookie One" to Imdaar. There, Rookie One was to link up with Rebel agent Ru Murleen, infiltrate the Terror, and seize a TIE phantom for analysis. In preparation for this mission, Rookie One underwent training in piloting TIE Series starfighters. Recognizing the mission's importance, Krane chose to personally instruct the young pilot. Flying two of the few operational TIE/LN starfighters captured by the Alliance, Krane and Rookie One navigated a misty canyon characterized by sharp turns and rocky formations. Krane was impressed when Rookie One successfully mirrored his maneuvers through the canyon, sustaining minimal damage to the unshielded starfighter, even selecting the more treacherous path at a fork in the canyon.
After the training, Krane, together with Darnell Reggs, escorted Rookie One on the initial leg of the journey to Imdaar, flying in a three-ship flight group of Y-wing starfighters. En route, the trio faced an attack from more than a dozen Imperial TIE/IN interceptors. Despite being significantly outnumbered, the Rebel pilots managed to destroy the Imperial fighters and escape unscathed. To improve the chances of slipping past Imperial defenses, Krane and Reggs separated from Rookie One and returned to base, allowing Rookie One to proceed alone to the planet Ceti 597, and then to Imdaar.
Rookie One and Murleen succeeded in capturing a TIE phantom, as well as destroying both the facility manufacturing the starfighters and the Terror itself. The pair arrived at the designated rendezvous point in the stolen starfighter, where Krane met them upon landing. The admiral expressed his gratitude for their success in neutralizing the TIE phantom threat and awarded Rookie One a medal. However, the captured TIE phantom's lifespan was brief, as it self-destructed shortly after reaching the Rebel facility.
Krane, a veteran Rebel officer, possessed a deep-seated animosity towards the Galactic Empire. Skilled in piloting both Rebel and Imperial starfighters, he also trained other pilots in their operation. In combat, Krane quickly organized his wingmates and ensured effective teamwork against overwhelming odds.
Convinced that the Alliance's victory depended on a well-trained and capable military, he maintained strict control over those under his command, demanding peak performance. This led to him being perceived as a stern figure lacking in interpersonal skills. Krane had dark eyes, fair skin, and gray hair during the Galactic Civil War.
Upon greeting Rookie One and Ru Murleen after their successful mission to Imdaar, Krane wore a tan Alliance officer's uniform and cloak. In combat scenarios, he wore a flight suit and helmet.
Krane was a character created for the 1995 LucasArts video game Star Wars: Rebel Assault II: The Hidden Empire, and was played by Craig C. Lewis. During the "TIE Training" level, players can choose between an easier canyon route or following Krane on a more challenging path. Krane's dialogue changes based on the player's choice, expressing surprise if Rookie One chooses the difficult route. If Rookie One is killed during the level, the game-over scene shows Krane returning to base, complaining about reckless recruits and the dwindling supply of TIE fighters.
Krane's congratulations to Rookie One at the game's end vary based on the chosen difficulty level. At "beginner" and "novice" levels, Krane offers a handshake, mentioning having faced tougher assignments. At "standard" difficulty, he presents a medal, while at "expert" difficulty, he presents a more elaborate medal. This article assumes the player selects the more difficult path during "TIE Training" and plays at the "expert" level.
Vincent Lee's storyboards and scripts for Rebel Assault II, dated November 16, 1994, included a brief description of Krane, much of which appeared in a short biography on the LucasArts website. However, the character's age of "late forties" was absent from the game, its manual, and online sources, only reappearing in Rob Smith's 2008 book, Rogue Leaders: The Story of LucasArts. Lee also noted that Tommy Lee Jones symbolized Krane. Both Lee's notes and the LucasArts website biography refer to him as "Commander Krane," but the game's dialogue and end credits call him "Admiral Krane."
Props and costumes from the original trilogy of Star Wars films were used during the Rebel Assault II filming. The flight helmet Krane wears while piloting a Y-wing is the same design as the one originally worn by Gold Leader Jon "Dutch" Vander in Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope.