Laren Joma, a human serving the Alliance to Restore the Republic, worked as a pilot operating a U-wing. As Blue Eleven of Blue Squadron, her duties frequently involved transporting troops, with the Iakaru named Bistan acting as her door gunner. She called him "space monkey" as a nickname, accepting his high energy due to his exceptional accuracy. During the events of 1 BBY, she and her squadron were deployed to assist rebels in their attempt to steal the plans for the Death Star superweapon located on the planet Scarif.
Once inside the Scarif system, Joma, along with her co-pilot, Taslet Colb, navigated their U-wing through the planet's Shield Gate. Subsequently, they collaborated with the rest of Blue Squadron to eliminate a contingent of All Terrain Armored Cargo Transports that were attacking the ground-based rebels. Following this, Joma and Colb delivered the reinforcements being carried by their U-wing, before perishing when their starship was downed by TIE strikers.
Laren Joma served the Alliance to Restore the Republic as a human Warrant Officer. She piloted a UT-60D U-wing starfighter/support craft with the callsign Blue Eleven, as part of the Alliance's mixed-vessel Blue Squadron. Her duties often involved transporting troops with the Iakaru Bistan manning the door gunner position. The squadron was stationed within the Massassi Group at the rebel's Great Temple base on the moon of Yavin 4. In 1 BBY, a portion of the squadron was mobilized for a mission to strike an Imperial facility located on the planet of Eadu.
Not long after the mission's survivors returned, the Rebel Council, the Alliance's leadership, rejected proposals to attack another Imperial facility on Scarif. The goal was to steal the plans for the Galactic Empire's Death Star superweapon. Ignoring this decision, a group of rebels went against orders and journeyed to Scarif to obtain the plans. When Imperial communications regarding this attack reached Yavin 4, Admiral Raddus led the Alliance fleet to Scarif to support the rebels. Blue Squadron was fully mobilized for the first time for this mission. Joma served as the pilot of a U-Wing, with Lieutenant Taslet Colb as her co-pilot and Bistan operating the door turret. Tasked with deploying rebel ground reinforcements, including Private Talwer, Corporal Walea Timker, and Corporal Rodma Maddel, on Scarif, Joma piloted the craft through hyperspace alongside the rest of the fleet en route to the Scarif system.
Upon arriving in the system, Raddus directed Blue Squadron toward Scarif's surface, requiring passage through the Empire's planetary shield via a Shield Gate. Following Blue Leader Antoc Merrick, Joma and the squadron raced toward the gate as the Empire moved to close it. Merrick and Joma successfully passed through before the gate closed, although hers was the only U-wing to do so. Other squadron members either crashed into the barrier or diverted to engage in fighting outside the shield.
Inside, the surviving members regrouped on Merrick and located the rebel forces on the surface. These forces were under attack by a group of All Terrain Armored Cargo Transports. After Merrick destroyed one of the walkers during a pass, the squadron circled back. Joma broke off to circle another walker, positioning the U-Wing so Bistan could target one of the walker's leg joints. The Iakaru successfully destroyed the joint, causing the vehicle to fall. Joma then rejoined the squadron.
With the walker threat neutralized, Merrick instructed Joma to deploy her reinforcements while he and the other starfighter pilots provided aerial cover. Joma hovered her craft low over one of Scarif's beaches in front of the rebel forces already engaged in combat. The troopers on board exited the craft with a cheer and joined their comrades. Joma then took off again and rejoined Blue Squadron.
As the battle intensified, the squadron became increasingly scattered. TIE strikers shot down Merrick and other fighters. Four strikers then charged directly at Joma's craft, with one destroying the ventral port engine. As the U-wing plummeted toward the ground, Joma warned Bistan and the rest of her crew. However, the gunner, the pilot, and Colb were all killed when the vessel exploded upon impact. Despite these heavy losses, the rebels successfully recovered the Death Star plans from Scarif and escaped with them.
Laren Joma possessed a stern demeanor, evident in her physical appearance. However, she maintained a balanced temperament and enjoyed the company of others, as long as they maintained a professional attitude, even if they differed greatly from her.
This explains why she tolerated Bistan's youthful exuberance—whom she playfully called "space monkey"—because of the Iakaru's impeccable aim. Serving as his "delivery driver," she maintained a steady flight to support the Iakaru's aim and protect those aboard her vessel. Cool-headed and generally unflappable, she demonstrated exceptional composure in the most challenging situations. Joma had light skin, brown [hair](/article/hair], and brown eyes.
Joma exhibited above-average intelligence, coupled with average speed and combat skills. Her strength and diplomatic abilities were slightly below average, and she lacked Force-sensitivity.
When piloting a U-wing, Joma wore a blue flight suit with a white flak vest, a white flight harness, white gloves, and black boots. Her flight helmet featured red sides and a black central strip adorned with a red starbird on the front. She also utilized a high-atmosphere specialist life support pack instead of the standard Novaldex Diagnostech life support unit, as U-wings frequently required open side doors at high altitudes to deploy troops or allow the door gunner to engage targets.
Laren Joma made her debut in the Anthology Series film Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, released on December 16, 2016. Prior to the film's release, footage of Joma's U-wing in action was initially revealed in the Story Trailer for Rogue One, released on August 11, 2016. The character's identity was first confirmed in the reference book Star Wars: Rogue One: The Ultimate Visual Guide, authored by Pablo Hidalgo and released concurrently with the film. Within the guide, an illustration by Kemp Remillard depicting Joma's U-wing during the Battle of Scarif erroneously placed her in the port seat and Colb in the starboard seat, contradicting the film's depiction of her in the starboard seat. This error was repeated in the 2020 reference book Star Wars Complete Vehicles, New Edition.