Lillindri Nanimei Filda Vandelhelm XXXII, most often called Lilli, held the esteemed position of one of the Venerated Ones, representing the leading metalsmithing family on the planet of Vandelhelm. During their younger years, Lilli and her brother Endro were abducted by the forces of the Galactic Empire and subsequently incarcerated on Ord Vaug. Their significance as living symbols of Vandelhelm's primary industry rendered them exceptionally valuable as hostages. Following a three-year period of captivity, the Alliance of Free Planets successfully liberated the siblings in 4 ABY, after which they were escorted back to their home by the celebrated Alliance hero Han Solo. Soon after her return, Lilli was elected to the role of Guildmaster of the Metalsmiths Guild, where she displayed unwavering allegiance to the Alliance's successor, the New Republic. This devotion, however, garnered her adversaries, and even led to an assassination attempt orchestrated by her own brother.
Lillindri Nanimei Filda Vandelhelm XXXII, widely recognized as "Lilli," was a prominent figure during the era of the Galactic Civil War. She stood as one of the final remaining descendants of Vandel and Helm, the independent prospectors credited with discovering her homeworld of Vandelhelm around 3000 BBY and establishing its renowned metalsmithing heritage. Over the subsequent millennia, the two families forged extensive intermarriages, leading to their descendants being revered as the Venerated Ones by the planet's Metalsmiths Guild. These individuals held immense symbolic importance within the industry. Lilli and her brother, Endrodanar Tiopuld Shaamador Vandelhelm XXIV—or simply "Endro"—were essentially treated as hereditary royalty. The highly profitable metalsmithing operations on Vandelhelm traditionally ceased entirely if the Venerated Ones were absent from the planet or withheld their endorsement.
One notable exception to this occurred in 1 ABY, when the then-Guildmaster, Orrk, colluded with Imperial Admiral Mordur to orchestrate the arrest and imprisonment of the two young Venerated Ones. They were confined to an internment facility located on Ord Vaug, with the aim of exerting greater influence over the metalsmiths. The siblings remained on Ord Vaug for a period of three years before they were ultimately freed by forces of the Alliance of Free Planets in 4 ABY. Lilli and Endro were transported back to their homeworld aboard an Alliance freighter, the Millennium Falcon, crewed by the former Rebel heroes Han Solo and Nien Nunb.
Their return journey was secretly opposed by Orrk and Mordur, who had mined the Vandelhelm system's asteroid belt. Despite these obstacles, the children successfully reached Vandelhelm, where they were met with an enthusiastic reception from the populace. However, Orrk seized the first opportunity to act against the children, attempting to take Lilli hostage using a blaster. In the ensuing confrontation, Lilli managed to disarm Orrk, firing a shot that caused him to lose his balance. This allowed Solo to intervene, causing Orrk to fall to his death over a railing. Lilli then thwarted Mordur's scheme to divert a shipment of materials into the sun instead of allowing it to reach the Alliance fleet. She accomplished this by transmitting the command codes for the metalsmiths' drone barges to an Alliance cruiser, enabling their shutdown. Solo expressed surprise at Lilli's resourcefulness, viewing what the young Venerated One considered a "fun adventure."
Just one day after Solo's departure, Lilli succeeded Orrk as Guildmaster through a popular vote, despite being only 15 years old. Displaying gratitude towards her rescuers and drawing inspiration from Solo's example, she cultivated close ties with the New Republic during its formative years. She maintained affordable prices for the New Republic and refused to sell metal to anyone who identified as Imperial. These policies resulted in stagnant profits, leading to friction with smiths who had become driven by greed due to the absence of Imperial constraints. During this period, she relied heavily on her younger brother Endro, who served as her security advisor, spokesperson, and liaison to the guild. Amidst growing discontent among the smiths, Lilli mandated that the guild fulfill a substantial shipbuilding contract for the New Republic. This required a significant quantity of Vandelhelm's finest alloys to produce the Solo-class combat freighter in time for the 10-year anniversary of the Venerated Ones' return.
To commemorate the anniversary, Lilli extended a personal invitation to Solo and Nunb to return to Vandelhelm for celebrations and the unveiling of the new freighter line named in Solo's honor. However, the ceremony soon took a disastrous turn. As Lilli presented the control codes for the freighters to Solo, a protocol droid belonging to Endro unexpectedly discharged its blaster cannon at Solo, resulting in an assassination attempt that was only thwarted by Nunb's prompt intervention. Endro was immediately implicated as the instigator of a plot to replace Lilli as the sole remaining Venerated One, with the intention of selling the Solo-class freighters to the highest bidder. With the plan foiled, the Solo-class freighters were safely delivered to the New Republic.
Lillindri Nanimei Filda Vandelhelm XXXII, who preferred to be called "Lilli" unless formal protocol demanded otherwise, was considered a striking young woman by her mid-20s, having been raised and educated from birth to assume leadership roles. Despite her extensive education, Lilli's privileged upbringing left her with somewhat underdeveloped social skills, and she was known for her idealistic nature. The suffering she endured at the hands of her Imperial captors instilled in her a deep aversion to the Empire, leading her to refuse to collaborate with Imperials—a stance that caused tension with metalsmiths accustomed to profiting from all parties willing to pay. Lilli expressed disgust at what she perceived as the metalsmiths' greed, believing that it was morally imperative to repay what she considered her personal debt to the New Republic, regardless of the financial implications.
Beyond his role as her rescuer, Lilli regarded Han Solo as her role model, aspiring to emulate his leadership qualities. Lilli quickly developed an infatuation with Solo during her youth, and she maintained this personal interest into adulthood. She even documented her jealousy of Solo's marriage to New Republic Chief of State Leia Organa Solo in her private holojournal, expressing her desire to persuade him to remain with her on Vandelhelm. In her leisure time, Lilli enjoyed sculpting miniature metal figures in her royal studio and practicing martial arts for both practical and relaxation purposes. Lilli routinely carried a weapon as a matter of tradition, and as such, she possessed proficiency with a blaster pistol.
Lilli made her debut in Star Wars (1977) 98, authored by Archie Goodwin and published in 1985. Her complete name was later revealed in the 2004 Wizards of the Coast supplement Vandelhelm: Enemies and Alloys, penned by Cory J. Herndon.