Lonn Idd was a male Human who was the father of both Vik and Nikki Idd. He was a droid engineer who invented a laser device that the Fromm Gang desperately wanted in 15 BBY. They attempted to coerce him into installing the device—originally intended for research purposes—as a weapon on the starship belonging to their leader, Tig Fromm. Despite his initial resistance, he was ultimately compelled to comply when Nikki arrived, as the gang threatened to inflict harm upon Lonn's daughter should he persist in his refusal.
However, after the installation was complete, both he and Nikki were rescued when Vik, along with the protocol droid C-3PO (who was cleverly disguised in the protective armor of a Guardian Droid), created a diversion that allowed Nikki to spray Fromm with Nova Starlight perfume. Following this, the Idds successfully apprehended the gang members, and Lonn proceeded to repair R2-D2, the droid companion of C-3PO.
Vik and Nikki Idd were the offspring of Lonn Idd, a male Human engineer. As a well-known scientist during the early years of the Galactic Empire's reign, Lonn was particularly recognized for his work in droid development and other automata, frequently employing specialized lasers in his investigations. Lonn also invented a laser device to aid in his droid research. However, in 15 BBY, members of the Fromm Gang, namely Tig Fromm and Vlix Oncard, invaded Lonn's repair station. They were interested in his lasers and mistakenly believed him to be a defenseless old man whose only companions were his children.
Fromm restrained him to a chair and attempted to use an interrogator droid to force him to install the device on his starship for use as a weapon. Lonn initially refused, but just as Oncard began to activate a device to threaten him, Nikki arrived, wondering why her father hadn't greeted her and Vik upon their arrival as usual. Upon seeing what Oncard was doing, she rushed in to intervene. Lonn cried out in alarm at his daughter's presence, as Fromm now had leverage to compel the scientist's cooperation: threatening Nikki.
Lonn pleaded with the gang members not to harm Nikki, who was, in the meantime, devising an escape plan. She stomped on Oncard's foot, causing him to move aside and enabling her to activate a monitor so that her brother and the droids R2-D2 and C-3PO could witness the situation. Fromm once again ordered Lonn to install the device, leaving the scientist with no alternative. He fully installed the laser, hoping that Fromm and his associates would leave promptly. Instead, Fromm decided to test the laser on the Idds' station. However, as he informed them of the planned destruction, a Guardian Droid appeared behind him. Lonn was uncertain of its origin, but Vik, noticing the droid's shaking knees, realized it was on their side.
Fromm, intrigued by the droid's potential value on the black market, demanded that the Idds hand over the control disk for it. Vik devised a plan and instructed his sister to hand it over—despite the fact that they had no control disk. Not realizing this at first, Vik reminded her of what was in her pocket: a disk of Nova Starlight perfume, which Nikki then sprayed in Fromm's face. While Fromm was distracted, the Guardian Droid—protected by strong armor—attacked the gang's hover guard droids, overwhelming them and then cornering the gang members so Vik could drop a large packing net on them.
Lonn approached the captured gang, assuring Fromm that he would contact the authorities. Vik then revealed that the "Guardian" was actually C-3PO in disguise. Once out, C-3PO's next concern was R2-D2, who had sustained damage during the journey to rescue the Idds. Being a droid engineer, Lonn repaired Artoo while Nikki recounted her experiences prior to their arrival. Once he had completed the repairs, he promised the droids that his children could fly them to the nearest Intergalactic Droid Agency when they were ready, but Artoo refused—he insisted that someone tell him what had happened, which caused all of the Idds to laugh.
Lonn Idd pursued research for the sake of science, not for weapons. He successfully resisted the Fromm Gang's attempts to force him to weaponize his device, even though their intimidation caused him to sweat profusely. However, he relented once his daughter became involved. Idd had white hair and a fair complexion.
As a renowned scientist, Lonn Idd's children held his skills in high regard. Nikki claimed that he could repair any droid in the universe.
Idd wore a green jumpsuit, yellow-orange shoes, and yellow-orange spectacles. He utilized a variety of tools while repairing R2-D2.
Lonn Idd was created for the second issue of the Star Wars: Droids comic series, which was authored by David Manak, illustrated by John Romita Sr., and published by Marvel Comics on March 18, 1986. While the issue depicts Idd's laser device as already constructed, with the Fromm Gang coercing him to install it on their ship, "The Droids Re-Animated," a StarWars.com article penned by Rich Handley and Abel G. Peña and published on June 13, 2013, asserts that Fromm intended for Idd to build it for him. This article defers to the comic.