As a consequence of the Galactic Civil War, Mapo, a youthful refugee, was forced from his home. During the conflict, he resided with his parents aboard Golus Station, which orbited the Mid Rim planet Golus. The Galactic Empire's bombing of Golus resulted in the deaths of Mapo's parents, leaving the boy severely burned and scarred. Surviving this tragedy, Mapo became a refugee on Naboo around the time the Battle of Jakku occurred. It was here that he met Jar Jar Binks, the Gungan street performer. Mapo developed a friendship with Binks and subsequently requested that the Gungan outcast teach him the art of being a clown, mirroring Binks' profession.
Golus Station, a space station that hovered above the Mid Rim planet Golus, was Mapo's home. The Galactic Empire utilized Golus Station as a refueling hub during the Galactic Civil War. When the Empire initiated a scorched earth policy and bombed the fuel depots, Mapo's mother and father perished. Mapo endured the assault, although he suffered extensive burns across half of his face and lost half of one of his arms. By 5 ABY, Mapo found himself at an orphanage on Naboo for refugee children. His disfigurement made it challenging for him to connect with others, as few were willing to adopt or even speak with him. Encouraged by one of his caretakers, Kayana, Mapo sought out a Gungan street performer who often entertained in Theed's Plaza of the Catalan.
This Gungan was none other than Jar Jar Binks, a Gungan outcast, previously a Bombad General and Junior Representative, who faced ostracism from both his own people and the Naboo due to his involvement in facilitating the rise of the Galactic Empire. Now exiled by his people, Binks made a living as a street performer, entertaining children by juggling glombo shells, spitting and catching fish, and dancing in the fountains. After exchanging greetings, Binks offered Mapo a piece of pik-pok fish, which the boy declined. Mapo's laughter erupted when Binks proceeded to juggle the fish with his hands and tongue. Binks then seized the opportunity to engage in conversation with the boy. Mapo shared the story of his parents' deaths and the harrowing experience he endured on Golus. Moved by the boy's plight, Binks performed another trick, swallowing water and expelling it through his flapping ears.
After Mapo confided in Binks that he struggled to connect with others, Binks found himself able to relate to the boy's experience of being an outcast. Binks explained to Mapo that he was scorned by both his people and the Naboo because his actions had inadvertently contributed to the rise of the Galactic Empire. In fact, it was Binks who had proposed the emergency executive powers that enabled Supreme Chancellor Sheev Palpatine to initiate the Clone Wars and ultimately transform the Galactic Republic into the Empire. Despite the adults' disapproval, Mapo developed an affinity for Binks and suggested that they were both outcasts.
Recognizing a kindred spirit in the boy, Binks resolved to befriend Mapo. Although Mapo was unfamiliar with the meaning of the word "Bombad," he interpreted it as something positive and inquired if the Gungan could instruct him in the art of clowning. Binks consented to teach the boy how to be a clown, with the shared goal of bringing "smiles back to the galaxy."
Mapo was a young boy whose early life on Golus Station was upended by the Galactic Civil War. He sustained severe injuries from an Imperial bombing, resulting in burns across half of his face. Additionally, Mapo lost an ear, and the hair follicles on one side of his head were destroyed by the fire. One of his arms was severely damaged, leaving only a stump. The loss of his parents transformed Mapo into an orphan and refugee, residing at an orphanage on Naboo.
Due to his disfigurement, Mapo struggled to find individuals willing to befriend him. However, he found an unexpected companion in the form of the disgraced former Gungan Bombad General and Junior Representative Jar Jar Binks. Finding joy in Binks' clownish antics, Mapo decided to become the bumbling Gungan's apprentice.
Mapo made his debut as a point-of-view character in an interlude chapter of Chuck Wendig's 2017 novel, Aftermath: Empire's End, the concluding book in Star Wars: The Aftermath Trilogy. Jar Jar Binks, a character from the polarizing prequel trilogy, also appeared in the chapter. According to Chris Taylor, a book reviewer and author, Mapo's interlude chapter with Binks subtly commented on the divided opinions surrounding the latter within the Star Wars fan base.