Matt Talon was a male Human who functioned as a light scout trooper within the ranks of the First Sun Mobile Regiment, a mercenary group, during the era of the Galactic Civil War. During his time serving as a trooper for the First Sun, he sustained an injury during combat that resulted in a distinctive facial scar, stretching from his right eye down to the corner of his mouth on the right side. Following a near-total annihilation of his company in an Imperial attack, he grew disillusioned with his mercenary lifestyle and began a period of wandering throughout the galaxy. Throughout this period, he continued to don his First Sun Mobile battle armor and sought employment as a bounty hunter.
Talon's pursuit of his new profession was marked by a ruthless nature, which, coupled with his disdain for the Galactic Empire, began to steer him towards a morally questionable path. He eventually chose to align himself with the Rebel Alliance, where he was assigned to collaborate with a Sullustan named Thila aboard the starship known as the Arkanian Dawn. This decision proved to be beneficial for Talon, as his work with Thila fostered a profound sense of loyalty towards her. Together, they dedicated themselves to liberating slaves, frequently those enslaved by the Empire, and Talon's collaboration with Thila facilitated the channeling of his anger and disillusionment into a constructive purpose – supporting the Alliance's struggle against the Empire.
Born to a poor family on a small agricultural planet, Matt Talon, a male Human, sought a different life. Once he reached adulthood, he departed his homeworld in search of excitement and ultimately secured employment as a mercenary. Talon became a member of the First Sun Mobile Regiment, a mercenary organization that offered its services to the highest bidder, which often turned out to be the Galactic Empire. The unit specialized in Search, Locate, Annihilate Missions, also known as SLAMs. Within the organization, Talon served as a light scout trooper. During his time serving with the First Sun Mobile as a mercenary, Talon accumulated his fair share of injuries and scars, with the most prominent being a lengthy scar stretching from his right eye down to his mouth. Talon opted against surgical correction of the scar, recognizing its potential for intimidation.
On one occasion during the Galactic Civil War, the First Sun Mobile encountered an outpost accused of harboring Rebel sympathizers. The Empire tasked Talon's company with the destruction of the settlement. However, this decision provoked the ire of Imperial Intelligence, as they had not been afforded the opportunity to interrogate the settlers. Consequently, Moff Nile Owen issued an order for the elimination of the company responsible for the assault. The resulting massacre was exceptionally brutal, leading to the death of nearly the entire company at the hands of the Imperials. Only Talon and approximately a dozen other mercenaries managed to survive the ordeal. This event left Talon disillusioned with both the Empire and the First Sun Mobile Regiment, leading him to abandon his mercenary career.
Talon spent several years wandering the galaxy, working as a bounty hunter while making every effort to avoid attracting the attention of the Empire. He continued to wear the battle armor he had used as a member of the First Sun, even choosing to retain the unit's emblem on his right shoulder pad. Both factors contributed to his new role as a bounty hunter, although his brutal and vicious nature was what truly enabled him to succeed in his new profession. During this time, Talon came dangerously close to embracing a dark and malevolent path. He was inducted into The Most Honourable Guild of Armourers, an organization that brought together the foremost weapons specialists in the galaxy. Its membership included renowned bounty hunters such as Boba Fett and Dengar. Talon's membership in the Guild, combined with the accounts of his past activities, both as a trooper in First Sun and his exploits after leaving the regiment, created a reputation that often preceded him. While he had found a job that provided a stable income, Talon remained uncertain about his next steps until he inadvertently made contact with the Rebel Alliance and subsequently decided to join their ranks.
After Talon enlisted in the Alliance, his superiors decided to pair him with a Sullustan named Thila, who served as the captain of the starship Arkanian Dawn. Thila was an undercover operative working in the Outer Rim as a slaver. In reality, the slaves she supposedly butchered were secretly transported to Alliance safe havens, where they were granted their freedom and offered the opportunity to join the Rebel forces. Talon joined Thila in the covert operation as her bodyguard and took up residence on the Dawn.
Through his collaboration with Thila, Talon developed a deep respect for the Sullustan and formed a profound sense of loyalty to her. Talon's loyalty was so strong that he would not hesitate to sacrifice his own life to save hers. Upon being assigned to work with Thila, Talon abandoned his previous vicious and dark path, gaining the ability to perceive a different aspect of life: one that did not revolve around massacres, killing, and hunting criminals throughout the galaxy. Through her efforts in the Outer Rim, Thila was able to reinforce Talon's jaded opinion of the Empire and demonstrate what she perceived as the inherent evil that permeated its organization. Because he regularly witnessed the slavery perpetrated by Imperials, Talon came to share Thila's perspective, and he resolved to fully direct his anger and passions against his former employers.
Matt Talon was known for possessing a poorly concealed tendency towards violence, which proved beneficial in his career as a bounty hunter, and subsequently as Thila's bodyguard. When interacting with Thila, slavers often chose to avoid interference or in-depth scrutiny of her operations, fearing potential retaliation from Talon. Although he followed a dark path during his time as a bounty hunter, Talon's time with Thila aided him in cultivating convictions to channel his violent tendencies towards productive ends, specifically fighting the Empire, which he regarded as evil.
During his time as a mercenary with the First Sun Mobile Regiment, Talon showcased his capabilities as a natural soldier and excelled in his assigned role as a light scout trooper. When his company was massacred by the Empire, Talon was among the few First Sun soldiers to survive the attack. He was also proficient in the use of exotic weapons, which earned him a place on the roster of The Most Honourable Guild of Armourers. As a young man living an impoverished life on his homeworld, Talon longed for adventure, and he eventually ventured into the galaxy to find it. The man had jet black hair.
Talon wore a set of Scout Armor, and employed a Aratech Whisper Jumper jetpack. Talon's personal arsenal contained a SoroSuub QuickSnap 36T blaster carbine, a modified Merr-Sonn Happy Surprise hold-out blaster, and two vibroblades. He also carried a pair of macrobinoculars and a datapad with him at all times.
The character of Matt Talon was conceived and written by authors Simon Smith and Eric S. Trautmann for the West End Games sourcebook Galaxy Guide 9: Fragments from the Rim. Talon's illustration was created by artist Mike Vilardi.