Orson Callan Krennic

Orson Callan Krennic, a human male, was born in Sativran City on the planet Lexrul in the year 51 BBY. At fifteen years old, he secured a spot in the Galactic Republic's Future Program on Brentaal, where he met and became friends with Galen Erso, a fellow student. Despite their contrasting personalities—Erso needed encouragement to attend social events, while Krennic's late-night revelry became legendary in the Futures Program—Krennic graduated with honors, surprising his classmates.

Although they worked well together, Erso, being older, was overshadowed by Krennic's commanding personality and charisma. While Krennic's official area of expertise was architecture, his counselors also noted his exceptional ability to manipulate and understand others. After spending time in the program, he accepted a position in the Republic Corps of Engineers, where he oversaw significant construction projects both on planets and in deep space. This increased influence allowed Krennic to arrange a visiting professorship for Erso at the Institute of Applied Science, coinciding with Erso's focus on kyber crystal research.

Krennic advanced to become a member of the Republic's Strategic Advisory Cell. Although he was publicly known as a member of the Corps of Engineers, only those within the cell were aware of his involvement in the top-secret Republic Special Weapons Group. As part of this group, Krennic resumed his studies, focusing on the weapons designed for the Grand Army by companies like Rothana and Kuat, as well as the engineering work done for the Separatists by Baktoid, Hoersch-Kessel Drive, and others.

During a meeting discussing the Death Star schematics, obtained by the Republic after the Second Battle of Geonosis, the debate centered on whether the Republic could build such a weapon before the Separatists. A basic ring structure was already complete, but challenges arose with the construction workforce and the superweapon needed to power the station. Krennic met with Vice Chair Mas Amedda to discuss the weapon, suggesting the use of his former colleague Galen Erso's work. Erso had been researching the use of crystals for power, with a recent focus on kyber crystals. Erso was currently imprisoned by the Separatists on Vallt, but Krennic believed his research could be weaponized. Amedda agreed to let Krennic arrange for his rescue, but Krennic had to do so discreetly, without revealing the Republic's involvement.

Krennic enlisted the help of smuggler Has Obitt to travel to Merj, where they and a team of smugglers captured two Separatist Morseerian scientists. Disguised as employees of Zerpen Industries, the company Galen Erso worked for, Krennic arranged to exchange the two scientists with the Separatists for Galen, Lyra, and their daughter, Jyn Erso. As they left the planet, they were intercepted by a Separatist warship. Krennic called for assistance from Commander Prakas, who arrived in a Republic cruiser and opened fire on Vallt, destroying the Keep where the Ersos had been held, much to their dismay. To persuade Galen to abandon his pacifist beliefs, Krennic took them to Galen's home planet of Grange, which was under siege. However, Galen remained neutral in the Clone Wars. Despite wanting the engineer's knowledge and talents, Krennic knew Galen would need to come to his own decision based on knowledge rather than simple persuasion.

Upon returning from Vallt, Krennic arranged a meeting with Geonosian archduke Poggle the Lesser, a prisoner of the Republic. Drawing on his knowledge of the Geonosians from his studies in the Strategic Advisory Cell, Krennic appealed to Poggle, referencing his hive's work on the Droid Army and the Death Star plans. Knowing that the Geonosis hives would revert to their barbaric infighting without their archduke and construction projects, Poggle agreed to help build the battle station.

Shortly afterward, Galen Erso presented Krennic with plans for an energy facility project, which Krennic promptly declined. Mas Amedda arranged a meeting with Krennic to discuss the unauthorized attack on Vallt and the interrogation of Poggle, but Krennic's progress on the Death Star won Amedda's favor. Krennic then attended a Futures Program reunion, where he saw Galen Erso accused of siding with the Separatists for not actively helping the Republic since his capture on Vallt by Dagio Belcoze, which Krennic approved of.

Krennic joined Poggle back on Geonosis, where he endured days of gladiatorial games in the Petranaki Arena to celebrate Meckgin. Poggle announced that the hive would construct the Death Star, leading the Geonosians to cheer and intensify their combat.

Poggle, though not entirely convinced, reasoned that assigning the drones tasks below their skill level would ultimately increase their output. The Geonosians made significant progress on the Death Star, which soon evolved from a ring to a gyroscopic shape. Meanwhile, Krennic arranged for the espionage charges against Erso to be dropped, hoping to gain favor and convince him to join Project Stardust. Ultimately, Krennic desired more influence in the Republic and independence from his long-time rival Admiral Wilhuff Tarkin, whom he despised. Krennic contacted Galen about a job at Helical HyperCom, a large production facility on Lokori, hoping the mundane nature of the facility and the continuous Separatist attacks would make Galen more desperate for a fulfilling job.

Awakened one night by his comlink, Krennic learned that the Death Star's early stages were in jeopardy, with Geonosian drones destroying three months of work and the marines occupying the facility. Poggle revealed that he had ordered the drones to rebel and escaped to return to Count Dooku, severely damaging Krennic's reputation.

Shortly after Poggle the Lesser's betrayal, the Clone Wars ended, and the Republic became the Galactic Empire. Krennic served as an Imperial officer in the new regime. He met with the Ersos on Kanzi after learning that Galen had been offered a permanent administrative position on Lokori. Krennic then offered Galen a role in Project Celestial Power, implying its primary goal was to bring power to planets devastated by the Clone Wars. Galen accepted and would work on Coruscant in a new facility.

Galen Erso began intensive research on the kyber crystals Krennic provided, while Tarkin met with Krennic in a shipyard on Kartoosh. Krennic explained the Death Star's potential power, which Tarkin viewed with skepticism, and announced his plans to select worlds for exclusive mining of resources essential to the Death Star's construction. Tarkin favored Krennic's promises and allowed him to exceed his authority to secure the necessary resources, bringing them further under Tarkin's control. Krennic would use Has Obitt and other smugglers for operations that would require the Empire to seize control of mining corporations. This would give Krennic the resources he needed and turn the smugglers against the Empire, which he could later use to oppose anyone hindering his advancement.

Lyra Erso grew suspicious of the Empire's true intentions for Project Celestial Power and informed Galen. Krennic, having access to surveillance recordings, became wary of Lyra's influence on Galen.

In attempts to weaponize Galen's research, a research facility on Malpaz exploded, resulting in significant loss of life and a mass exodus. Krennic ensured it was portrayed as an attack. He then met with Mas Amedda again, suggesting a promotion to give the impression that the project was progressing smoothly. Krennic suggested being promoted to Rear Admiral, but he was promoted to the lower rank of full Commander.

Krennic met with the Erso family after Lyra discussed with a former colleague of Galen Erso, who believed Krennic was responsible for the Malpaz incident. Krennic suggested Lyra take a break from parenting and return to exploring. With Lyra out of the picture, Krennic called Galen to meet privately. Galen mentioned Lyra's doubts, as well as his own. Galen was shown the devastation on Malpaz, and Krennic claimed it was an attack by those seeking to destabilize the Empire. Galen was upset to see his work attacked by those who wanted to ruin lives. Krennic manipulated Galen to his side, and Galen agreed to work more intensely but in complete secrecy, even from Lyra.

Around 18 BBY, Governor Tarkin summoned Krennic to attend a summit at his compound, Raven's Peak, on his homeworld Eriadu. Also present were General Hurst Romodi, Admiral Barton Coburn, and Chief Scientist Doctor Royce Hemlock of the Advanced Science Division. After Romodi and Hemlock discussed their projects, Tarkin asked Krennic to update them on Project Stardust, which he gladly did. Hemlock was particularly interested in Krennic's work, knowing its importance to Emperor Palpatine. The compound was then attacked by Partisans and Clone Force 99, the latter trying to trace Hemlock to his secret base. Tarkin assured Krennic, Coburn, and Romodi they were safe due to the lockdown system and continued the summit, with Hemlock being the only one who believed in Tarkin. Nonetheless, the compound was damaged, angering Tarkin.

With Galen under his control, Krennic then set a trap for Tarkin. Obitt, angered by the destruction he had indirectly caused for Krennic, staged a rebellion with Saw Gerrera against the Imperial occupation of the Salient system and Zerpen Industries headquarters. Knowing Tarkin would not back down for fear of making the Empire look weak, he was preoccupied while Krennic advanced his plan without Tarkin's involvement. During this battle, Galen's research progressed, and Krennic created a prototype weapon. From aboard a Star Destroyer, Krennic tested the superweapon, aiming it at two black holes known as The Hero Twins to prevent any incident like Malpaz. At Krennic's command, the weapon fired, its beams racing into the black holes. It was a successful weaponization of Galen's research, securing their place in history. At some point during these tests, Krennic admitted to the Emperor that the station's primary weapon was not fully operational yet.

When Darth Vader arrived on Geonosis to investigate sabotage on Project Stardust, Krennic greeted him. They were then attacked by an explosion, nearly burying them alive. Vader used the Force to lift the rubble. In his office, Krennic told Vader he suspected Tarkin was behind the attack but had no proof, informing Vader of several sabotaged accidents. Vader assured Krennic the perpetrator would be found. Krennic was visited by Vader after his investigation on Coruscant, showing him an Ootheca egg found in Galen Erso's Office. He told Vader that Erso received blueprints from the Geonosians and that a rogue infestation must have sent him the egg for Erso's help. Krennic supplied Vader with a squad of death troopers to deal with these Geonosians.

When Lyra returned to Galen from her expedition on Alpinn, she found him distant and under pressure. Krennic had assigned Has Obitt to take her to Alpinn, having learned that Obitt had shown her the destruction of worlds he smuggled for on Krennic's behalf. Krennic informed Lyra that her disruption of Galen's research would severely set back the project and could cause trouble for her family. Elated with the successful test, Krennic met with Project Celestial Power workers on Hypori. There, Reeva Demesne, a former colleague of Galen and friend of Lyra Erso, inquired about their work, noting its unprecedented scale. Krennic was accused of using their research for a superweapon, and their destruction was ordered.

Concerned about the lack of updates from Krennic and obsessed with kyber crystal research, Galen realized he had neglected his daughter Jyn. Lyra met with Galen, realizing they were under surveillance following Krennic's threat to their family. She had tried to contact Reeva Demesne, but she was no longer listed as an employee, nor were other workers and friends. Lyra had a friend from her journey to Alpinn, Nari Sable, relay data from Malpaz and Hypori, finding evidence of destruction caused by the Empire, contradicting Krennic's claims of anarchist attacks. They arranged a meeting with Krennic, questioning the devastated planets and Reeva. Krennic interpreted the meeting as a trap, leaving and planning the possible removal of Lyra and Jyn from Galen's life. On his way back, Krennic received a transmission from Tarkin about Has Obitt's arrival on Coruscant. Krennic assumed Obitt planned revenge and perhaps to retrieve the Ersos. Krennic raced back, only to find Obitt alone—the Ersos had vanished with Saw Gerrera's help. Krennic was demoted by Amedda back to Lieutenant Commander. Angered, he vowed to find the Ersos again, leaving no stone unturned, while Tarkin observed him from afar.

Sometime after losing the Ersos, Krennic was promoted to director and sent the KX-series security droid K-4D8 to Agaris under official orders to assist Tarkin in overseeing the transportation of the first shipment of quadanium back to Sentinel Base.

Having secured a prestigious position within Imperial Intelligence, Krennic leveraged every resource available to locate Galen Erso. In the year 13 BBY, Krennic finally tracked down the Erso family on the isolated world of Lah'mu, where they were living a quiet existence as farmers. Touching down near their dwelling in his personally assigned Delta-class T-3c shuttle, Krennic approached cautiously, flanked by his squad of death troopers. Alerted to the sudden appearance of Imperial forces, Galen instructed his daughter to hide, guided by his wife, while he went to confront his former associate outside their home. When Krennic voiced his surprise at Erso's choice of a secluded, agricultural life, the scientist concurred, falsely claiming that Lyra had died. Unconvinced, Krennic ordered a search of the house and then turned to Erso, explaining the purpose of his visit. He revealed that the Death Star project was incomplete and that Erso's expertise in crystallography was essential for its finalization. Erso objected on ethical grounds, but their discussion was interrupted by Lyra, who appeared, aiming a concealed blaster at the Imperial officer, attempting to prevent her husband's capture. When she refused to lower her weapon, Krennic commanded his troopers to eliminate Lyra, but not before she managed to wound him with a blaster shot to the shoulder. Subsequently, Krennic was once more united with Galen, while Jyn remained hidden from the troopers' search.

Sometime after 5 BBY, Krennic found himself at odds with the ambitious lieutenant and overseer within the Imperial Security Bureau, Dedra Meero.

As the project progressed twelve years later, its secrecy began to erode. Krennic was informed by Captain Wells that Gerrera, along with two other rebel operatives, had seized a cargo vessel transporting a massive kyber crystal, ultimately leading to the destruction of the valuable asset. These rebels had previously discovered and annihilated a similar kyber crystal and had uncovered evidence of a substantial Imperial construction endeavor on Geonosis. At some point, after reviewing files from Imperial Intelligence, Krennic discovered that the planet Mustafar was the location where Vader sustained injuries that resulted in the loss of his limbs.

Despite Gerrera's quest for answers, Krennic successfully maintained support for his project, surpassing his rivals. For example, Grand Admiral Thrawn was notified by Tarkin that his TIE/d "Defender" Multi-Role Starfighter initiative was in jeopardy, hinting at its uncertain future as Krennic sought to persuade the Imperial Security Bureau to reallocate funding to Project Stardust. Simultaneously, funding for Hemlock's Imperial cloning program had been entirely redirected to Stardust following Hemlock's demise in an attack led by Clone Force 99. Although Tarkin confided in Thrawn that he regarded Krennic's project as a mere drain on the Empire's resources and a source of excuses, much like Hemlock's before its termination, Tarkin secretly intended to assume control of Project Stardust once it proved successful. In the interim, he distanced himself from it to attribute any failures to Krennic.

Around 1 BBY, Krennic was present at the yearly Imperial Ball on the eighteenth anniversary of Empire Day. His prominent status, along with his choice to wear his distinctive white cape, created during the early Clone Wars when he was in the engineering Corps, attracted attention at the elegant gathering. Indeed, inspired by his presence, Krennic's subordinate Tifino drunkenly disclosed sensitive details about the project to the inquisitive HoloNet journalist Calliope Drouth. Within earshot of Krennic, an intoxicated Tifino revealed the Imperial commander's interest in the sacred moon Jedha. Tifino's companion, shuttle pilot Ianna Wick, added that Krennic's fascination with Jedha stemmed from its kyber crystal deposits. Later in the evening, Drouth's malfunctioning reporting droid stumbled and fell at Krennic's feet, prompting him to retrieve the unit and offer to repair it. Aware of the sensitive information the droid had recorded, Drouth initially declined, but the droid eventually reactivated. Drouth subsequently managed to disseminate the information she had gathered in her news report using subtle hand gestures.

Later that year, Tarkin convened a meeting to address the various delays plaguing Project: Stardust. Although initially planned for Coruscant, the meeting was relocated to the Imperial Star Destroyer Firedrake. During the meeting, Tarkin proposed that Thrawn wager the funding for his TIE Defender project on his ability to resolve a problem with Stardust supply lines. Thrawn agreed, and Krennic reluctantly concurred. However, Krennic proceeded to impose time constraints and other limitations on the Grand Admiral's task. Krennic hoped that Thrawn would fail within the specified timeframe, allowing the Defender program's funding to be diverted to Stardust.

Krennic dispatched his loyal aide, Assistant Director Brierly Ronan, to accompany Thrawn during the operation. Although Thrawn resolved Project Stardust's issue, the specifics of his success did not strictly adhere to Krennic's requirements. Consequently, the TIE Defender program's funding was allocated to Project Stardust, which was Krennic's objective, since it was scrapped for good during a colossal blunder that shuttered the Imperial Armory Complex on Lothal indefinitely caused by Governor Arihnda Pryce but Tarkin assured Thrawn that his funding would be restored once Krennic's project was fully armed and operational and agreed to implement his suggestion of having Lord Vader protect it until the first test but unknown to the Director of the Imperial Weapons Division, the Chiss made it to coerce Ronan to join the Chiss Ascendancy because he knew the Assistant Director couldn't keep his contempt for Emperor Palpatine hidden from his apprentice likewise from Krennic.

As Project Stardust approached completion in 0 BBY, Krennic boarded Tarkin's Star Destroyer, the Executrix, and observed the long-awaited installation of the superlaser in the Governor's presence. Impatient, Tarkin confronted Krennic with news of a recent security breach — a defecting cargo pilot who had revealed the nature of the superweapon to Gerrera's rebels. When Tarkin questioned whether the Senate discovered his project and countless systems would join the Rebellion, Krennic countered that the completed Death Star would negate the need for secrecy. Tarkin, still unconvinced, cautioned the Director and proposed that the superweapon be tested on Jedha, where news of the superweapon was leaked, warning him of those he would have to confront if the test was a failure.

Confident in the superweapon he had dedicated nineteen years to developing, Krennic defiantly assured Tarkin that he would not fail. Nevertheless, Krennic entertained the possibility that Tarkin was orchestrating his downfall, such that if the Death Star failed in its objective at Jedha, Tarkin would leverage his alliance with Vader to shield himself from the repercussions that would theoretically befall him and Krennic. Krennic then resolved to reach out to his contacts within Tarkin's inner circle while simultaneously making final preparations for the Death Star.

Upon the Death Star's completion, Krennic convened with the Governor and other high-ranking Imperial officials, ordering the battle station into orbit above Jedha. However, the Director was disappointed by the absence of both the Emperor and his favored emissary, Darth Vader, from the occasion. Tarkin explained that their absence served as a safeguard for Krennic in the event of another failure during the weapon's testing.

Determined to overcome this disappointment and showcase the full potential of the Death Star, Krennic prepared the superlaser to obliterate the entirety of the desert moon. Tarkin, however, mandated a weaker blast to minimize public exposure. Conceding, Krennic targeted Jedha City and, culminating decades of effort, obliterated the city with a single-reactor ignition of the superlaser. As he observed the shock waves of the blast spreading across the moon's surface, Krennic commented on its beauty. The resulting explosion reduced the city, Saw Gerrera's extremist rebel group, and the last vestiges of the Jedi to ashes.

The blast exceeded Tarkin's expectations and quelled any remaining doubts about the Death Star's viability as a weapon for the Empire. Impressed by its power, the Grand Moff promptly announced his assumption of command over the battle station. An incensed Krennic openly challenged Tarkin, asserting that the Death Star was his achievement. Yet Tarkin, unfazed, deemed Krennic incompetent and revealed that the defecting pilot had originated from the Imperial facility on Eadu, all under the Director's supervision. Still enraged, Krennic departed to address the defector personally.

At a meeting of the Joint Chiefs in the Death Star conference room, Krennic vehemently reaffirmed the battle station's destructive capabilities, slamming his fist on the conference table and insisting that it could annihilate far more than just a city. Cassio Tagge, present at the meeting as Chief of the Imperial Army, admired Krennic's resolve but found his behavior somewhat immature.

Driven to locate the Rebel collaborator, Krennic arranged a meeting with Erso and his team of scientists — Sirro Argonne, Rasett Milio, Vlex Onopin, Ames Uravan, and Feyn Vann — at their laboratory on the stormy planet Eadu. Krennic, accompanied by his squadron of death troopers, arrived and assembled Erso's research team. Gathering them on an open platform, the Director announced his knowledge of the conspiracy and demanded that the traitor reveal himself. When no one responded, Krennic concluded that the scientists had conspired in a "group effort" and prepared his troopers for a firing squad execution. At that moment, Erso intervened and confessed to the act, but the Director ordered the other scientists executed regardless. Krennic then knocked Erso to the ground, informing him of the successful firing of the Death Star's superlaser upon Jedha City. Suddenly, the two were attacked by several Rebel T-65B X-wing starfighters in an ambush that resulted in Galen's death and forced Krennic to flee, but not before spotting Erso's daughter, who arrived on Eadu at the same time.

With Erso silenced, Krennic sought to regain control of the Death Star from Tarkin. However, he recognized that the only way to supplant the Governor was to secure the favor of Emperor Palpatine. Determined to obtain an audience, Krennic's opportunity arose when he received a summons from Darth Vader to visit his personal stronghold on the planet Mustafar. Despite his apprehension towards the enigmatic Sith Lord, the Director knew that Vader had direct access to the Emperor and could potentially request that the reclusive ruler grant Krennic an audience.

Upon arriving on Mustafar, Krennic was greeted by Vader on a platform overlooking the volcanic landscape of the planet. The Sith Lord expressed his concern that the Death Star had become more of a liability than the solution it was intended to be, citing Krennic's inability to maintain the project's secrecy. The Director defended himself and his creation, asserting that he had delivered a remarkable weapon to the Emperor. He requested that the Sith Lord grant him an opportunity to personally meet with Emperor Palpatine and inform him of the Death Star's unprecedented potential. Vader was far more concerned with the growing awareness of the battle station's existence. Rumors had reached the higher echelons of the Empire regarding the destruction of Jedha City and the attack on the Eadu facility by the Rebellion. While Krennic attempted to shift blame onto Governor Tarkin for ordering the demonstration on Jedha in the first place, the Sith Lord was unimpressed by this futile attempt. He reminded the Director that the secrecy surrounding the Death Star project was paramount to prevent open defiance from the Senate and their defection to the Rebellion. While Imperial authorities had attributed the Jedha incident to a mining disaster, Galen Erso's treachery could have been a significant setback. Vader instructed Krennic to ensure the Emperor that the Death Star project had not been compromised by Erso's betrayal.

As the Sith Lord prepared to depart, Krennic made a final plea for his continued command of the project, hoping to remain in charge of the battle station. However, Vader's patience had worn thin. When Krennic asked him to speak to the Emperor on his behalf, the Sith Lord Force-choked the Director. After Krennic fell to his knees, Vader cautioned him to restrain his ambitions lest they lead to his downfall, before releasing him. As Vader left the recovering Krennic on the floor, Krennic resolved that Tarkin had not yet won and that the Grand Moff's failure to secure the Death Star and blockade Jedha could later be used against him. As Krennic was escorted out of the facility, Vader's aide offered a subtle warning to keep everything he had witnessed in the facility to himself.

Upon learning that the Death Star plans could be vulnerable to attack, Krennic traveled to the tropical planet of Scarif, where a complete technical readout of the station was accessible. Upon his arrival, Krennic was deeply dissatisfied with the state of the facility. General Sotorus Ramda and his garrison had become complacent and negligent, relying on the automated defenses of Scarif's Citadel Tower to perform their duties. Dismissing Ramda's greeting, Krennic demanded that all of Erso's dispatches be retrieved for immediate inspection. Shortly thereafter, explosions erupted across Scarif's horizon, visible to everyone in the tower. Turning to face the command center, a frustrated Krennic ordered the deployment of the garrison. Soon after, news arrived that the rebel fleet was gathering outside Scarif's Shield Gate, prompting Krennic to order a complete lockdown of the base.

As the resident Imperial forces engaged the Rebels, Krennic was dismayed to learn from a Lieutenant that data vault S had been accessed without authorization. Realizing that the rebels had infiltrated the vault in an attempt to steal the Death Star plans, and frustrated with the progress of the battle, the Director ordered his guard squadron into combat, but held two back as an escort to the data vault. Entering the vault through an auxiliary door, Krennic and his guards discovered Captain Cassian Andor and Jyn in the process of stealing the tape. In the ensuing shootout, both of Krennic's death-trooper escorts were killed, but Krennic managed to wound Andor with his DT-29 heavy blaster pistol. Presuming him dead, Krennic followed Erso to a deck near the top of the tower, where she was attempting to transmit the plans to the Alliance fleet. Holding her at gunpoint, Krennic learned that Erso was Galen's daughter and that she had exposed the vulnerability her father had built into the station. Krennic sneered in response, noting that the signal would be unable to penetrate Scarif's shield and that the Imperial forces were poised for a tactical victory. Before he could kill her, however, Andor, who had survived, wounded Krennic with a shot to his shoulder. The Director then fell to the floor, incapacitated, as Jyn transmitted the plans to the Rebel flagship Profundity, where they were received by Admiral Raddus.

As Erso and Andor departed, the Death Star, commanded by Tarkin, emerged from hyperspace above Scarif. In a futile attempt to prevent the Rebels from stealing the plans, Tarkin targeted the compromised Imperial base. Krennic, injured and in pain on the tower platform, looked to the sky and saw the sphere of the Death Star looming above him; he had little time to contemplate the irony of dying at the hand of the superweapon he had dedicated nearly his entire life to creating. As he gazed upon the superweapon, Krennic thought about Tarkin, believing that the Governor's impatience and political commitments would lead him to overlook the station's architectural weaknesses. Indeed, Krennic recognized the flaw that Erso had spoken of: a single thermal exhaust port that fed into the station's main reactor, the deliberate, posthumous revenge of Doctor Erso. The Death Star then fired a single-reactor ignition, blasting through Krennic's position at the top of the tower, killing him, before striking the distant seaside. All planetary forces, including Erso and Andor, were consumed by the resulting explosion.

Within moments of Krennic's death, the Death Star plans were successfully stolen and fell into the possession of Princess Leia Organa. Several days later, Governor Tarkin convened another meeting of the Joint Chiefs to announce the dissolution of the Senate. He then explained that the Empire would maintain control of the galaxy through fear of the Death Star, just as Krennic had predicted. Tarkin later unleashed the full power of the station on Leia's homeworld, the rebellious planet of Alderaan. After Leia's rescue by a group of Rebels who were tracked to the Alliance's headquarters on the jungle moon of Yavin, Tarkin moved the Death Star near the planet in an attempt to crush the Rebellion with a single, swift stroke. However, in the ensuing battle, Lord Vader’s son and Leia’s older twin brother Jedi Lieutenant Luke Skywalker fired a pair of proton torpedoes into Erso's deliberate design flaw, which the Rebels had discovered through an analysis of the plans. Skywalker's torpedoes breached the main reactor, as Krennic had envisioned in his dying thoughts, causing a cataclysmic explosion that tore apart his creation and Governor Tarkin and the Imperial command structure aboard to die at the hands of Lieutenant Skywalker.

Despite Krennic's mixed legacy as a director, the Advanced Weapons Research agency remained in operation and was tasked with constructing a second, more advanced Death Star, which was built in orbit of Endor's Forest Moon, under the supervision of Moff and Commander Tiaan Jerjerrod, who had assisted in the construction of the first Death Star. However, Rebel pilots General Lando Calrissian and Nien Nunb managed to destroy it with the Millennium Falcon during the Battle of Endor.

During the battle of Scarif, Governor Tarkin contemplated what Krennic's legacy would be. While Tarkin acknowledged that the weapon demonstration on Jedha City had been spectacular in his view, he ultimately believed that the director would only be a footnote in Imperial history and that Krennic would always be associated with the "mining disaster" on Jedha. Tarkin also considered discipline aboard the Death Star "less than perfect" under Krennic's direction, stating as much to Chief Gunner Endo Frant following a failed test firing of the battle station's superlaser at Rango Tan. When The Rebel Files were recovered by the Resistance in 34 ABY, Organa noted that Krennic received little credit in historical records despite his significant role in the development of Imperial weapons, something that certainly would have irritated him, and for which Organa was glad. In fact, even other Imperial officers such as Grand General Cassio Tagge referred to the Death Star as "Tarkin's folly" and not Krennic's.

Despite not getting credit in the history of this time period, Krennic was remembered by the Whills. Krennic was mentioned by name, along with Jyn and K-2SO, by a member of the Whills as someone to be remembered in galactic history sometime after the Battle of Endor.

Orson Krennic was a human male characterized by his short gray hair, blue eyes, and fair complexion. He typically wore a white Imperial military uniform, similar to those worn by members of the ISB, such as Colonel Wullf Yularen, but with the unique addition of a white cape, an uncommon sight among Imperial officers. Krennic aspired to gain the favor of Emperor Palpatine, utilizing his understanding of the Empire's system to manipulate it and advance within the Imperial hierarchy. He was known for his unpredictable and impulsive nature. During his involvement in the Futures Program, Krennic was notorious for his "nocturnal carousing" and revelry, as well as his frequent interventions to protect Galen from his tormentors. He harbored grand ambitions and held a high opinion of himself and his abilities, believing that he deserved recognition within the Empire's ranks. Despite his frequent manipulation and deception of his friend, Krennic genuinely believed that he was assisting Erso by providing him with the opportunity to become a truly renowned figure.

However, after Erso abandoned the program upon discovering its true nature, Krennic lost interest in persuading Erso to participate and instead resorted to force, resulting in Lyra's death after their years of conflict regarding Galen's future. Krennic was also unafraid to challenge other high-ranking officials within the Galactic Empire, including Mas Amedda. He maintained a rivalry with Grand Moff Tarkin, who expressed skepticism regarding Project Stardust. When Tarkin seized the opportunity presented by Galen Erso's defection to position himself as the head of the newly established battle station, Krennic was enraged. Krennic even traveled to Mustafar with the audacity to directly request Darth Vader to place him in charge of the Death Star, which prompted the irritated Sith Lord to Force-choke him.

Krennic lacked fundamental human traits such as empathy, clemency, and consideration for innocent lives. Furthermore, he commented on the resulting fiery cloud with an aesthetic appreciation, showing no remorse for having just slaughtered hundreds of thousands of innocents. He also held the Force in contempt, dismissing its significance in the galaxy, and openly boasting about the destruction of the Jedi's last remnants; this perspective might have shifted somewhat after personally experiencing Darth Vader's power. Krennic readily murdered his own subordinates, as demonstrated when he ordered the execution of the Eadu scientists even after Galen confessed to being the traitor within the development team. He also displayed a degree of sadism, as after striking Galen down, Krennic reveled in the Death Star's use in obliterating Jedha City, emphasizing the complete annihilation of every aspect of Jedha City, including Saw's Partisans.

Krennic was prepared to engage in direct combat when the situation demanded it. Accompanied by two death troopers, he stormed the data vault at Scarif Base and fought, albeit unsuccessfully, to prevent Cassian Andor and Jyn Erso from stealing the Death Star plans. He also possessed a sarcastic wit, particularly when frustrated by his subordinates' incompetence. For instance, upon witnessing the explosions caused by the Rebel forces alongside everyone else in Citadel Tower, Krennic exclaimed to the personnel present (who were still gawking at the explosions), "Are we blind?!" before commanding the base's garrison to repel the attackers. In combat scenarios, Krennic wielded a personally owned DT-29 heavy blaster pistol.

Krennic excelled as a manipulator, functioning more as an architect than a politician. Grand Moff Tarkin considered Krennic to be deficient in maintaining discipline on the Death Star.

Orson Krennic is brought to life by Ben Mendelsohn in the Star Wars Anthology Series film titled Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. The announcement of Mendelsohn's casting in the film occurred initially on August 15, 2015, and the character's unveiling took place in the film's initial teaser trailer on April 7, 2016.

The genesis of Krennic's character came from John Knoll, who envisioned him for the never-produced Star Wars live-action TV show, a project that was ultimately shelved indefinitely. In Knoll's original story outline, Krennic was conceived as a double agent within Jyn Erso's Rogue One team, reporting to the Imperial Security Bureau, specifically to his superior Willix Cree. Furthermore, one of the story's earlier proposed endings involved Krennic miraculously surviving the Death Star's destructive blast on Scarif, unlike Erso and Cassian, only to face execution aboard a Star Destroyer by Darth Vader for his failure to prevent the theft of the Death Star plans. However, this concept was abandoned due to the writer's inability to devise a plausible explanation for Krennic's survival of the Death Star's blast on Scarif.

Mendelsohn contemplated whether to imbue Krennic with a "refined English accent," but Rogue One director Gareth Edwards advised against it. The filmmaker later remarked, "It feels as though the Empire, when seeking to fill a job opening, turns to the Royal Shakespeare Company for potential candidates. I appreciate the notion that Ben's character had more humble origins." The character's distinctive white uniform drew inspiration from the attire worn by Wullf Yularen in Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope, a look that costume designer Glyn Dillon believed would be fitting for a villain. In addition, costume designer David Crossman pointed out that Krennic's white uniform provided a stark contrast with Darth Vader.

Despite mentions of Krennic and his Stardust project in the fourth season of Star Wars Rebels, Krennic himself did not make an appearance in the series due to the creative decision of the show's executive producer Dave Filoni, who expressed reservations about incorporating numerous Star Wars villains into the show. Notwithstanding Filoni's decision, an earlier iteration of the episode "A Fool's Hope" contained a scene depicting the show's antagonists plotting about the Empire's future, which would have necessitated Krennic's inclusion. However, the scene was ultimately omitted despite the fact that Krennic's appearance had already been designed.