Paodok'Draba'Takat Sap'De'Rekti Nik'Linke'Ti' Ki'Vef'Nik'NeSevef'Li'Kek

Born on the Outer Rim planet Pipada in 31 BBY, Paodok'Draba'Takat Sap'De'Rekti Nik'Linke'Ti' Ki'Vef'Nik'NeSevef'Li'Kek was a Drabatan born. Known to most as simply Pao due to the difficulty in remembering and pronouncing his full name, his shortened name was Paodok'Draba'Takat. He pursued studies in structural dynamics, aspiring to become an engineer, but his ambitions were thwarted when the Galactic Empire initiated an occupation of his homeworld following protests against its rule by the Drabatan people. Sa'Kalla, a youthful and well-known singer who composed songs condemning the Empire, was among the protesters. Following her death, numerous Drabatan warriors, including Pao, adopted her name as a battle cry when charging into combat.

During the occupation, the Empire exploited the planet's resources to bolster the Imperial Military and fulfill its [fuel](/article/fuel] requirements. This occupation led to the abandonment of their homeworld by most of the Drabatan people, including Pao.

Pao eventually abandoned his aspiration of becoming an engineer and instead joined the Alliance to Restore the Republic to combat the Galactic Empire. After a period of service with the Alliance, he achieved the rank of corporal in the Rebel Alliance Special Forces. At one point, Pao undertook a demolition job aimed at destroying a communications tower on the terrestrial astronomical object Foerost.

In 1 BBY, Cassian Jeron Andor, a Captain within Alliance Intelligence, received secret Imperial information indicating that the Galactic Empire was constructing a superweapon known as the [Death Star](/article/death_star], capable of planetary destruction. The Alliance had attempted to contact Galen Walton Erso, the lead engineer of the space station, via his daughter, Jyn Erso. She was extracted from Imperial captivity by members of the Marine Corps led by rebel Lieutenant Ruescott Melshi and the reprogrammed Imperial KX-series security droid, K-2SO. Jyn was subsequently taken to the Mid Rim moon of Jedha to establish contact with rebel extremist Saw Gerrera and receive a message from her father regarding the rumored superweapon.

General Davits Draven recognized Pao for his courage and awareness. Consequently, the Drabatan corporal was considered for inclusion in a strike team tasked with raiding Saw Gerrera's Base on Jedha should Jyn fail to complete her mission. General Draven nominated Pao, alongside several other soldiers, to rebel Chancellor Mon Mothma as potential candidates for the strike team, with the possibility of forming a larger squad around them. However, Draven's strike team did not materialize, as Jyn successfully completed her task and later communicated directly with her father on the planet Eadu. She subsequently conveyed the information back to the rebel base located on the Outer Rim moon of Yavin 4.

Jyn convened with the Alliance Cabinet to discuss the information received from her father, asserting that the plans for the Death Star were stored on the Outer Rim planet Scarif. However, even before her meeting with the Cabinet concluded, Andor and Melshi began soliciting volunteers for an unsanctioned mission to retrieve the Death Star plans from Scarif, even if it meant defying orders. Pao eagerly joined the newly formed Rogue One group, being among the first to respond to Melshi's call. He, along with nearly two dozen other volunteers, boarded the stolen Imperial shuttle SW-0608, piloted by Imperial pilot-turned-rebel Bodhi Rook, and departed for Scarif. En route to the planet, the soldiers exchanged war stories and engaged in conversation.

The planet was defended by the orbital Shield Gate space station, which served as the sole access point between the surface and space. Utilizing the shuttle's Imperial access codes, Rogue One successfully traversed the Shield Gate without incident and began their descent onto the planet. Upon landing on Landing Platform Nine, some of the troopers expressed apprehension and concerns regarding the task at hand, until Jyn delivered a speech to the group, which inspired the rebels and instilled hope for the mission they were about to undertake. Captain Andor then tasked Pao, along with Melshi and two former Guardians of the Whills, Baze Malbus and Chirrut Îmwe, to take main squad and plant charges along the base, with the intention of creating the illusion of a larger attacking force.

While Pao and the rest of the soldiers orchestrated a diversion, Jyn and Andor, disguised in Imperial uniforms, ventured into the facility alongside K-2SO to retrieve the plans from the vault in the Citadel Tower. With the area secured, Pao led the group as they stealthily exited the ship. Taking cover behind a crate, he signaled for the other soldiers to follow closely, leaving five soldiers behind to safeguard the ship and Rook, their only means of escape from the planet. The troopers swiftly entered the jungle canopy and assembled as Sergeant Melshi distributed explosives to each of the rebels, instructing them to place one at each pad. Pao received charges and affixed one to the side of a barrel before planting additional explosives in the barracks of the Scarif garrison.

Captain Andor soon signaled Melshi to detonate the charges and initiate the diversion. Explosions erupted across the island, prompting Imperial director of Imperial Military Department of Advanced Weapons Research Orson Callan Krennic to order the deployment of the Scarif garrison to engage the rebels. Pao and the remaining rebel fighters on the main platform immediately ambushed and engaged the shoretroopers and stormtroopers. He sought cover from the incoming fire behind a crate as his comrades began to fall. Amid the chaos, an All Terrain Armored Cargo Transport emerged from the smoke caused by numerous explosions and commenced firing upon the rebels. Pao yelled to alert his fellow troopers to the threat and began to retreat back into the shrubbery on the beach while continuing to fire at the approaching Imperials.

Shortly after the AT-ACT attacked, the rebel fleet arrived above the planet to engage the Empire's ships stationed over the Shield Gate. The AT-ACT continued to pursue the rebel foot soldiers out of the canopy and into an open beach with limited cover. Pao leaped into a ditch, attempting to use it as cover, and yelled his war cry of "Sa'kalla!" Twelve T-65B X-wing starfighters and one UT-60D U-wing starfighter/support craft of Blue Squadron successfully breached the Shield Gate before it closed. Together, the squadron eliminated the Imperial walker, rescuing the fleeing rebels. Pao continued to run through the battlefield close to Melshi; however, despite being saved from the walker, he perished in the battle shortly before death troopers were deployed on the surface to combat the few remaining fighters.

Pao's actions and sacrifice afforded Jyn Erso and Cassian Andor sufficient time to transmit the Death Star plans to the rebel Mon Cala capital ship Profundity, captained by Mon Calamari Admiral Raddus. The Battle of Scarif marked the Rebel Alliance's first significant victory. These plans eventually found their way back to the Rebellion's base on Yavin 4 and were instrumental in the destruction of the Death Star at the hands of the Force-sensitive rebel pilot Luke Skywalker and Red Squadron during the Battle of Yavin in 0 BBY. Following the Battle of Scarif, some rebels began to notice that their commanders had started to feel almost embarrassed by the successful mission performed by the Rogue One group, despite most of the fighters involved had been killed.

When the Empire launched an attack on the Mako-Ta Space Docks in 1 ABY, Luke Skywalker named his group Rogue Squadron in honor of the members of Rogue One's efforts and sacrifice. Skywalker served as Rogue Leader and it was decided that the next pilot should not go by "Rogue One" but rather "Rogue Two." Rebel pilot Zev Senesca received this title, while the former was retired out of respect to the fallen.

The recommendation of Pao and other soldiers to a strike team was included in The Rebel Files, a collection of documents relating to the Rebel Alliance compiled by the archivist Hendri Underholt. After being lost during the Imperial bombardment of the planet Durkteel in 4 ABY, they were recovered years later in 34 ABY after a bomb squad crew who was assisting in excavating the planet unearthed the files. The documents eventually were passed on to General Leia Organa of the Resistance, and several Resistance members read them. Resistance officer and former rebel lieutenant Caluan Ematt read Draven's recommendation of Pao and his fellow soldiers and commented that Draven was on to something in selecting them, as evidenced by Pao's volunteering for the unsanctioned mission to Scarif that resulted in his death.

Pao's legacy was also recounted in an artist's journal as part of an entry on Drabatans, which referred to Pao as a notable member of his species. It also mentioned the presence of a Drabatan mechanic at the Resistance base on the planet D'Qar. At some point no earlier than 34 ABY, the journal came into the possession of the Graf Archive, a vast depository owned by the Graf family that contained documents that held historical importance.

Pao was a male member of the amphibious Drabatan species with tough gray skin and amber eyes who stood at 1.72 meters tall. While he could comprehend Galactic Basic Standard, his jaw structure made pronunciation challenging. He often muttered oaths and curses in his native Drabatese. His squadmates tolerated his use of his native language due to his skill as a soldier; relaying specific orders was not among his tasks. Pao was undeterred by low odds of success. His passion for battle was surpassed only by his disdain for the Galactic Empire, making him a formidable commando. As a freshwater-dwelling Drabatan, he found the saltwater on Scarif unpleasant.

Pao was a demolitions expert, particularly adept at underwater demolitions due to his amphibious nature. His knowledge of structural dynamics aided his ability to identify optimal locations for placing explosive charges on structures. As a Drabatan, Pao possessed enlarged lungs and strong diaphragm muscles, enabling him to speak loudly and hold his breath for extended periods. He used his booming voice to yell his war cry of "Sa'Kalla," which unnerved even the bravest of opponents. Pao was not Force-sensitive, but he possessed high speed and fighting ability, average strength and intelligence, and low diplomacy skills.

During his service in the Rebellion, Pao wore water-shedding fatigues with a dark gray vest over a tan smock, along with upper arm guards crafted from folded reeds from his native Pipada. He wore a protective tan colored cap on his head. He wore wrist gauntlets over dark fingerless gloves; the gauntlets held replacement galven barrels for his illegally tibanna-jacked black market boiler rifle, as it often required repairs. In addition to his rifle, he employed sonic grenades in combat. Pao carried a backpack equipped with a transmitter antenna featuring a mounted glowrod and protected by an armored sheath. He wore a belt around his waist with a square buckle featuring a design resembling the Rebellion's commander rank insignia. Two holsters attached to the belt held cylindrical objects.

Pao's character originated from a sketch by artist Jake Lunt Davies during a creative brief for the 2015 sequel trilogy film Star Wars: Episode VII The Force Awakens, but the character was ultimately cut. The initial sketch depicted Pao with a large mouth, spiky glam-rock hair, a shredded shirt, and bones around his neck. It was later decided to incorporate Pao into the Anthology Series film Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, and Davies redesigned him to better suit the film's militaristic aesthetic, while retaining the large mouth.

Pao was among the first alien designs that director Gareth Edwards responded to, appreciating the idea of Pao participating in the final battle and exclaiming "Come on!" to his comrades with his mouth opening wider than anticipated. Edwards liked how Pao's eyes were subdued and almost shadowed in contrast to the large mouth. The goal was to portray Pao as introverted initially, with his heroic nature revealed when his mouth opened. Davies and costume concept artist Adam Brockbank created additional art for Pao. Creature effects supervisor Neal Scanlan then began the process of bringing Pao to life.

Derek Arnold, who had previously worked on The Force Awakens as the Tarsunts Lanever Villecham and Vober Dand, as well as the hind legs of the luggabeast, was invited to return to Star Wars to contribute his talents. He was initially slated to portray Pao, Bor Gullet, a Mon Calamari, and another character. However, due to a rewrite, Pao's filming schedule was moved up, while the other character and Mon Calamari were sidelined, allowing Arnold to concentrate primarily on Pao. Following one of his initial fittings, Arnold met with Gareth Edwards and engaged in a half-hour discussion about Edwards' vision for Pao. Edwards elaborated on his fondness for the design and his desire to experiment with the large mouth. Arnold and Edwards collaborated to develop Pao from that point forward.

Around four months prior to the commencement of principal photography, Arnold underwent multiple costume fittings for Pao, one of which involved a moving tongue fitted to his own tongue. This prosthetic tongue, unfortunately, caused him to choke during the fitting, leading the production team to abandon the concept. The finalized Pao headpiece incorporated animatronic mechanisms beneath a two-inch-thick skin, operated remotely by puppeteer Phill Woodfine using radio electronics. The application and removal of the headpiece each required approximately fifteen minutes. While wearing the Pao head, Arnold's vision and hearing were significantly impaired, limiting his sight to approximately half an inch when Pao's mouth was fully agape. A cutout was created inside the head, just above the tongue, for Arnold's lower face—painted black—allowing him to breathe when not actively filming. During filming, however, a prosthetic piece simulating a throat was positioned over this opening.

The interior of Pao's head was filled with numerous noisy motors, all responsible for controlling the character's facial expressions. Arnold likened the experience of being inside the head to being trapped within a cavernous, echoing, and claustrophobic space, despite only a faint humming being audible from the outside. To maintain focus during his performance, he was forced to keep his eyes closed due to the proximity of the motors to his face. The headpiece was not the only uncomfortable element of the costume; the backpack also posed significant challenges. As Arnold attempted to maintain proper blaster posture, the backpack forced his shoulders backward, resulting in numbness in his arms after a mere ten minutes. The crew would often remind him to focus on surviving the scenes, which involved running amidst explosions while being effectively deaf, blind, and numb.

During costume and creature screen tests, the crew quickly encountered another problem with the full Pao costume: Arnold's inability to breathe. The solution involved an air circulation system, featuring small fans in one of the belt packs connected to a tube running along his chest, which pumped fresh air into the head. This system, however, was not without its own risks. On one occasion after filming an action scene, Arnold was speaking with Pao's fabricator and caretaker Morna MacPherson when he began to feel dizzy and detected an unpleasant odor. They soon determined that they were standing near the equipment used for fire effects and a ventilation fan, which was inadvertently pumping fumes into the headpiece. MacPherson quickly moved Arnold away from the source of the fumes. The longest duration Arnold spent in the Pao costume was six and a half hours.

All of Pao's scenes set on Scarif were filmed at RAF Bovingdon, a former Royal Air Force base in the United Kingdom, over a period of approximately five weeks. The set constructed at the air base included a large artificial lake, two thousand tons of sand, more than sixty palm trees, and various plants native to the U.K. Unlike some other performers, Arnold and the Pao costume did not travel to the Maldives in South Asia, where additional Scarif scenes were filmed, which was a source of disappointment for Arnold. This decision was due to the complexity of the Pao costume, which required Arnold and a team of around five people to manage simultaneously, making it prohibitively expensive to transport and maintain on location.

Arnold, along with Pao's support team—including Woodfine, movement director Paul Kasey, and others—would consistently arrive on set before the rest of the cast and crew to survey the area and familiarize Arnold with the environment before filming his scenes. MacPherson would arrive an hour before the support team to ensure the Pao costume was ready and fully functional for the day's performance. MacPherson would also occasionally accompany Arnold, providing him with an umbrella and water.

Due to his limited visibility and hearing while in costume, Arnold received instructions from Kasey and Woodfine via an earpiece in one ear, which included directions such as "left," "right," or "stop." A separate earpiece in his other ear provided the actors' dialogue for cues. In addition to assistance from Kasey and Woodfine, the other actors also helped Arnold navigate the set. During scenes where Pao was required to yell, Arnold would also yell to ensure the character's body language was believable and to prevent Pao from appearing hunched over with an unnaturally drooping jaw.

Pao was initially introduced to the public during an exclusive trailer shown at Star Wars Celebration Europe, which took place from July 15 to July 17 in 2016. His identity as Pao was later confirmed upon the release of the film—along with the novel and junior novel adaptations of the film—on December 16, 2016. Pablo Hidalgo's Star Wars: Rogue One: The Ultimate Visual Guide was also released concurrently with the film, revealing Pao's full name: Paodok'Draba'Takat Sap'De'Rekti Nik'Linke'Ti' Ki'Vef'Nik'NeSevef'Li'Kek. Hidalgo, who had developed a close relationship with Arnold, included his name within Pao's extensive title as part of "Sap'De'Rekti."

Hidalgo commented that he viewed Pao as more "gung ho" compared to other Drabatans, expressing his belief that the rest of Pao's species would be honored to have him represent them. He also mentioned his intention to include a story within Star Wars: Rogue One: The Ultimate Visual Guide, which would detail Pao's previous life as a mild-mannered engineer before he joined the Rebellion.

According to animatronic designer Christopher Clarke, the original plan was for Pao to only appear briefly at the beginning of a battle, exiting a ship and sniffing the air to detect the conflict before letting out a scream to showcase the costume's wide mouth articulation. However, his role was ultimately expanded slightly in the final film. Pao was also featured in scenes that were exclusive to trailers and promotional materials. One such scene shows Pao running past the downed U-wing of the Iakaru rebel Bistan on the beach, seemingly missing his backpack antenna. Another scene depicts the Drabatan signaling soldiers to advance during the Battle of Scarif. Neither of these scenes made it into the final theatrical cut of the film.

Another scene that underwent editing prior to release involved Pao setting an explosive charge on the side of a barrel. A more extensive version of the scene was filmed, showing the Drabatan emerging from the treeline, cautiously approaching a crate, and then walking to the barrel before arming and placing the explosive. This scene required multiple takes due to the charge's magnetic strip needing to properly connect with the metal on the set, which was made difficult by Arnold's limited vision within the costume. Arnold had to count his steps to the crate, and the scene took around ten to fifteen takes. The final version of the film only included the placement of the charge, omitting the preceding buildup.

In 2017, Pao was included in the 2017 Topps Star Wars: Rogue One Series 2 card set produced by The Topps Company, Inc.. The 58th card, titled "Pao Gives It His All," incorrectly identifies Pao's battle cry as "Karabast" instead of the correct "Sa'kalla." Additionally, Pao's name is misspelled in "The Heroes of Rogue One," a Star Wars Encyclopedia booklet published by De Agostini, which was initially released in French on February 16, 2021 and the error was kept in the English version. In the booklet, the third section of Pao's name is incorrectly written as "Nik'Linek'Ti'" instead of the correct "Nik'Linke'Ti'."

Pao was featured as a supporting character in the non-canon Star Wars Go Rogue series on the official Star Wars YouTube channel, which was released from August 31 to September 26, 2016. In the third episode, Pao is initially seen as an action figure taking blaster fire while scouting an Imperial crash site for the second set of Death Star plans, as the Rebellion had already acquired the first set. In a state of panic, he requests backup, and Jyn Erso responds, arriving with Cassian Andor, K-2SO, Chirrut Îmwe, and Baze Malbus. Erso asks for a mission status report, and Pao informs her that the second instruction booklet for the Death Star is located within the wreckage, but they cannot get close due to the overwhelming Imperial presence.

After Andor and K-2SO sneak behind enemy lines and seize remote control of an AT-AT, Pao joins the other rebels in charging the wreck to retrieve the plans. A stormtrooper discovers the case containing the booklet inside the wreck and celebrates before being knocked over by Malbus and stepped on by Pao. Erso grabs the case and heads towards the group's U-wing. The stormtroopers capture Andor, discover the ship, and reclaim the first booklet before destroying the fighter. However, Erso has another plan in motion.

In the fourth and final episode, Pao—along with the other characters—appears as LEGO minifigures. While searching the wreckage of the U-wing, Erso discovers Bodhi Rook, their pilot who survived the ship's explosion. The crew constructs two new ships using parts from the destroyed U-Wing and escapes the astronomical object they were stranded on. The group of rebels reaches the Death Star in an attempt to recapture the plans and rescue Andor. Erso and Rook enter with the first ship and attempt to negotiate a deal with Imperial Director Orson Krennic, who is holding Cassian captive.

When the plan fails, the remaining rebels arrive in the second ship, with Pao manning the gunner's position and firing at the Imperial forces. The ship is destroyed by blaster fire, but everyone survives. Amidst the chaos, both instruction booklets are destroyed in a shredder, preventing either side from obtaining the information. Andor is rescued, and Rook commandeers Krennic's shuttle. Pao and the crew board the ship and escape the battle station, celebrating their success.