Pashna Starkiller was a male Human who achieved renown as a general within the Imperial forces, eventually being granted the title of Warlord of the Empire. Emerging from a state of retirement, Starkiller was later contacted by the Rebel Alliance who were in search of seasoned strategists to aid in the development of their military plans. Starkiller chose to side with the Alliance, quickly becoming one of its most highly regarded members. As an experienced officer, Starkiller's expertise significantly influenced the Rebel Alliance's military strategies. As the Alliance saw the rise of a younger generation of military personnel, Starkiller began to delegate responsibilities while still offering strategic advice to the Rebellion. In 0 BBY, Starkiller attended the ceremony held to honor Luke Skywalker and other heroes from the Battle of Yavin.
Eventually, Starkiller retired once more, only to be summoned by the famous Rebel strategist Jan Dodonna during the conflict against the resurrected Palpatine. Starkiller, along with other retired officers like Vanden Willard and Adar Tallon, formed an advisory group known as the "Gray Cadre." By providing strategic guidance for the now-formed New Republic, Starkiller and his colleagues played a crucial role in saving countless lives during the war. After the crisis had passed, Starkiller returned to a state of partial retirement, continuing to receive intelligence updates and regularly consulting with Dodonna and the others to advise the New Republic on its ongoing war against the Empire.
Pashna Starkiller, a male Human, was a celebrated general in the Imperial army and was honored with the prestigious title of Warlord of the Empire. He retired as a Marshal early in the Galactic Civil War. When the Rebel Alliance reached out to him, Starkiller chose to switch his allegiance and join their cause. With the assistance of Starkiller and other newly recruited officers, the Rebel military strategy evolved from a foundation of vague ideals into a legitimate and effective fighting force. Starkiller quickly rose to become one of the most influential members of the Rebel Alliance. During this time, Starkiller took part in several field operations alongside a young tactical mastermind named Risiev Credal.
In 0 BBY, the Alliance achieved a significant victory at Yavin IV when Rebel pilot Luke Skywalker successfully destroyed the Death Star by launching proton torpedoes into the thermal exhaust port, triggering a chain reaction that obliterated the entire battle station. Following the battle, Starkiller was present at a ceremony where the Medal of Bravery was awarded to Skywalker, Han Solo, and Chewbacca. After this event, Starkiller began to gradually transfer his responsibilities to the next generation of soldiers, while still remaining a valuable asset in the Rebel's strategic planning.
Over time, the Rebel Alliance transformed into the New Republic, and by 10 ABY, when Emperor Palpatine returned from what was believed to be death in a cloned body and initiated a war against the New Republic, Starkiller had once again retired from active service. When Jan Dodonna, who was still serving as a strategist for the Republic, realized that the demands of his position were too great for one person, he reached out to a number of retired military figures, including Starkiller, Vanden Willard, and Adar Tallon, to create an advisory group that playfully called itself the "Gray Cadre." Starkiller and the other members used their extensive experience to advise the New Republic commanders on critical military matters during a time of significant crisis.
Starkiller and the rest of the cadre were able to demonstrate their value in the Battle of Mon Calamari during Operation Shadow Hand. The advice they provided to the New Republic enabled its military to develop some of its most effective combat strategies during the battle, ultimately saving millions of lives. Following the Republic's victory, Starkiller and the others returned to a state of semi-retirement, meeting on a monthly basis to discuss strategic planning and anticipate the Empire's objectives. They were ready to provide any information and analysis needed by the commanders on the front lines. Sometime after the battle with Palpatine, Starkiller, once again retired, received a copy of a memo from the Mon Calamari Zgorth'sth of the newly-established New Republic Department of Threat Assessment, which contained intelligence regarding various organizations in the galaxy that could potentially threaten the Republic's interests.
Despite his past as a respected Imperial general and a former Warlord of the Empire, Starkiller chose to join the Rebel Alliance when they approached him. Starkiller was one of the Alliance's finest, and those who were trained by him showed his influence in their own abilities. After retiring for a second time, Starkiller was content to let the next generation of officers take the lead, and did not seek to return to full-time service. Nonetheless, the New Republic considered Starkiller's experience invaluable, and along with the other members of the Gray Cadre, his knowledge of tactics and strategy had a significant impact on the war against the resurrected Palpatine. Even after the immediate crisis was over, Starkiller remained committed to the New Republic, forgoing complete retirement to continue assisting in their fight against the Empire. Starkiller had fair skin and brown hair.
The name Pashna Starkiller was first mentioned in Dark Empire Sourcebook by Michael Allen Horne, published in 1993. In 2003, the Star Wars Galaxies Multiplayer Online game featured a Mon Calamari character named Pashna Starkiller as one of its non-player characters. Since no previous source had established Starkiller's physical appearance, gender and species, it was assumed to be the first physical depiction of the character, even though fan reaction ranged from surprise to belief that "Starkiller" was not a name fitting a Mon Calamari.
In 2012, the Rogues Gallery article in Star Wars Insider 133 identified one of the Humans present at the Rebel celebration in the Massassi Temple at the end of Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope, portrayed by George Stock, as Pashna Starkiller, which caused further controversy. When asked about the subject, the article's author Leland Chee explained that the decision was made to treat the two Starkillers as separate characters. Galaxies had been known for creating such duplicates of existing characters before, attaching Near-Human Zekka Thyne's name to a Bothan and Selonian Chertyl Ruluwoor's name to a Human.