Ransolm Casterfo

Ransolm Casterfo's birth occurred on Riosa in 2 BBY. The years of Casterfo's childhood were largely characterized by hardship and forced labor at the hands of the Galactic Empire. He himself described it as "slavery in all but name." His homeworld of Riosa was seized, and its industrial resources were repurposed to produce parts and components for the construction of the original Death Star. Casterfo spent his childhood in an Imperial work camp, where his father held a position of some authority over the other laborers. Casterfo personally witnessed several visits from Lord Vader to his homeworld. On one occasion, he observed his father being punished for failing to meet the Empire's production quotas.

The fact that he was able to grow up with his parents present was apparently a special privilege granted to his family due to their position, as most parents were not permitted to bring their children into the work camps. Although he held a certain admiration for the concept of centralized power and the grandeur of the Empire, his family's suffering led to a deep resentment of Galactic Emperor Sheev Palpatine and Darth Vader. Both his father and mother died within a year of the New Republic's founding due to the effects of strenuous labor and working without safety equipment to filter out the toxic gases they were forced to inhale.

After the loss of his parents, Casterfo endured a period of struggle for survival. Fortunately, he was taken in by a wealthy off-world family who also took in several other war orphans. Provided with [food](/article/foodstuff], education, and safety, he was able to survive into adulthood. Upon reaching the age of eighteen years, Casterfo served on Riosa's planetary security force for two years. During this time, he learned how to pilot a starfighter and operate his first blaster. Contrary to his initial expectations, Casterfo encountered few actual battles and spent most of his time issuing citations for docking procedure violations. Due to his experiences in the planetary security force, Ransolm came to the conclusion that the best way to improve Riosa's situation was to pursue a political career. Casterfo believed that Riosa required better political and economic management to rebuild his homeworld.

By the age of thirty-two, Ransolm had become a Centrist senator in the New Republic's Galactic Senate representing the planet Riosa. As a junior senator, he was regarded as a charismatic and attractive politician. Casterfo supported the Centrists' firm stance on law and order and played a role in reintroducing the death penalty to his homeworld of Riosa, which had not yet fully recovered from the hardships of Imperial rule. The Centrists were one of two major factions within the Galactic Senate. While they advocated for a stronger central government and military, their Populist counterparts believed that sovereignty should reside within the individual member worlds. By the time Casterfo assumed office, the Senate was in a state of deadlock due to infighting between these two factions.

Due to his position as a senator, Casterfo was assigned an office in the New Republic senatorial complex on Hosnian Prime, which was currently serving as the home of the Galactic Senate and the New Republic government. Following a ceremony to dedicate a Jelucani fogstone statue to the late Senator Bail Organa, Ransolm and his Centrist colleagues mingled with their nominal Populist opponents. The following day, Casterfo attended a session at the Galactic Senate where the Twi'lek emissary Yendor of Ryloth raised the issue of the threat posed by the Nikto crime lord Rinnrivin Di's crime cartel to commercial traffic in his planet's sector. The prominent Populist Senator Leia Organa, Bail's adopted daughter, volunteered to travel to Bastatha to investigate Rinnrivin's cartel.

When the Centrist politician Lady Carise Sindian expressed concerns about Leia's impartiality, Senator Casterfo volunteered to accompany Leia to ensure that the mission was conducted in a bipartisan manner. Later, Senator Leia visited the junior senator's office in an attempt to gain Ransolm's trust. While Leia was disturbed by the presence of "Old Empire" relics in Casterfo's office, the two senators were able to come to an agreement on a travel itinerary. During their initial meeting, Casterfo suggested that not all aspects of the "Old Empire" were negative and that the Empire's downfall was due to having the wrong Emperor in charge. Casterfo's views struck a nerve with Leia, a former leader of the Rebellion and a veteran of the Galactic Civil War.

The following day, Casterfo boarded Leia's ship Mirrorbright with Leia and her entourage, which included C-3PO, Korr Sella, and the pilots Joph Seastriker and Greer Sonnel. During the journey, he attempted to engage in conversation with Korr, but she excused herself on the pretext of needing to review her work. He then managed to have a conversation with Greer about racing. Later, he apologized to Leia for his perceived lack of sensitivity during their initial meeting in his office. Leia told him to put the past behind them and to focus on their work.

Upon landing on Bastatha, they were greeted by Magistrates Tosta and Xun, with Xun complimenting the new senator. Bastatha was an arid, inhospitable desert world, and the majority of its population lived in underground tunnels. The magistrates invited the New Republic delegation to a banquet at a casino, which was intended to showcase their efforts to promote Bastatha as a gambling destination. Casterfo expressed his disapproval of Leia's decision to mingle with the locals by playing Sabacc and buying drinks for the other patrons. However, he reluctantly accepted her reasoning that it was a way of "winning hearts and minds."

While walking back to Mirrorbright, Ransolm and Leia argued about the Rebellion's tactics and Leia's association with smugglers and "lowlifes" like her husband Han Solo. Leia told Casterfo that he did not understand the Empire and dismissed him as a "spoiled brat." Greer intervened to calm them down before the argument escalated further. Later, a private delegation of Nikto "businessmen" visited the Mirrorbright and kidnapped Leia. They took her on their hovercraft for a private audience with Rinnrivin Di at his subtarranean headquarters. However, Casterfo managed to plant a tracker on Leia's cloak and was able to rescue her from Rinnrivin.

Together, the two senators escaped on a hovercraft. As a result of this adventure, they gained each other's respect despite their differing philosophies. Both agreed that the Populist approach to leadership was flawed due to its reliance on a strong, charismatic leader who depended on consensus rather than legal authority. Ransolm also learned that the former rebel starfighter pilot and Jedi Luke Skywalker was Leia's twin brother. After Leia's team examined the data from Rinnrivin's headquarters, the two senators discovered that the crime lord operated a vast criminal network that rivaled the Hutts. Both suspected that another party was secretly supporting Rinnrivin's cartel.

After returning to Hosnian Prime, the two senators addressed the Galactic Senate. Several Populist senators claimed that Casterfo had endangered Organa's life, while their Centrist opponents accused Leia of withholding information from Casterfo. After an Ithorian representative moved to "table the discussion" on the Rinnrivin investigation, the Centrist Lady Carise gave a speech urging the Senate to abolish the office of Chancellor and replace it with a new position called First Senator that would exercise authority over economic and military matters. Due to Carise's reputation as a vain, frivolous, and shallow Senator, her proposal failed to sway the Senate.

However, Casterfo managed to garner support for the First Senator motion by highlighting the deadlock and indecisiveness that had paralyzed the Senate. His appeal to the greater good resonated with the Senate and managed to sway the independents into voting with the Centrists in favor of the motion. As a result, the motion to establish the post of First Senator passed with a solid majority. Ransolm's charisma earned him the respect of both Lady Carise and Leia. Consequently, the Populists were forced to change their strategy by endorsing Leia as their candidate for First Senator in order to prevent a Centrist from occupying that office.

Leia later arranged a meeting with Ransolm at Hosnian Prime's Hanging gardens to discuss Joph and Greer's findings on the Amaxine warriors, an alleged race of warrior people who had a base on the planet Daxam IV. The two pilots had found some evidence that the Amaxines were working for Rinnrivin and that they were operating in Centrist worlds; leading Leia to suspect that the Centrists were harboring them. Regarding Ransolm as the only Centrist politician she could trust, Leia solicited Casterfo's help in investigating the Amaxine presence on Daxam IV. Casterfo also expressed admiration towards Leia for personally killing Jabba the Hutt and compared her favourably to her Populist counterparts, who were seen as "soft" on crime.

During their shared meal, Ransolm delved into the difficulties of his upbringing on Riosa. Casterfo admitted to harboring a strong animosity for Darth Vader, citing the exploitation of his planet's inhabitants and resources for the construction of the Death Star. Ransolm then shared the tragic story of his parents' demise, caused by prolonged exposure to hazardous substances. Discovering a shared sense of understanding, Leia revealed the torture she endured at Vader's hands after her capture near Tatooine, as well as being forced to witness the destruction of her home planet, Alderaan. United by their similar pasts and commitment to the greater good, they forged an alliance. However, Leia chose not to disclose her connection to Vader, a choice that would significantly impact their relationship.

Ransolm was present when the Napkin Bombing occurred, an event that devastated half of the senatorial complex's conference hall. The explosion resulted in numerous senator fatalities and injuries. Casterfo, having survived, aided a wounded Togruta woman in reaching the medcenter. Leia, his ally, also survived, having received a warning note urging them to "Run." In the aftermath, both the Centrist and Populist factions accused one another of orchestrating the attack for political gain. Ransolm dismissed any conspiracy theories, sharing his suspicion with Leia that the bombing aimed to obstruct their investigation into Rinnrivin's cartel.

After reviewing Greer and Joph's intelligence concerning the Amaxines, Casterfo arranged a meeting with a vendor of "historical artifacts" located on Daxam IV. Greer had also uncovered evidence of Rinnrivin funneling funds to Daxam IV. To support Leia's inquiry into the Amaxines, Casterfo volunteered to accompany Greer to the planet, posing as a buyer of an Emperor's Royal Guard helmet from the dealer. Concurrently, Leia, Joph, and the rest of her team would journey to Ryloth in search of information about Rinnrivin Di. With Greer acting as his pilot, Ransolm traveled to Daxam IV aboard a rented, compact Jeconne courier. Casterfo selected this particular vessel for its modern design and commonality. During their voyage, Casterfo learned about Greer's background as a professional racer before her service in the New Republic Defense Fleet. Upon emerging from hyperspace, Casterfo informed Greer that the seller they were to meet operated under the alias Crimson Blade. After landing, Casterfo and Greer encountered the dealer at a teahouse, discovering her identity as Arliz Hadrassian, a former TIE fighter pilot. Ransolm discovered that the Royal Guard's helmet had once belonged to Arliz Hadrassian's brother, who had died during the Battle of Jakku. Over the following two hours, Casterfo seized the opportunity to build trust with Hadrassian, feigning sympathy for the Empire.

Greer felt uneasy in Casterfo's presence, but the Senator assured her that he did not revere the Empire. While Ransolm spent the night at a hotel, Greer used the Jeconne courier for a reconnaissance flight, revealing the Amaxine warriors to be a paramilitary organization possessing several starfighter squadrons. Back at the hotel, Castefo contacted Joph, Korrie, and C-3PO, informing them that Rinnrivin was operating spy satellites above Ryloth. After slicing into the satellites, C-3PO discovered that Rinnrivin was concealing himself on Sibensko, a watery planet in the Expansion Region.

The next day, Casterfo and Greer journeyed to Hadrassian's compound, situated in the desolate, frigid wastelands of Daxam IV. There, Hadrassian presented her Amaxine warriors to the visitors, who were working on their starfighters. Hadrassian also instructed her warriors in the use of Force pikes, the signature weapons of the former Royal Guards. After acquiring the Royal Guard helmet, Ransolm agreed to duel with one of Hadrassian's Amaxine warriors. Casterfo had studied the techniques through old holos but had never actually wielded a force pike. However, Casterfo also possessed knowledge of Hosnian martial arts and quarterstaff combat. During the duel, Casterfo was haunted by memories of his difficult childhood at the labor camp on Riosa. Despite defeating his opponent, Casterfo spared him as instructed by Hadrassian.

Following his second meeting with Hadrassian, Ransolm shared his findings about the Amaxines with Greer. He revealed that the Amaxine warriors had at least five or six bases located throughout the galaxy, with their primary base of operations on Sibensko. While Hadrassian commanded a thousand Amaxine Warriors on Daxam IV, this was only a small part of the entire group. Ransolm and Greer earned each other's respect, with Greer praising Ransolm's combat abilities. Unable to reach Leia due to radiation interference, Casterfo contacted Lady Carise, a fellow Centrist, who was attending a coronation ceremony on Birren. She dismissed Casterfo's reports of a rogue militia and advised him not to focus on the upcoming First Senator elections. Unbeknownst to Ransolm, Lady Carise was secretly an agent of the First Order, an Imperial splinter group, and had connections to Hadrassian and her Amaxines.

Upon returning to Hosnian Prime, Casterfo shared footage from his Daxam IV visit, including the force pike duel, with Senator Organa while enjoying spicy Ivarujari noodles. They concluded that while Rinnrivin's cartel was linked to the Amaxine Warriors, they disagreed about the Napkin Bombing. Rinnrivin felt threatened by it, while the Amaxines felt emboldened. They suspected the Amaxines were behind the bombing but realized they couldn't proceed further since their investigation had initially focused on Rinnrivin's cartel. While Leia promised to shift the official investigation towards the Senate bombing, Ransolm agreed to investigate his Centrist colleagues.

Knowing that several Centrist senators were avid collectors of Imperial artifacts, Casterfo hosted a party in his office to celebrate his acquisition of a Royal Guard's mask. During the party, Ransolm overheard several guests, including Senator Ormes Apolin of Kuat, Senator Fatil of Orinda, and Lady Carise's chief of staff, expressing pro-Imperial and anti-New Republic sentiments. While Casterfo didn't uncover any new information about the Amaxine warriors or other pro-Imperial militias, he realized that many of his Centrist allies admired Darth Vader and other aspects of the Empire that he loathed. As a result, Casterfo began to feel disillusioned with his own party.

Later, while practicing with his quarterstaff in his private training chamber, Casterfo received a hologram from Senator Organa, inviting him to join her, Joph, and Greer on their upcoming trip to Sibensko. Joph and Greer had previously secured a smuggling run to Sibensko. They then discussed the complications involved in their trip. Ransolm pointed out that their trip to Bastatha had been sanctioned by the Senate and that their subsequent trips to Ryloth, Harloff Minor, and Daxam IV were authorized, albeit unofficially. However, he added that using Republic pilots and ships for illegal activities in dangerous, crime-ridden places like Sibensko was against New Republic law. While acknowledging the illegal nature of their Sibensko mission, the two senators hoped to find evidence that would sway the Senate. During a meeting with Leia, Joph, Greer, and C-3PO, Casterfo speculated that Rinnrivin and Hadrassian had a source within the Senate, unaware that it was his ally Lady Carise.

Shortly after, Casterfo greeted Lady Carise while ordering a shipment of Riosan liqueur in the Senate complex. Before parting ways, Casterfo mentioned his friendship with Leia and her staff. Unbeknownst to Ransolm, Carise had discovered sensitive information about Senator Organa's true parentage on Birren. Leia was the daughter of Darth Vader, who was despised by many in the New Republic, including Ransolm. After consulting with Arliz Hadrassian about Ransolm's visit, Lady Carise decided to create a rift between Ransolm and Leia. The following day, Lady Carise visited Casterfo and revealed the truth about Leia's parentage.

Ransolm Casterfo, due to his deep-seated hatred for Darth Vader, felt profoundly hurt by what he perceived as Leia Organa's deception. Feeling betrayed, Senator Casterfo disrupted a Senate hearing concerning Senator Organa's nomination as the Populist candidate for First Senator by revealing her true lineage. When the Populist Varish Vicly dismissed Casterfo's revelation as a falsehood, Casterfo presented the keepsake chest and music box provided by Lady Carise as proof. After the Senate listened to an audio recording of Bail Organa confirming Organa's true parentage, the senator admitted that Darth Vader was indeed her father. This revelation caused uproar in the Senate and destroyed Organa's political career and credibility.

Following the disclosure, Casterfo received praise from several of his Centrist colleagues, including Giller and Orris Madmund, for discrediting a prominent Populist politician. However, Ransolm felt no satisfaction in his actions and was tormented by the guilt of betraying a friend. He instructed his staffers and droids to decline all calls and prevent any visitors from approaching. Retreating to the solitude of his private office, Casterfo vomited into his waste bin and contemplated the reasons behind his actions. While Casterfo attempted to justify his behavior, he could not ignore the fact that he had betrayed Leia's trust.

The next day, a guilt-ridden Casterfo refused to grant any interviews or attend any meetings to discuss the revelations about Leia with the media. He also ignored all calls and messages from his fellow Centrist colleagues. While attempting to ease his mind by reading about proposed new water purification systems for New Republic ships, Ransolm was visited by an enraged Senator Organa, who felt betrayed by Ransolm. Casterfo retorted that he had been foolish to share his most personal and painful life stories with Organa, never suspecting that she was Vader's daughter. When Organa revealed that she had not shared her true parentage with her son Ben Solo, Casterfo countered that he was no longer a child but a man. After shattering one of Casterfo's glass display cases and knocking a noodle carton from a servant droid's hands, Organa stormed out of Casterfo's office. When the droid inquired whether its master wished to report the senator for property damage, Ransolm insisted on leaving his former friend alone.

Despite his newfound prestige within the Centrist caucus, Ransolm felt remorseful for betraying Organa's trust and friendship. When Leia addressed the Senate to withdraw her nomination for First Senator and request leave before her trip to Sibensko, Casterfo did not join his Centrist colleagues in attacking Organa's credibility. Two weeks later, Organa, C-3PO, and her pilots traveled to Sibensko, where they discovered that a mysterious entity was channeling significant funds into Rinnrivin's cartel and the Amaxine warriors. Despite escaping Rinnrivin and the Amaxines, the Amaxines destroyed their underwater base and spaceport, obliterating most of the evidence except for the banking records stored in C-3PO's data banks.

Following her trip to Sibensko, Leia announced her intention to address the Galactic Senate to discuss her findings. While the majority of Populists supported Leia, the Centrist bloc, with the exception of Ransolm, opposed her request. Later, Ransolm attended Centrist Senator Erudo Ro-Kiintor's hearing on military appropriations. During the meeting, Casterfo voiced his disagreement with Ro-Kiintor's proposed bill to divert government funding towards planetary defenses. Casterfo argued that the New Republic was at peace and that its military already possessed sufficient resources to defend its member worlds. After Ro-Kiintor openly ridiculed Leia, Casterfo decided to vote in favor of Organa's request for a hearing.

The following day, Casterfo attended the Senate hearing where Organa delivered a speech outlining her investigation into Rinnrivin's cartel and the Napkin Bombings. She also emphasized the threat posed by the Amaxines to the New Republic's peace and security. After Leia concluded by presenting the evidence C-3PO had uncovered on Sibensko, Casterfo spoke in Organa's defense. He recounted their collaborative efforts in investigating Rinnrivin Di and the Amaxines. He also offered to share visual logs of the Amaxines' Daxam IV base and weapons. Ransolm concluded by stating that the Amaxine leaders had openly discussed war and their admiration for the "Old Empire."

Casterfo's speech corroborated Organa's testimony and restored Leia's respect for her former friend. While many senators took Casterfo's revelations seriously, his actions angered his nominal ally Lady Carise, who was furious that her potential protégé had rejected the opportunity she had provided him. Lady Carise then made arrangements to eliminate Casterfo. Following the Senate hearing, Leia met her former friend and commended him for having the courage to prioritize the greater good over his own political ambitions. With her reputation damaged, Organa advised Casterfo to cultivate his own allies within the Senate to prevent a war with elements hostile to the New Republic, urging him to find allies among both Centrists and Populists and establish bipartisanship between the two factions. Before departing, Ransolm pledged to fulfill his duty.

Determined to eliminate a dissenting Centrist who did not share her faction's thirst for power, Lady Carise hired Arliz Hadrassian to assassinate the Populist Senator Tai-Lin Garr, who had nominated himself as the new Populist candidate for First Senator. She then fabricated visual evidence implicating Senator Casterfo as the mastermind behind Hadrassian, who was officially linked to the Amaxine warriors, the Napkin Bombing, and Tai-Lin Garr's assassination. Using footage from Daxam IV that Casterfo had publicly shared with his colleagues, her slicers doctored footage of Casterfo shaking hands with Hadrassian while gesturing towards her starfighters. While circumstantial, the footage portrayed him as an enthusiastic supporter of the Amaxines who had been leading a double life.

Consequently, Ransolm was promptly arrested by New Republic authorities on charges of providing intelligence and assistance to the Amaxines. According to Senate policy, Casterfo was scheduled for deportation to his homeworld of Riosa, where he would be imprisoned, tried, and sentenced for his alleged crimes. The Centrist faction distanced themselves from Casterfo, while many of his Populist opponents, with the exception of Leia and her team, believed him to be a master deceiver who had been manipulating everyone. Organa and Greer realized that Casterfo had been framed, and the former decided to meet him in the main hangar before his deportation to Riosa.

Leia encountered a disheveled Casterfo as he was being escorted by New Republic soldiers onto a prison transport and managed to obtain permission from the guards to speak with her former friend. Ransolm praised Leia for her friendship and expressed his regret for helping to reinstate the death penalty on Riosa. Leia offered to assist his trial by calling for an independent investigation. However, Casterfo was pessimistic about her chances of success, given her loss of political connections due to her parentage. The two rekindled their friendship, and Casterfo told Leia that she had been his only true friend in the Senate. He also apologized for betraying her and urged Leia to continue fighting for what was right. Before Casterfo was led away, Leia apologized for her initial assumption that he was an Imperial loyalist and added that he would have fought with the Rebellion.

Following Casterfo's deportation, Leia took action against Lady Carise for manipulating Ransolm into revealing her parentage and framing her friend. She successfully persuaded the Elder Houses to pass a resolution stripping Carise of all her titles, including the governorship of Birren. While she was unable to help Casterfo, Organa believed that this was a just punishment for Carise's actions.

Imprisoned by the First Order as Prisoner 876549C, Casterfo was transferred to an occupied Corellia shortly after the Battle of Crait. Forced to perform labor there, Casterfo was rescued by Wedge Antilles and a Resistance team. Casterfo had been informed of Organa's death, but Antilles revealed that she was alive and desired his presence. Following his rescue, he joined Organa's Resistance.

During his escape, Casterfo offered Executive Records Officer Winshur Bratt an opportunity to join them and defect from the First Order, but the dying officer chose to remain behind and face his fate alone. When the Resistance reunited at a safe house provided by the Collective, Casterfo and Organa were reunited.

Ransolm Casterfo was a handsome, tall human man who favored elegant attire. He was a charismatic, young senator who supported the Centrist faction's firm stance on law enforcement and advocated for a stronger central government in the New Republic. Despite his political views, Casterfo was not inflexible and could collaborate effectively with Populist senators like Leia Organa. Having grown up during the final years of the Galactic Empire, Casterfo held conflicting feelings towards the Empire. While he despised the Emperor and Darth Vader for exploiting his homeworld of Riosa and causing his parents' deaths through overwork, he admired the order and stability that the Empire had established. Casterfo's appreciation for the Empire's positive aspects led him to collect Imperial artifacts, including helmets and banners.

Casterfo was a brave individual who once risked his own life to rescue Leia from the crime lord Rinnrivin Di. In combat, he was a skilled but honorable fighter who did not revel in violence. Casterfo believed that both his Centrist colleagues and Populist opponents needed to overcome their differences and collaborate for the greater good, a sentiment shared by Leia but not appreciated by his nominal ally, Lady Carise. Casterfo became disillusioned with his fellow Centrists due to their admiration for the authoritarian aspects of Imperial rule and their self-serving political ambitions. Like Leia, Casterfo desired to work for the betterment of the New Republic. Despite their political disagreements, Casterfo formed an unexpected friendship with Leia, which ultimately endured the trials of politics and intrigue. Even after enduring years of imprisonment, Casterfo remained compassionate, offering assistance to a First Order Records Officer, Winshurr Bratt, who had treated him cruelly, during his final moments.

Casterfo also utilized his charm and interest in the Empire to extract valuable information from Arliz Hadrassian, the leader of the Amaxine warriors, a militia posing a threat to the Republic. Casterfo successfully gained Hadrassian's trust. However, Lady Carise recognized his collaboration with Leia and used information about Leia's true parentage to create discord between the two friends. Feeling betrayed, Ransolm revealed Leia's true lineage to the Galactic Senate, effectively ending his friend's political career. While Casterfo earned the praise of his Centrist allies, he was tormented by the realization that he had betrayed his friend's trust. This guilt led Casterfo to atone for his actions by supporting Leia's account of their investigation into Rinnrivin's cartel and the Amaxines. Ultimately, Casterfo's efforts to safeguard the New Republic placed him at odds with Lady Carise, a secret agent of the First Order seeking to undermine the Republic.

Due to the hardships of his childhood, Ransolm Casterfo developed a keen interest in Hosnian martial arts and quarterstaff combat. In his leisure time, he studied old holos of force pike battles and practiced various forms of martial arts and melee combat. Casterfo's combat skills enabled him to adapt during a force pike duel with one of Arliz Hadrassian's Amaxine warriors.

Although Ransolm Casterfo made his first appearance in the 2016 novel Bloodline, penned by Claudia Gray, the character existed in various iterations in the early drafts of the 2015 sequel trilogy film Star Wars: Episode VII The Force Awakens. However, according to Phil Szostak, he does not recall any design or concept art for Casterfo being produced. Casterfo's name is pronounced "RAN-som CAS-ter-foe."