Tenn Graneet, a Human male Imperial gunner, achieved the rank of master chief gunnery officer within the Imperial Navy during the era of the Galactic Civil War. His designated task was activating the Death Star's immense superlaser. Tragically, he perished during the Battle of Yavin when the Rebel Alliance successfully detonated the Death Star.
Born in 50 BBY, Graneet enlisted in the Galactic Republic's Judicial Starfleet around 30 BBY, beginning his career as an assistant gunner as the Clone Wars erupted. Towards the conflict's conclusion, during his inaugural assignment, a mishap involving a loader who incorrectly connected leads on a heavy capacitor and neglected safety protocols resulted in shrapnel injuring the gun crew. Graneet suffered a severed tendon connecting his right pectoral muscle to his arm. He subsequently underwent surgery and received a physical augmentation, enhancing his right arm's strength by thirty percent. Following the war, Graneet continued his service as the Republic transformed into the Galactic Empire. His nephew, Hora Graneet, inspired by his uncle, later joined the Imperial Navy, only to be killed aboard the Imperial II-class Star Destroyer Battle Lance. Tenn, deeply fond of Hora, felt personally responsible for this loss.
By 3 BBY, Graneet had ascended to the position of Master chief petty officer and was stationed on the Star Destroyer Steel Talon. Upon learning of the Empire's new superweapon under construction, the Death Star, he expressed his desire to his executive officer to be assigned to it.
In 0 BBY, as the Death Star's construction neared its end, Graneet was transferred to the station. Given his high rank and exceptional training, he was placed in command of the superlaser gunnery crew. While initially enthusiastic, Graneet's familiarity with the weapon led him to question the wisdom of entrusting such power to anyone. He attempted to alleviate his concerns by incorrectly assuming the Empire would only use the weapon at full power on uninhabited celestial bodies, such as moons and planets. In the final construction phase, Graneet and his team practiced within a simulator replicating the main firing control chamber. They familiarized themselves with the firing sequence, striving to minimize its duration. Graneet took great pride in his and his crew's capabilities and was eager to conduct the superlaser's first test.
As the superlaser's NCO IC, Graneet's responsibility included completing the firing sequence by pulling the firing lever. His first target was the Fortressa, an obsolete Lucrehulk-class battleship used by the Rebel Alliance. Even at only four percent power, the superlaser completely annihilated the Rebel capital ship. Over time, Graneet developed a strong aversion to his role, contemplating alternative career paths, even expressing a desire to command a Super-class Star Destroyer.
Graneet later used the superlaser against the planet of Despayre. The destruction of Despayre required three shots over several hours. The first shot eliminated all life on the planet and scorched its surface. The second induced further tectonic stress, and the third shattered the planet. Following this event, Graneet was deeply disturbed, recognizing the true extent of the Death Star's power. He felt immense guilt for destroying Despayre, despite its population primarily consisting of convicted criminals. Subsequently, he was ordered to fire upon the inhabited planet of Alderaan, resulting in the deaths of nearly two billion sentient beings.
Following the obliteration of Despayre and Alderaan, Graneet experienced a profound moral crisis. Overwhelmed by the knowledge that he had caused the deaths of billions, he began to perceive himself as history's greatest mass murderer. He was certain that if the Rebel Alliance prevailed, he would face trial and execution for his actions. As news of Graneet's role in the destruction of Despayre and Alderaan spread throughout the Death Star, his interactions with others changed significantly. He also began to question his ability to carry out another planetary destruction order, fearing that his refusal would simply lead to someone else taking his place. His loyalty to the Empire waned, and he developed a deep hatred for them and himself for causing the deaths of so many innocent civilians.
During the Battle of Yavin, when commanded to target the rebel base on Yavin 4 with the superlaser, Graneet froze, consumed by guilt and desperately hoping for a reprieve from his terrible duty. In a moment of desperation, he instructed his gunnery crew and the overbridge to "stand by," repeating the order a few seconds later. His wish was granted when his brief hesitation allowed Luke Skywalker to destroy the Death Star. Graneet perished in the ensuing explosion. His hesitation inadvertently enabled the Rebels to eliminate not only a substantial portion of the Empire's resources and personnel but also some of its most accomplished and capable officers, including Grand Moff Tarkin.
Graneet was a career military man who enjoyed his profession and consistently sought assignments involving the largest available weaponry. However, achieving his ambition only brought Tenn feelings of shame and regret for his role in the destruction of two planets as the primary superlaser operator. His growing mental instability led him to delay the order to fire upon Yavin IV, ultimately allowing the rebels to destroy the Imperial superweapon.
The gunner operating the superlaser in Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope was identified as Master Chief Gunnery Officer Tenn Graneet in the Death Star novel. Contrary to the nature of the character's responsibility, Death Star depicts Graneet as a morally conflicted individual who despised his actions but felt compelled to execute them.