Thane Kyrell

Thane Kyrell was born in 19 BBY and was an aristocrat who came from the planet of Jelucan, which is located in the Outer Rim Territories. He was the son of Oris and Ganaire Kyrell, and he had an older brother named Dalven Kyrell. Thane and his family were Second-wavers, who were a group of wealthy migrants that had recently established themselves on Jelucan. The Second-wavers were preceded by the First Wavers, an earlier group of human settlers who had made their homes in the valleys of Jelucan over five hundred years before the rise of the Galactic Empire. Most Second-wavers, including the Kyrells, considered the First Wavers to be unsophisticated and behind the times. Throughout his childhood, Thane was frequently subjected to bullying and intimidation by Dalven, his older brother, who was favored by their parents at Thane's expense. Thane also had a difficult relationship with his father, who often used demeaning language and physical violence towards him.

When Thane was eight years old, in 11 BBY, he demonstrated his intelligence by correctly identifying the humming engine of a Lambda-class T-4a shuttle while en route to a ceremony celebrating the establishment of Imperial control over Jelucan. After listening to the speech given by Grand Moff Tarkin, Thane's parents left Dalven to supervise him while they attended a private event. Dalven abandoned his responsibility to socialize with friends, and Thane went behind Tarkin's stage to examine the Grand Moff's Lambda-class shuttle. It was there that he intervened to help Ciena Ree, a First Waver girl, who was being harassed by a group of Second-waver boys.

Despite being at a disadvantage in numbers and size, Thane bravely defended Ciena. Their fight was interrupted by the arrival of Grand Moff Tarkin and his entourage, which included Imperial officers and stormtroopers. While the other boys fled, Thane and Ciena remained to confront Tarkin. Ciena explained to Tarkin that Thane had protected her from being harmed by the older boys. Amused, Tarkin advised Thane against engaging in conflicts where the odds were stacked against him. Thane responded by stating that he had been relying on Tarkin as his superior force, which impressed the Grand Moff with his strategic mindset.

Recognizing the children's curiosity about the wider galaxy, the Grand Moff tested Thane and Ciena's knowledge by asking them to identify his starship, which they correctly identified as a Lambda-class shuttle. Impressed, Tarkin allowed them to explore his ship and experiment with the instruments in the cockpit. Having established a connection with the children, he seized the opportunity to encourage them to serve Emperor Sheev Palpatine by enlisting in the Imperial Military once they were old enough. To achieve this, they needed to gain admission to one of the Empire's Imperial Academies. Following their encounter with Tarkin, the two children resolved to dedicate themselves to their studies to become pilots. When Ciena revealed that she lacked access to a flight simulator, Thane generously offered to share his.

Throughout the remainder of their childhood, Thane and Ciena developed a strong bond through their shared passion for flying and motivated each other to excel. Over the subsequent five years, Ciena frequently visited the Kyrell residence to practice on Thane's flight simulator. Additionally, Thane received instruction in mathematics and science from the family's tutor droid, CZ-1. While his parents tolerated Ciena, Dalven, his brother, ridiculed her for her impoverished background and perceived "old-fashioned ways." On one occasion, Thane retaliated by striking Dalven in the face before their parents intervened to separate them. Despite Dalven's prohibition on using his V-171 airspeeder, Thane and Ciena disregarded this rule and enjoyed rides in the airspeeder.

At the age of thirteen, Thane once successfully evaded a mathematics test by bribing CZ-1 with the promise of a lubrication bath, which the droid enthusiastically accepted. After using a flying fox to reach his family's hangar, he encountered Ciena, who had arrived in her family's ridgecrawler. Following some playful banter, the two friends took Dalven's airspeeder for an unauthorized ride to their secret hideout, a cave known as "The Fortress." While discussing Imperial politics, Thane inquired about Ciena's frequent use of the phrase "look through my eyes." Ciena then revealed that she had a twin sister named Wynnet Ree who had died a few hours after her birth.

By the time they reached fourteen, Thane and Ciena were preparing for the entrance exams for the Imperial Academy's preparatory course. Due to their homeworld of Jelucan's support for the former Confederacy of Independent Systems, the Galactic Empire had imposed a quota on prospective Imperial cadets from their planet. During their study sessions, Thane encouraged Ciena to persevere despite the challenges. While Oris had used his influence to secure Dalven's admission into an Imperial Academy, he did not extend the same favor to his younger son. Consequently, Thane had to rely on his own efforts and determination.

Through their hard work and dedication, Thane and Ciena gained admission into the Jelucan preparatory academy, which prepared local students for the Imperial Academy. At the age of fifteen, Thane's relationship with his father deteriorated further. On one occasion, Oris physically assaulted his younger son during a fit of anger, leaving him with bruises and welts. As a result, Thane developed a deep resentment towards his father and resolved to gain admission to an Imperial Academy to escape Jelucan permanently. Unable to confide in his mother, Thane turned to Ciena for support, who comforted him and treated the wounds on his back with curative skin sealant.

Thane and Ciena, recognized as the most accomplished students from the Jelucan academy preparatory courses, were selected at the age of sixteen to attend the prestigious Royal Imperial Academy on Coruscant. This academy served as a training ground for future officers in the Imperial Navy. The two teenagers were delighted at the prospect of continuing their friendship while studying at the Imperial Academy. While Ciena's parents accompanied her, Thane made his own way to the spaceport after bidding farewell to his parents. Due to their strained relationship, Thane was relieved that they did not accompany him. Upon arriving on Coruscant, Thane felt overwhelmed and disoriented by the vast city world. In contrast, Ciena was filled with excitement, having dedicated her life to preparing for this dream.

After landing on Coruscant, Thane met his roommates, Nash Windrider, the son of an Alderaanian carpet maker, and Ved Foslo, a Coruscanti and the son of an Imperial general. Thane and Nash quickly developed a rapport, while both cadets found Foslo to be arrogant and pretentious. Thane and the other freshmen attended an induction ceremony where commandant Deenlark urged the cadets to prioritize their loyalty to the Empire above their ties to their homeworlds. Despite Deenlark's speech, Thane and Ciena reaffirmed their friendship and were pleased to learn that they would be attending some classes together. Leaving Jelucan behind, they committed themselves to training as Imperial officers.

For the next three years, Thane endured the Imperial Academy's demanding curriculum, studying science, mathematics, piloting, and physical training. All cadets were subjected to a series of rigorous tests. Due to the challenging curriculum, the Academy had a high dropout rate. Despite the odds, Thane and Ciena persevered in their studies and achieved high rankings in their class. While they challenged each other to excel, they also maintained a close friendship. Additionally, Thane formed a warm friendship with cadet Windrider. During their training, Thane shared his difficult childhood experiences on Jelucan, including his dysfunctional relationship with his family. Thane was encouraged by Windrider's account of his more enlightened upbringing on Alderaan.

Approximately three months after arriving on Coruscant, Thane encountered his brother Dalven at the Imperial military dispensary while picking up a pair of larger boots. Due to their strained relationship, Thane had not maintained contact with his older brother. The reunion was not cordial, with Dalven expressing surprise that Thane had not been expelled yet. Thane soon learned that Dalven had performed poorly in his studies at the Imperial Academy and had been assigned to a position as a third-class clerical officer. For Thane, this was another instance of surpassing his overbearing older brother. As the months passed, Thane's friendship with Ciena deepened into a romantic relationship, although they refrained from acting on it due to the Academy's prohibition on romantic relationships between students.

Later, Thane and his fellow cadets participated in a flying exercise called Small Craft Flight, which involved riding speeder bikes. The exercise required the cadets to fly through ten Reitgen Hoops near the Royal Academy. During the flight, Thane's speeder bike became entangled with Ciena's. With considerable effort, they managed to land their bikes safely while simultaneously winning the race. The flight commander was displeased with the two cadets for exploiting a loophole in the exercise but reluctantly split the prize and awarded them 25 points each. Concerned that two cadets from the same homeworld were close friends, the Academy's Office of Student Outcomes orchestrated an incident to create a rift between them.

Six months into their first year at the Royal Academy, Thane's relationship with Ciena faced a significant challenge during the "laser cannon" incident. As part of a training exercise, the cadets were tasked with repairing the laser cannons on their TIE fighters using makeshift spare parts. After Thane and Nash had left the repair bay, an unidentified intruder gained access to the facility and severed the wires inside the cannon. The intruder also tampered with the door panel, planting false data that implicated Ciena. The following day, Thane's laser cannon malfunctioned and failed to fire. After determining that it had been sabotaged, commander Harn examined the door computer and discovered "evidence" suggesting that Ciena was the last person to enter the room after Thane.

Despite the incriminating evidence, Thane believed in Ciena's innocence and suspected that she had been framed. Ciena was summoned to Deenlark's office for disciplinary action. Ciena maintained her innocence and received support from her classmate Jude Edivon, who presented evidence that someone had manipulated the door computer to frame Ciena. Based on the evidence, Jude suspected that Thane was the culprit. Thane was promptly summoned to Deenlark's office, where both cadets received a reprimand from the commandant. Without verifying the authenticity of the data level, Deenlark failed their laser cannon assignment and lowered their class rankings.

Following their disciplinary hearing, Thane and Ciena reassured each other that they had not sabotaged the laser cannon or the door computer. When Ciena suggested that the arrogant Ved Foslo might be responsible, Thane countered that his roommate was a "stickler" for the rules. Later, the two cadets met with Jude, a slicer with expertise in computer systems. Jude apologized for her earlier analysis that had falsely implicated Thane and revealed evidence that the Office of Student Outcomes had orchestrated the incident. While Thane was determined to clear his and Ciena's names, Ciena was hesitant to challenge the Academy authorities, fearing that it would jeopardize her grades and career prospects. A heated argument ensued between the two friends, culminating in Thane storming out after Ciena mentioned his hated father.

While Thane and Ciena eventually reconciled, their friendship was damaged by the "laser cannon" incident. Consequently, they found it difficult to confide in each other as they had previously. Over the next two and a half years, Thane and Ciena focused their efforts on achieving top marks and securing the top positions in their class. As a result, they frequently competed for the top spot. During his studies at the Academy, Thane began to question the Empire's policies. While he doubted the official HoloNet reports that portrayed the Empire in a positive light, the young cadet still viewed the Rebellion as a group of terrorists. However, he acknowledged that they had emerged as a response to the Empire's growing authoritarianism.

By the end of his third year, Thane had been selected for the elite fighter track, while Ciena had been chosen for the commander track. While picking up a new uniform at the uniform dispensary, Thane reconciled with Ciena and comforted her after learning that her pet muunyak had died on Jelucan. A few weeks before graduating from the Imperial Academy, Thane and Ciena were among a select group of cadets chosen to attend a ball at the Imperial Palace. The ball was attended by several Imperial dignitaries, including Princess Leia Organa, the daughter of Alderaanian Senator Bail Organa and a vocal critic of the Emperor's policies. After learning from a drunken Foslo that the Royal Academy had staged the "laser cannon" incident to force them to direct their loyalties towards the Empire, Thane and Ciena decided to put aside their old differences and fully reaffirmed their friendship and affection.

Upon graduating, Thane received a promotion to the rank of lieutenant and was assigned to a highly classified space station, which was later revealed to be the Death Star. Shortly thereafter, Ciena joined him, arriving on the Imperial-class Star Destroyer Devastator, which had captured Princess Leia. While stationed on the Death Star, Thane witnessed the destruction of Alderaan and was deeply disturbed. Soon after, he was tasked with scouting an abandoned Rebel military base on Dantooine. He began to perceive them as a well-organized military force capable of launching precise, albeit small-scale, attacks on Imperial military installations or minor planets under their control. While he was there, the Death Star faced destroyed, and the lack of communications from the rest of the Empire left him very worried for Ciena's safety. Upon his eventual return to the Imperial fleet, he had a brief encounter with Ciena, during which they shared their first kiss before being separated once more.

Already troubled by the Empire's destruction of Alderaan and its blatant disregard for the lives lost on the Death Star, Thane's experience witnessing the mistreatment of Bodach'i slaves during his subsequent assignment on Kerev Doi proved to be the final straw. Overwhelmed with guilt and horrified by the plight of the alien species, Thane resolved to desert the Empire. Following an awkward conversation with Ciena via hologram, Thane put his plan into action the next day. After withdrawing credits from his bank account, he used them to purchase spice and then traded the spice for untraceable credits. Thane used these funds to acquire civilian clothing and secure passage on an independent freighter owned by a Falleen pilot.

After deserting the Empire, Thane returned to his home planet of Jelucan to evade the Imperial Security Bureau agents who would be tasked with finding him. Upon arriving in his hometown of Valentia, Thane was disheartened to see the city marred by what he considered to be unsightly Imperial buildings and walls. While Thane contemplated returning to his parents' home, he ultimately decided against subjecting himself to his father's drunken rages and his mother's disapproval. Instead, Thane rented a small apartment and survived on street food for several days. Having lost his sense of purpose, Thane sank into a state of despair. Ciena was dispatched to locate him and eventually discovered him hiding in his Jelucan apartment.

Upon finding Thane, Ciena attempted to persuade him to return to Imperial service. She reassured him that he would not be arrested, as the Empire was facing a shortage of qualified officers. However, Thane remained steadfast in his refusal to rejoin the Empire. He recounted his disillusionment stemming from the destruction of Alderaan and the enslavement of the Bodach'i. When Ciena pointed out that the rebels had murdered their mentor Tarkin and their friend Jude, Thane assured her that he would not join the Rebellion. During their meeting, Ciena admitted to her own disillusionment with the Empire but expressed her unwillingness to break her oath. When Thane disagreed, she remarked that second-wavers broke their promises.

Following a tense discussion, Thane and Ciena engaged in their first sexual encounter, but it was short-lived. Unable to convince Thane to return to the Empire, Ciena instructed him to leave Jelucan and board the next freighter to an independent world. Ciena warned Thane that she would report him to the Empire if he had not departed by then. Breaking her oath to the Empire for the first and last time, she cautioned him against indenturing himself and advised him to seek employment in the Outer Rim. Thane reluctantly accepted Ciena's advice, and the two embraced each other. To protect Thane, Ciena informed her superior officer, Captain Ronnadam, that he had committed suicide due to his grief over the loss of many comrades aboard the Death Star.

Seven months had elapsed since the conflict at Yavin, and Thane secured a position as a pilot and navigator aboard the Mighty Oak Apocalypse, serving under the command of the Wookiee captain Lohgarra. While Lohgarra employed several transient individuals as crew members, her only other permanent crewmate was a JJH2 model astromech droid. Thane kept his past concealed from the rest of the crew, but he did share his history with Lohgarra. Under Lohgarra's leadership, Thane and the crew frequently undertook missions aimed at aiding worlds in distress, those subjected to abuse or neglect by the Empire, a cause that resonated deeply with Thane, imbuing his life with purpose. While assisting the Tarsunt engineer Brill and the Ithorian maintenance officer Methwat Tann in delivering a shipment of constructor droids to the frigid planet Zeitooine, he became witness to the arrest of a local family by Imperial stormtroopers. The family's predicament so disturbed Thane that he neglected to purchase a replacement power cell; when Brill inquired, Thane fabricated a response, claiming that the shops lacked options within their budget.

Eighteen months following the Battle of Yavin, Thane and Lohgarra participated in a mission focused on transporting medical supplies to Oulanne in the wake of a devastating flood that had left many without sustenance, water, and essential medical provisions. During his involvement in the relief operations, he was approached by Wedge Antilles, who had also dispatched aid from the Alliance to Restore the Republic. Although their contribution in terms of supplies was limited, this notable display of concern for the well-being of the people within the systems under Imperial control compelled Thane to seriously consider joining the Alliance to Restore the Republic. Despite harboring resentment towards them for their role in destroying the Death Star and causing the deaths of many of his former comrades, he recognized that they represented his best chance to halt the Empire's cruel actions.

Subsequently, Thane returned to the Mighty Oak Apocalypse to inform Lohgarra about Wedge's offer to bring him into the Rebel Alliance. Lohgarra also sympathized with the Rebels' cause, given that her own people were subjected to enslavement by the Empire. However, she stipulated that any decision to join the Rebels would require unanimous agreement from the entire crew, a consensus that would take time to achieve. He then confided in her his anxieties about potentially having to fight against his friends within the Empire, including Ciena, if he were to join the Rebellion. Lohgarra reassured him that the Force possessed a way of uniting individuals when the moment was right.

After enlisting with the Rebellion, Thane received assignment to Echo Base situated on the icy planet of Hoth. Given his training as a starfighter pilot, Thane was placed in Corona Squadron. While enduring the frigid conditions, Thane developed a friendship with a fellow Rebel pilot named Dak Ralter, who would later serve as the gunner for the Rebel Luke Skywalker during the Battle of Hoth. Despite his commitment to the Rebellion, Thane felt uneasy around Luke due to his role in the deaths of several of his former classmates aboard the Death Star, leading him to avoid interaction with him. When the Empire discovered their base and launched an attack on Hoth, Thane piloted a snowspeeder with the Twi'lek co-pilot Yendor serving as his gunner.

Thane and Yendor's objective during the battle was to harass the Imperial ground assault forces until the rebel transports could make their escape into hyperspace. Leveraging Thane's familiarity with the blueprints of an AT-AT and his extensive flying expertise, the pair successfully destroyed a walker by targeting the vulnerable point in its armor, the ankle. Once the last transport had taken off, they hurried to their X-wings and rendezvoused with the rebels at the designated location. As Thane departed Hoth, he observed the Imperial fleet and recognized the possibility of encountering Ciena in combat one day, potentially leading to him unknowingly killing her.

Unbeknownst to Thane, his love Ciena realized that he had aligned himself with the Rebellion after she reviewed footage of his snowspeeder harassing AT-AT walkers during the Battle of Hoth. Because of her love for him, she chose not to report him to her Imperial superiors. After arriving at the MC80 Star Cruiser Liberty, Corona Squadron's designated home base, Thane learned from Wedge about Dak's death on Hoth, which deeply saddened him. While distributing equipment to new recruits, he was pleasantly surprised to reunite with Kendy Idele, a former friend from his time at the Royal Imperial Academy, who had also deserted Imperial service. Thane and his fellow rebel soldiers spent the remainder of the day accounting for lost personnel and equipment in the aftermath of the retreat from Hoth.

With some free time, Thane decided to indulge in jet juice to become intoxicated. After wandering through the Liberty's corridors, he ultimately decided to sit down against a wall, at which point an unfamiliar woman appeared to help him and lead him to a chair. In his inebriated state, Thane shared his life story and expressed his deep affection for Ciena to the stranger, who then offered him a cup of water. Later, Thane awoke in his bunk, where a playful Yendor informed him that their squadron was scheduled for a briefing in half an hour. After taking a shower and receiving treatment from 2-1B, Thane arrived at the briefing and was mortified to discover that the woman who had assisted him the previous night was none other than Mon Mothma, the Chancellor of the Rebel Alliance.

After Mothma informed Corona Squadron that they would be permanently stationed on the Liberty, conducting special reconnaissance missions for the Rebel Alliance, she requested a private conversation with Thane. Once they were alone, Thane apologized for his unprofessional behavior. Mothma clarified that she was not concerned about the events of the previous night but wanted to ensure that he would not doubt himself in battle again. He assured her of his dedication to their cause and took to heart her message that it was acceptable to love someone on the opposing side of the war as long as he loved the principles of the Rebel Alliance more.

Subsequently, Thane and his fellow Corona Squadron pilots participated in a mission to scout the planet D'Qar for Imperial presence. Reports had surfaced from deep-cover agents on Coruscant indicating that the Empire was transporting substantial quantities of material for an undisclosed project, which was later revealed to be the second Death Star. While Corona Squadron found no evidence of Imperial activity, they identified D'Qar as a potential base. Upon returning to the Liberty, Thane engaged in conversation with Kendy, a fellow pilot who had previously been Ciena's bunkmate at the Imperial Academy. Although Kendy held Ciena in high regard, she expressed her belief that "good people" were ultimately corrupted by the Empire. Following a heated exchange, Thane came to the conclusion that the woman he loved was lost.

While monitoring Imperial transmissions originating from his home world of Jelucan, Thane learned that Ciena's mother, Verine Ree, was being accused in an Imperial court of 'embezzling' funds from the local mines that she managed. This prompted Thane to request a brief leave of absence from his commanding officer to support her family during a period of hardship and betrayal. His request was granted on the condition that he would return and that his absence would not coincide with the Rebel fleet's jump to another system.

Upon arriving on Jelucan, he was deeply disturbed and saddened by the state of his homeworld, where the sky was obscured by black coal mining soot and the mountains were hollowed out due to extensive mining operations. He traveled through the rapidly modernizing Valentia, impressed by the fact that the valley residents and second-wavers were no longer distinguishable from one another. They all now wore factory made clothing supplied by the Empire. Thane rented a ridgecrawler and drove to Ciena's home, where he reunited with the now Lieutenant Commander Ree. At Ciena's residence, he planted the traditional maroon-dyed flag into the sandy trench in front, attempting to make amends with her. Throughout their interactions, Thane operated under the assumption that Ciena was unaware of his decision to join the Rebel Alliance.

The two took flight together in Thane's old V-171 airspeeder, and it felt as though they had never been apart. Upon returning to the Fortress, their childhood sanctuary, Ciena revealed that she knew he had joined the Rebellion and demanded to know why he would align himself with a group she labeled "terrorists" responsible for Jude's death. Thane passionately defended the rebels, countering that Palpatine was the true terrorist for ruling through fear. Despite their inability to agree on which side was fighting for the right cause in the war, their mutual affection was undeniable. They spent the night together and made love once more under the blankets. Subsequently, Ciena disclosed that she had recognized his involvement in the Battle of Hoth based on his snowspeeder piloting skills. In turn, Thane shared his respect for his superiors within the Alliance and the trust they placed in him to return to Jelucan.

Following Ciena's mother's trial, Thane returned to the Rebel fleet. Upon his return, he informed General Carlist Rieekan and Corona Squadron that he had met with Ciena and was aware of her position as an Imperial officer. This revelation caught everyone off guard, quickly making him the least popular member of the squadron. Despite his assurance that his starfighter was not equipped with a tracker, it was inspected nonetheless. General Rieekan commented that there were plenty of other women in the galaxy who did not fight for the enemy, while Smikes chided Kyrell for abandoning his post to "bang his ex." When his friend Yendor cautioned that Ciena could potentially harm them, Thane angrily defended his judgment and told them to mind their own business. While sympathetic, Kendy advised Thane that his love for Ciena would ultimately tear him apart.

After his visit to Jelucan, Thane and his fellow Corona Squadron pilots settled on 5251977, a remote planet that served as a base for the Alliance. Due to the planet's slow rotation, days and nights spanned several weeks. While stationed on 5251977, Thane learned from Yendor that the Alliance Fleet was assembling for a planned assault. Thane was further encouraged by the arrival of his Wookiee friend Lohgarra in her ship Mighty Oak Apocalypse. Lohgarra and her crew had decided to lend their support to the Rebellion.

Ten hours after arriving on 5251977, Thane and Corona Squadron received new orders from Admiral Ackbar, the commander of the Alliance Fleet. Remote sensors had detected an unusually high concentration of Imperial ships in the Hudalla system. Corona Squadron was tasked with observing the Imperial fleet and gathering as much intelligence as possible. Upon entering the system, Thane and his fellow pilots discovered a large Imperial fleet, which had been gathering in anticipation of the Emperor's arrival at the second Death Star above the Forest Moon of Endor. While they were assessing the size of the Imperial fleet, Corona Squadron was attacked by a squadron of TIE/IN interceptors led by Ciena Ree and Nash Windrider, his former roommate. Ree had been given secret orders from Admiral Piett to allow at least one of the starfighters to escape.

During the dogfight, Thane remarked that "this galaxy isn't big enough" over the intercom, which was overheard by both Ciena and Nash. While Ciena was horrified at the prospect of having to fight her lover, Nash was enraged that Thane had joined the Rebellion and sought to kill him. The only reason Thane and most of Corona Squadron managed to escape without significant losses was Ree's intervention in shielding Thane's X-wing from Nash while he was preparing to jump to hyperspace. While the Imperials lost two TIE fighters, the sole Corona casualty was Smikes, who used the callsign Corona Four.

Thane Kyrell then took part in the Battle of Endor, where Corona Squadron's role was to provide cover for Gold, Red, Green, and Gray Squadrons as they entered the second Death Star. During the pre-battle briefing, Thane was informed of the details of the rebel assault on the Forest Moon of Endor, including Han Solo's ground strike team's mission to disable the deflector shield generator protecting the Death Star.

Two days after the briefing, Thane and the rest of the rebel fleet emerged from hyperspace above the Endor system. To their dismay, they quickly realized that Han Solo's strike team had not yet deactivated the second Death Star's deflector shield. Under General Lando Calrissian's orders, Thane and the other pilots took evasive maneuvers as the Imperial fleet launched a swarm of TIE fighters and TIE Interceptors. During the Battle of Endor, Thane witnessed the Death Star's superlaser destroying the Liberty, the MC80 star cruiser that had served as Corona Squadron's base. Following Calrissian's instructions, the remaining rebel starfighters and ships circled the Star Destroyers to evade the Death Star's blast.

While awaiting the deactivation of the shield generators on Endor, Thane and his fellow Corona pilots Kendy and the Contessa damaged the engines of the Imperial Star Destroyer Subjugator. Once the Death Star's shields were down, rebel forces under the command of General Calrissian, piloting the Millennium Falcon, destroyed the second Death Star. Given that Ciena had reportedly been stationed aboard the Super Star Destroyer Executor, Thane presumed that his lover had perished and wore a Jelucani mourning band in her memory. Although Thane participated in the victory celebrations at Bright Tree Village, he found little joy due to his belief that Ciena was dead. Thane later attended the wedding of Han Solo and Leia Organa.

Unbeknownst to Thane, Ciena Ree had indeed survived the Battle of Endor. She escaped death aboard the Executor because she had been piloting a TIE Interceptor. However, Ciena sustained serious injuries when debris from the Death Star collided with her TIE fighter, puncturing her liver. Due to her bravery and dedication, Ciena was subsequently promoted to the rank of captain aboard the Imperial Star Destroyer Inflictor.

Following the Battle of Endor, the Galactic Empire descended into chaos as various Imperial officers and Moffs vied for control of the succession. The Rebel Alliance transformed into the New Republic, establishing itself as a rival to the fragmenting Empire. Seeking an alternative to Imperial authoritarianism and oppression, numerous worlds joined the New Republic. Despite his pessimistic tendencies, Thane came to view the New Republic as a fairer and more humane government that sought to address the injustices of the Empire, including slavery, pollution, and increased expenditure on civilian needs. While Thane was surprised by the rapid collapse of the Empire, he and his fellow comrades found themselves still engaged in an all-out war against the Imperial remnants.

Barely a year after the Battle of Endor, Thane and his fellow Corona pilots participated in the defense of the planet Naboo, successfully repelling an Imperial fleet. This marked the third attempt by the Empire to attack Naboo, which had joined the New Republic. After the dogfight, Yendor invited Thane and the other pilots to visit the Gungan city of Otoh Gunga to sample a dessert that required at least four hominids to consume. However, Thane politely declined his friend's invitation as he was still mourning Ciena, unaware that she had survived Endor. Due to his friendship with Ciena, Thane had also developed a greater appreciation for the Force, a concept that puzzled his fellow pilots, including Kendy. With the anniversary of the Battle of Endor only a few weeks away, Thane resolved to remove his mourning band.

One year after the destruction of the second Death Star, Thane participated in the Battle of Jakku, the final major engagement of the Galactic Civil War. As an Imperial defector, Thane, recently promoted to commander, was placed in command of a boarding party tasked with capturing the Imperial Star Destroyer Inflictor for the New Republic, whose nascent starfleet faced a critical shortage of ships. Utilizing their knowledge of Imperial ship design and procedures, the New Republic forces boarded the Inflictor. Thane's familiarity with Star Destroyers proved invaluable when the strike team successfully disabled the ship's engines and self-destruct system. Unbeknownst to Thane, his lover Ciena Ree was the captain of the Inflictor during the assault. After receiving confirmation that the Inflictor was on a collision course, New Republic pilot Iden Versio overheard on her comms that they were dispatching a recovery team to extract Kyrell and the boarding party.

During the fighting, Thane recognized Ciena Ree's voice being broadcast throughout the ship on the intercoms, ordering the evacuation of all Imperial personnel within the specified time limits to prevent the Inflictor from falling into the hands of the Republic forces. Instructing the rest of his crew to abandon ship, he made his way to the bridge, which Ciena had sealed off. Recalling the phrase Ciena used to share moments of beauty or surprise with her deceased sister, "Look through my eyes," he deciphered the password and gained entry to the bridge. Although Ciena's oath required her to ensure the ship's destruction, he attempted to take her with him, leading to a confrontation between the two. Ultimately, Thane managed to retrieve his blaster and stunned her, carrying her to an escape pod and narrowly ejecting into the atmosphere in time to survive.

Thane and an unconscious Ciena survived their crash-landing on the sands of Jakku. After landing, they were rescued by a squad of New Republic soldiers. Realizing that Ciena had been injured, Thane requested that the team's medic attend to her wounds. Instead, the soldiers drew their blasters, and their leader secured a pair of magnetic binders on Ciena's wrists. Before Thane could voice his protest, he realized that the New Republic soldiers were simply fulfilling their duty: capturing a high-ranking Imperial officer who would be tried for her crimes.

Following the Battle of Jakku, Thane finally succeeded in visiting Ciena in prison after a week of persistent attempts. Ciena had eventually relented but had to wait for Thane to return from a mission. While Ciena was upset that Thane had prevented her from dying, he insisted that he had acted in the right manner. Although Ciena had remained loyal to the Empire, she recognized its flaws and wished that her oath no longer bound her. She feared that the New Republic would make an example of her, subjecting her to torture and execution, but Thane assured her that even if she refused to provide any intelligence, the Republic did not mistreat its prisoners of war and was generally lenient. He maintained his confidence in the Republic's goodness and fairness, vowing to wait for her for as long as it took so they could be together. Ciena reluctantly agreed to accept Thane's offer of friendship.

Meanwhile, Thane's former friend Commander Nash Windrider concealed the truth about Thane's survival from his older brother Lieutenant Dalven Kyrell, who served as his personal assistant. In private, he harbored resentment towards Thane for betraying the Empire, viewing him as a "master deceiver" and believing that his troubled relationship with his parents had driven him into the arms of the Rebellion. Under the false impression that Ciena had perished aboard the Inflictor, Windrider vowed to avenge her death, promising that when the Empire was restored, Kyrell and the former Rebel Alliance would be made to suffer for having placed Captain Ree in a position where she had seemingly been forced to sacrifice her own life.

Thane Kyrell, a human male, possessed hair of a reddish-blonde hair hue. At the age of eight, Thane was considered undersized for his age, though he had disproportionately large hands and feet. Upon reaching adulthood, Kyrell developed into a tall and well-built man. His hair maintained its reddish tint throughout his adult life. When he attained his full height, he stood as the third-tallest individual within his Academy class. Thane's familial relationships were fraught with difficulty. His father, Oris Kyrell, was a strict disciplinarian who readily resorted to physical punishment. His elder brother, Dalven, consistently subjected him to bullying and belittlement. While his relationship with his mother, Ganaire, was marginally better, he still experienced a lack of familial affection. The extent of this dysfunctional dynamic was evident in the absence of any family members during his departure for the Royal Imperial Academy on Coruscant.

During his youth on Jelucan, Thane displayed no interest in alcohol consumption. While other boys at school would become intoxicated on festival nights, Thane recalled never feeling compelled to join them. Eventually, he cultivated a fondness for Andoan wine.

Thane shared a close and profound bond with his friend Ciena Ree, a relationship that spanned their entire childhood. Despite facing numerical and physical disadvantages, Thane bravely defended her from a group of second-waver bullies until Grand Moff Tarkin intervened. To compensate for the lack of affection from his parents and brother, Thane cultivated a strong friendship with Ciena, which ultimately evolved into a romantic relationship. Their loving relationship persisted despite their allegiances to opposing sides during the Galactic Civil War. Thane's affection for Ree motivated him to undertake a daring rescue mission to save her during the Battle of Jakku.

As a child, Thane harbored a fervent passion for starships and piloting, aspiring to join the Imperial Navy. He distinguished himself as a diligent and gifted student, earning the respect of both his peers and instructors. Despite his promising career trajectory as an elite pilot, Thane grew disillusioned with the Empire after witnessing the destruction of Alderaan and the enslavement of Bodach'i aliens on Kerev Doi. Plunging into a state of despair, Thane secured employment as a co-pilot and navigator for the Wookiee Lohgarra and subsequently enlisted in the Rebellion. Though not an idealist, Thane believed that the Rebellion and its promised New Republic offered a more equitable and just form of governance compared to the Empire. As a starfighter pilot, Thane became a member of the Rebel Alliance's Starfighter Corps, serving in Corona Squadron.

Thane firmly believed in the Rebel Alliance and its New Republic as forces for good within the galaxy. Despite his unwavering support for the Rebellion, Thane grappled with the knowledge that many of his former Imperial Academy classmates, including Ciena and Nash Windrider, were fighting on the opposing side. The rebel leader and future Chancellor Mon Mothma aided Thane in overcoming his self-doubt and despair by assuring him that he could maintain his love for Ciena while remaining loyal to the Rebellion. Thane also found it challenging to interact with Luke Skywalker, the young rebel pilot responsible for destroying the Death Star, as Thane had a friend named Jude Edivon who had perished aboard the Death Star.

Following the Battle of Hoth, Thane was taken aback when another Academy classmate, Kendy Idele, arrived with a contingent of new recruits. He admired her proficiency with a blaster. Later, Thane joined his comrades at a party, indulging in engine-room hooch. Thane began to drink and even played sabacc. Overcome with grief over the loss of his friend Dak Ralter and longing for his friend Ciena, Thane consumed a large amount of alcohol, eventually becoming so intoxicated that he was unable to find his way back to his bunk.

After a briefing for a scouting mission to the Hudalla System, Thane considered the plan to be reckless, deeming Admiral Ackbar delusional when he dismissed them by saying "May the Force be with you."

Thane Kyrell, a former Imperial cadet and starfighter pilot, possessed exceptional piloting skills that led to his selection for the Imperial Navy's elite program. He demonstrated proficiency in operating a blaster and engaging in hand-to-hand combat. Thane also possessed the ability to construct a laser cannon using salvaged components. After deserting the Empire, he effectively utilized his skills as the co-pilot and navigator for the Wookiee Lohgarra. His training at the Imperial Academy and knowledge of Star Destroyer layouts made him a prime candidate for a New Republic mission to seize an Imperial Star Destroyer during the Battle of Jakku.

Thane Kyrell made his debut appearance in the 2015 young adult novel titled Lost Stars, authored by Claudia Gray as a component of the Journey to Star Wars: The Force Awakens multimedia initiative. Kyrell was first depicted visually in the 2016 reference book Star Wars: Galactic Atlas.