A male Human serving as a commander within the New Republic Army found himself stationed at the New Republic base located on the planet of Altyr V in 10 ABY. During this time, the base was attacked by two artificial asteroids deployed by the Imperial forces. Kyle Katarn, a Jedi Knight, intervened and successfully destroyed the asteroids, enabling the commander to oversee the base's evacuation. Subsequently, the commander briefed Mara Jade, Katarn's apprentice, regarding her assignment to establish contact with Ka'Pa, a crime lord of the Hutt species.
In the ranks of the New Republic Army, a male Human held the position of commander. 10 ABY saw the Galactic Empire launch a military campaign under the reborn Emperor Palpatine, seeking to reclaim the galaxy. During this period, the commander was stationed at the New Republic outpost situated on the planet Altyr V. He received assistance from Kyle Katarn, a Jedi Knight, and his apprentice Mara Jade, a former Emperor's Hand who had become a Jedi.
On one particular day, the sensors at the Altyr 5 base detected a pair of asteroids on an approach trajectory towards the planet. Initially assuming that these asteroids would disintegrate upon atmospheric entry, the commander was taken aback when they entered a geosynchronous orbit and commenced an assault on the base's shields. It became evident that these were actually disguised Imperial weapons designed to achieve a surprise attack. Furthermore, the long-range sensors positioned on Delta 3 detected an Imperial strike force entering hyperspace. It was estimated that the primary Imperial force, possessing sufficient power to obliterate the entire base, would arrive at Altyr 5 within three hours. However, issuing evacuation orders was impossible due to the ongoing bombardment from the disguised asteroids.
Without delay, the commander contacted the two Jedi and provided them with a comprehensive briefing on the situation, maintaining a composed demeanor as he coordinated the base's defensive efforts. The Jedi devised a strategy and split up; Jade remained at the base to assist the commander in coordinating Altyr 5's defenses against the Imperial forces originating from the asteroids, while Katarn successfully infiltrated one of the asteroids using a captured Imperial shuttle. Ultimately, he managed to destroy both asteroids, which then allowed the commander to evacuate the base before the enemy reinforcements could emerge from hyperspace.
During his time on the asteroid, Katarn discovered a clue pointing to the location of an ancient Sith Temple, and he subsequently departed for the planet Dromund Kaas in search of it. With Katarn's departure, the commander entrusted Jade with a mission of crucial importance to the New Republic. He tasked Jade with contacting Ka'Pa, the Hutt crime lord, with the aim of persuading him to provide the New Republic with desperately needed supplies in exchange for amnesty for all of his past criminal activities. Despite her initial reluctance, Jade ultimately accepted the mission after the commander elucidated its critical importance.
The commander possessed fair skin and gray hair, complemented by a full beard. His calm and collected coordination of Altyr 5's defenses during the Imperial assault highlighted his experience as a leader. Furthermore, his ability to persuade the initially hesitant Mara Jade to undertake the mission of contacting Ka'Pa the Hutt demonstrated his persuasive skills.
During the events that unfolded on Altyr V, the commander wore a uniform consisting of a light-brown jacket, adorned with a small square command insignia featuring nine red pips, and white pants.
This character made his debut, and only appearance, in Star Wars: Jedi Knight: Mysteries of the Sith, which was an expansion pack for the first-person shooter video game Star Wars: Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II. The expansion pack was released on January 31, 1998. Terence McGovern, the voice actor known for delivering the line "These aren't the droids we are looking for" in Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope, provided the commander's voice. George Lucas himself credited McGovern with coining the term "Wookiee."
The officer's name remains unrevealed within the game, and he is exclusively referred to as "commander" in the cutscenes. However, the Mysteries of the Sith game manual identifies him as the "Rebel Commander," despite the fact that the Rebel Alliance had already transitioned into the New Republic by the time Mysteries of the Sith was set. The game manual also portrayed the Rebel Commander as an AI ally, even though his presence is limited to cutscenes as a main character. He possesses a unique physical appearance within the game. Furthermore, the term "commander" raises questions regarding whether it denotes his military rank or simply serves as a form of address for an officer in command of a specific unit. The commander's distinctive command insignia, featuring nine pips, has not been utilized in any other Star Wars works, and the rank it signifies remains unidentified.