Vanden Huyck Willard, a male human, held the ranks of general and sector commander within the Rebel Alliance. He served at the Rebel base situated on Yavin 4 during the pivotal Battle of Yavin. His life ended when the Executor attacked his cruiser, the Yavin's Hope, in the vicinity of the Mako-Ta Space Docks.
During the Battle of Yavin, Vanden Huyck Willard held the positions of general and sector commander within the Rebel Alliance. Following the rescue of Princess Leia Organa from the Galactic Empire's Death Star by Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Chewbacca, C-3PO, and R2-D2, and their subsequent return to the hidden rebel base on Yavin 4, Willard extended a greeting, expressing relief at Organa's safety, as news of Alderaan's destruction had led to fears of the worst.
Upon discovering that the Millennium Falcon, the ship they arrived in, was tracked and that the Death Star had arrived, Willard took charge of reviewing the flight simulator records of prospective pilots seeking to fly X-wing starfighters for the Rebel Alliance before approving their enlistment. He later participated in coordinating the defense against the superweapon. During the conflict, Willard occupied the war room alongside a control officer, General Jan Dodonna, Colonel Bandwin Cor, and Organa. When Dodonna inquired about additional reversion signatures, Willard confirmed that only the Death Star's was present. Excerpts from the war room recordings, including Willard's statement, were eventually included in The Rebel Files.
Following an unsuccessful meeting with Regent Dors Urtya on Mon Cala aimed at enlisting the Mon Cala Mercantile Fleet, Willard attended an Alliance High Command assembly at the Mako-Ta Space Docks when Chancellor Mon Mothma requested Organa's report on Mon Cala. Upon Organa's declaration that Urtya would never instigate a mutiny against the Empire, Willard displayed disappointment. Organa proceeded to outline her strategy to rescue King Lee-Char, with the objective of securing an alliance with the Mon Calamari and integrating their fleet into the naval forces.
Eventually, Organa and her team infiltrated a prison on Strokill Prime and located Lee-Char. Incapacitated by injuries, he recorded his final words before succumbing to death at the hands of Imperial stormtroopers. Although Urtya managed to retrieve the recordings from Organa, he transmitted the message to the Fleet Captains of the Mon Cala fleet, prompting their mutiny and subsequent defection to the Rebel Alliance.
Following the mutiny, Queen Trios of the Kingdom of Shu-Torun ordered the refitting of Yavin's Hope for combat, and Willard was given command. As the flagship of Delta Group, Willard remained at the Mako-Ta Space Docks during a ceremony celebrating the newly formed Alliance Fleet, where rebel personnel and allies witnessed the deployment of the rebel naval forces. During the ceremony, Willard extended an invitation to Organa to visit his cruiser, which she declined, opting to remain with Mothma in case her assistance was required.
Before launch, Organa requested a status check from sub-groups, with Willard being the last to confirm that his group was ready. Willard also requested Organa to convey his best wishes to Mothma for her speech, anticipating a captivating address. After Organa informed Mothma that the fleet was prepared, she relayed Willard's sentiment, assuring Mothma that he would be impressed.
As the ships prepared to enter hyperspace, a malfunction prevented the launch of Willard's cruiser, along with all other vessels equipped with Shu-Torun technology. The failure resulted in launch failures, communication loss, armament disablement, and the inability to deploy starfighters. Simultaneously, Death Squadron, under the command of Sith Lord Darth Vader, arrived and opened fire on the nearest cruiser, Willard's vessel.
As the Executor and an Imperial-class Star Destroyer attacked Willard's cruiser, Mothma, Organa, General Davits Draven, and other rebel personnel watched in horror from the base. Under constant bombardment of laser fire, Willard directed all power to the deflector shields, but a crewmember reported their imminent failure. In response, Willard ordered the ship's abandonment, but the ship was swiftly destroyed, with Willard offering his crew the benediction, "may the Force be with them all."
A massive explosion engulfed the cruiser, and Darth Vader observed from the bridge of the Executor, content that the rebels now understood and that he sensed their fear.
Willard demonstrated leadership as a general. When his cruiser faced attack, he correctly prioritized power allocation to the shields but failed to recognize the need for evacuation earlier. Willard could assess flight simulator records to determine pilot suitability for X-wing starfighter operation before recruitment.
As an Alliance officer, Willard wore officer fatigues and displayed the command insignia on the left side of his chest. The insignia featured five pips: four red pips at the corners and a central blue pip. While commanding Beta Group, Willard utilized a cruiser as his flagship.
Willard's initial appearance was in Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope, where Irish actor Eddie Byrne portrayed him physically, and Michael Bell provided his voice. Willard's first name was revealed in Star Wars: A New Hope junior novelization, released in 2017, written by Ryder Windham and edited by Emil Fortune.
Kieron Gillen, the lead writer for Star Wars, decided to eliminate Willard, reflecting on the rapid ascent of heroes through the ranks.