Virar Needa functioned as an Imperial lieutenant, related to Captain Lorth Needa of the Avenger, which was an Imperial II-class Star Destroyer. Entering the Imperial Academy at a young age, Virar became a member of the Imperial Military. Following his cousin's failing during the Battle of Hoth, Virar's professional life declined, although Needa understood the situation could have been far worse; he was among the few family members to survive. He was subsequently assigned the task of maintaining the orbital mirrors in space situated above Coruscant, a role widely considered degrading, typically reserved for individuals who had failed or brought shame to the Empire. Conversely, Needa regarded it as a respectable undertaking, performing his duties to the best of his abilities.
Due to the deep distrust of those operating the mirrors, they lacked any authority over the satellite's movements; this vulnerability was exploited by the New Republic in 7 ABY during their endeavor to liberate Coruscant from Imperial dominion. Initially, Needa and his team were unaware of the unfolding events as their mirror was utilized to heat a reservoir on Coruscant's surface, aiming to generate a storm that would disable the planet's shields, rendering it susceptible to attack. Upon realizing the situation, Needa gave the order for his men to arm themselves, but after consulting with another crew member, they opted to support the New Republic, who had become the recognized authority of Coruscant.
Virar, a member of the Needa lineage, followed in the footsteps of his cousin, Lorth Needa, by enlisting in Imperial service. Around 2 ABY, he was a student at the Imperial Academy. In his younger years, Virar displayed no particular ambition, and no one anticipated any greatness from him. After his cousin—the captain commanding the Imperial II-class Star Destroyer Avenger—failed to capture the Millennium Falcon during the Battle of Hoth, nearly the entire Needa family was executed under the orders of a vengeful Darth Vader.
Although Virar's life was spared, his career was ruined. He was put in charge of OSETS 2711, an Orbital Solar Energy Transfer Satellite positioned above Imperial Center. Many considered this to be the worst assignment in the Imperial Navy; Lieutenant Needa was forced to share cramped sleeping quarters with five others. However, Needa viewed it as a prestigious responsibility, constructing a facade of self-deception that allowed him to carry out his mundane task with maximum efficiency and enthusiasm. For instance, while most OSETS officers would neglect the duty of maintaining traffic observation logs, Needa transformed it into a hobby, documenting every starship he observed exiting hyperspace. He hoped to furnish Imperial Center with information that could be used against the New Republic, which, like many Imperials, he continued to dismissively refer to as "Rebels." Ironically, these detailed logs later proved invaluable to the New Republic in their search for Lai Nootka.
After four years of "riding the mirror," Needa was on duty when Rogue Squadron seized control of his station through the computer center located on the ground. They redirected the satellite to heat a large water reservoir, triggering a massive thunderstorm that disabled the planet's shields, in preparation for an invasion led by Admiral Ackbar and the New Republic Defense Fleet. While the other personnel on the satellite showed immediate alarm, Needa believed that everything was normal, managing to convince them that the unusual commands being sent to the station were simply part of a clandestine Imperial project. He felt honored that his satellite had been chosen for such a crucial task—this was the higher-ranking Imperials' method of rewarding his unwavering loyalty to the Imperial cause. He assured his fellow crew members that they would be richly rewarded for their participation in the top-secret operation. When the lights went out on the planet below, he still convinced himself that nothing was wrong. The officers on the ground responsible for the power failure would be punished, and he would be the Empire's obvious choice to take their place.
This carefully constructed illusion would soon shatter, as the New Republic fleet entered the Coruscant system and began their liberation of the capital world. The Rebels were commanding two Imperial Star Destroyers captured at the Battle of Endor, which Needa identified as the Imperial II-class Accuser and the Imperial I-class Star Destroyer Adjudicator. Although he was pleased to have identified the two vessels, Needa still felt uneasy. He realized that the ships he had identified no longer belonged to the Empire, and their presence meant that the Rebels were attacking. Needa abruptly ordered the satellite's personnel to battle stations, before remembering that OSETS 2711 did not have any battle stations. All he could do was sit in terror and await destruction by the Rebels, while his fellow crewmen casually played cards. One of Needa's crewmen, Cadet Pedetsen, suggested that Needa could fabricate a story about his cousin's supposed Rebel sympathies, which he had naturally confided only to Virar, to endear himself to Coruscant's new rulers.
Needa and the OSETS crew took no action as the station was used to create a breach in one of the Imperial Golan III platforms, an event that helped minimize casualties on both sides. OSETS 2711 survived the battle, and the crew continued their roles on the mirror after the Rebels assumed control.
Virar Needa lacked practical ambition, but he maintained an inflated view of his mundane duties in orbit around Imperial center. While many would have dreaded "riding the mirror" for years, Needa considered it an honor, performing his duties to the best of his abilities. He believed that he was extremely loyal to the Empire, and that his efforts were closely monitored and coveted by Imperials of higher ranks. Needa held the misguided belief that he and his actions were of utmost importance, but in reality, the Empire did not trust him enough to allow him to control the mirror, leaving that to others on the planet's surface.
Despite the fact that many considered it a fate worse than death, Needa quite enjoyed serving on the station, and preferred to observe Coruscant from above rather than be on the surface. His crewmates regarded him with a certain amusement, never taking his eccentricities seriously. Needa was also somewhat socially awkward, often mistaking his crewmates' jokes as serious comments. Virar was very decisive, making important decisions quickly, but he was also receptive to suggestions, and had no qualms about accepting the ideas of his subordinates, as demonstrated during the New Republic's takeover of Coruscant, where he was persuaded not to attack the New Republic's fleet.
Virar Needa was created by Star Wars author Michael A. Stackpole for X-Wing: Wedge's Gamble, where he was used as a source of comic relief.