Willrow Hood

Willrow Hood found himself aboard the Imperial I-class Star Destroyer known as the Harbinger during its hijacking by the Rebel Alliance in the year 0 ABY. Fearing a potential explosion of the overloaded reactor, the admiral commanding the Harbinger ordered the crew and passengers to evacuate the ship before the rebels boarded. Along with stormtroopers and technicians, Hood hurried to a hangar for evacuation, clutching a camtono storage container under his arm.

By the time 3 ABY arrived, Hood was residing in Cloud City, a mining settlement situated high in the atmosphere of the gas giant planet Bespin. As a gas miner at the city's gas mining operations center, Hood was stationed at a console, where he monitored the pressure levels of the reactor stalk gas conduit. His duties primarily involved venting gases and observing lights and pressing buttons. The Bespinite harbored deep resentment for his occupation, primarily because of the meager pay he received, despite the wealth of those who owned the machinery. Hood also detested the bright orange jumpsuit he was required to wear for the job. He resided in cramped, dimly lit, brutalist living quarters that he disliked, although they served their purpose.

Hood yearned for a new existence, one where he could accumulate wealth for himself, not for others, and where he could explore the vast galaxy beyond Cloud City. He held a romanticized view of smuggling and, for months while living in Cloud City, persistently pleaded with his friend Faron, a Rodian smuggler, to offer him a smuggling job. Hood believed that with his strong work ethic, he could swiftly afford his own ship through smuggling, but he recognized the need for an entry point into the smuggling world.

Finally, in 3 ABY, Faron visited Hood's quarters with an assignment: to transport a package to the planet Batuu. The delivery was scheduled for one week and three days later, and Faron offered an initial payment of ten thousand credits. Faron instructed Hood to deliver the package to a woman named Tropos, who would pay him forty thousand credits upon safe and timely delivery. The Rodian cautioned that any mishaps would result in the disappearance of everyone Hood cared about, followed by Hood's own disappearance, a threat Hood knew Faron was serious about. Hood stored the package—a camtono—in a chest beneath his bed in his living quarters. On one occasion, driven by curiosity, Hood gently shook the camtono to discern its contents. It remained silent, leading him to believe it contained a solid object.

Five days later, Hood, realizing the need for a ship equipped with a hyperdrive and a pilot to reach Batuu, sought assistance from Bexley, a pilot who operated a cloud car vehicle, at a local bar. She accepted his offer of ten thousand credits for her to rent a ship with a hyperdrive, and for her services. After explaining that he had a package to deliver, he divulged specific details that he would not have shared otherwise, influenced by alcohol, attraction, and the excitement of spending time in close proximity to her.

Two days later, Hood completed several errands in the morning before donning his orange jumpsuit for work and heading to his job. He chose to pass through the cloud car shuttle bay, considering it a convenient shortcut, but found it unusually crowded with ambassadors from various factions considering business ventures in Cloud City. As he navigated through the bay, he was overcome with apprehension and decided to search for Bexley's car. Upon finding her tending to the car's electrical components, Hood decided that it was worth being late to his job, assuming that his co-worker Hadrian could manage his work at the console for a few minutes.

Hood immediately noticed that she was less cheerful than usual. She explained that she had been called back in after driving around a man from the city of Canto Bight, who offered her a substantial sum of credits to ignore the call and remain outside of Cloud City. While Hood responded flirtatiously with a smirk, he observed that she did not reciprocate as she typically would.

When Hood finally inquired about what was happening, Bexley quietly revealed that she had spoken with another pilot who had spotted Darth Vader, the Imperial Sith Lord, in the large shuttle bay. The news terrified Hood, making it difficult for him to speak and react, and evoking childhood fears of monsters.

Hood eventually mustered the courage to ask if Darth Vader was present and if he was even real, both of which Bexley confirmed, adding that he was remarkably tall. Vader's presence shocked Hood, given that Lando Calrissian, the city's Baron Administrator, had maintained neutrality and kept the city inconspicuous. Hood's hands trembled as Bexley revealed that Vader was accompanied by numerous Imperial stormtroopers and a Mandalorian, who, unbeknownst to them, was the bounty hunter Boba Fett. As Bexley speculated that the Imperials' arrival had drawn the crowd, Hood's mind became consumed by thoughts of Vader. He instructed Bexley to wait and plunged into the crowd of ambassadors, barely hearing her response as he broke into a run.

As Hood sprinted toward his quarters, he briefly considered checking in with Hadrian and fabricating an excuse but ultimately decided against it, realizing he was not returning. After nearly knocking over a service droid with a trash cart, he slammed into his door and quickly opened it. Upon seeing the quarters, he realized he would not miss them. He contemplated removing his orange work jumpsuit but decided he lacked the time and immediately pulled the chest from under his bed to open it. However, he discovered it was empty, the camtono nowhere to be found. He sat down, feeling dizzy, and attempted to mentally retrace his steps to determine what might have occurred.

Until that moment, Hood had not worried about the job, having already planned to depart the next day and enjoy his time on Batuu. He began to fear that the Empire's arrival had shattered his dreams of basking in the sun, savoring glowing drinks, and indulging in a type of ice cream called a Nectrose Freeze, despite knowing it would affect his waistline. While attempting to recall who might have known about the contents of the chest, Hood remembered mentioning the package to Bexley at the bar and wondered if she had taken it while he was out running errands that morning. He could not remember the last time he had checked the chest and could not fathom how she had even gained access to his quarters and taken it. Hood rose and returned to the hallway, heading back to the shuttle bay.

After turning the corner of the hallway, Hood found Bexley conversing with the droid that Hood had nearly pushed over earlier. He observed the droid gesturing toward the trash unit they had been pushing, which opened to reveal the camtono. Hood deduced that Bexley had used a service droid—which had access to all rooms for trash collection—to steal it and had been so anxious and concerned about Vader's arrival earlier because her plan to betray Hood was unraveling. Still uncertain about the camtono's contents, Hood walked into the hallway, mentally noting his gratitude that the cargo inside the container was solid, knowing that Bexley would not return it without a struggle. She started running when she saw him, and he pursued her, but he was not nearly as fast as her nor as able to withstand the exertion.

Hood followed Bexley through a mess hall toward the city's center but eventually lost sight of her. However, he quickly found her with stormtroopers pointing blaster rifles at her, her arm not holding the camtono raised. Without much thought, Hood shouted that she was a member of the Rebel Alliance. He ran and snatched the camtono from her hands, telling the stormtroopers that it was his property that she had stolen and that he was reclaiming it.

Before Hood could leave with the camtono, the stormtroopers stopped him and insisted that both Hood and Bexley remain there until they could determine what was happening. Both shocked by the other's actions, Hood justified his actions by saying she stole from him, and she tried to explain that the people she ferried around did not tip, until a stormtrooper silenced her. While Hood became overwhelmed by how difficult the mission had become, the stormtroopers grew perplexed by Hood not knowing the code to the camtono or what was inside. Before Hood could think of anything else to do, Darth Vader arrived at one end of the hallway, flanked by several stormtroopers, with Bexley identifying him for Hood.

With the stormtroopers distracted, Hood's desperation and adrenaline motivated him to strike one of the stormtroopers' blasters with the camtono, sending the weapon flying, before kicking the other stormtrooper in the chest. Bexley grabbed one of the stormtrooper's rifles and pointed it at them to threaten them. She asked Hood if the deal they had made before was still valid, with Hood initially thinking she was joking until she pointed out he could not leave without a pilot. Wanting to have fun and once again swayed by his feelings for her, Hood agreed to go with Bexley, even though he internally did not consider it an intelligent decision. After she said she needed to get her pack, the two agreed to meet at the shuttle bay to the south and ran off in opposite directions before the stormtroopers could get up and use the remaining rifle.

Unbeknownst to Hood, the Empire had successfully occupied Cloud City. As Hood ran for the shuttle bay, Baron Administrator Lando Calrissian informed the platform's citizens of the takeover via a city-wide announcement, causing many to attempt to flee. Hood ran through the city's corridors holding the camtono, and he passed by Calrissian and his rebel allies Princess Leia Organa, the Wookiee Chewbacca, and the droids C-3PO and R2-D2 as they made their own escape. He recognized Calrissian and thought that Organa looked familiar but could not discern who she was. The sight of the group perplexed Hood, leading him to realize he had no idea what was going on.

Before he could reach the shuttle bay, Hood ran into Faron, who said he had been looking for him and offered him more money for the camtono. Knowing what was inside was more valuable, Hood resisted Faron's attempts to take it and refused to give it up, leading the two into a struggle that ended with the camtono falling to the ground with a loud noise. Hood picked it up and noticed that something inside was rattling, indicating that its contents had broken. Hearing the sound, Faron became afraid and decided to leave, telling Hood he was on his own. Hood then met up with Bexley in the south shuttle bay, with the pilot standing next to a security vessel in which she hoped to escape with him. After Hood confirmed that something inside the camtono was rattling by shaking it again, Hood remembered Faron's warning about Tropos and decided to tell Bexley to head to any destination other than Batuu before climbing in the ship. Hood was still uncertain about what the contents of the camtono were, but he hoped that they were salvageable and worth enough to start a new life far away from Tropos.

During the Imperial blockade of the Anoat sector that began in 4 ABY, however, Hood was present in Cloud City. Months into the blockade, he was occasionally seen at the Paradise Atrium, an upper-class lounge owned by Voras the Hutt, leader of the criminal Ivax Syndicate, still cradling a camtono in his arms.

A considerable time after Hood's life events, one of the Whills, an intelligent community of beings, interrupted another Whill tasked with recording the galaxy's events in the Journal of the Whills, a chronicle of galactic occurrences. The Whill was specifically documenting a narrative that commenced with the Battle of Hoth and encompassed the evacuation of Cloud City. The interrupting Whill criticized the documentarian Whill's depiction of the story, citing Willrow Hood merely running through the background without dialogue as something absurd, akin to the documentarian Whill's portrayal of the story. However, the Whill recording the events revealed that this was how it would unfold in their version, leaving the other Whill appalled at the lack of inclusion of Hood's "inspiring bravery."

Willrow Hood was a human characterized by dark skin, black hair, and a mustache. He was a cautious and practical individual, driven by financial aspirations to escape his mundane job and embrace a life of luxury. His ambition was a significant motivator, as he contemplated relinquishing the camtono during the struggle with Faron when it became too intense, but ultimately chose to continue fighting due to the substantial sum of money at stake. He also resorted to lying to and confronting armed Imperial stormtroopers to maintain possession of the camtono.

He despised his job in Cloud City, often feeling utterly exhausted by it, and resented enriching someone else through his labor. He was drawn to the idea of working as a smuggler because it offered autonomy, the opportunity to visit numerous planets, the absence of a uniform, and the potential for casual romantic encounters. Despite his desire to leave his job, Hood appreciated Cloud City for its relative obscurity and lack of excitement or attention, although he did yearn to explore the wider galaxy.

Hood was fond of and attracted to Bexley, relishing the thought of being in close quarters with her in a cockpit and once being willing to be late for work just to converse with her. Due to his feelings, he divulged excessive details about the camtono he was supposed to deliver. Hood enjoyed flirting with her and did so frequently, and he was highly perceptive of changes in her demeanor. He was also quick to forgive her after she betrayed him, largely because he desired to spend more time with her.

Hood was terrified of Darth Vader. When Bexley revealed that Vader was in Cloud City, Hood was overcome with fear, reminiscent of the terror he felt as a child trying to sleep in a dark room, fearing the presence of monsters. He was so frightened that he was left shaking and made the immediate decision to abandon Cloud City and never return. His decision to leave also compelled Hood to be resourceful, adaptable, and quick on his feet, first to deliver the camtono and then to flee from another person he feared, Tropos, to start a new life elsewhere. Despite not appearing particularly brave or heroic, as he was primarily concerned with his own survival and financial gain, constantly nervous, and attempting to evade his problems, one Whill believed that Hood was inspiringly courageous.

Hood was a diligent worker and competent at his job of monitoring pressure levels at a gas mining operations center, though it often left him exhausted. He was capable of holding off Faron in hand-to-hand combat, but he inadvertently damaged the contents of his camtono during the fight. Hood lacked the ability to pilot a starship and relied on Bexley to do so for him. He also struggled to run after Bexley without becoming winded, with the pilot easily outpacing him.

For his job at the gas mining center in Cloud City, Hood was required to wear a bright orange jumpsuit, which he disliked and did not want to wear. During the evacuation of Cloud City, Hood carried a camtono with contents that held great value, although he broke what was inside during a fight with Faron. He also carried a camtono on the Star Destroyer Harbinger and had one while at the Paradise Atrium in Cloud City.

Willrow Hood's debut was as a background character, played by Egbert Sen, in the 1980 original trilogy movie Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back. Filming took place in 1979, with the Cloud City interior scenes, including those featuring Hood, being shot at Stage Two within Elstree Studios in England. The character's name was first established on a card labeled "Tibanna gas miner" from the Star Wars Legends Star Wars Customizable Card Game Cloud City Limited expansion, which was released in November 1997. The 2015 digital application Star Wars: Card Trader then brought his name into official canon.

Due to the ice cream maker-esque prop he is seen carrying in The Empire Strikes Back, fans often refer to Hood as "Ice Cream Guy," "Ice Cream Maker Guy," or "Ice Cream Man." The character gained popularity among fans because of the perceived strangeness and absurdity of him carrying what appeared to be an electric ice cream maker. At the Star Wars Celebration fan convention, a tradition known as "The Running of the Hoods" was created, where fans don orange jumpsuits resembling Hood's, wear fake mustaches, and run around the convention with ice cream makers while repeatedly chanting "Ice Cream." This parade has elevated the character to a sort of heroic status among the fanbase.

Hood was slated to appear in the second installment of Star Wars: Shadow of Vader, a five-issue comic book miniseries planned for publication by Marvel Comics beginning in November 2018, but the series was ultimately scrapped.

During the production of the The Mandalorian television show, executive producer Jon Favreau posted a photo on his Instagram account displaying a container similar to the one carried by Hood in The Empire Strikes Back. This container was subsequently identified as a "camtono" in the season's debut episode, "Chapter 1: The Mandalorian," and has since been featured in numerous episodes. In the eighth episode of the behind-the-scenes series Disney Gallery: The Mandalorian, which aired on June 19, 2020, Favreau verified that the camtono's design was inspired by the ice cream maker carried by Hood in The Empire Strikes Back, citing "The Running of the Hoods" at Star Wars Celebration as his inspiration.

The actor who played Willrow Hood remained unidentified until 2023. In that year, on August 14, a YouTuber named Nicolas Delage released a video revealing that he had used facial recognition technology to determine that Hood was played by the late Egbert Sen, an actor who passed away in 2019. Delage contacted Egbert Sen's daughters, Paula and Dolly Sen, who confirmed that their father had portrayed Willrow Hood. They were completely unaware of the character's cult following and revealed that their father had also been unaware. However, they shared that their father had always desired fame and would have been delighted to know about it. They also disclosed that Sen performed Hood's famous run without being able to see properly, as he had been instructed to remove his glasses because he was told they were not appropriate for the Star Wars setting.

Willrow Hood is featured in the non-canonical 2022 video game LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga. Within the open-world environment of Cloud City on Bespin, Hood can be located in an area described as an apartment building. Upon interacting with Hood, he inquires if the player was sent by the Rebellion and reveals that he possesses highly sensitive data on his device—a white object visually representing Hood's ice cream maker-like camtono prop. He cautions that the Empire will soon discover his location and requests the player's assistance in safely delivering his urgent data to its destination. The player is then presented with the option to either decline or accept his mission, entitled "I Spy Cream." Upon accepting the mission, Hood expresses his gratitude and instructs the player to begin their journey.

Hood guides the player from the apartment building down to the Shopping District area, where they are ambushed by stormtroopers. After the player defeats all the stormtroopers, Hood urges them to continue with haste before resuming his run. Hood leads the player to a plaza, where they are once again attacked by stormtroopers. After the player defeats those stormtroopers, Hood expresses his belief that the Rebellion was correct to trust them before leading the player away again.

Upon reaching the Admin Building, their destination, the player can converse with Hood's contact, a woman identified as the Data Server. Hood then reports for duty to the Data Server and hands over the white container, explaining that it contains the requested data. The Server expresses her gratitude and states that the important device will ensure that customers, correcting herself to say rebels, are fed, adding "with data." Hood exclaims that it is "refreshing, ice-cold, flavored data." The woman retreats to a pink-and-white stand and begins distributing ice cream to the citizens of Cloud City. The player can interact with Hood again, who states that the data they helped distribute will spread hundreds of thousands of "delicious sprinkles of hope" throughout the galaxy and thanks the player again, referring to them as his friend. The "I Spy Cream" mission is then completed, unlocking Willrow Hood as a playable character for purchase in the game.

In 2024, Hood was featured on a trading card for the Topps Star Wars Living Set, which claims that Hood worked to destroy a computer memory core containing secret Rebel Alliance transaction details to prevent them from falling into Imperial hands during the takeover of Cloud City. Given that this claim draws from Legends continuity lore and contradicts current canon sources, this article assumes that the card's information is inaccurate.