Zal Dinnes, a human female pilot in the service of the Alliance to Restore the Republic, operated a T-65B X-wing starfighter with the callsign Red Eight within Red Squadron. She participated in the Battle of Scarif, but her life came to an end during the Battle of Yavin, where she died.
Originating from Tierfon, Zal Dinnes was a pilot for the Alliance to Restore the Republic during the era of the Galactic Civil War. Holding the rank of lieutenant, Dinnes was stationed at the Tierfon Launch Base, flying as part of the Tierfon Yellow Aces starfighter squadron. As Imperial patrols became more frequent, the rebels were forced to abandon the Tierfon base, resulting in the disbandment of the Yellow Aces. Dinnes, along with Jek Tono Porkins and two other pilots, were reassigned to the Rebel base located on Yavin 4. There, Dinnes and Porkins joined Commander Garven Dreis' Red Squadron, with Dinnes assuming the callsign Red Eight.
During Operation Fracture, Admiral Raddus communicated a readiness assessment to Mon Mothma, indicating the Alliance's starfighter squadrons were set to provide assistance to Captain Cassian Andor's undertaking. While he suggested the most probable course of action involved an extraction squad utilizing UT-60D U-wing starfighter/support craft from Blue Squadron, he also verified that Red Squadron's twelve X-wings and their respective pilots were prepared for flight, alongside Green Squadron. In the event that backup became necessary, allied rebel groups, including Dinnes' former unit, the Tierfon Yellow Aces, were on standby, ready to contribute starfighters and pilots from their own squadrons.
In the year 1 BBY, the Rebel Alliance dispatched reinforcements to aid Rogue One during the Battle of Scarif. Rogue One had initiated their mission, defying the Alliance Council's decision, to procure the plans for the Empire's new top-secret superweapon, the Death Star. Zal Dinnes, together with the rest of Red Squadron under Garven Dreis' leadership, was assigned the responsibility of defending the fleet positioned above Scarif. The squadron's X-wings clashed with TIE/ln space superiority starfighters in the skies above the planet and launched assaults on the Shield Gate.
The fleet succeeded in taking down the two Imperial I-class Star Destroyers safeguarding it, which resulted in the Shield Gate's destruction and the collapse of the planetary shield. This enabled the transmission of the stolen plans to the fleet's flagship, the Profundity, just as the Death Star entered the system and obliterated the Citadel Tower along with those still present on the surface. Darth Vader also made his entrance, aboard the Star Destroyer, Devastator, impeding the escape of some Alliance forces. However, he failed to prevent the plans from being transported away on the CR90 corvette Tantive IV with Princess Leia Organa. Dinnes, along with a few other pilots, managed to escape, displaying pride following the engagement.
Shortly thereafter, the Empire's Death Star made its way into the Yavin system with the intention of destroying the rebel base. Dinnes was present in the ready room alongside her Red Squadron comrades when their commander, Dreis, went over the duty assignments for the Battle of Yavin, assigning pilots to their respective flights and callsigns. Dinnes was designated as the leader of Third flight for the attack, with Red Nine Nozzo Naytaan and Red Six Jek Porkins serving as her wingmates.
Thirty Alliance starfighters from Red, Green, and Gold Squadrons were deployed to assault the battle station positioned on the far side of Yavin Prime. However, Dinnes died in her T-65B X-wing starfighter, along with the remainder of her flight. Following the successful destruction of the Death Star, Luke Skywalker and Wedge Antilles were the only surviving members of Red Squadron, along with one other pilot from Gold Squadron.
In 1 ABY, Skywalker and fellow rebel pilots Antilles, Zev Senesca, Derek Klivian, Han Solo, and Chewbacca, made a toast at Mess Hall IV located in the Mako-Ta Space Docks to commemorate the fallen members of Red Squadron, including Dinnes.
Prior to her assignment to Yavin, Zal Dinnes was recognized as a highly skilled pilot. Her helmet featured "V" markings inside the yellow dots, each representing 20 enemy fighters she had taken down in combat.
As an X-wing starfighter pilot in the Rebel Alliance, Zal Dinnes wore an orange flight suit, complemented by a white flak vest, a flight harness, a Diagnostech life support unit, and dark gray gloves. Her K-22995 light flight helmet was adorned with a red and white color scheme, featuring a yellow starbird, the unit insignia of the Tierfon Yellow Aces.
Zarene Dallas played Zal Dinnes in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, though her role was not credited. The character was first revealed by Entertainment Weekly on October 15, 2016 in a special trading card from Star Wars: Card Trader.