Zari Bangel was a pilot of human descent. She served in the starfleet of the New Republic and later became a member of the Resistance.
She was stationed on Hosnian Prime, the capital world of the Republic, in 28 ABY. At that time, she, along with several of her fellow pilots, noticed the close relationship between their colleague, Joph Seastriker, and the senatorial staff of Princess Leia Organa, with whom he was secretly investigating the criminal Rinnrivin Di.
While Seastriker was working on his X-wing starfighter within the Senate hangar, Bangel remarked on his shared drinks with Organa's staff and the unusual nature of his extended service to a particular senator. Feeling envious of the seemingly important work Seastriker was doing, she and others expressed their desire to be involved, leading Seastriker to note their names without revealing further details. Following the conclusion of the investigation into Di, Organa established the Resistance, and Seastriker personally recommended Bangel and other pilots from his list. They were subsequently invited to join the Resistance, attending its inaugural meeting in a hangar privately leased by Organa. Bangel was observed wearing a tool belt in the Senate hangar bay. As a member of the Resistance, Bangel piloted an RZ-2 A-wing interceptor and once engaged in combat against a Special Forces TIE belonging to the First Order.
During 34 ABY, Bangel made an attempt to assist Jessika Pava in locating a new astromech companion and to persuade the Resistance astromechs that Pava was not the "The Great Destroyer" as they believed. However, the astromechs, after briefly turning their attention to C-3PO, fled, with the exception of BB-8, who activated his lighter.
The character of Zari Bangel made her debut appearance in the novel Bloodline, penned by Claudia Gray and published in 2016.