- "I see you are elevated to grand moff. A self-proclaimed title, I'm guessing."
"If one wants power, one must take it." - ―Rae Sloane reacts to Valco Pandion's title
Valco Pandion was a human male who held the position of Moff in the Galactic Empire by the time of the Battle of Endor. He proclaimed himself as Grand Moff after the death of Emperor Palpatine and his apprentice Darth Vader. Following the events on Endor, Pandion was a member of the Imperial Future Council that met on Akiva. During the proceedings, Pandion was known for his pugnacious and hawkish attitudes. He was killed during the New Republic's assault on Imperial forces on Akiva.
Biography[]
Journey to Akiva[]
Valco Pandion was a Moff during the Age of the Empire. Following the Battle of Endor, Pandion proclaimed himself "Grand Moff" in the wake of the Emperor's death. He commanded a communications station on the planet Malastare. Pandion fled when the station came under attack from the New Republic, the government created by the Rebel Alliance, and abandoned his forces. As one of the highest ranking officials left in the Empire, Pandion was the target of a New Republic bounty that had been imposed on several Imperial "war criminals."[2]
At the invitation of Admiral Rae Sloane, Pandion traveled on his Imperial Star Destroyer Vanquish to attend a secret summit on the planet Akiva. The goal of the summit was to determine the fate of the Empire by a council known as the Imperial Future Council. After arriving above Akiva, Pandion traveled to the planet's capital city Myrra in a Lambda-class shuttle. His fellow delegates included General Jylia Shale, the Imperial adviser Yupe Tashu, and the Imperial financier and slaver Arsin Crassus. Pandion and the other delegates were spotted by the Zabrak bounty hunter Jas Emari, who wanted to collect a bounty on his head. However, Jas was attacked by Sloane's shuttle and subsequently captured by the local Sullustan crime lord Surat Nuat.[2]
Clashing with Admiral Sloane[]
Grand Moff Pandion and his fellow Imperials were hosted by Satrap Isstra Dirus at his opulent palace. While dining, Pandion inquired about Sloane's encounter with the "insurgent" Jas. Sloane assured the delegates that everything was alright and told them to settle down for dinner. When Pandion persisted with questioning Sloane about the insurgent, Sloane claimed that the individual was a local insurgent with no ties to the New Republic After learning that Sloane had captured the New Republic starfighter pilot Wedge Antilles, Pandion expressed disagreement with Sloane's suggestion that they keep him as a hostage for negotiations with the "rebellion." In response, Sloane reminded him that they were here to discuss the future of the Empire.[2]
Pandion then opined that the Empire needed a strong Emperor rather than a "spineless and spiritless" council. Sloane responded that they would discuss the matter at the Imperial Future Council and questioned Pandion about his new title of Grand Moff. Pandion did not deny proclaiming himself Grand Moff but justified his action on the premise that he was within his right to seek power. Pandion then countered that Admiral Sloane had purportedly usurped control of the last remaining Imperial Super Star Destroyer Ravager. When Pandion questioned her about the Fleet Admiral, Sloane claimed that he had died.In truth, Rax was still alive and and had conspired with Sloane to engineer the conference as a means of eliminating his rivals.[2]
During the lead-up to the Imperial emergency summit, Pandion questioned Sloane about the interrogation of Antilles, who was still holding out. When Tashu offered to interrogate the New Republic pilot, Pandion angrily reminded him to call him Grand Moff and told him that the Sith were dead. Sloane then responded that her Star Destroyer Vigilance had encountered two rebel A-wing scout fighters. When Crassus advocated ending the meeting, Pandion derided him for his cowardice. When Sloane recommended moving the Star Destroyers to hyperspace to avoid New Republic sensors, he accused Sloane of cowardice and advocated deploying the Ravager as a show of force.[2]
General Shale sided with Admiral Sloane and pointed out that the Empire lacked the resources to match the rebels; likening their situation to a game of chatta-ragul. When Pandion told her to speak plainly, Shale countered that the New Republic's Grand Admiral Ackbar was a skilled tactician who was analyzing the Empire's moves. Pandion and the other delegates, with the exception of Sloane, were unaware that the Fleet Admiral was secretly feeding intelligence on Imperial fleet movements to Ackbar. Despite Shale's warnings that the Empire had already lost much manpower and resources, Pandion insisted on deploying the Ravager. While Crassus sided with him, Tashu voted with Sloane and Shale. Pandion tried to challenge Sloane's authority but the Admiral stuck to her guns. In the end, Pandion backed down but "politely" offered to critique her decisions.[2]
The abortive summit[]
As the deliberations dragged on, the Imperial Future Council discussed raising funds to bribe the populace and negotiating peace with the New Republic. When Crassus began banging his fists on the tables, Pandion supported Sloane when she reprimanded the Imperial financier. When Crassus protested, Pandion threatened to break his other hand. Pandion agreed with Shale's view that the Death Stars were a colossal folly but opined that the New Republic would not consider a truce due to their alleged "blood lust" for Imperial officials. When Shale denounced the Emperor's oppressive policies and enslavement of aliens, Pandion commented that her remarks were worthy of death. Shale then responded that the Empire had been reduced to executioners.[2]
When Shale advocated surrendering to the New Republic, Pandion denounced the rebels as criminals and deviants who had gotten lucky. He claimed that the Empire still had the ships, the men, and the money. Shale corrected Pandion by reminding him that the Empire was losing more ships and governors each week and that many worlds had rejected Imperial rule. Pandion responded that she had been watching rebel "propaganda" before demanding that Sloane share her Super Star Destroyer with his forces. Sloane responded that she had convened the Imperial Future Council to decide the fate of the Empire with the input of several advisers, not just one. Pandion mocked Tashu when the Imperial adviser talked about the Sith, the dark side, and suggested that the Empire seek out the source of the dark side in the Unknown Regions.[2]
After learning that Imperial forces had downed a New Republic transport above Akiva, Pandion advocated a fleet battle between the delegates' Imperial forces and the New Republic. Pandion dreamed of the fleet battle ending as a victory for the Empire. When Shale countered that they should not squander their ships just to mount a show force, he accused her of cowardice. However, Shale pointed out that Pandion was a coward for abandoning his post and men on Malastare. Admiral Sloane then stepped in and advised the two to finish breakfast so that they could discuss their summit agenda. She then announced that the meeting would commence soon.[2]
While the delegates were hearing Tashu's proposal that they use a double to maintain the ruse that the Emperor was still alive, the New Republic pilot Norra Wexley and her motley band of rebels including her son Temmin made a propaganda broadcast urging the people of Myrra to rise up against the Empire. As a result, a mob converged on the Satrap's Palace and the delegates were forced to suspend the conference. The Imperials' predicament was complicated by the fact that Antilles had managed to send out a distress signal to the New Republic before being recaptured. To make matters worse for the Imperial delegates, Norra had bombed their shuttles, stranding them on Myrra.[2]
After Norra bombed the Imperial shuttles, Pandion demanded that Sloane disclose a battle order of the Imperial forces on Akiva. When Sloane informed him that she had only deployed minimal forces to Myrra, Pandion lambasted her for not doing more to protect them. Sloane responded that they could not risk drawing attention to the conference by imposing a total occupation. Pandion and Crassus then demanded that Sloane bring their Star Destroyers out of hyperspace. However, Admiral Sloane reasserted her authority as acting fleet admiral and forced Crassus to lend his yacht Golden Harp as an escape transport.[2]
Escaping Akiva[]
Pandion, Shale, Tashu, and Crassus boarded the Golden Harp as the mob stormed the Satrap's Palace. Admiral Sloane and her pilot Morna Kee piloted the shuttle. The Imperials were accompanied by several rebel prisoners including Norra, the bounty hunter Jas Emari, and the former Imperial loyalty officer Sinjir Rath Velus. Wedge Antilles was housed in a separate room while Sloane's aide Adea Rite rested in another room. During the journey, Pandion found himself facing Sinjir, whom he despised as a traitor. The two men took an instant dislike to each other with Pandion threatening to cut his lip. Their flight coincided with the arrival of a New Republic fleet above Akiva.[2]
After the yacht was hit by enemy fire, Pandion asked Sloane whether the ship had escape pods. Sloane assured him they were safe and that they were approaching orbit soon. During the journey, Pandion took the opportunity to mock Sinjir for his folly and weakness. Sinjir responded by mocking Pandion's ambitions and making fun of the title of Moff. Losing his temper, Pandion slapped the ex-Imperial in the face. However, Sinjir kept mocking Pandion's title and the Grand Moff grabbed the former loyalty officer by his collar and hit him three times. Sinjir however distracted Pandion by spitting out a lose tooth and then headbutting the Grand Moff.[2]
Before Pandion could execute Sinjir, Jas offered to kill the former loyalty officer herself. Against Crassus' protests, Pandion offered to pay the bounty hunter twenty thousand credits from the financier's coin purse. Pandion then told the financier that he would not in good faith deny the Empire. While Pandion was distracted, Norra's son Temmin freed Jas, Sinjir, and Norra from their restraints. Jas then grabbed Pandion around the neck and held a blaster to his head. However, Pandion seemed unconcerned because his men outnumbered the rebels. Before a gunfight could break out, the Golden Yacht crash-landed in the Vigilance's hangar.[2]
Pandion survived the crash with a cut to his forehead and managed to escape the ship. However, Crassus was killed on impact and the rebels took Shale, Tashu, and Adea captive. Several of the Emperor's Royal Guards and stormtroopers aboard were also killed or wounded. Sloane quickly boarded another shuttle and made her escape, but Pandion snuck aboard and attempted to subdue the admiral, presuming to take her place at the head of the fleet. Sloane however revealed that the Ravager was under the command of the fleet admiral, who still lived. When he lunged at her, Sloane shifted the control stick of the shuttle and caused Pandion to fall over. She then wrestled his blaster pistol from him, shooting him, and ejecting him from the cockpit. The shuttle then blew up after Sloane made her escape in a pod, killing Pandion.[2]
Personality and traits[]
- "Seems to me that the weakness in the Empire is in men like you, Moff Pandion. Paltry, ineffectual idiots. Men who want to be leaders more than they want to actually lead. And besides, what is a moff anyway? A meager sector head. Even the name sounds weak. Moff. Moff. It's the sound a dog makes as it regurgitates its dinner—"
- ―Sinjir Rath Velus mocks Valco Pandion
Valco Pandion was an ambitious and pugnacious man who desired power. He often found humor in the events around them, but limited his emotions to smirking, sneering, and the occasional outburst of anger. He shared many ideals with the Galactic Empire as it was before the Battle of Endor, valuing strength above all else, calling his adversaries weak or cowardly. There was one solution to every problem, and that was brute force. Pandion was a hawk and clashed with pragmatists like General Jylia Shale and Admiral Rae Sloane. He was very self-centered, paying little attention to those below him in the ranks, dismissing their concerns and ignoring their opinions. Pandion also had a dismissive attitude towards spiritual matters and derided Adviser Yupe Tashu for his belief in the Force and the Sith. He refused to recognize the New Republic and dismissed them as rebels and malcontents.[2]
Pandion was a stiff, hatchet-chinned man with a scar running across his brow. As a self-proclaimed "Grand Moff", he wore a unique rectangular emblem consisting of six blue squares in the top row and three red and three yellow squares in the bottom. Pandion felt that a big show of strength is what the Empire needed to regain its place in the galaxy, often telling the other members of the council that they must bring their fleet to war. Despite his hawkish rhetoric, Pandion once abandoned his men and a communications station on Malastare when the New Republic attacked. Pandion had an antagonistic relationship with Sloan and the two often argued over who should make the important decisions, although he was nevertheless impressed by the show of force to made to intimidate Arsin Crassus into complying with her demands, whistling as he commented how Sloane had "found her teeth", then flashing her a mysterious look. Despite Sloane's military experience, he derided her as a little girl who did not want to share her resources. Ultimately, this antagonism led Pandion to make an unsuccessful attempt on Sloane's life.[2]
Pandion was also hot-tempered and was not above using force. On one occasion, he threatened to break Arsin Crassus's hand for banging on the table incessantly, which was ironically one of the few times during the emergency summit where he backed up Sloane. He took offense when the former Imperial loyalty officer Sinjir made fun of his title. Pandion assaulted Sinjir and punched him in the head three times. In addition to his lavish attitude towards the Empire's military forces, he also had a frivolous attitude towards Imperial money. On one occasion, he offered to pay the bounty hunter Jas Emari twenty thousand credits to execute Sinjir. When Crassus objected to the squandering of his money, Pandion countered that "what's mine is yours."[2]
Appearances[]
"Blade Squadron: Zero Hour" — Star Wars Insider 160 (Mentioned only)- Alphabet Squadron (and audiobook) (Mentioned only)
- Aftermath (and audiobook) (First appearance)
- Shadow Fall (and audiobook) (Mentioned only)
- Aftermath: Life Debt (and audiobook) (Mentioned only)
Sources[]
- Star Wars Helmet Collection 67 (Weapons & Uniforms: Blade Squadron)
- "Pilots of the Rebel Alliance" — Star Wars Encyclopedia
- Star Wars: Timelines (Indirect mention only)
- Star Wars: The Rise and Fall of the Galactic Empire
