Orrimaarko/Legends

"Now I'm not exactly a gambling man, but if someone were to tell me a disorganized species with industrial level technology was going up against an Imperial base, I'd say the smart money would be on the Imps. That is, I would have said that until I saw those Dressellians fight with my own eyes. Now I'm not so sure."

- Pyrron Nox describes the exploits of Orrimaarko and his comrades

Orrimaarko, known to many as simply Prune Face, was a Dressellian resistance fighter and a key figure in the liberation of his homeworld, Dressel. He was xenophobic, particularly toward Humans, and when the Empire subjugated Dressel around 10 BBY, he and his fellows took up arms and fought back, becoming masters of guerrilla tactics. Aided by their allies, the more technologically sophisticated Bothans, who provided them with advanced weaponry and mercenary training, a Dressellian rebellion was formed with Orrimaarko at its helm, effectively fending off the Empire. They became embroiled in a war lasting over a decade, which mostly occurred at small engagements in the planet's dense forests.

When the Bothans allied with the Alliance to Restore the Republic, an invitation to the Alliance was issued to Orrimaarko and his people, which they reluctantly accepted. Orrimaarko became the first Dressellian to take command of an Alliance Special Forces team; however, he and his colleagues were often mocked and ridiculed behind their backs by the predominantly Human Alliance, which he viewed with much concern. In 4 ABY, the Rebels conducted a strike against the Empire's second Death Star at Endor, with a strike team disabling the superweapon's shield on Endor's surface. Based on his experience, Orrimaarko felt that he should have been selected to lead the mission, but instead, Han Solo, a man whom Orrimaarko felt was far less qualified, was chosen and made a general. Orrimaarko went to Endor as part of Solo's team and played an invaluable role in the Alliance's victory at the pivotal Battle of Endor, but he was quick to berate Alliance officials for what he saw as Humanocentrism and favoritism. With their homeworld eventually purged of any Imperial presence, the Dressellians returned to their reclusive, xenophobic ways despite becoming a member state of the New Republic.

Resistance leader
"Prune Face introduces himself as Orrimaarko, leader of a resistance cell on Dressel."

- Pyrron Nox

Orrimaarko was a Dressellian born on the planet Dressel during the last years of the Galactic Republic. Around 10 BBY, shortly after Orrimaarko's species had reached industrial-level technology, the Galactic Empire arrived in the Dressel system and subjugated a number of planets, including Dressel and a world settled by the Bothans, who had first introduced the Dressellians to galactic society. The Empire tried to quell the Dressellians by force, but the species &mdash;xenophobic, freedom-loving, and tenacious&mdash;refused, wanting to live by their own terms. Numerous resistance forces were established, with small numbers in each group and a single leader; Orrimaarko became the leader of one of the more prominent resistance forces. The groups fled into the forests and hills and became masters of guerrilla tactics, using their inferior slugthrowers and black-powder against the might of the state-of-the-art Imperial forces.

As noted resistance leader during the battle with the Empire, which lasted over a decade, he became the leader of the entire Dressellian species. Over time, the Bothans began to surreptitiously help the Dressellians in their endeavors, providing them with more sophisticated, energy-based weapons, but few of these shipments made it past the Imperials in orbit. The Dressellians were nonplussed, however, as their tenacity and fierceness made up for what their technology lacked. Orrimaarko wore an eye patch, and was frequently referred to as "Prune Face."

During the early stages of the Galactic Civil War between the Empire and the Alliance to Restore the Republic, Orrimaarko and his fellow rebels, striking from the thick forests of his homeworld, planned to raid an Imperial base. While they stealthily approached the base, Orrimaarko encountered a Human, Pyrron Nox, and believing him to be an enemy, attacked the man. After hitting him over the head with his slugthrower, the Dressellian put a knife to his throat, and made demands to him in his native tongue. The only word the two had mutual understanding of was "Human;" Orrimaarko hated that species because of the Empire's Humanocentric beliefs. Before he could cut Nox, a Storm Skimmer Patrol Sled arrived and shined a light at the two sentients, ordering them to be still. Pulling out his miniature, double-barreled weapon, Orrimaarko felled the two scout troopers piloting the Storm Skimmer with precise shots. Almost immediately, an All Terrain Scout Transport began to bear down on the two. The quick-thinking Orrimaarko ran to the downed Storm Skimmer and, using a piece of rope, tied up the controls. He then sped the speeder toward the AT-ST, grabbing Nox and hiding behind a tree before the two vehicles collided and exploded. Another intruder, Morsk Tayl'skar, then came upon Orrimaarko and Nox, explaining in Dressellian that he and the Human were both smugglers bringing arms onto the planet. Orrimaarko calmed down and ceased being aggressive to Nox. The two smugglers accompanied Orrimaarko's men during the attack on the Imperial base; Nox was skeptical of their chances against such a heavily fortified target, but the Dressellians fought as they always did, and triumphed.

Strike on Endor
"But when it came to choosing the leader for the shuttle team, I felt I was the best candidate because of my espionage experience. Instead, Han Solo, a man who barely graduated the Imperial Academy, was elevated to the level of general and given command. I submit to you that I would have had the shield down faster and more efficiently. I only hope that in the future the best person for the job is chosen based on skill rather than what is most popular or convenient."

- Orrimaarko, to Crix Madine, in the aftermath of the victory at Endor

As the war progressed on and away from Dressel, the Bothans became more and more involved with the Dressellian people's struggle against the Empire. After the Bothans threw their lot in with the Rebel Alliance, Alliance High Command invited the Dressellians to join as well, some time before 0 ABY, through their Bothan contacts. They accepted, though were wary of the fact that the upper echelons of the Alliance was made up almost exclusively of Humans. Orrimaarko became a prominent espionage and guerrilla warfare expert in the Alliance, and was the first of many Dressellians to be given command of an Alliance Special Forces team. Despite this honor, he found that he was frequently ridiculed behind his back by other members of the Alliance, particularly Humans.

After building up a reputation as an important leader in the Alliance for some time, Orrimaarko, along with a contingent of Dressellians, was invited to a briefing of some of the Alliance's foremost leaders aboard Admiral Ackbar's flagship, Home One, in the Sullust system. Ackbar, General Crix Madine, and Alliance Commander-in-Chief Mon Mothma briefed the attendants in preparation for a decisive strike on the Empire. However, while Orrimaarko was enthusiastic about the impending mission, he was disheartened by the lack of non-Humans present; aside from Chewbacca, Ackbar's Mon Calamari staff, a number of Ishi Tib and a sole Sullustan, those assembled were all Humans. Mon Mothma then arrived, informing the congregation that Bothan spies working for the Rebellion had discovered a second Imperial Death Star under construction at Endor. The Death Star's weapons were not yet fully operational, and the Bothans had learned that Emperor Palpatine would be aboard the station overseeing the final construction efforts in person. Before any attack could be made on the station itself, though, its shield had to be deactivated from Endor's surface. Because of his experience working against the Empire in similar terrain, Orrimaarko felt that he was the ideal candidate to lead the strike team.

However, Han Solo was selected ahead of him. Orrimaarko was disgusted that Solo, a man who had been dishonorably discharged from Imperial service and who made his living through smuggling, was chosen instead of one as experienced as himself. Despite his anger and contempt toward Solo, Orrimaarko followed him into battle on the surface, serving as a scout and leader during the pivotal Battle of Endor. Orrimaarko played a vital role in the ground portion of the battle, in which the Alliance triumphed by destroying the Death Star's shield generator with the help of Endor's native Ewoks. Shortly after the battle, which saw the death of Palpatine and the near-collapse of the Empire and paved the way for the formation of the New Republic, Orrimaarko informed Crix Madine of his issues with Solo in a transmission. He told the Alliance leader that he sometimes felt as if the people he worked alongside in the Alliance were as prejudiced against aliens as the Empire was, and he noted the few non-Human commanders serving at Endor. He also put it to Madine that he would have been quicker and more efficient than Solo in taking down the shield generator, and that he hoped in the future people were appointed to positions based on merit rather than any other factor, be it popularity or speciesism. Ultimately, the Battle of Endor marked the dawn of a new era. For their part in assisting the Alliance, the Dressellians were granted membership to the New Republic; however, they rarely attended meetings and mostly kept to themselves, until their homeworld was once again subjugated during the Yuuzhan Vong War.

Personality and traits
"This wrinkly-headed guy with an eye patch barrels me over, and holds a knife to my throat. He's got this crazed look in his one good eye, whispering "Human" with such hatred that I began to rethink the whole smuggling business and consider a job in accounting."

- Pyrron Nox

Orrimaarko was a confident individual. He had great faith in his own abilities as a leader and commando, believing himself to be one the best such soldiers in the Alliance. He felt that he could have had the Death Star's shield down with more speed and efficiency than Han Solo, despite the fact that Solo's mission was considered a great success and he was hailed as a hero. Orrimaarko was also stubborn in this regard, refusing to accept the Alliance's decision without complaining even after the battle had concluded.

He was also an able leader, having been first given command of one of the rebel cells on Dressel, then leadership of the entire resistance force, and eventually command of an Alliance SpecForces team. Additionally, he was a fierce and capable fighter. While many species who attempted to disrupt the Empire's operations on their respective homeworlds were subjugated with ease, the Dressellians lasted over a dozen years and ultimately drove the Imperials off-world due to their tenacity in battle. Orrimaarko was no exception, and he fought without fear or remorse for the damage inflicted on the enemy. He worked well in small groups but even alone was considered a force to be reckoned with. As witnessed by smuggler Pyrron Nox, the Dressellian rebel accurately dispatched two Imperial scout troopers with his slugthrower, before resourcefully using their vehicle to down an AT-ST, a feat few beings in the galaxy could attest to. He had no qualms about shooting first and asking questions later, and almost murdered the innocent Nox in the forest.

Orrimaarko shared a trait with most of his fellow Dressellians in xenophobia. Aside from the Bothans, the Dressellian people weren't in contact with any other species, and preferred it that way; they liked to keep to themselves and valued their freedom. Thus, they resented the Human race, of which the Imperial forces they faced in combat were comprised, and believed the Humans in the Alliance little better than their Imperial counterparts.

Behind the scenes
The wrinkled character who eventually became Orrimaarko was created for Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi, in 1983. A number of these beings appear in the Endor briefing scenes, among the few alien Rebels depicted in the films. Later, Kenner produced an action figure of one and named him "Prune Face." Some fans speculated that the Prune Faces were in fact the Bothans mentioned by Mon Mothma in Return of the Jedi, but the release of Timothy Zahn's Heir to the Empire in 1991 dispelled that theory, revealing the Bothans to be a furred species, completely unlike the "Prune Face" and his comrades. Later, the 1995 West End Games sourcebook Galaxy Guide 12: Aliens — Enemies and Allies, written by Pablo Hidalgo, established the Prune Faces as Dressellians, and named the Kenner-produced character "Orrimaarko." His name is a tuckerism of Orrin Marko, a friend of Pablo Hidalgo.

Orrimaarko has appeared in a number of Star Wars works since, including The Essential Guide to Alien Species and the Star Wars Encyclopedia, which recap and expand upon the information established about the character in Galaxy Guide 12. He also appears in the game Star Wars: Rebellion.

Appearances

 * Star Wars: Rebellion
 * Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi