Aron Peacebringer

"But when a single person dies&mdash;at one's hands, before one's eyes&mdash;it is like looking into a mirror. A bond has been forged between living and dead. A price is demanded of the victor&mdash;the terrible awareness that he or she or it has taken the rarest and most precious thing in all creation: a sentient life. I was twelve years old when I made my first such kill, and on that day I swore I would bring the killing on Shiva to an end! The Concordat of Peace forged between my Calian Confederacy and the Twelve Tribes&mdash;led by my non-human blood brother Kéral Longknife&mdash;fulfilled that dream. I would brave the eternal pit and all its devils before letting Sk'ar&mdash;or anyone&mdash;destroy it!"

- Aron Peacebringer

Aron Peacebringer was the man who brought peace to Shiva IV. Born on that world, which knew little other than constant warfare between the Calian Confederacy and the Twelve Tribes of T'Syriél, Peacebringer began his career in warfare at the age of twelve. His first kill was enough to convince him that, far from a noble pastime, war was a brutal affair that had to be ended. Aron, as he was known, pursued political success, eventually becoming the leader of the Calian Confederacy in 2 ABY. As the Warlord, he immediately sought dialogue with Kéral Longknife, the Demarch of the Twelve Tribes, and together the two signed the Concordat of Peace, bringing an end to the fighting on Shiva IV for the first time in its peoples' memory.

For that, he gained the surname Peacebringer and became blood brothers with Longknife. He and Longknife together ruled the peaceful world, enforcing the peace on those who attempted to revive the old ways. In 3 ABY, while investigating the destruction of the city of K'avor, Peacebringer stumbled across the Rebel leader Leia Organa, who had crashed on the planet and was being attacked by violent outcasts. Peacebringer rescued the woman and brought her to his palace, where he developed a strong infatuation with her. This strained his relationship with his beloved longtime wife, Alisande, but before Peacebringer could sort out his feelings, he and Organa were captured by the Imperial General Bentilais san Sk'ar, who was intent on conquering Shiva IV. Peacebringer and Organa fought, escaped, and killed Sk'ar with the aid of several Rebel friends who arrived to recover Organa. On seeing the woman who had captured his heart embrace Luke Skywalker, Peacebringer realized he could never have her love and, letting his attraction pass, returned to his wife and newly secure world a confident man.

Peacebringer
"The world is old and tired, and its history is written in blood. From time immemorial, its children&mdash;human and non-human alike&mdash;have followed the arts of war, becoming in the process the finest warriors, the deadliest killers, in all creation. But now, that has changed&mdash;because of two men: Kéral Longknife, Demarch of the Twelve Tribes; and myself, Aron, called Peacebringer, Warlord of the Calian Confederacy and Kéral's blood brother. Between us, we rule this world. Together, we have brought peace to it. Unfortunately, the old ways die hard."

- Aron Peacebringer

Born in the Shiva system, distant from the galactic center, the Human male known as Aron was brought up in the planet-bound and warlike Human Calian Confederacy, which found itself in constant battle with the humanoids of the Twelve Tribes of T'Syriél. When he was twelve years old, he went into battle and killed his first foe, face-to-face in the style of Calian sword-combat. The incident sickened him, and he resolved to end the killing that consumed Shiva IV. Eventually, he married the woman Alisande, with whom he was much in love and who bore him several children. Their first, a daughter, died in infancy due to a disease that Aron also contracted. Though he was heavily hit by grief at the death of his child, he was eventually able to move on.

Aron worked his way up the Calian hierarchy and became the Warlord of the Calian Confederacy in 2 ABY, making his capital at Illÿriaqum. His relative and close friend Prince Ygal Delois served as the captain of his bodyguard. Aron took advantage of his position to approach Kéral Longknife, the Demarch of the T'Syriél, with an offer of peace. Together they signed the Concordat of Peace, becoming blood brothers. For the first time in the Shivan collective memory, peace descended on Shiva IV, and Aron gained the surname Peacebringer. Aron Peacebringer brought an end to the death cults of the Calian war gods, killing their priests and ending their worship&mdash;an act that stirred some controversy among his subjects. Not all accepted the peace, and some outcasts continued to raid the peaceful civilizations. Over the next year, Peacebringer received disturbing reports that the outcasts were being gathered and trained into an army in the Drylands.

Encounter with an offworlder
"With the moons down, Milord, we can't see very well. The outcasts could have an army out there.''" "That sword cuts both ways, Delois. For all these outcasts know, we'' could be an army. Let's play that part to the hilt, comrades. Strike hard and fast&mdash;do as much damage as we can&mdash;and get the woman out of harm's way."

- Ygal Delois and Aron Peacebringer

In 3 ABY, Illÿriaqum lost contact with the far-off city of K'avor. Reports from those nearby indicated that there had been a massive flash of light at the time communications were cut off. The Warlord took Longknife, Delois, and Jain Havero on the three-day journey to K'avor to ascertain the truth himself. On the second night, at the campfire with his men, he heard a shot. His party rushed to investigate and found a group of T'Syriél outcasts attacking a woman&mdash;the Rebel Princess Leia Organa, who had crashed on the world during a mission to investigate Imperial activity in the area. Though he was unsure of the enemy's numbers, Peacebringer rushed to save the woman, counting on the darkness to help his men present the image of an army. When mounted outrider reinforcements arrived, Peacebringer took them on himself, putting the outcasts to flight. Still, Peacebringer was disturbed that his four-man party, the best warriors on Shiva IV, had had such difficulty with the band of outcasts, who were better trained and armed than usual.

Peacebringer turned his attention to the woman, whose Basic speech he could not comprehend; she in turn could not understand the Calian in which Peacebringer and his companions spoke. Peacebringer was able to get across his name and learned in turn that hers was Leia. He took the mysterious woman with him as he continued his quest, teaching her Calian in the back seat of his repulsorlift transport. On reaching K'avor, they found the city in ashes. Organa, observing the Cherenkov effect and knowing that the city must be highly radioactive, gestured for Peacebringer to avoid entering the city on risk of death. Peacebringer trusted her warning and turned away.

Returning to his capital, Peacebringer sent his agents across the planet, seeking to determine the cause of K'avor's destruction. Weeks passed without an answer. Rumors stirred that the war gods were taking their revenge on the heretic Peacebringer, and the Warlord began to feel that someone was fueling the rumors while plotting a coup against him. Just as disturbingly to Peacebringer, he found his mind turning to Organa, fascinated by her beauty, courage, and exotic nature. He did not cease to love his wife, but he felt a growing passion for Organa that left him confused and guilty. Though Organa, having learned fluent Calian, tried to speak to him, he avoided her, fearful of what might result from another encounter; it was through intermediaries that he learned that she was an emissary from the Alliance to Restore the Republic, battling the Galactic Empire beyond the bounds of Shiva IV, who had crashed on a mission to investigate the world.

Capture
"We will fight you, Sk'ar, and make you rue the day you ever set eyes on my world!"

- Aron Peacebringer, to Bentilais san Sk'ar

The night before a gala at his palace celebrating one year since the signing of the Concordat of Peace, a month after Organa's rescue, Alisande told Peacebringer of Organa's reports of a Galactic Empire, dominating the wider galaxy and eager for conquest, likely responsible for the destruction of K'avor&mdash;devastation beyond the power of Shiva IV's technology. At his wife's urging, he spoke with Organa, trying to keep his mind off his attraction to her. At the party, he remained consumed by fears for the future of the peace he and Longknife had forged. Alisande noticed his jealousy of Delois's shared dance with Organa, but rather than rebuke him, she acknowledged that it was merely human to be tempted. She urged him caution and wisdom in his choices, showing confidence in his judgment. Still, after he danced with his wife, they did not sneak away for a romantic encounter as they normally did; instead, they separated, full of doubt. When Organa broke away from Delois and fled to a balcony, Peacebringer held his friend back and went to speak with Organa himself. She was upset that she had not yet been rescued by the Rebel Alliance and tearful at the loss of her homeworld Alderaan, of which Illÿriaqum's stately courts reminded her. Peacebringer attempted to comfort her over Alderaan's destruction, but while he did so the pair were ambushed by T'Syriél stormtroopers, trained by the Empire. Caught unawares, Peacebringer was knocked unconscious before he even knew he was in danger.

Flown away from his capital to a hidden Imperial base, Peacebringer awoke in chains and was brought before General Bentilais san Sk'ar, the commander of the Imperial force dedicated to conquering Shiva IV. He quickly realized that the outcasts had been organized by the Empire and remained defiant in the face of the massive Kaleesh general. Sk'ar explained his plans to enslave the inhabitants of Shiva IV as Imperial shock troops, and Delois revealed himself as a traitor, aiding Sk'ar in exchange for rule of Shiva IV. Delois bragged of the plan, to kill all those gathered in Illÿriaqum, destroying the world government and creating chaos into which Sk'ar and Delois would step as conquerors. Peacebringer was chilled by the callous betrayal of the man who had been his close friend and lieutenant and was his own blood.

Battling the Empire
"By the way, whatever weapons you may have&hellip;I suggest you draw them."

- Aron Peacebringer, to Leia Organa

While he and Organa were led away, Peacebringer signaled the Rebel princess and staged a diversion, allowing Organa to take the offensive against their guards. The Calian Warlord had to fight for his own life and saw only glimpses of Organa's struggle with a knife-wielding attacker. When it seemed that she had been killed, Peacebringer went mad, falling into a Calian battle madness that amplified his strength, letting him break his fetters and slay the entire squad of guards. On reaching Organa, he found that she was safe, her assailant having nearly missed her before she turned the knife against the Imperial officer.

Most of the base's forces were away on the mission to destroy Illÿriaqum, allowing the pair to steal a transport and escape without major incident. Organa piloted the ship through Sk'ar's TIE defenses and onto the airship with which Sk'ar was making his attack. Peacebringer and Organa fended off masses of stormtroopers before evading their would-be captors and fleeing into the anonymity of the vast aerial battleship. They stalked to the location of the bomb Sk'ar planned to drop on Peacebringer's beloved capital, and the warrior stood guard as Organa attempted to disarm it. Delois injured Organa in a surprise attack from above but was brought low by the arrival of Rebel reinforcements&mdash;Luke Skywalker, Chewbacca, and Longknife. While Organa successfully disarmed the bomb, Peacebringer and his newfound allies held off the Imperials. As Sk'ar attempted to escape, Chewbacca brought down his flier with a hurled gun mount, killing the would-be conqueror of Shiva IV. When he saw Organa instinctively celebrate with Skywalker rather than himself, Peacebringer realized that Leia did not love him and never would; that realization allowed him to realize that he could live without her.

In the aftermath, Peacebringer rallied his forces to eliminate the remainder of the Kaleesh general's troops and rooted out Delois's conspiratorial party from his court within six days. Once he felt secure, the Warlord threw a ball in honor of the world's successful defense, at which Alisande put the matter of Organa behind them, with Peacebringer confident in his relationship with his wife. However, the ball was interrupted by the arrival of an Imperial Star Destroyer in orbit. Using the Millennium Falcon, Skywalker and Lando Calrissian were able to draw the ship into a black hole, ending the new threat to Shiva IV.

Personality and traits
"I'm&hellip;afraid, Alis&mdash;for you, for our children, for our world."

- Aron Peacebringer, to Alisande

When Aron Peacebringer slew his first foe, he was forever put off warfare. Though war dominated the culture of his world, he resolved that he would put an end to it, keeping any more warriors from losing their lives. For that goal, Peacebringer was willing to take any chance. Though he was committed to achieving peace, Peacebringer was known as among the fiercest of warriors, a ferocious fighter when he found it necessary.

Dedicated to his homeworld, his people, and his family, Peacebringer wanted the best for them and heavily felt the weight of responsibility as one of the planet's two leaders. He was aware of the fragility of the peace settlement and was determined to see it stand the test of time. A man who enjoyed good company, Peacebringer was a devoted family man and loved his friends as family; the treachery of Delois was a great blow to the man, who considered the captain of the guard like a son to him.

Alisande
"I know you, Aron, and I know her. You are too honest, too good, a man to deny the truth once you finally perceived it. When that happened, and you realized where your heart truly lay, I knew you would return to me."

- Alisande, to Aron Peacebringer

As a young man, Aron married Alisande. The pair were very much in love and conceived a child; she died in infancy. Rather than being driven apart, they were brought closer together and went on to have more children, in whom they took great pleasure. When Peacebringer became the Calian Warlord, Alisande became his queen, and the pair enjoyed a comfortable married life. Their relationship grew stronger with age and remained lively, with formal dances frequently ending in escapes to a secluded alcove for a passionate embrace.

However, when Leia Organa arrived, Peacebringer found himself enraptured. Though he still loved his wife and wished to remain loyal to her, he could not deny his strong attraction to Organa. This caused him much agony and strained his relationship with Alisande, who perceived his wandering eye. She did not condemn him but instead warned him that though his attraction was natural, he should think well before taking any rash actions. The matter was resolved when Peacebringer realized Organa did not and would not love him and was able to end the hold she had on his emotions. Peacebringer reconciled with the wife and family he still loved.

Leia Organa
Peacebringer rescued Leia Organa in 3 ABY when he found her being attacked by T'Syriél outcasts. Taken by the offworlder's exotic beauty and boldness, he became greatly conflicted. He wished to avoid temptation and remain loyal to his wife, but his mind was constantly occupied with the foreign princess. Being forced to cooperate with her in battling the Empire only made him fall farther in love with her, but witnessing her friendship with Luke Skywalker, Peacebringer realized that her heart would never be his. Accepting this, he was able to move on from his infatuation with the offworlder, who departed soon after.

Behind the scenes
The character of Aron Peacebringer was created by writer Chris Claremont as an homage to John Carter of Mars, Edgar Rice Burroughs's space-fantasy warlord. Peacebringer appeared in Star Wars 53: The Last Gift From Alderaan! and Star Wars 54: Starfire Rising of the Star Wars series by Marvel Comics. Both issues were written by Claremont and illustrated by series regulars Carmine Infantino and Walter Simonson.

Peacebringer has also been mentioned in the online article Aliens in the Empire, which deals with Sk'ar, and has his own entry in the official StarWars.com Databank.

Appearances

 * Star Wars 53: The Last Gift From Alderaan!
 * Star Wars 54: Starfire Rising