Mulchive Wermis

"Well, you're the expert on metaphysics--the Force and all that--but it sounds a bit vague to be tying up my technicians, dear boy."

- Mulchive Wermis

"Wermis, I haven't been a boy for some years, and no one has ever rated me as dear--If there is another mind in this galaxy still capable of evoking the Force--not matter how weakly--it poses nearly as great a threat to the Empire--as wimpish incompetents like you!"

- Darth Vader

Mulchive Wermis was a captain of the Star Destroyer Devastator while that vessel was the flagship of Darth Vader, and at times felt the grip of Vader's Force choke. Wermis was a coward, and Vader enjoyed tormenting him psychologically.

Biography
Wermis was captain of the Devastator when that vessel captured the Tantive IV over Tatooine. It was he who ordered Lt. Hija not to destroy the escape pod containing R2-D2 and C-3PO, since the pod registered as free of life signs.

Some months after the Battle of Yavin, Wermis was still serving as Vader's captain during the Battle of Ultaar and the mission to the Wheel. Wermis was unable to stomach the torture by Vader of the Rebel who led him to Tyler Lucian, much to the amusement of Vader.

Wermis then took Vader to Centares and continued to served alongside the Dark Lord as the latter searched for the name of the pilot who destroyed the Death Star. During Vader's intrigues involving the Yavin Rebels and Baron Tagge, Wermis captured the Millennium Falcon, but Rebel sabotage throughout the Devastator caused enough chaos for the freighter to escape.



At some point before the Battle of Hoth, command of the Devastator was transferred to Captain Nevik.

Behind the scenes
While a character is seen in A New Hope ordering Lt. Hija not to fire on the famous escape pod, it is only in the novelization that this officer is confirmed to be the Captain of the Devastator. Marvel Star Wars comics featured a Captain Wermis in command of Vader's Star Destroyer in several post-Episode IV adventures. The Official Web Site confirmed Wermis was the same as the captain in the film, and revealed his full name to be Mulchive Wermis.

Captain Mulchive Wermis is possibly from Anaxes. Coruscant and the Core Worlds indicate the Wermis family had homes on Anaxes, including local Commandant Osted Wermis, assumedly a relative of Mulchive.

Appearances

 * Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope
 * Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope (novel)
 * Star Wars 21: Shadow of a Dark Lord
 * Star Wars 22: To the Last Gladiator
 * Star Wars 23: Flight Into Fury
 * Star Wars 29: Dark Encounter
 * Star Wars 35: Dark Lord's Gambit
 * Star Wars 36: Red Queen Rising