Dyer/Legends

"Freeze!"

- Dyer to Han Solo

Dyer was a Human male stormtrooper officer who held the rank of colonel in the Imperial Army. Moff Jerjerrod, who oversaw the construction of the second Death Star, gave Dyer the responsibly of protecting the shield generator bunker on Endor, which generated a shield for the unfinished orbiting Death Star. The bunker was constructed with the guidance of both Dyer and Jerjerrod.

In 4 ABY, hoping to destroy the bunker, a group of Rebels infiltrated it and ambushed the Imperial troops stationed there. Dyer then ordered his men to enter the base and capture the intruders. Dyer confronted Rebel General Han Solo, who threw a toolbox filled with explosive charges at the colonel, which caused Dyer to fall to his death over a catwalk railing.

Biography
Dyer was a Human male stormtrooper officer, commissioned as a colonel in the Imperial army. Dyer was aided by Lieutenant Grond,. In 4 ABY, Moff Jerjerrod, a general in the Imperial army who oversaw the construction of the second Death Star, gave Dyer the responsibility of defending the Endor shield generator bunker, which was located on the Forest moon of Endor. While the bunker protected the orbiting Death Star II by supplying a shield for the massive battlestation, Dyer served alongside various other Imperial officers and stormtroopers, who were also ordered to protect the bunker. Jerjerrod worked closely with Dyer and his squad while constructing the base. The colonel was ordered to have a legion of Emperor Palpatine's best troops in reserve, if the bunker was to be attacked.

When a group of members of the Alliance to Restore the Republic infiltrated the bunker to destroy the shield generator, Dyer ordered his men to enter the base and stop the intruders. After the Rebel group surprised the stationed Imperial officers inside the bunker, Dyer confronted Rebel General Han Solo. He pointed a blaster pistol at him and ordered the Rebel general to freeze. Solo threw a toolbox full of explosive charges at Dyer, which caused the colonel to fall over the railing of a catwalk and into a generator room below. The impact killed Dyer, and after his death, Lieutenant Renz took over Dyer's post.

Personality and traits
Dyer was described as a natural leader, who remained loyal to Jerjerrod. Showing disciplinary actions, Dyer confronted those who opposed the Galactic Empire.

Behind the scenes
"I had the opportunity to play a very minor part in the film as an Imperial officer. In the Endor power station, who jumps out from behind a wall, at the power station, and holds a gun on Han Solo then gets hit with a toolbox and then falling into a generator room below. And my big line was 'Freeze!'"

- Ben Burtt discussing his role

Dyer first appeared as an unnamed Imperial officer in George Lucas' 1983 film Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi. Ben Burtt, who designed sound for both the Prequel and Original trilogies of Star Wars, was given a small role during the production of the film, though his brief cameo was uncredited and only notable by his one line of dialogue. Concept art for Dyer appeared in the conceptual art reference book for Return of the Jedi. His character was unnamed and shown only as an Imperial officer pointing a blaster pistol at Han Solo. Galaxy Guide 5 mentioned Dyer as the Imperial officer helping Moff Jerjerrod with securing the shield generator bunker on Endor. His name wasn't established until the release of the 1998 Star Wars Encyclopedia, in which his character is named "Dyer". The following year, the Star Wars Customizable Card Game set Endor Limited was released, and Dyer's character was further established. His card identified him as "Colonel Dyer", and his role as the Imperial officer was expanded with three other cards from the set.

While Dyer wasn't featured in either the novelization or junior novelization of Return of the Jedi, his brief one line dialogue was spoken by Renz in the Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi PhotoComic. Han Solo and his company were confronted by Renz, and instead of Dyer jumping out from behind a wall, Renz said "Freeze! You Rebel Scum." to Solo. The character of Dyer wasn't created in the original revised third draft of Return of the Jedi ' s screenplay. In the script, both Dyer and Renz's lines were merged, and neither character was given the line. The person who shouts "Freeze! You Rebel Scum." is identified as a "Commander." Dyer appeared briefly in the radio adaptation for Return of the Jedi, and like the film, his character only spoke the word "Freeze!". In 2004, the documentary Empire of Dreams, which shows the production of the original trilogy, interviewed Burtt about his sound design for the three films, as well as his brief scene in Return of the Jedi. In the 2004 DVD release of Return of the Jedi, Burtt commented about his cameo as Dyer, as well describing the scene where Solo throws the toolbox of explosive charges at Dyer, in the audio commentary.

The scream Dyer made, when he is knocked off the catwalk, was meant to be an attempt at replicating the Wilhelm scream, which Burtt, in his role as sound designer, has attempted to include in all the films he has worked on.

Appearances

 * Return of the Jedi radio dramatization
 * Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi
 * Star Wars: Return of the Jedi 2: The Emperor Commands
 * Star Wars: Return of the Jedi 3: Mission to Endor