Jeroen Webb

Jeroen Webb was a Human male native of the planet Ralltiir, in the Core Worlds. Webb became a spy for the local Ralltiir Rebel underground following the Galactic Empire's subjugation of his homeworld. He helped his close friend Pharl McQuarrie stage a diversionary raid on Ralltiir that allowed information concerning the Empire's first Death Star battlestation to reach Princess Leia Organa of the Rebel Alliance, culminating in the Death Star's eventual destruction at the Battle of Yavin. Three years later, Webb once more worked alongside McQuarrie at Echo Base, the Rebellion's secret headquarters on the ice planet Hoth.

Biography
Jeroen Webb was a Human male from the Core World Ralltiir. Following the subjugation of his homeworld by the Galactic Empire three weeks before the Battle of Yavin, Webb joined the local Ralltiir underground as a spy in resistance of the Empire's occupation. After Webb's close friend Pharl McQuarrie fled Ralltiir to seek help from the Rebel Alliance, Webb's Rebel cell coincidentally soon came into possession of information concerning the Empire's new secret weapon, the first Death Star battlestation. Webb worked to help McQuarrie sneak back onto Ralltiir, past the Imperial blockade of the planet, to take command of the local resistance and stage a diversionary raid that allowed the Death Star information to reach Princess Leia Organa and the Rebel Alliance. Thanks in part to Webb's efforts, the Rebellion went on to capture the battlestation's full technical schematics as part of Operation Skyhook, leading to the Death Star's destruction at the Battle of Yavin.

By 3 ABY, Webb served at the Alliance High Command headquarters of Echo Base on the ice planet Hoth, once more alongside McQuarrie, who was second-in-command to base commander General Carlist Rieekan. At Echo Base Webb became one of the Rebels' tauntaun handlers. He was present in Echo Base's tauntaun stable the night Commander Luke Skywalker went missing during a routine scouting mission of the external Hoth perimeter, just prior to the Battle of Hoth. Webb watched as Rebel mercenary Han Solo disregarded the warnings of Captain Tigran Jamiro to take his own tauntaun out into the Hoth night in search of Skywalker.

Personality and traits
Jeroen Webb was a skilled starship pilot when he joined the Rebel Alliance. He was also a close friend of fellow Ralltiiri native Pharl McQuarrie, one of their homeworld's respected military advisors prior to the Imperial occupation of the planet. Webb had blue eyes and light skin.

Equipment
During the night Han Solo departed Echo Base to search for the missing Luke Skywalker, Webb donned the field-soldier variant of the Rebels' standard cold-weather armor, including headgear, anti-glare goggles, scarf, padded vest, thermal flak jacket, gloves, belt, leggings, and boots. His equipment also included binoculars.

Behind the scenes
Jeroen Webb appeared briefly as a background extra in the 1980 film Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back, during the scene in which Han Solo departs Echo Base on a tauntaun in search of the missing Luke Skywalker. British actor Norwich Duff portrayed Webb in the film, credited only as one of several "Other Officers" in the Rebel Forces. The character was first identified by name and provided a brief backstory on the "Jeroen Webb" card as part of the November 1996 Hoth Limited expansion set of the Star Wars Customizable Card Game.

An image of Jeroen Webb appears on the packaging for the "Rebel Commander" action figure, released in 1980 as part of Kenner's original The Empire Strikes Back toy line. However, the actual action figure, complete with a mustache, is based on Hoth Rebel officer Colonel Ledick Firest, according to author Stephen J. Sansweet in Star Wars: The Action Figure Archive.

Many in the online Star Wars fan community, particularly among autograph collectors, have incorrectly linked the Jeroen Webb character to American actor Treat Williams,  who visited the Elstree Studios set in England during the 1979 filming of The Empire Strikes Back and reportedly appears in the film as a Rebel officer extra during the Echo Base scenes. However, the behind-the-scenes book The Making of The Empire Strikes Back, released in 2010, confirms that actor Norwich Duff portrayed Webb.

Appearances

 * Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
 * Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back PhotoComic