- "The Resistance? Those extremists? What have you gotten yourself mixed up in this time?"
- ―Hamato Xiono, to Kazuda Xiono
Hamato Xiono was a human male politician from the planet Hosnian Prime. During the Galactic Civil War between the Galactic Empire and Alliance to Restore the Republic, he had not served on either side; however, he eventually served as a senator in the New Republic Senate by around 9 ABY. During this time, his ideals for the direction the burgeoning Republic should take directly clashed with warnings from General Hera Syndulla of the Imperial Grand Admiral Thrawn's return. Despite the denial of support for Syndulla from Xiono and accompanying senators, Syndulla carried out a mission to undermine Thrawn out of her own volition. This drew ire from Xiono and the Senate Oversight Committee, culminating in a failed attempt to court-martial her for disobeying direct orders.
Xiono later became the father of Kazuda Xiono, alongside Kazuda's mother. During the latter years of the New Republic Era, Senator Xiono facilitated his son's entry into a New Republic Defense Force academy which, in turn, led to Kazuda's service in the New Republic Defense Fleet's Starfighter Corps until he eventually joined the Resistance. When the First Order destroyed Hosnian Prime in 34 ABY, Hamato, Kazuda's mother, and the rest of their family survived, as they had been off-planet during the cataclysm. Following the loss of the New Republic Senate, Senator Xiono contacted his son, warning him of the danger his activity as a Resistance spy had placed his family in.
Biography[]
Thrawn's return[]
- "General, be honest. Isn't this just another attempt to gain New Republic resources to aid in what has ultimately been your personal quest to find Ezra Bridger?"
- ―Hamato Xiono, to Hera Syndulla
Hamato Xiono was an[1] elite[6] politician from[1] the planet[7] Hosnian Prime.[1] During the Galactic Civil War[2] between the Galactic Empire and Alliance to Restore the Republic,[7] Xiono did not serve on either side. After the Alliance won the war and transitioned into the New Republic,[2] Xiono served as a senator in the Senate Defense Council within the Galactic Senate of the New Republic.[1] Around 9 ABY,[8] Xiono was present in a Senate Oversight Committee meeting via hologram alongside New Republic Chancellor Mon Mothma and Senators Mawood, Rodrigo, and a Gran senator, during which the group would discuss a report from General Hera Syndulla. As Syndulla made her way to the meeting, Lieutenant Vic Hawkins warned her of Xiono's attendance. After General Syndulla arrived, Xiono interrupted a friendly exchange between her and Chancellor Mothma, urging them to move on with the purpose of the meeting. Syndulla then informed the group of Imperial loyalists that orchestrated an incident on[2] the planet[7] Corellia, expressing her belief that the incident was a sign of greater Imperial activity—the return of Grand Admiral Mitth'raw'nuruodo.[2]
Syndulla then requested approval to lead a task force to the Denab system for investigation, sparking interjection from Xiono, who believed Syndulla was merely attempting to divert New Republic resources toward her search for the missing Jedi Padawan Ezra Bridger. When Syndulla reminded the senator that Ezra's disappearance was related to Thrawn's own whereabouts, Xiono further affirmed[2] his[1] belief, stating that it was merely an excuse and that they should instead aid the people of the New Republic. His statement sparked an inquiry from Syndulla, who asked if he served in the Galactic Civil War. Upon his response that he did not, she then asked if he had just waited to see which side emerged victorious—garnering no response from Xiono.[2]
When Mawood and Rodrigo interjected and concurred with Xiono's stance, Syndulla insisted that Thrawn's capabilities were atypical of an Imperial officer and urged the committee to help her prevent a new war. Xiono, however, remained firm; he insisted that Thrawn was dead and so too was Bridger alongside him. Just as Syndulla snapped at the senator, Mothma spoke up, asking Syndulla to allow her privacy to speak with Xiono and the others in the group. Syndulla obliged and begrudgingly bade the group farewell. She later informed former Jedi Ahsoka Tano and her Padawan Sabine Wren of Xiono and the senators' refusal to aid them.[2]
Syndulla's disobedience[]
- "My job is to protect the people of this Republic and that is exactly what I was doing in the best way I know how."
"I see, and you protected the New Republic by ignoring direct orders?"
"No, I protected the New Republic by ignoring you." - ―Syndulla and Xiono
In direct violation of the denial of aid, Syndulla later traveled to the Denab system alongside a squadron led by Captain Carson Teva in order to assist Tano and Wren.[10] The architect droid Huyang expressed surprise at her arrival, assuming the mission was authorized. He was less surprised to learn that Syndulla's actions were in fact unauthorized by the senators. The general surmised that Xiono and the other senators had perhaps been correct in their judgment, though Huyang reassured her otherwise. As a consequence of her actions, the senators sent a small group of New Republic vessels to retrieve her for a hearing on[11] the planet[7] Coruscant, intending to potentially permanently strip her of her rank if she was found out of line.[11]
After Syndulla accompanied the fleet back to Coruscant to attend her hearing, Xiono derided her actions, claiming she was acting as though the New Republic was still the Rebellion. When Syndulla pushed back, stating she was acting with the intent of protecting the New Republic, Xiono rhetorically questioned if ignoring direct orders is what it took for her to do so. Her response was that she was not ignoring the New Republic's orders, but his own. Mothma then intervened, asking if Xiono could at least agree that there was evidence of an incident on the planet Seatos. Xiono agreed but all the while likened the general's report to a child's fairy tale. Syndulla once again reaffirmed that the evidence demonstrated activity of Imperial Remnants, though the senator once again shrugged the idea off, asserting that Imperial numbers were dwindling.[9]
Teva—who was sitting in on the hearing—interjected, reminding Xiono of Moff Gideon and the incident on[9] the planet[7] Mandalore. Senator Xiono rebutted that Gideon acted alone and the threat of Thrawn's return remained unlikely. He then concluded that Syndulla had acted for personal gain, and motioned to court-martial her. His motion was interrupted by the sudden arrival of the protocol droid C-3PO, who had been sent on behalf of Senator Leia Organa. C-3PO then requested to present information that would potentially resolve the dilemma, to which Xiono strongly objected, to no avail. The protocol droid continued, stating that Organa had personally approved Syndulla's mission to Seatos without awareness of Xiono and the Defense Council's prior denial. Senator Xiono once again objected, claiming that the court could not admit evidence from a "mere droid," which offended the astromech droid C1-10P. Chancellor Mothma then declared that C-3PO's evidence had settled the matter, with no further objection from Xiono.[9]
Father to a pilot[]
- "My dad didn't want me to compete, said I wasn't ready, but I proved him wrong then."
- ―Kazuda Xiono regarding his father's opinion of his first race
Around 14 ABY,[13] Hamato became the father of Kazuda Xiono,[1] alongside Kazuda's mother. The parents raised their son on Hosnian Prime, their family living with a wealthy status in its aristocracy.[14]
When Kazuda attempted to compete in his first race, his father was against it, telling his son that he was not ready. Nonetheless, Kazuda won, proving his father wrong and winning an aurodium trophy.[12] Hamato facilitated his son's service to the New Republic by supporting his enrollment in a New Republic Defense Force academy, further ensuring that Kazuda's training was put to use by helping him join the New Republic Defense Fleet. That allowed Kazuda to pursue his aspirations of becoming a highly skilled pilot in the New Republic Starfighter Corps,[5] though Hamato expected his son to follow in his footsteps as a senator.[15]
Son in the Resistance[]
- "Pay up, kid. That's 1,500 creds you owe me."
"Well, I don't have that much on me, but if I could contact my parents…" - ―Grevel and Kazuda Xiono
In 34 ABY,[16] shortly after his rendezvous with the Resistance during the waning months of the Cold War[5] between the New Republic and the First Order,[17] Kazuda decided to join the Resistance, believing the First Order—a successor state to the Galactic Empire—threatened the Republic's place in the galaxy. After making his choice, the younger Xiono felt compelled to inform Hamato about his decision. Contacting his father via a scrambled hologram transmission on a CR90 corvette, Kazuda intended to ask him for assistance. However, Hamato—who regarded the Resistance as extremists—chastised his son for getting "mixed up" with them, and berated him for asking for assistance, prompting Kazuda to change his mind about asking for his father's help.[5]
After Kazuda had begun his service as a Resistance spy, being deployed to[5] the planet[7] Castilon, he encountered the Aleena Grevel, who harassed him over an allegedly owed 1,500 credits after Kazuda had thrown a holodart into the gorgmonger Bolza Grool. The young Xiono professed that he did not have enough credits on him but that he could contact his parents to help pay what he owed. Later that same day, Kazuda lamented how much of his life had progressed with his father's intervention and resolved that he would succeed in his mission—as well as his race against racer Torra Doza—without his father's help.[5] During his mission, Hamato's son told the Resistance astromech droid BB-8 about his father's pushback in his childhood and how his trophy stood as a charm of luck due to his victory in spite of his father.[12]
During the First Order occupation of the supertanker fuel depot Colossus, Kazuda was arrested by stormtroopers and later escaped. Following his escape, First Order Security Bureau agent Tierny showed[18] mechanic[5] Tamara Ryvora Kazuda's New Republic service record on a datapad, which identified Hamato as his father.[18]
The Hosnian Cataclysm[]
- "Did— Did the rest of the family make it?"
"Yes. We were off-world when the attack happened. Your mother and I have been trying to contact you for days, Kazuda." - ―Kazuda and Hamato Xiono
Later during the same year,[19] Kazuda believed that he had the necessary evidence of the First Order's occupation of the Colossus to give to his father for a case in the New Republic Senate. However, the First Order soon rose from the Unknown Regions and proclaimed the end of the New Republic, firing the planet-destroying[20] superweapon[7] Starkiller Base's superlaser and destroying the Hosnian system—including Xiono's homeworld, Hosnian Prime,[20] which was by that point the New Republic's capital.[7] Upon witnessing the cataclysm, Kazuda became horrified, fearing that his father was gone, along with his friends and the Senate.[20]
Following the Battle of Castilon[21] and the Resistance's evacuation from the planet D'Qar,[17] Senator Xiono contacted his son via a special coded message after he and Kazuda's mother had tried to contact him for days. He assured Kazuda that his mother and the rest of their family had survived as they had been off-planet during the cataclysm. When his son urged him to meet the Resistance at D'Qar, Hamato refused, as the First Order had identified Kazuda as a spy. Senator Xiono then warned his son that bounty hunters would be after him before the transmission cut.[4] Despite his father's warning, Kazuda resolved to continue his service to the Resistance.[14]
After Kazuda went on the run alongside the inhabitants of the Colossus, the group eventually found what they believed to be refuge on the planet Aeos Prime. Choosing to continue the fight against the First Order, the younger Xiono resolved to leave and join the Resistance's forces. He then bid Captain Imanuel Doza of the Colossus farewell, explaining that he understood that, while Doza and the Colossus inhabitants wished to stay out of the fight, it was not who he was in spite of his father's wishes. However, Kazuda remained with the Colossus following the First Order's arrival on the planet.[22]
Personality and traits[]
- "As usual, you always need help—my help. I help you get into the Academy, I help you get into the Navy, I help you get everything you wanted."
- ―Hamato Xiono, to Kazuda Xiono
Hamato Xiono was a human male.[5] He had tan skin and pronounced cheekbones, and his eyes were dark brown in hue.[3] Around 9 ABY,[8] he had some stubbled facial hair and the hair—which was black—on his head extended to the base of his neck,[2] though in 34 ABY[23] he was clean-shaven and his hair—now a light shade of brown with graying stripes—was short-cut.[4]
Despite his allegiance to the New Republic, General Hera Syndulla accused Senator Xiono of waiting out the Galactic Civil War to see which side of it came out on top. Additionally, he was opposed to the idea that any lingering Imperial remnants posed a threat to the New Republic and believed the New Republic's focus should be on helping its own citizens rather than waging war.[2] He opposed the use of New Republic resources to serve the personal agendas of individuals, though his own actions to support his son's career would prove hypocritical.[1] He regarded the Resistance as a band of extremists and was disturbed by his son mentioning their organization.[5] Xiono had a degree of anti-droid sentiment, believing that evidence provided by droids during legal proceedings was illegitimate.[9]
Coming from a position of wealth and influence, the senator was able to support his son Kazuda Xiono's aspirations to become a New Republic pilot. Although Hamato was willing to aid Kazuda in his endeavors, he felt that his son relied on him for everything—from entering the academy to joining the New Republic Navy.[5] Adversely, Kazuda felt that his father's support was not for him but for his father himself.[12] Ultimately, Kazuda kept his relationship with the Resistance a secret from his father, hoping to achieve something on his own without the senator's help for once.[5] Likewise, Kazuda believed that his father—and other senators like him—would not recognize the First Order as a threat even with intel revealing their operations, such as weapons manufacturing.[24] However, upon learning of his family's survival of the Hosnian Cataclysm, Kazuda urged his father to find the Resistance, a request Hamato refused, believing it would place their family in too much danger.[4]
Equipment[]
During his meeting with Mothma and Syndulla[2] and Syndulla's later court-martial hearing[9] around 9 ABY,[8] Hamato Xiono was wearing a green wrapped tunic.[2] During his transmission to Kazuda[4] in 34 ABY,[23] he wore a red, sleeveless tunic gilded with gold trimmings and shoulderpads, as well as a black undershirt with gray and gold cufflinks at the end of each sleeve. He also wore a black belt with a gold trim, and gray pants that had a gold stripe on the outer side of each leg. His boots were black with three straps on each, and he wore black gloves. He bore a gold insignia on his chest.[3]
Behind the scenes[]
- "And literally, the first take we had together, I missed my cue, because I was just, like, grinning, I, like—I'm sorry, I'm sorry, because it was just too—it was too much! I couldn't—I couldn't say the line because I was just, like, watching him."
- ―Nelson Lee
Hamato Xiono first appeared via a hologram in "The Recruit,"[5] the first episode of Season One of the animated television series Star Wars Resistance, which first premiered on October 7, 2018.[26] Though his name is not said in the episode, it is provided in the credits.[5] He was first fully pictured in the first trailer for Resistance's second season which was uploaded to the official Star Wars YouTube channel on August 14, 2019.[27] Tzi Ma provided his voice in Resistance.[5] Xiono had a very specific costume design for Resistance in order to better establish the character as a relatively wealthy senator with military ties at a moment's notice.[28] His concept art was designed by Lucasfilm Animation artist Amy Beth Christenson on December 1, 2017.[3]
Xiono made his first live-action appearance—portrayed by Nelson Lee—in "Part Three: Time to Fly," the third episode of the 2023 Disney+ live-action television series Ahsoka,[2] which premiered on August 29, 2023.[29] Throughout Ahsoka, he is referred to solely as "Senator Xiono" in the episodes themselves, the captions, and the credits.[2] He was confirmed outright to be Hamato following an update to his Databank entry on StarWars.com.[6]
In an interview on the Hall of Justice podcast released on January 4, 2024, Lee stated that he had missed his cue during the first take of the scene depicting Hera Syndulla's court martial trial, as he had been too excited by the presence of Anthony Daniels portraying C-3PO. He also mentioned that he did not originally know what he was auditioning for beyond the role being Disney-related. Lee further described his being selected for the role of Hamato Xiono as an honor and stated that he found online discourse surrounding hatred and dislike for the character to be amusing. He also said that he had watched Resistance in preparation for the role and "geeked out" knowing he would play Xiono. Lee described the experience of playing an antagonistic character as cool.[25]
Appearances[]
- Ahsoka — "Part Three: Time to Fly" (Appears in hologram)
- Ahsoka — "Part Five: Shadow Warrior" (Indirect mention only)
- Ahsoka — "Part Seven: Dreams and Madness"
- Star Wars Resistance — "The Recruit" (First appearance) (Appears in hologram)
- The New Spy (Appears in hologram)
- "The Recruit - Part 2" — Star Wars Resistance Animation 2 (Mentioned only)
- Star Wars Resistance — "The Triple Dark" (Mentioned only)
- Star Wars Resistance — "Station Theta Black" (Mentioned only)
- Star Wars Resistance — "Descent" (Mentioned on datapad only)
- Star Wars Resistance — "No Escape: Part 1" (Mentioned only)
- Star Wars Resistance — "No Escape: Part 2" (Indirect mention only)
- Star Wars Resistance — "Into the Unknown" (Indirect mention only)
- Star Wars Resistance — "A Quick Salvage Run" (Appears in hologram)
- Star Wars Resistance — "No Place Safe" (Mentioned only)
Sources[]
Notes and references[]
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 Hamato Xiono in the Databank (backup link)
- ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 2.14 2.15 Ahsoka — "Part Three: Time to Fly"
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 "A Quick Salvage Run" Concept Art Gallery on StarWars.com (backup link) (Slide 1)
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 Star Wars Resistance — "A Quick Salvage Run"
- ↑ 5.00 5.01 5.02 5.03 5.04 5.05 5.06 5.07 5.08 5.09 5.10 5.11 5.12 5.13 5.14 5.15 5.16 Star Wars Resistance — "The Recruit"
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Hamato Xiono in the Databank (link obsolete; content only found on older version of webpage: backup link)
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6 7.7 Ultimate Star Wars, New Edition
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Star Wars: Timelines (bonus content) places the events of "Part One: Master and Apprentice" around 9 ABY. As Ahsoka spans a relatively short time, the events of the series must take place around the same year.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5 Ahsoka — "Part Seven: Dreams and Madness"
- ↑ Ahsoka — "Part Four: Fallen Jedi"
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Ahsoka — "Part Five: Shadow Warrior"
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 Star Wars Resistance — "The Triple Dark"
- ↑ Star Wars Resistance executive producer Athena Yvette Portillo stated Kazuda Xiono's age as twenty years old at a Lucasfilm press event ahead of the premiere of the show's first season. Star Wars: Timelines places the events of Star Wars Resistance Season One in 34 ABY. Therefore, Kaz must have been born around 14 ABY.
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 Kazuda "Kaz" Xiono in the Databank (backup link)
- ↑ "Ace Squadron" — Star Wars Encyclopedia
- ↑ Star Wars: Timelines places the events of Star Wars Resistance Season One, which includes the episode "The Recruit," in 34 ABY.
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 Star Wars: Battles that Changed the Galaxy
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 Star Wars Resistance — "Descent"
- ↑ Star Wars: Timelines places the events of Star Wars Resistance Season One, which includes the episode "No Escape: Part 1," in 34 ABY.
- ↑ 20.0 20.1 20.2 Star Wars Resistance — "No Escape: Part 1"
- ↑ Star Wars Resistance — "No Escape: Part 2"
- ↑ Star Wars Resistance — "No Place Safe"
- ↑ 23.0 23.1 Star Wars: Timelines places the events of Star Wars Resistance Season Two, which includes the episode "A Quick Salvage Run," in 34 ABY.
- ↑ Star Wars Resistance — "Station Theta Black"
- ↑ 25.0 25.1 364. Nelson Lee Returns (Star Wars: Ahsoka) - Hall of Justice (Podcast) by Seth Everett on Listen Notes (January 4, 2024) (archived from the original)
- ↑ Star Wars Resistance on Walt Disney Television (content now obsolete; archived from the original on February 29, 2020)
- ↑ Star Wars Resistance Season 2 - Trailer (Official) on the official Star Wars YouTube channel (August 14, 2019) (backup link) (Posted on StarWars.com)
- ↑ Bucket's List Extra: 7 Fun Facts from "A Quick Salvage Run" - Star Wars Resistance on StarWars.com (backup link)
- ↑ Ahsoka Premiere Date Revealed on StarWars.com (backup link)