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For other uses, see Jess.

Jess Allashane was a veteran soldier of the Alliance Special Forces during the height of the Galactic Civil War. Trained to counter Imperial tactics in cold-weather environments, Allashane was assigned to protect the Rebel Alliance's secret Echo Base headquarters on the remote ice planet Hoth. In 3 ABY, Allashane fought to defend Echo Base against the Empire's planetary assault during the Battle of Hoth.

Biography[]

Jess Allashane was a veteran soldier of the revolutionary Alliance to Restore the Republic[3] in its struggle to defeat the Galactic Empire during the Galactic Civil War.[4] Allashane was among[1] a full complement of 1,000 Alliance Special Forces soldiers assigned to protect Echo Base,[5] the Rebellion's secret High Command headquarters on the remote ice planet Hoth.[6]

In 3 ABY,[7] the Empire discovered Echo Base and launched a full-scale invasion of the Rebel forces on Hoth.[6] The Rebel battle strategy called for the base's Special Forces soldiers to be broken down into five companies, under the leadership of field commander Colonel Ledick Firest,[5] to stall the Imperial invasion force long enough for base personnel and equipment to evacuate the planet.[6] Allashane fought in the Rebels' defensive ice trenches against Imperial walkers and snowtroopers during the ensuing Battle of Hoth,[2] which culminated in a tremendous Rebel defeat.[6]

Personality and traits[]

Jess Allashane was a veteran warrior of the Rebel Alliance's cause. Serving at the Rebellion's Echo Base ice facility, Allashane was trained to counter Imperial tactics in cold-weather environments.[3] A Human, Allashane had dark eyes and light skin.[2]

Equipment[]

Allashane wore the standard cold-weather armor of the Rebel Echo Base field troops while on Hoth, including headgear, anti-glare goggles, scarf, padded vest, thermal flak jacket, gloves, belt, leggings,[8] boots, and backpack.[2] Allashane's equipment included binoculars,[8] and was armed with an A295 blaster rifle[9] and a blaster pistol sidearm, the latter being holstered at the right hip.[8]

Behind the scenes[]

The character of Jess Allashane was created for the "Echo Base Trooper" card as part of the November 1996 Hoth Limited expansion set of the Star Wars Customizable Card Game. The Hoth Limited set linked Allashane with a production photo of a Hoth Rebel soldier extra from the 1980 film Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back.[1] However, it is unclear whether the extra—and, by extension, Allashane—appears on-screen in the film.

Many in the online Star Wars fan community have credited American actor Treat Williams with Allashane's portrayal.[10][11][12][13][14][15][16] Williams visited England's Elstree Studios during the 1979 filming of The Empire Strikes Back[17] and was photographed in-costume on the Echo Base set with actress Carrie Fisher, who played Princess Leia Organa. However, the film's external Hoth scenes,[18] which include the Allashane character production photo,[1] were shot in Finse, Norway, concluding on March 11, 1979. Moreover, the extras hired to portray Rebel soldiers during the Battle of Hoth were local Norwegians, including several dozen mountain-rescue skiers. Filming at Elstree Studios did not begin until March 13, once the Norway shots were completed. Therefore, Williams' involvement in the film does not correspond to the Allashane character.[1][17][18]

Norwegian author and television personality Arve Juritzen,[19] who appeared in The Empire Strikes Back as a Rebel soldier extra during the Battle of Hoth scenes,[20][21] has previously autographed the Jess Allashane SWCCG card for fans, suggesting that he, in fact, portrays the character in the card's picture.[22][23]

Appearances[]

Sources[]

Notes and references[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Swccglogolg Star Wars Customizable Card GameHoth Limited (Card: Echo Base Trooper) (backup link)
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 HasbroInverted Star Wars Saga (Pack: Hoth Trooper (Hoth Evacuation)) (backup link)
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia, Vol. I, p. 20 ("Allashane, Jess")
  4. The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia, Vol. I, p. 20 ("Alliance to Restore the Republic")
  5. 5.0 5.1 Galaxy Guide 3: The Empire Strikes Back, Second Edition states that the Rebel soldiers assigned to protect Echo Base comprised 1,000 Special Forces troops, who were weeded down to five companies to serve under Colonel Ledick Firest during the Battle of Hoth.
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 Galaxy Guide 3: The Empire Strikes Back, Second Edition
  7. The New Essential Chronology dates the Battle of Hoth to 3 ABY.
  8. 8.0 8.1 8.2 Star Wars Character Encyclopedia ("Hoth Rebel Trooper")
  9. Jess Allashane's blaster rifle, as depicted by HasbroInverted Star Wars Saga (Pack: Hoth Trooper (Hoth Evacuation)) (backup link), visually corresponds to the A295 blaster rifle, according to Swccglogolg Star Wars Customizable Card GameSpecial Edition Limited (Card: Echo Base Trooper Rifle) (backup link)
  10. 100 Things You Didn't Know About The Empire Strikes Back by Phil Pirrello, Eric Moro & Scott Collura on IGN (May 21, 2010): "Not only was Treat Williams uncredited for his participation in the 1980 Star Wars sequel (you won't find his name anywhere in the credits), but the actor actually played two bit parts in the film: Echo Base trooper Jess Allashane and Cloud City trooper Jerrol Blendin." (archived from the original on September 22, 2017)
  11. The Completely Unofficial Star Wars Encyclopedia - Version 12.0 by Bob Vitas on The Completely Unofficial Star Wars Encyclopedia: "Treat Williams This performer portrayed Jess Allashane and Jerrol Blendin in Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back." (archived from the original on July 20, 2011) (content removed)
  12. Treat Williams Trivia & Quotes on TV.com (backup link) (Treat Williams appeared in: Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back, in 1980, as Jess Allashane (Echo Base trooper) / Jerrol Blendin (Cloud City trooper). His roles were uncredited.)
  13. Autograph Classic Trilogy on JMY'S PLANET DAGOBAH (September 15, 2017): "Treat Williams: Jess Allashane (Echo Base Trooper) (ESB); Jeroen Webb (ESB); Jerrol Blendin (Cloud City Trooper) (ESB)" (archived from the original on September 22, 2017)
  14. Treat Richard Williams (French) on Star Wars Universe (2017): "L'Empire contre-attaque : Jess Allashane / Jerrol Blendin / Jeroen Webb" (archived from the original on September 22, 2017)
  15. Trilogy Autographs on Dahoov's Autograph Collecting: "Treat Williams signed index card; obtained through the mail. Unsigned photos are of his characters: Top: Jerrol Blendin and second: Jess Allashane those were his characters in Star Wars: Empire Strikes Back." (archived from the original on September 22, 2017)
  16. Star Wars Autograph Successes - Treat Williams by karloff3 on I Have a Bad Feeling About This: "Treat Williams Jeroen Webb; Treat Williams Jerrol Blendin" (archived from the original on September 22, 2017)
  17. 17.0 17.1 Duke, Brad. "Devil of a Time." Harrison Ford: The Films. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers, 2005. 223. "Ford had befriended Williams at England's Elstree Studios during the 1979 production of The Empire Strikes Back — where Treat had managed to make his way onto the exclusive set, and was in tan fatigues to portray a rebel officer."
  18. 18.0 18.1 The Making of The Empire Strikes Back
  19. Arve Juritzen (Norwegian) on Juritzen Forlag (archived from the original on September 22, 2017)
  20. My Arve Juritzen Starwars Autograph - No.(379) by Oldbury, Dave Louis on Star Wars Autograph Collecting (June 27, 2011) (archived from the original on September 22, 2017)
  21. My Arve Juritzen Starwars Autograph - No.(383) by Oldbury, Dave Louis on Star Wars Autograph Collecting (June 27, 2011) (archived from the original on September 22, 2017)
  22. My Arve Juritzen Starwars Autograph - No.(378) by Oldbury, Dave Louis on Star Wars Autograph Collecting (June 27, 2011) (archived from the original on September 22, 2017)
  23. Trilogy Autographs on Dahoov's Autograph Collecting (archived from the original on September 22, 2017)
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