- Please provide a brief (at least one short paragraph) backstory for your character.
Born seven years before the Battle of Yavin in the nascent years of the Rebel Alliance, Ben had little reason to be concerned with the Rebellion, the Empire, or galactic politics at all for many of the younger years of his life. Born into a shipbreaking family on Corellia, Ben's early years were marked by poverty and struggle. In the immediate aftermath of the Battle of Yavin, Imperial focus on ship-building and breaking grew significantly on Corellia, resulting in the death of Ben's father as safety protocols and standards were dropped in lieu of security. Though only a child, Ben found a need to grow up rapidly, and began to be used as a runner for some of the local criminal syndicates in Coronet City.
During his early teenaged years, as the Battle of Endor came and went, Ben occasionally crossed paths with local resistance forces on Corellia fighting the Empire's presence on the planet. While he never directly assisted the resistance, he often ran supplies and messages between these groups and local criminal organisations as deals were struck for supplies. These alliances and connections steadily fractured as the New Republic began to replace Imperial presence on Corellia, and Ben occasionally made contact with individuals attempting to urge him away from his criminal associations, and towards the new government.
Eventually, when the ceasefire came, Ben chose to sign on with the New Republic, eager to leave Corellia behind him and see what more the galaxy had to offer than starship yards and slum gangs. Ben became a freighter pilot, hauling supplies from the core worlds to the outer rim to assist with rebuilding and outreach efforts following the end of the Galactic Civil War. The work was fulfilling, and the chance to develop his skills as a starship pilot was one Ben leapt at. However, while he spent a number of years with the New Republic as a pilot, Ben increasingly felt a sense of uncertainty about his future, a natural feeling that something was missing in his life.
Evenutally, as the Jedi Order continued its steady growth, Ben was tasked with providing transport for a pair of Jedi diplomats as they made their way into the outer rim. Ben's interactions with the Jedi prior to this point were extremely minimal, but one of the two took an evident interest in him. As their time together increased, the two Jedi eventually offered to test Ben for force-sensitivity, determining that he did indeed have latent abilities to connect with the Force. The pair urged Ben to make his way to Dantooine, to learn and train to control his abilities, though the pilot was initially unsure, and wary.
Eventually, Ben would bid farewell to the two Jedi with no promises given as to whether he would or wouldn't follow through on their suggestion. Time continued to pass, and in time, the mundanity of his day to day life settled in, and the urging of those Jedi lingered in his mind. Eventually, though still unsure - Ben chose to take the leap of faith and made his way to Dantooine with the intention of becoming a Jedi. - Why does your character want to be a jedi? Ben wants to become a Jedi, but his conviction and reasoning behind that is not as strong as perhaps many of his fellow students. Ben has been told that he should become a Jedi due to his force-sensitivity, and he believes that perhaps it would offer some direction or purpose in his life that he has otherwise been missing, but he still knows so little of both the Force and the Jedi. Naturally a more skeptical individual, he wishes to put his faith in these abilities he has and in the Jedi Order, but he is torn between that desire and his more cautious, fearful urges.****
- Are
there aspects of your character’s background (people, events, places)
that were more formative to your character’s current personal
development? Two events in Ben's life remain the most formative aspects of his current personality. His interactions with the Corellian Resistance as it engaged with criminal elements on the planet had a two-fold effect on him. On one hand, it was Ben's introduction to the wider galaxy in a way, to the greater conflict that raged beyond his homeworld and the philosophy and good that was offered by the Alliance to Restore the Republic and later, The New Republic. On the other, these interactions provided a purpose and a reminder that even among unsavoury elements such as the criminal gangs he grew up in, there was still support and resources that could be relied upon to do good.
Beyond this, the most formative event in Ben's life remains his meeting with the two Jedi that discovered his force sensitivity. Learning the very basics of the Force and the Jedi from them, and having them urge him so strongly toward something that might grant purpose had a resounding effect on the Corellian, despite his trepidation in taking up their offers. - Describe the kinds of personal relationships you might have had in your past? Ben has, for most of his life, kept many of those around him at arm's length. Throughout his youth, he was moving between different criminal organisations, and came to understand that these groups and the individuals within them all have their own personal agendas and goals. He has learned to be extremely self-reliant, which can at times make him come across as abrasive or isolated to others. As he grew older and eventually joined the New Republic, Ben's attitude shifted slightly, he became more open - willing to make friends among his fellow pilots and mechanics, though his lingering distrust sabotaged a number of potential romantic endeavours at a few points in his life.
- What is most Jedi-like about your character? What is least Jedi-like about your character? While Ben can seem reserved or even isolated to some, he remains an individual that is incredibly open. Ben doesn't see any immediate evils in any individual or group in the galaxy, and he is willing to speak and work with any who would help achieve a greater good, he is not prejudiced. His least Jedi-like quality is another side of this coin. While he approaches others without prejudice, he can be overly forgiving and willing to use means that other Jedi might disapprove of. The binary nature of the light and the dark side remains one of his largest struggles to grapple with as he learns.
- Does your character have a strong idea of the Force? Do they experience it in a certain way or is it a mystery to them? Ben has a very limited idea of the Force. Growing up and for most of his life, 'The Force' was more of a fairytale to him, something that a story's hero would call on in a time of need. It has only been recently that he has developed more of a genuine understanding of what The Force is. While he has experienced the Force for most of his life, it has always just been 'an inkling' or a 'feeling' to him, a little nudge here and there towards success and away from danger. The depths of the Force remain a mystery, to him.
- Some
characters have dark (or great) secrets that they keep locked away from
even their dearest friends. Does your character harbor a great regret
or a secret aspiration that is central to their character? In truth, Ben holds no 'great' aspirations at all. He has long struggled with taking true control and pushing his life in a direction he wants to. The closest would be a lingering displeasure and anger for many of the Criminals he dealt with in his youth. Ben lost friends and family to certain gang members, and a low and lingering desire for some form of revenge or retribution lingers at the back of his mind.
- What elements of your character are you most excited to explore, whether narrative or mechanical?
Ben's uncertainty is the element of him I am most excited to explore. As he begins to learn more about the Jedi and the Force, so too do I imagine his self-confidence and willingness to take control of his own life, rather than simply take a path that's suggested or dictated for him, will grow. In a way this may also be the most challenging aspect for him, as I want to ensure his lack of direction doesn't mean that he ultimately ends up doing nothing. Additionally, his lack of passion towards things may make him frustrating for others to deal with, though my hope is that I will play it in a way that is more interesting to interact with for others, as a foil to their own characters.
- Does your character have a long-term plan, mechanically? Having spent the majority of his life not remotely linked to his Force Sensitivity, I think mechanically I will still put some focus in the smuggler/pilot career and specialization for Ben. While not traditionally Jedi, these have long been major aspects of Ben's life, and I am intrigued to see how they might meld with some of the more Jedi-oriented skills he'll take.
- The
Dark Side tempts each Jedi differently. How does it prey upon your
character's emotional weakness and what makes them susceptible to it? Ben is searching, above all else, for direction. Indeed, his primary reason for seeking out the Jedi Order was the urging of two Jedi that he go and undertake training, and the feeling that it might offer him some of that purpose he's seeking. However, he remains uncertain about this step, and about taking hold of his life and truly driving it. Ultimately he fears what could happen when he is fully in control. The Dark Side could prey upon this fear by providing easy 'outs' and alternatives, or a guise of purpose that seems less of a struggle than the path of a Jedi.
- Would you rather start your character as an Initiate or as a Padawan? Initiate.
