Nial Declann
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Grand Admiral Nial Declann was a Grand Admiral of the Imperial Starfleet in the Star Wars Expanded Universe. He was one of the original 12 Grand Admirals, raised to that newly-created rank by the Emperor after the Battle of Yavin.
Declann was a volatile but quick-witted veteran of the Clone Wars, where he served aboard a Republic assault ship; later, he became a TIE fighter pilot, and his success in the starfighter corps brought him to the attention of Emperor Palpatine's agents, specifically his "Secret Order". They discovered that Declann was Force-sensitive, though for reasons unknown the Jedi Order had never identified him as such. He was given training in the dark side by the Prophets of the Dark Side on the ancient Sith planet Dromund Kaas, where he showed great prowess at telepathic suggestion and mind control, and mastered the ability of Battle Meditation.
After completing his training on Dromund Kaas, Declann was given a "graduation exercise" consisting of executing a captured Rebel using the Force. Afterwards, he returned to the Imperial Starfleet and rose through the ranks. Two years before the Battle of Yavin, Declann was among the 12 officers at the New Year’s Fete celebrations whom the Emperor promoted to the newly created rank of Grand Admiral. Declann became known throughout the fleet for being unpredictable and moody, and the practiced organization of his troops that few realized was due to his Force abilities (such as Battle Meditation).
Declann accompanied the Emperor aboard the Death Star II to aid in the coordination of the Battle of Endor, and help Palpatine influence it with his Force abilities.
Although concerned about the destruction of the deflector shield generator on the forest moon of Endor, Declann continued to influence the Imperial fleet through the Force. Suddenly, he grew increasingly nervous and distracted for no apparent reason as the battle wore on; these subtle indications, visible to the spice-using Grand Admiral Miltin Takel, were responsible for that Admiral's survival.
When Declann felt the Emperor’s death, he rushed from his post to the throne room, but was killed en route when the Death Star was destroyed by Lando Calrissian and his fighters. He was the only one of the four Grand Admirals aboard the second Death Star who did not escape its destruction.
Grand Admiral Thrawn theorized that the rapid and disastrous loss of coordination and morale among the Imperial fleet at Endor after the destruction of the second Death Star was due to the death of the Emperor -- they were like robots connected to a battle computer who had their connection severed, to paraphrase Thrawn. What Thrawn didn't know was that Palpatine wasn't the only user of Battle Meditation present, and that it was his death that caused Declann to lose his concentration and perish in the space station's destruction.
Declann is the Grand Admiral handing out the master mission for Imperials in the MMOG Star Wars: Galaxies. The mission is to turn the tide of battle in the Kessel system.
Though never published and thus not canonical, Star Wars Insider author Daniel Wallace indicates that Declann's Star Destroyer was named Recondite, and that he frequently carried a lightsaber. See here and here.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- "Who's Who: Imperial Grand Admirals". Star Wars Insider #66, 2003. Pena, Abel G. and Daniel Wallace.
- The Essential Chronology, 1st edition. Kevin J. Anderson, Daniel Wallace, ISBN 0-345-43439-0. p. 72
- Star Wars, The New Essential Guide to Characters, 1st edition, 2002. Daniel Wallace, Michael Sutfin, New York: Del Rey. ISBN 0-345-44900-2
