Why This High Ranking Imperial Defected To The Rebellion

General Madine briefing the Rebel Alliance on Home One

Crix Madine may not be a name that many people recognise in Star Wars canon. After all, he doesn’t have a lightsaber, has no powers other than that majestic beard, and is only featured in one scene in Return of the Jedi! However, beneath those beautiful blue eyes, there is a fascinating character with a rich backstory that the EU expanded on gloriously. But how did this orphan, turned prizewinning pugilist, turned space James Bond, turn to the light-side from the glittering ranks of the evil Empire?

In a fit of post-Clone Wars, jingoistic patriotism, Madine joined the Empire, where he very quickly rose up the ranks. With a natural flair for covert operations, he became a highly decorated officer who led a feared and successful commando unit. As the Empire began to show its true colours as time passed, Madine became increasingly disenfranchised with his service and attempted to defect to the Rebel Alliance just before the Battle of Yavin. While he didn’t quite manage to escape, he began to prove his loyalty to the “good guys” by providing pivotal information for the sabotage and destruction of Operation Strike Fear and the ISD Invincible - for a fledgling rebellion, this was a huge win. And for people who like being free, I suppose. 

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Crix Madine sitting at a command station on Home One

However, Madine could take no more when he was given the order to essentially wipe out the planet of Dentaal using the Candorian Plague and laying the blame on an insidious Rebel plot. Indoctrinated and under pressure from his storm commando unit, Madine and his team followed their Emperor’s orders and released the plague in the capital city. Within two hours, hundreds of thousands were dead. Within 48 hours, over 10 billion people were dead. Finally, within two months, the planet was dead. 

Haunted by his actions, he went AWOL from his unit during a routine training exercise. Wiping out his entire history and records from the Imperial Database, Madine disappeared with only a smattering of reports on the Holonet. Sadly, he could not tell his fiancée what he intended to avoid putting her at risk from the Imperial Security Bureau’s white-tunic’ed grasp.  

Madine and Mon Mothma brief the Rebel Alliance on Home One

Madine would always carry the spectre of his genocide with him, but he vowed to try and redeem himself and destroy the Empire from the ranks of its greatest of enemies - The Rebels. Despite some initial suspicions about his Imperial history from his new peers, Madine again quickly rose through the ranks, eventually joining the High Command Advisory Council - and even becoming its Chief Military Advisor.

Not forgetting his clandestine past, though, Madine became the leader and trainer of all Alliance Special Forces. Using all the strategy and techniques the Empire taught him and turning them back on the beast itself - to significant effect. Never a man to be an armchair general, Madine frequently led his commandos into battle and was pivotal in recovering the Imperial Shuttle Tydirium for its sojourn to the Forest Moon of Endor. Where some things happened that were arguably quite important…

And guess who was in charge of coordinating the destruction of the shield generator here but General Crix Madine. Not content with being a key player in destroying Death Star II: Death Star Harder and being the one to convince Mon Mothma that assassinating Palpatine was the only way to end the war, Madine had one more moment of badassery to fit into his legacy. 

Durga the Hutt shooting Madine in the chest

Despite being the New Republic’s CHIEF OF INTELLIGENCE, he still conducted field missions. On his last mission, Madine’s team was wiped out, and he was captured. But he still managed to plant a tracker on the newly created Darksaber weapon - buying them time to arrive before the weapon was fired. 

When asked by Durga the Hutt, “ Any last words?” Crix Madine did not flinch, did not falter, and stared his killer in the face replying “ Not to you” before being shot in the heart. Through the Legacy media and extended universe, Madine has had some fantastic adventures - and hopefully, there are many more to come. The story of this character’s defection and emotional trauma would make for some beautiful reading or watching.

Crix Madine - Soldier, Hero, Glorious Beard Haver.

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