Arwen Cohl

Decades before the Invasion of Naboo, Arwen Cohl, a male Mirialan, came into being on the planet of Mirial. He became a soldier in a war between Mirial and a neighboring world. While Mirial emerged victorious and Cohl was hailed as a hero, the leaders of his side branded him a traitor. To secure their own power and prevent Cohl from leveraging his popularity into a political position, they had him imprisoned for a prolonged period. Already hardened by the war, he became even more ruthless. Upon his escape, he killed those who had incarcerated him, declaring that he was finished with his homeworld.

Determined to avoid the mistakes that had led to his imprisonment, Cohl became a mercenary and a pirate. He vowed to look out only for himself and to always stay one step ahead of his enemies. Piloting the starship known as the Hawk-Bat, Cohl earned a reputation for being both highly skilled and ruthless. He gathered a following, including the Rodian Boiny, who was extremely loyal to him, and the Human female Rella, who became his lover. While Cohl initially only worked for causes he believed in, he eventually became a common killer-for-hire, though he remained fiercely loyal to his crew.

In 32 BBY, Captain Cohl and his crew were contracted by the Nebula Front, a terrorist organization, to attack the Revenue, a Trade Federation Lucrehulk-class freighter collecting cargo above Dorvalla. Cohl and his twelve men concealed themselves within a cargo pod containing a shuttle. This disguised pod was then placed among the other pods the freighter was scheduled to collect. Shortly after the Revenue completed loading the pods into its cargo bay, Cohl and his team activated the controls, opening their pod. Noticing the commotion, several B1-Series battle droids guarding the cargo surrounded the pod.

A firefight ensued, resulting in the destruction of all the droids without any casualties to Cohl's team. Simultaneously, a Nebula Front fleet emerged from hyperspace and attacked the Revenue. The attacking starfighters were led by the Hawk-Bat, piloted by Nebula Front members. Due to Cohl's formidable reputation, the Trade Federation was intimidated by the Hawk-Bat's presence. Overwhelmed, the freighter's commander, Daultay Dofine, issued a distress call.

As the battle raged in space, Cohl's crew made their way to the ship's bridge. They quickly subdued the guards and rounded up the bridge crew. Cohl informed Dofine that they were seizing the Revenue's cargo: a two billion credits stash of aurodium ingots. When Dofine denied the presence of such cargo, Cohl threatened him, informing the Neimoidian that Boiny was attaching a thermal detonator to the ship's fuel-driver-control system, set to detonate in 60 minutes. A sufficiently intimidated Dofine agreed to reveal the location of the ingots. With the arrival of the Trade Federation ship Acquisitor in response to Dofine's distress call, Cohl was forced to expedite his operation.

Dofine led them to the ingots, which Cohl's team then transported to the cargo bay where their pod awaited. Cohl instructed Boiny to slice into the central computer and release all cargo pods, preventing the Acquisitor from locating Cohl's pod. After suggesting that Dofine enter a pod himself if he wished to survive, Cohl boarded his pod, which was then released into space along with the others. As they navigated through the storm of pods, Boiny noticed another pod shadowing them. Rella attempted evasive maneuvers, but the other pod persisted. Boiny then realized that a thermal detonator was attached to their pod.

Cohl had Boiny activate the controls, causing the pod to split open and reveal the concealed shuttle. Believing themselves safe, Cohl was shocked to see the other pod also split open, revealing a red Lancet fighter inside. Recognizing the ship's colors as those of Coruscant, the capital of the Galactic Republic, Cohl deduced that they were likely being pursued by Jedi due to the pilot's skill. Desperate to escape, Cohl ordered the shuttle back into the blast radius of the Revenue. When the ship exploded moments later, the Lancet lost them, and the shuttle landed on a large, relatively intact piece of the vessel.

Realizing that the wreckage was outside Dorvalla's gravity, Cohl decided to wait four days to ensure they weren't being watched. As the debris' orbit began to decay, Cohl ordered the shuttle to their base on Dorvalla, ignoring protests that it was likely under surveillance. As they entered the atmosphere and approached their base, they were hailed by security, who demanded identification. On Cohl's orders, Rella crashed the shuttle in the forest near the base, faking their deaths. Despite the risk, Cohl believed this was necessary to evade their pursuers.

Only Cohl, Rella, and Boiny survived the crash, wounded but alive, making them the only three of the original twelve to complete the mission. Taking the audorium, they made their way through the forest to a pre-arranged rendezvous point where the Hawk-Bat was supposed to be waiting. Soon, Cohl's ship arrived to extract them from the planet.

Later, above the planet Asmeru, Cohl and his crew met with Havac, the leader of the Nebula Front. He handed over the ingots, receiving a substantial payment in return. Before Havac departed, Rella and Cohl discussed their plans to retire and become moisture farmers. Havac offered Cohl one final, high-paying job, but the Mirialan declined.

Not long after, Cohl returned to meet with Havac above Asmeru. Despite Rella's desire for a peaceful retirement, Cohl was not ready to abandon the mercenary life. He informed Havac that he couldn't walk away and was ready for another assignment. Havac revealed that Cohl's next mission was the assassination of Supreme Chancellor Finis Valorum at the Eriadu Trade Summit, a meeting involving the Trade Federation and the Supreme Chancellor. Although Cohl believed the repercussions would be significant, he accepted the mission when Havac promised that the Nebula Front would take the blame.

As Havac deemed the Hawk-Bat too recognizable, he provided Cohl with another starship for the mission. Shortly after the meeting, Cohl began assembling a team of largely apolitical trackers and assassins, visiting planets such as Belsavis, Malastare, Clak'dor, and Yetoom. On Karfeddion, Cohl and his loyal second-in-command Boiny met a mercenary named Lope, who proved his worth in a bar fight.

After recruiting Lope, Cohl was surprised by the arrival of Rella, who had become concerned for him and tracked him to Karfeddion. When Cohl told her about his mission, she urged him to withdraw. However, Cohl refused, stating that he felt compelled to see it through. Reluctantly, Rella agreed to accompany him.

Soon, Cohl had assembled his team and headed for Eriadu as instructed. As their ship entered the planet's atmosphere, they were boarded by customs officials. Rella and Boiny subdued them, while the rest of the team hid in cargo tubes. The team loaded the cargo tubes onto the customs officials' ship, and with the help of Nebula Front members who had infiltrated planetary security, they gained clearance to land in a warehouse. Once on Eriadu, the team emerged from the tubes and were greeted by Nebula Front mercenaries, including Havac.

Havac led Cohl, Rella, and Boiny to a private room in the warehouse, where he began to criticize Cohl. He claimed that Cohl had been careless, allowing the Jedi to follow his trail, and that Cohl's recruits would now be used as a diversion to salvage the mission. When Cohl protested that he hadn't gathered the men to be killed and turned to leave, Havac drew Rella's blaster and threatened Cohl, stating that he was expendable and that sacrifices were necessary in the fight against the Trade Federation. A skirmish erupted, ending with Rella dead and Cohl and Boiny wounded. Havac then left to meet with Cohl's recruits and give them their mission.

Boiny, proving resilient, found several bacta patches in a medpac near the door, allowing him and Cohl to remain conscious and manage the pain. Realizing Rella was dead, Cohl was distraught but quickly regained his composure. They discussed their options, with Cohl noting that Havac had left them to be found by the Jedi. The mercenary vowed revenge on Havac, promising to avenge Rella. Determined to find Havac, they began exploring the warehouse. They soon discovered a room containing a holoprojector and a restraining bolt. The holoprojector displayed schematics of Seswenna Hall, where the Trade Summit was to be held. Cohl realized that Havac intended for security officials to find the holoprojector, giving him insight into Havac's plan.

Cohl and Boiny made their way to Seswenna Hall, hiding among a group of Stark Hyperspace War veterans awaiting admission to the Summit. Heavily wounded, they blended in well with the veterans, many of whom bore battle scars. Once inside, they crept into the upper levels, overlooking the delegates seated below. Cohl noticed that one of the thirteen droids with the Trade Federation representatives was missing a restraining bolt, leading him to suspect it was being remotely controlled by Havac. Cohl and Boiny recalled that Havac had been a holodocumentarian before joining the Nebula Front and headed for the media booth in the Hall's upper levels.

On their way up, they encountered two Jedi: Qui-Gon Jinn, who had been tracking Cohl, and his Padawan, Obi-Wan Kenobi. Jinn revealed that he and Kenobi had followed them at Dorvalla and now sought Cohl's help to capture Havac, whom the Jedi had learned about through an informant. Boiny and Cohl revealed Havac's plan to use a droid to assassinate the Chancellor, and Kenobi went to warn the other Jedi near the Chancellor while Jinn followed the mercenaries to the media booth. Jinn subdued Havac's guards and disarmed him. Panicked, Havac revealed that he didn't have the remote—the team's sniper, located on a nearby walkway, had it. Leaving Cohl to guard Havac, Jinn and Boiny rushed to find the shooter.

They were unable to prevent the sniper from firing a shot, though he missed Valorum. When Cohl mocked Havac's plan, Havac revealed that he had never been after Valorum. Stunned, Cohl realized that the Trade Federation Directorate had been the Nebula Front's target all along and that Havac's holocam was the remote. As Cohl tried to grab it, he was unable to prevent Havac from activating the droid, which then turned on the Directorate and killed its members. In the ensuing skirmish, Havac managed to wrest the blaster from Cohl and fatally wound him. With his remaining strength, Cohl tore the blaster away from Havac and killed him before dying himself.

Unbeknownst to Cohl—and most of the galaxy—the entire Summit had been manipulated by the Sith Lord Darth Sidious. Havac had been acting on his orders to have the Trade Federation Directorate killed; he too had simply been a pawn of the Sith Lord. The Sith plot, including Arwen Cohl's involvement in the Dorvalla Incident and aiding the Jedi on Eriadu, was later documented by historian Voren Na'al in a New Republic historical document published in 36 ABY.

Arwen Cohl fought unselfishly for his homeworld in the Mirialan War. His people revered him as a hero for his sacrifices in leading them to victory. However, the war hardened him, and after being betrayed by those he had fought for, he became even more apathetic. Cohl vowed to not care for others and left his homeworld to become a mercenary. Although he initially worked only for causes he deemed noble, he soon became a pirate who would work for almost anyone. The Mirialan Jedi Luminara Unduli lamented that history would remember Cohl as a criminal rather than a hero.

Despite his vow to look out only for himself, Cohl never completely abandoned his values. He fell in love with Rella and remained loyal to his crew, especially Boiny. Cohl was unwilling to let Havac sacrifice men he had hired for the Eriadu mission, stating that they hadn't signed up simply to die. When Havac dismissed his concerns, Cohl attempted to leave, sparking a fight that resulted in Rella's death. Cohl's crew reciprocated his loyalty and were completely obedient to their captain. Boiny, in particular, held great respect for Cohl, and the two got along very well. Cohl and Rella were lovers, and he was grief-stricken by her death, vowing revenge on Havac.

Although Cohl was loyal to his crew, he knew they were aware of the risks involved in their missions. He considered completing a mission paramount and was willing to leave crewmembers behind if waiting threatened the mission. However, he was only comfortable doing this if they had been informed of the potential dangers, and thus, he was unwilling to let Havac use the assassins he had hired as decoys, stating that they hadn't signed up to have their lives thrown away.

Cohl had a reputation as a fearsome and successful fighter, known throughout the Outer Rim. The mere sight of the Hawk-Bat was enough to intimidate many of his targets. After being assured that the Nebula Front would take the blame for Valorum's assassination, Cohl had no qualms about helping plan the mission. He disliked the Trade Federation and was willing to destroy a Trade Federation freighter, stating he would shoot an unarmed Neimoidian without hesitation. Despite this and his reputation as a pirate, many considered him an idealist. Unlike many mercenaries, Cohl had limits and was very loyal to those who worked for him. Still, Cohl had no loyalties beyond his people and had no interest in the taxation debates between the Trade Federation and the Republic.

Arwen Cohl was created for the 2001 novel Cloak of Deception by James Luceno. He was originally named Margrave M'Buele as a reference to Katya M'Buele, a smuggler who appeared in the 1979 comic Star Wars Annual 1, written by Chris Claremont and published by Marvel Comics.