The Red Flame symbolized the perfect ideal for the Chiss, embodying the core principles of bravery, strategic thinking, and self-control. Members of the Chiss military, including figures like First Lieutenant Shawnkyr Nuruodo, displayed red piping on their flight suits as a constant reminder to strive for the Red Flame's ideals, even if complete attainment was not guaranteed.
The concept of the Red Flame initially appeared in the 2001 short story titled Red Sky, Blue Flame. Elaine Cunningham authored this story, which was featured in the seventh edition of the Star Wars Gamer magazine. In Star Wars: The Old Republic, specifically during the "Assault on the Starbreeze" mission, a female Chiss Imperial Agent character can engage in flirtatious dialogue with the Chiss Aristocra [Saganu] on the planet Hoth. During this interaction, Saganu remarks that the player character represents the essence of the Red Flame.