Reist Reist was a nightmare demon of Droxine , one of the few to have survived his species ' extermination prior to the Clone Wars . Able to use his telepathic powers to destroy his enemies , Reist was controlled by one of the Galactic Empire ' s Human replica droid s , Altin Wuho , who kept the nightmare demon contained under a lead hood to suppress his powers . Wuho also kept Reist contained in a floating sphere while aboard Captain Dirk Balor ' s battle cruiser . While Balor was in the Lapez system , the Imperial forces encountered Alliance to Restore the Republic pilot Luke Skywalker and sought to destroy him . Reist was dispatched to destroy the young pilot , and was placed in a homing missile by Wuho , which was then fired at Skywalker ' s T - 65 X - wing starfighter . As the missile affixed itself to the fighter , Skywalker was shot down over Lapez 3 by a TIE fighter . As the pilot landed , Reist entered his mind , creating all manner of nightmarish visions and apparitions . Just as Skywalker lost all hope , he was able to break through Reist ' s apparitions with the power of the Force and overcome the nightmare demon by striking him with his lightsaber . While mortally wounded , Reist , with his dying words , urged Skywalker to destroy Wuho . The young Rebel did so , before burying Reist on Lapez 3 . Biography . Psychic killer . Reist was a nightmare demon , a species largely wiped out prior to the Clone Wars . He possessed considerable telepathic powers , which allowed him to enter the minds of his adversaries and create all manner of visions and illusions . Through the illusions , he clamped himself to the minds of his victims and drained them of all hope , before proceeding to deprive them of their life . He was partnered with the Human replica droid Altin Wuho , an agent of the Galactic Empire — Wuho was immune to Reist ' s telepathic powers , and by extension , the nightmare demon hated the droid . He was kept contained by a lead hood , which blocked his telepathic powers , and was furthermore kept in a floating , spherical bubble . Reist was also hated by members of the Imperial Military , who perceived him as a filthy animal . His existence was only permitted since Wuho kept his powers in check . In 3 ABY , Wuho and Reist were stationed aboard an Imperial battle cruiser , which was in turn patrolling the Lapez system . When an Alliance to Restore the Republic T - 65 X - wing starfighter entered the system , the battle cruiser ' s captain , Dirk Balor , deployed TIE / LN starfighter s to engage it . Reist was brought to the bridge with Wuho , who kept the nightmare demon contained . The Alliance pilot displayed considerable skill , and the cruiser ' s long - range scanners revealed that the pilot had a bionic hand . Balor immediately realized that the pilot was the infamous Luke Skywalker , a hero of the Rebellion . Although Balor was pleased that he would be able to capture Skywalker , Wuho insisted that he and Reist would be the ones to catch the pilot , although he admitted that the nightmare demon would be doing most of the work . Tormenting Luke Skywalker . Wuho took Reist away from the bridge and down to a special launch bay where a specialized homing missile had been prepared . Taunting the nightmare demon , Wuho deactivated the containment bubble and placed Reist in the missile . The nightmare demon ' s hood was removed and he was sealed within the missile , which was then launched at Skywalker ' s X - wing fighter . As the Alliance pilot was busy outmaneuvering the TIE fighters , the missile secured itself against the fighter ' s fuselage . Skywalker was suddenly struck by a blast from one of the TIEs and forced to land on Lapez 3 . As the pilot made his makeshift landing , Reist began conjuring images in his head . First , he made it appear as though Skywalker ' s landing was far worse than it was , projecting an image of a shattered cockpit . He then made Skywalker see Lapez 3 as a foreboding wasteland of hills shaped like skulls , and trees made from skeletons . In reality , it was a barren world , and Skywalker had landed relatively safely . He was unable to move from the cockpit , however , as Reist perched on his chest and continued to project illusions . Reist then showed Skywalker his own grave , suggesting that the pilot had not survived through the crash . The nightmare demon conjured up apparitions of two of Skywalker ' s friends , Han Solo and Chewbacca , before showing them being mercilessly gunned down by unseen assailants . As Skywalker reacted in horror , he was puzzled as to why Solo and Chewbacca were on Lapez 3 . Reist heightened the verisimilitude of his vision by showing Solo ' s freighter , the " Millennium Falcon " , demolished and abandoned . Reist ' s next vision was of another of Skywalker ' s friends , Princess Leia Organa , who he displayed being struck by the blast of a neutrino grenade , before dying in the young pilot ' s arms . Reist then simulated the rapid decomposition of Organa ' s corpse , turning the vision of her into a skeleton as Skywalker " held " her . Reist followed that up with an apparition of Skywalker ' s mortal enemy , the Dark Lord of the Sith , Darth Vader . The nightmare demon ' s vision of Vader removed his mask , revealing a skull beneath , before lashing out and attacking Skywalker with his lightsaber . Within the vision , Skywalker drew his own weapon , and dueled the vision of Vader . Death of the Nightmare Demon . Skywalker , who felt he was losing to " Vader , " fled the battle , and Reist conjured stormtroopers to pursue him . The Alliance pilot began to lose all hope , but was then able to use the Force to overcome Reist ' s illusions , and see reality once again . By this time , Reist was physically sitting on Skywalker ' s chest , and although the vision was shattered , the nightmare demon was still able to prevent the young man from moving a muscle . An Imperial shuttlecraft containing Wuho landed on the planet to retrieve Skywalker and Reist , but the young Alliance pilot was able to use the Force to overcome the powers of the nightmare demon . Reaching his lightsaber , Skywalker ignited the weapon , striking Reist in the chest and mortally wounding him . The nightmare demon fell from Skywalker ' s chest , out of the X - wing , and hit the Lapez 3 surface . As Reist lay dying , Skywalker took stock of his situation , and realized that his ship ' s C - 37 computer relay had been blown in the crash landing , preventing him from leaving Lapez 3 . Fearing that a squad of stormtroopers would emerge from the shuttlecraft , Skywalker hid as Wuho emerged , alone , looking for Reist . As Skywalker attempted to hijack Wuho ' s shuttlecraft , Reist telepathically called out to the young man , hoping to take vengeance against Wuho . He mentioned that Wuho had a C - 37 unit about his person , before finally expiring . Skywalker was then prompted to confront the droid . The two battled briefly , before Skywalker hurled his lightsaber into Wuho , destroying him instantly . The pilot retrieved the C - 37 unit from Wuho ' s remains and repaired his ship . Before departing Lapez 3 , he buried Reist ' s body in a makeshift grave , fashioning a tombstone with the nightmare demon ' s name upon it . Personality and traits . Reist was scorned and reviled by members of the Imperial Military , particularly Captain Balor . The nightmare demon was told by his master , the droid Wuho , that their hatred for him matched his own hatred for the droid . Reist was particularly vindictive as well , seeking punitive action against his master when he was mortally wounded by Luke Skywalker . He urged the young Alliance pilot to destroy Wuho in his dying moments , before finally succumbing to his wounds . Powers and abilities . Reist ' s considerable telepathic abilities allowed him to project images and visions into the minds of others , simulating totally fictional circumstances , environments , and individuals . He did this to control his victims , and when he held sway over them , he was able to prevent them from even being able to move in the real world . Despite this , his powers could be blocked by a lead hood . Reist was also able to communicate telepathically , talking directly to whomever he chose . The nightmare demon ' s powers were only broken by Luke Skywalker , a gifted user of the Force , who was able to break through the illusions and overcome Reist ' s hold on him . Behind the scenes . Reist made his first and only appearance in " " ( 1981 ) , a comic story that was written by Steve Moore and illustrated by John Stokes . The character was also going to be profiled in the article " Supernatural Encounters in the Star Wars Universe " , by Joe Bongiorno , which was meant to be published in " Star Wars Gamer " before the magazine was ultimately canceled . In the article " Comic Marvels , " published in " Star Wars Insider 91 " ( 2006 ) and written by Jason Fry , Reist was classified as an " Oddity " of the Marvel Comics " Star Wars " line . Fry later mentioned Reist , as well as referenced his odd status , in the 11th part of his endnotes for " The Essential Guide to Warfare " , where he mentioned that Reist , Jaxxon , and Waru being the crew of the " Lusankya " would be the only way the scene of " Lusankya " emerging from Coruscant ' s depths could be any goofier .