Kendal Ozzel / Legends Kendal Ozzel was a male Human born into a wealthy Caridan family . After studying at multiple Core World military institutes , Ozzel graduated as a Captain of the Line but was delegated to teaching positions because his superiors had doubts about his ability to serve as an effective field commander . Nonetheless , at the advent of the Clone Wars between the Galactic Republic and the Confederacy of Independent Systems , Ozzel was commissioned as a major in the Grand Army of the Republic by Supreme Chancellor Palpatine and went on to serve with the clone forces in multiple engagements . He continued to serve under Palpatine when the Republic was reorganized into the Galactic Empire . Ozzel was eventually assigned as the captain of the " Imperial " - class Star Destroyer " Reprisal " , but he longed for a promotion to admiral . As commanding officer of the " Reprisal " , Ozzel oversaw campaigns against the Rebel Alliance in the Shelsha sector ; on one such mission , Ozzel became involved in a plot to kill Emperor ' s Hand Mara Jade when he erroneously believed her arrival aboard the Star Destroyer was part of a high - level investigation into the desertion of a group of stormtroopers . Jade became suspicious of the captain , finding him to be either disloyal or dim - witted , and recommended that the Sith Lord Darth Vader keep an eye on him . Naval command ultimately agreed with the move , promoting Ozzel to Fleet Admiral and placing him in command of Vader ' s flagship , the Star Dreadnought " Executor " , believing that the man would not be foolish enough to butt heads with Vader . His goals having come to fruition , Ozzel was charged with leading Vader ' s Death Squadron in the search for the headquarters of the Rebel Alliance . Some saw Ozzel as the Sith Lord ' s equal , but in actuality , he was nothing more than a figurehead — the true power rested in Vader ' s hands . Ozzel ' s personality more than often put him at odds with both Vader and his immediate subordinate Captain Firmus Piett , who both considered him inept . Thus , when a probe droid relayed data of a settlement on the supposedly - uninhabited planet Hoth , Ozzel disagreed with Vader ' s assertion that they had found the Rebel base . The Sith Lord overruled the admiral in favor of Piett ' s judgement and ordered the " Executor " and Death Squadron to the Hoth system . Ozzel attempted to surprise the Alliance by bringing the fleet out of hyperspace near Hoth rather than approach from the system ' s outskirts , but the tactical blunder only alerted the Alliance and bought them time to raise their base ' s energy shield and evacuate the world . Having tired of Ozzel ' s incompetence , Vader telekinetically executed the admiral . Biography . Early life . Kendal Ozzel was a male Human born on the planet Carida into the wealthy Ozzel family , a Caridan bloodline brought into wealth by the trading mastermind Mann Ozzel ages before Kendal ' s lifetime . The Ozzel surname was synonymous with proud naval heritage and was counted among the Generationals , and like most families with such prestige , the Ozzels had an estate in the Sirpar Hills on the planet Anaxes . Later in life , Ozzel employed his bloodline as a tool used to rise through the social , political , and military ranks of the Galactic Empire . As the second - born son , Ozzel was unable to inherit his family ' s business or land ; instead , he attended multiple Core World institutes — including the finest naval academy on Coruscant , the galactic capital — that catered to the more privileged members of galactic society . After graduating from the Coruscant naval academy , Ozzel became a Captain of the Line , which would ordinarily entitle him to the command of a line of battle or a Star Destroyer . His superiors did not see him fit to serve as a field commander , and , for a while , Ozzel taught at the Academy of Carida . He served in the Republic Navy during the time of the Old Republic , and he was a supporter of then - Supreme Chancellor Palpatine ' s rise to power . The Clone Wars . In 22 BBY , the Clone Wars broke out between the Republic and the breakaway Confederacy of Independent Systems , and a clone army was established to beat back the droid forces of the Separatists . Ozzel ' s friendship with the Chancellor earned him a commission as a major in the new army , commanding the clone troopers of the 44th Special Operations Division , a unit often assigned to destroy enemy targets . Ozzel was willing to sacrifice the clones under his command , including the unit known as the " Devil Dogs , " whom he saw as expendable and easily replaceable . As the war progressed , the Galactic Senate dispatched Ozzel and his command to the icy planet Khorm to secure the rare ore agrocite , which provided starfighters with exceptional power . Joined by Admiral Wieler ' s group of " Venator " - class Star Destroyers and three Jedi Masters — Plo Koon , Kit Fisto , and Tauht — Ozzel and the Devil Dogs discovered that the native Khormai warlord , Unger Gout , had allied with the Separatists . A Republic assault force , comprised of AT - TEs and AT - RTs walkers , landed on the planet and proceeded toward the agrocite processing plant . En route , Separatist J - 1 semi - autonomous proton cannon s opened fire on the Republic forces ; Ozzel ordered his troops to disembark from the walkers , a tactical maneuver that not only exposed the clones to enemy fire but prompted the three Jedi to draw some of the fire away from the beleaguered soldiers . As the Jedi moved into the battle droid - filled trenches , Ozzel ordered his AT - TEs to open fire on the droids , endangering the Jedi but wiping out the enemy defenders . The Republic forces succeeded in capturing the processing plant as Gout retreated ; although he complained about the temperature , Ozzel was quick to note his part in the victory . Despite this small success , the Republic was still faced with the task of capturing the heavily - fortified agrocite mines . Fisto advised finding an alternative to a direct assault on the mines , but Ozzel stressed that such a move , while costly , was their only option — while clones would die , more could always be produced to replace the losses . When Koon began to criticize the major for his overly - aggressive tactics and his disregard for the clones , Ozzel stated that he was merely acting in the interest of the Republic and mentioned how the Chancellor had awarded him a commission as major . Koon scolded Ozzel , putting him in his place before leaving with Fisto and a squad of clone commandos to attack the mines . Ozzel ' s leadership was tested when Separatist Dark Acolyte Asajj Ventress led Armored Assault Tanks in an assault on the processing plant . Initially tasked with holding the Republic lines , he was forced to assume command when Ventress killed Master Tauht in a lightsaber duel . The major boarded an AT - TE and ordered a counterattack , pushing forward into a snow - covered canyon where they were ambushed by multiple DSD1 dwarf spider droids . Faced with the possibility of being killed in action , Ozzel surrendered himself and his clones to the Separatists . Gout and Ventress attempted to interrogate their prisoners , but Ozzel , invoking the Convention of Civilized Systems , refused to reveal any information — until an impatient Ventress decapitated one of the clone troopers . Frightened at the thought of death , Ozzel gradually betrayed the remaining Jedi ' s mission to destroy a weather - control station on a nearby mountain which was preventing any Republic reinforcements from landing . Ventress was prepared to kill the major , but Gout intervened , suggesting that the prisoners be kept alive for use as slaves — or food for slaves — in accordance with Khormai beliefs regarding prisoners . As the clones busied themselves with finding a way out of their cell , Ozzel attempted to justify his revealing of the Jedi ' s plans . The major and the soldiers succeeded in breaking out , hijacking an AAT and cutting down B1 battle droids and BX - series droid commandos as they made their escape from the facility . Upon reuniting with the remnants of the attack force , Ozzel resumed command , believing the Jedi to be dead as a result of his betrayal . The major ordered that the transports rendezvous with Wieler ' s fleet for resupplying in preparation for a renewed counterattack , but the ships were frozen in place . Lacking any heavy support , Ozzel ' s forces were trapped when the Confederacy launched its own attack , and the major again prepared to surrender to save his own life . Commander Wolffe moved to shield Ozzel , ordering his troops to provide defensive fire as they fell back to the transports . The Jedi — still alive , no thanks to the major — succeeded in destroying the weather - control station in the nick of time , allowing LAAT / i gunships and V - 19 Torrent starfighters to provide much - needed support to the beleaguered soldiers on the ground . With Ventress forced to retreat , Ozzel once again took the credit for the victory . With reinforcements now available , the Republic forces regrouped in preparation for a final strike on the agrocite mine . As the Jedi performed a reconnaissance of the facility , Ozzel led an aerial attack on the mine , commanding from a LAAT / i gunship . The assortment of V - 19 Torrents , BTL - B Y - wings , gunships , and two " Acclamator " - class assault ships made short work of the Separatist defenses , but Gout surprised the Republic with his agrocite - powered cannons , which destroyed the two assault ships in quick succession . In the resulting retreat , Ozzel was knocked unconscious . Despite the setback , Wolffe led the survivors in a successful ground assault on the mines as Fisto destroyed the cannons and killed Gout while Koon forced Ventress to retreat . At the Republic command post following the victory , Ozzel was congratulated by Palpatine via hologram as the surviving clones looked on . The Supreme Chancellor applauded Ozzel ' s courageous leadership during the battle and promoted him to the rank of captain . Ambitions . Ozzel continued to serve in the military following the Republic ' s reorganization into the Galactic Empire . In 5 BBY , Ozzel was the presiding officer at the court - martial for Imperial cadet Han Solo , who had saved the Wookiee Chewbacca from slavery . At the trial , the young Corellian took a fairly low view of Ozzel ' s intelligence . For a short time , Ozzel served as an instructor at the Naval Academy on Coruscant , where he taught naval history and languages until the destruction of the Empire ' s first Death Star battlestation during the Battle of Yavin . Around this time , Ozzel was also involved in codifying the tactics of the Imperial Navy , and he recorded his thoughts on the subject in a treatise he titled " Innovations in Imperial Naval Tactics " , which identified the three principles of " Surprise " , " Pursue " , and " Overwhelm " as being at the heart of naval tactics . Han Solo would later regard Ozzel ' s " innovations " as being comically simplistic , but Ozzel ' s treatise was later included in the official field guide for officers in the Imperial Military , " " . In 0 ABY , Ozzel was serving as captain of the " Imperial I " - class Star Destroyer " Reprisal " , the largest capital ship in the Shelsha sector . At the planet Teardrop , the site of a covert Rebel Alliance listening post , he initiated a blockade to prevent any Rebels from fleeing the world . Han Solo — now a smuggler affiliated with the Alliance — attempted to flee the world with Rebel passengers in his freighter , the " Millennium Falcon " , but his ship fell under attack by pirates . Solo requested aid from the Star Destroyer , and Ozzel had his gunners fire upon and destroy the attackers . Solo claimed that his ship , using the alias " " Argos " , " had carried a Briston - based medical relief team responding to a groundquake on Teardrop ' s Por ' ste Island . Ozzel , believing Solo ' s cover story , ordered the ship back to Briston , but the freighter left the system with its cargo of Rebels . Ozzel later oversaw the massacre of " Rebel sympathizers " on the planet , where Imperial troops killed all the civilians in a town , aliens first . This massacre , ordered by Imperial Security Bureau Major Drelfin , was blamed on Rebel agitators present in the town , who had in fact already fled the world aboard the " Falcon " . Six days later , the " Reprisal " was assigned a full Imperial Security Bureau tactical unit under the command of Colonel Vak Somoril , to further prosecute the suppression of resistance in the sector . Stormtrooper Daric LaRone later confronted Drelfin about the killing of civilians on Teardrop , and , after a brief struggle that resulted in the major ' s death , LaRone fled the " Reprisal " with a group of fellow stormtroopers who had witnessed the killing . Emperor ' s Hand Mara Jade had been investigating a group of pirates known as the BloodScar s in the Shelsha sector in connection to six stolen paintings found in Moff Glovstoak ' s possession , and when she arrived aboard the " Reprisal " , Ozzel and Colonel Somoril mistakenly believed that her arrival was part of a high - level investigation into the incident regarding the rogue stormtroopers . To cover up the incident , they conspired in an unsanctioned scheme to kill her after discovering that she had accessed the ship ' s personnel files , bridge log , and flight log . Ozzel was certain that an Emperor ' s Hand wouldn ' t be sent on a trivial mission to eliminate pirates , and he believed that her main mission was to investigate the stormtroopers who deserted . Ozzel realized the repercussions of killing such an Imperial agent would be great , but Somoril managed to convince the captain to head for the Gepparin system to attack the pirate base where Jade had gone after departing the destroyer . The colonel ' s reasoning was that Imperial agents , even an Emperor ' s Hand , could easily end up somewhere during a military strike and be killed . Ozzel only agreed because he didn ' t want the desertion of the stormtroopers to get in the way of his ultimate goal of achieving the rank of admiral . The plan failed , when Ozzel chose to follow the " Millennium Falcon " , piloted by Solo ' s copilot , Chewbacca , rather than complete the attack on the pirate base . Ozzel had the " Reprisal " jump to the Alderaan system in an effort to pursue the freighter , but he was unsuccessful in intercepting them . Jade was ultimately unable to prove Ozzel ' s complicity , but she suggested that Darth Vader , apprentice to the Emperor , keep a close eye on the captain . Ascent . Promoted to Fleet Admiral as a result of Mara Jade ' s suggestion , Ozzel had unexpectedly achieved his goal . He was assigned as the commanding officer of the " Executor " - class Star Dreadnought " Executor " , the flagship of Darth Vader . Strong ties to Imperial High Command allowed Ozzel to take command of Vader ' s Death Squadron , but many believed that this was merely a political move ; Ozzel ' s promotion had coincided with the death of Admiral Amise Griff and the loss of a cadre of able officers aboard the Death Star . In fact , naval hierarchy had given Ozzel his command because they believed he wasn ' t stupid enough to quarrel with Vader , who was the squadron ' s true commander . When Ozzel was first made admiral , many officers saw him as Vader ' s equal , but speculation abounded as to the exact nature by which Ozzel achieved his prestigious command position . Many believed older ties between Imperial military command and Ozzel ' s bloodline were chiefly responsible for his sudden and inexplicable rise , or that he was merely acting as a figurehead of command in Vader ' s fleet to appease the high - ranking members of the general staff . Indeed , Ozzel was primarily Vader ' s puppet , wielding little power in comparison to the Sith Lord . Captain Firmus Piett , a fleet officer who had previously served under Admiral Griff , became Ozzel ' s senior subordinate aboard the " Executor " . Early into Ozzel ' s command of the " Executor " , he was assigned to patrol the Black Widow Nebula in search for a corvette commanded by the renegade Imperial Captain Sodarra . While there , the " Millennium Falcon " was captured by the " Executor " , and Ozzel interrogated its captain , Han Solo , on the bridge of the Super Star Destroyer about his presence in the nebula . At one point , Solo alluded to the corvette , and Ozzel decided to let the " Falcon " escape , hoping that Solo would lead the Empire to Sodarra and his fellow deserters . Hunt for the Rebel headquarters . Ozzel was placed in command of hunting down the headquarters of the Alliance High Command using whatever devices he deemed necessary . As their hunt for the Rebel base continued , Ozzel and Captain Piett came to despise one another . Ozzel was alternately impetuous and languorous : in the case of the former , he took a personal approach to his mission , preferring to follow up on substantial leads himself . This often meant diverting the fleet on less - than - productive forays , which soon earned the ire of Vader , who grew tired of these indulgences . In the case of the latter , he dismissed reports of uncharted settlements on a whim and ridiculed his subordinates ' ideas and findings to protect his position . A staunch professional , Piett regarded Ozzel as too incompetent to be trusted with the task of destroying the Rebellion , and began thinking about how to engineer the Admiral ' s downfall . Meanwhile , an exasperated Darth Vader relegated Ozzel to the position of figurehead that he effectively occupied , serving merely as a go - between for issuing Vader ' s orders to the " Executor " rank and file . On one occasion , Ozzel personally escorted Lieutenant Janek Sunber to Vader ' s meditation chamber , where the lieutenant was received by the Sith Lord . Shortly thereafter , Ozzel and Vader led the " Executor " and Death Squadron into a battle against the Rebel fleet at Tingel Deepspace Besh a few months after the Battle of Yavin . As the Rebels ' escape algorithm had been uncovered by the Empire , Imperial forces were waiting at the next prearranged Rebel rendezvous point should the fleet attempt an escape . Unaware that the Alliance had learned of this breach , Ozzel believed that the battle would bring about the end of the Rebellion . The engagement decimated the Rebel fleet , but the Alliance forces scattered in several different directions rather than use the compromised algorithm , depriving Vader of a definitive victory . Following the battle , Ozzel reported that sensors had detected an escape pod from the Alliance flagship , " Rebel One " . In 2 ABY , Ozzel was present at the commissioning ceremony for the " Executor " at the Imperial Transfer Post near the planet Kuat , joining the Emperor , Darth Vader , and an array of naval personnel including Grand Admiral Rufaan Tigellinus and Admirals Thrawn , Tandres , and Tavares . It was at this time that the Super Star Destroyer , which had been in service for some time and just completed its shakedown cruise , officially joined with Death Squadron . Ozzel transferred his flag to the " Executor " as well , even though he had commanded the warship since 0 . 5 ABY . After this , about a month before New Year ' s Fete Week in 38 : F1 , Vader departed from Imperial City on Coruscant to officially begin his oversight of Ozzel and Death Squadron . As the year progressed , Ozzel and his command were tasked with rooting out and destroying any elements of the Rebel Alliance in the Outer Rim . In their surveillance of remote star systems , it was reported by the Independent Traders ' Infonet that Star Destroyers under Ozzel ' s command apprehended a number of spacers in the systems and briefly detained them for questioning as the admiral searched for any potential leads regarding Rebel activity in the area . Death Squadron adopted a hostile approach to both the Rebellion and its suspected sympathizers — as reported by the " Nal Hutta Kal ' tamok " , it was believed that the destruction of the Syvris shadowport was carried out by Star Destroyers under Ozzel ' s command , having mistaken the shadowport for a Rebel facility . During his tenure as admiral , Ozzel assigned command of the Star Destroyer " Avenger " to Captain Lorth Needa , who became one of Ozzel ' s closest advisors . The admiral placed a great deal of trust in Needa , tasking the captain with taking the " Avenger " to check on various leads in the search for the Rebel command base . Furthermore , Ozzel assigned the " Avenger " to the prestigious point position of Death Squadron . Vader and the Emperor came to distrust the admiral and his closest associates , Needa included . Should one of them make even the most minor of mistakes , Vader would execute the individual as a consequence for failing . By 3 ABY , Death Squadron had scoured a large area of space in its search for the Rebel headquarters , to no avail . In an effort to speed up the process , Ozzel authorized the deployment of Arakyd Viper probe droids , dispersing them throughout the galaxy with the hope that one would stumble upon the main Alliance base . The admiral requested that additional vessels be assigned to Death Squadron to complement those warships already under his command , but because of the rising amount of support for the Rebellion in the galaxy , no ships were available to fulfill Ozzel ' s appeal . The probe droids uncovered large numbers of uncharted settlements , including smugglers ' nests , which forced Death Squadron to respond to dozens of false alarms that Vader quickly became tired of . Final failure . Death Squadron ' s search for the Rebel headquarters ended when a probe droid launched from the Star Destroyer " Stalker " discovered signs of occupancy on the otherwise - uninhabited planet of Hoth , in the system of the same name . The droid transmitted its findings , which included the presence of a power generator on the world , back to the " Executor " , where it was reviewed by Captain Piett . Piett , having grown tired of Ozzel blaming his own mistakes on his subordinates , had been scheming to discredit the admiral and replace him as Commander of Death Squadron . As such , the captain decided to bypass his commanding officer completely with news of the discovery . Believing that Ozzel would ignore the intelligence , Piett waited until Darth Vader was on the bridge to tell the Admiral , hoping that such a move would expedite Ozzel ' s removal from command . When Piett did inform the admiral of the data from Hoth , Ozzel responded as the captain had predicted — he disregarded the findings as another lead lacking any validity . He believed that the droid had stumbled upon a settlement of smugglers , and not the long - sought - after Rebel base . Vader overheard and disagreed with the admiral ' s interpretation of the facts . With certainty , the Dark Lord announced that Hoth was housing the Alliance headquarters . Ozzel , still not convinced , asked Piett to consult the intelligence evaluation computer s on the matter ; the computers reported that the data index on a Rebel presence on Hoth was low , and Ozzel insolently tried to convince Vader that the finding might simply be a smuggler base . The Force told Vader all he needed to know — the Rebels were on the planet , and Luke Skywalker , for whom he had long searched , was with them . The Dark Lord ordered Death Squadron into hyperspace , the sixth world of the Hoth system their destination . Ozzel took some liberties with Vader ' s command . Believing that a sudden appearance of an Imperial fleet would catch the Alliance off - guard , he brought Death Squadron out of lightspeed in close proximity to Hoth , rather than emerge in the outskirts of the system . This surprise allowed the Rebels at Echo Base to raise an energy shield strong enough to withstand any orbital bombardment initiated by the orbiting Star Destroyers . General Maximilian Veers brought word of the ramifications of Ozzel ' s decision to Vader , who viewed the admiral as inept for executing such a maneuver . Realizing that Death Squadron would now have to waste its resources in fighting a costly ground battle rather than simply destroying the base from orbit as a result of Ozzel ' s actions , Vader contacted the admiral from his meditation chamber aboard the " Executor " . Via a viewscreen , Ozzel announced that the fleet had arrived in the Hoth system , but his report was cut short when Vader began to Force Choke the admiral as punishment for his blunder . Deciding that the man had made his final mistake , and that simply punishing him would be pointless , the Dark Lord executed Ozzel and immediately promoted Piett to fill the vacancy Ozzel ' s death had created . Legacy . As a result of Ozzel ' s fatal decision , Death Squadron was forced to wage a ground battle against the Rebel defenders of Echo Base , one that ultimately proved successful despite minor Imperial casualties . Skywalker and his allies successfully fled from the Imperial forces , depriving Vader of a complete victory on Hoth . Following the engagement , the admiral ' s remains were transported back to his homeworld of Carida , where he was honored at a ceremony . Imperial propaganda compiled by Imperial advisor Alec Pradeux on the Battle of Hoth greatly altered the circumstances of Ozzel ' s death , removing Vader ' s involvement in this " official " account . Pradeux instead claimed that the admiral had been killed when Rebel forces bombarded the " Executor " with a planetary energy emplacement . Later that year , before his own execution by High Inquisitor Antinnis Tremayne , Captain Jovan Vharing of the Star Destroyer " Interrogator " recalled Ozzel as one of many naval personnel who had been executed for failure by their superiors . A few months after the Battle of Endor , a copy of the " Imperial Handbook " was captured by the Rebel Alliance and delivered to the Alliance High Command by Skywalker . The copy included Ozzel ' s " Innovations in Imperial Naval Tactics " . Solo , when reading through the innovations , noted that they were so poorly thought out that he simply could not make fun of it due to being far too easy to do so . In 7 ABY , the smuggler Starter claimed to have been unsuccessfully interrogated by Ozzel aboard the " Executor " . When recounting his tale , which few believed , Starter claimed that Ozzel went through five interrogation droid s before reporting to Vader of his failure . Personality and traits . A by - the - books officer , Kendal Ozzel was generally viewed unfavorably , considered inept by many Imperials and others . There was a vast array of uncharitable opinions on the officer ; BloodScar mercenary Caaldra saw Ozzel as predictable , while Emperor ' s Hand Mara Jade was unable to tell if he was treacherous , easily manipulated , or simply dim - witted . His superiors at the Coruscant naval academy were loath to give him a position of command . When on the verge of defeat on the battlefield , Ozzel opted to surrender rather than risk death in continued combat . If he were to be interrogated , Ozzel preferred to betray his allies to the enemy rather than risk execution , attempting to justify his betrayal to himself later on . His subordinate and successor , Firmus Piett , found Ozzel to be mercurial and considered him too incompetent for his command . These traits made many wonder how he achieved his rank of admiral . Han Solo , who already had very low opinions of Ozzel , also admitted when reading his " Innovations in Imperial Naval Tactics " that his " innovations " were so bad that he was unwilling to mock him precisely because it would have been too easy to do so . Darth Vader shared this opinion of him throughout Ozzel ' s time as admiral , especially when he brought Death Squadron out of hyperspace too close to Hoth , a move with which the admiral had hoped would surprise the Alliance . Because of his actions , the Alliance was able to detect the fleet of approaching Star Destroyers , activate Echo Base ' s shield , and evacuate the majority of the base . Ozzel was also noted as being argumentative , bullish , and lacking common sense — additional traits which often caused further problems . He never knew when to be quiet , and he always insisted on having a say in major decisions . He was a disciplinarian , and every detail had to be perfect . His tactical thinking was outdated , and his presence aboard the " Executor " was in part to satisfy the Navy ' s senior commanders and show a small amount of respect with regards to the chain - of - command , even though Vader held " de facto " command of Death Squadron . He was known to ridicule the ideas and findings of his subordinates to protect his own position . Ozzel let off - duty stormtroopers roam around without their armor on while serving aboard the " Reprisal " , which went against regulations . He did not like their presence on the ship , so he reached this unofficial agreement with the stormtrooper commanders , rather than having the troops confined to the barracks . He was also biased against women and non - Humans and intimidated lesser bureaucrats to increase his standing in the Navy . Despite these flaws , Ozzel was a self - confident and ambitious man , often using his family name to further himself in Imperial society and politics . He was considered the ideal naval politician , and as far as he was concerned , he always won his arguments . He viewed the elimination of Rebels as the fastest path to success within the Imperial Navy , and he hoped that his attempt to destroy the Rebels would eventually grant him the rank of admiral . His ambition was such that , moments before his death , he implied a desire to take over the Empire using the " Executor " . Whenever he failed he would cast the blame onto his subordinates , which sparked an enmity between him and his subordinate and eventual replacement , Firmus Piett . Ozzel was willing to go to extreme measures to cover his mistakes , such as when he reluctantly agreed to kill Emperor ' s Hand Mara Jade to silence potential information on the desertion of stormtroopers from the " Reprisal " . He was confident , and he felt relaxed while in the presence of Vader , whom he came to resent over time . Behind the scenes . Portrayal and origins . Kendal Ozzel first appeared in and " The Empire Strikes Back Storybook " , both released on April 12 , 1980 . In , Ozzel was played by Michael Sheard , who also portrayed in " " — the third installment of George Lucas ' s — among other films . In the audio drama version of " The Empire Strikes Back " , Ozzel was voiced by Peter Michael Goetz . The admiral went without a first name until " The Official Star Wars Fact File 4 " supplied the forename " Kendal , " which was used with Sheard ' s blessing . The name later made its way to the official Star Wars website ' s Databank . Continuity issues . Ozzel ' s role varies from adaptation to adaptation of " The Empire Strikes Back " . In both the official novelization and " The Empire Strikes Back Storybook " , Ozzel ' s dialogue is altered slightly . Divergent dialogue can also be found in the radio adaptation . In the , Ozzel appears once , in an altered version of the scene in which the probe droid ' s findings are analyzed . In this version , Ozzel goes unnamed , and his lines differ from his dialogue in the film . In both " " and " " , artist Al Williamson incorrectly switches Ozzel ' s and Piett ' s roles . Additionally , for " Star Wars 40 " , Williamson and Carlos Garzon used reference photography of Lorth Needa ' s death for Ozzel ' s own death , so the two panels in which the scene is displayed greatly differ from the movie . Issues involving Ozzel ' s rank at certain periods of time have existed . At the end of " " , Palpatine promotes Ozzel to the rank of admiral for his part in the Battle of Khorm . Randy Stradley has stated that though this is true to the original script , Leland Chee left him a note informing him that the rank should be changed from admiral to captain , to coincide with Ozzel ' s rank of captain in the novel " Allegiance " . Though the error was not fixed in time for the comic ' s release , the has Ozzel promoted to captain . Similarly , there have been several inconsistencies between the various sources describing Ozzel ' s path to becoming Vader ' s senior subordinate in Death Squadron . Going by in - universe chronology , the next source of confusion after " In Service of the Republic " is " The Hutt Gambit " , which establishes Ozzel as an admiral at the time of Han Solo ' s trial in 5 BBY . The 2007 article " " , from " Star Wars Insider 96 " , implies that Ozzel served aboard the " Executor " under Amise Griff ' s command , " [ seizing ] captaincy of Darth Vader ' s Super Star Destroyer " Executor " " before " [ taking ] over as admiral of Vader ' s Death Squadron following the death of Admiral Griff . " Ozzel later appears as an admiral aboard the " Executor " under Vader ' s command in the canonical path of " Scoundrel ' s Luck " , which apparently takes place while Vader is still in a healing trance in his TIE Advanced x1 after the Battle of Yavin . In a NewsNet article in " Star Wars Adventure Journal 12 " , it is mentioned that Ozzel was in command of Death Squadron before the " Executor " was commissioned and planned to transfer his flag to the new warship when it entered active service with Death Squadron . These are seemingly contradicted by " Allegiance " , which establishes Ozzel as the captain of the Star Destroyer " Reprisal " ( and not an admiral tasked with leading Death Squadron in any way ) while the " Executor " is active and under the command of Admiral Bentro . To further add to the confusion , an unidentified " Executor " admiral bearing a remarkable similarity to Ozzel appears in a minor role in the " Classic Star Wars " comics " Revenge of the Jedi " and " Doom Mission " , both of which take place before Ozzel ' s reassignment to the " Executor " . In " Star Wars Adventure Journal 14 " , it is said that , following Ozzel ' s death , his remains were returned to his homeworld , where he was honored at the Corulag Academy . This would imply that Ozzel was born on Corulag , the location of the aforementioned academy . However , Ozzel ' s Databank entry has established Carida as his homeworld . This article assumes that the " Adventure Journal " is in error . Though Ozzel dies in " The Empire Strikes Back " film and most of its literary adaptation , he survives Vader ' s wrath in the non - canonical children book " Vader ' s Little Princess " . In the book , during the scene in which Vader was to choke Ozzel for his failure at Hoth , the young Leia appears , leading Vader to change his mind and decides to not choke Ozzel in Leia ' s presence , at least with her around .