DJ " DJ , " shortened form of " Don ' t Join , " was the alias of a human male slicer who resided in the galaxy during the war between the Resistance and the First Order . An amoral thief , he spoke with a stutter but was also skilled at slicing into computer systems . His philosophy was influenced by his cynical views ; he therefore believed that both sides in the conflict represented two halves of a system breeding corruption and greed . At the time of the Resistance ' s evacuation from the base on D ' Qar , DJ was residing on the planet Cantonica where he used his skills to steal money from the wealthy patrons of the Canto Bight casino city . He offered his assistance for a price to the Resistance operatives Finn and Rose Tico after learning about their mission to recruit a codebreaker . Although he helped them infiltrate the First Order Navy flagship " Supremacy " , DJ chose to save his own life after they were captured by Captain Phasma and her stormtroopers . Biography . The man known as " DJ " lived during the era of the New Republic . A thief as well as a slicer , he would use his skills to steal money from the wealthy patrons of Canto Bight , a city located on the desert world of Cantonica , known for its casino s and racetrack s . Following the Hosnian Cataclysm in 34 ABY , DJ won a game of cards , DJ gave most of his winnings to a dealer . DJ was then arrested by the Police Department ' s detectives Pol Ipol and Oosha Chol for starting a gang war that got several other cops killed based on information from Denel Strench . However , he was freed by Jorka Edy . He was then confronted again by the two detectives , and revealed that he knew about Strench ' s tracker . DJ and the detectives were then confronted by Jorka and Moont of Melm . DJ was then taken by Moont to the Vesustrian to watch the Fathier races . DJ then told that the cops came after him because of Strench . DJ then resumed gambling in the casino in order to lure Stench out into the open . He then met with the podracer Groff Fordly . DJ was then confronted by Flestic Crupp , who wanted him dead on Strench ' s orders . However , Moont and his men saved DJ . DJ then disabled several eyes in the sky . He then met up with Detectives Ipol and Chol and asked them to protect him from Moont and his men . DJ was then told by Moont that he would finish him off and save a piece of him for Stench . DJ then made his escape by jumping into Fordly ' s speeder . However , they were then stopped by the police . DJ was then confronted by a Eye in the Sky and spoke to 01 - MG through it before he was arrested . Whilst this was happening , two Resistance operatives — the technician Rose Tico and a stormtrooper defector known as Finn — and the droid BB - 8 traveled to Canto Bight in search of a slicer who could neutralize the technology which enabled the First Order to track the Resistance fleet through Hyperspace . However , they were arrested by the Canto Bight Police Department and locked in a prison cell with DJ , whose assistance they ultimately accepted after failing to enlist the support of the Master Codebreaker . After escaping from Cantonica on the stolen yacht " Libertine " , DJ requested Tico ' s gold pendant as payment upfront for his services . Finn was opposed to the price , knowing its sentimental value to Tico , but Tico accepted his condition so that the slicer would help their cause . With DJ ' s help , they infiltrated the First Order Navy flagship " Supremacy " which contained the tracking system they sought to disable . Disguised in the uniforms of First Order officer s , the infiltrators made their way to the target area where DJ used Tico ' s pendant to disable a locked door before returning the item to her . At that moment , however , the trio was surrounded by Captain Phasma ' s trooper s , having been detected aboard the warship by the droid BB - 9E . The prisoner s were taken to the main hangar , where DJ revealed to Finn and Tico that he had traded information about the Resistance — including their plan to escape to the planet Crait — to General Armitage Hux in exchange for his freedom and a large sum of money . He then departed from the " Supremacy " with his reward , leaving his one - time allies to be executed on Phasma ' s orders . Ultimately , Finn and Tico were both able to survive as a result of the sacrifice made by Vice Admiral Amilyn Holdo , ramming the Resistance flagship " Raddus " through the " Supremacy " at hyperspeed . Personality and traits . As an exceptional slicer and unscrupulous thief , DJ always marauded in the shadows at Canto Bight , frequently stealing the things he needed . He could effortlessly pick the lock to a jail cell or open a sealed door by using a piece of gold . According to DJ ' s personal philosophy , the only way to live a free existence was to not choose a side . He was resolute in his opinions and refused to join the First Order or the Resistance as their rivalry escalated into open war . He regarded neither side as good or evil , believing that both factions were part of a system built on greed and corruption . Although he refused to join a side in the conflict , DJ was capable of working with either faction if it suited his interests . He helped the Resistance in their attempt to disable General Hux ' s tracking system , but ultimately turned against them by cooperating with the First Order in return for his life and the compensation of a reward . To bind one ' s self to any cause , DJ believed , would ultimately lead to their downfall . It was all simply " business " in his line of work . DJ was a human male with black hair , brown eye s , and tan skin . His philosophy — encapsulated in the motto " DON ' T JOIN " — was etched into a plate adorning his hat . Behind the scenes . DJ is a character portrayed by Benicio Del Toro who first appeared in the 2017 film . Del Toro was previously cast as Darth Maul in the 1999 film , but left the project after George Lucas cut unceremoniously the majority of Maul ' s lines , allowing Ray Park and Peter Serafinowicz to be cast . Writer / director Rian Johnson considered using Lando Calrissian to fill the character ' s role in the story , but reasoned that Calrissian had more firm moral convictions and wouldn ' t outright betray the heroes .