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Gial Ackbar

Charactercanon

Also known as Captain Ackbar · Admiral ackbar · Ackbar

Gial Ackbar

Gial Ackbar was the admiral who commanded the rebel fleet at Endor, the man who saw the Emperor's trap for what it was, and one of the few commanders to serve through every major war from the Clone Wars to the First Order's rise. He started out as Coral City's representative on the Calamari Council and rose to captain of the Mon Calamari Guard. In the Clone Wars he protected the young Prince Lee-Char and guided him through the Separatist-backed civil war on his homeworld, which ended with Lee-Char crowned king. When the Empire invaded Mon Cala, Ackbar led his people's defense, then fled and joined the young Rebel Alliance. After Admiral Raddus died at Scarif, Ackbar became supreme commander of the Alliance Fleet. He later led the Mon Calamari mutiny that brought the Mercantile Fleet's cruisers over to the rebels, and directed the fleet from Home One at the Battle of Endor. As a fleet admiral of the New Republic he won the decisive Battle of Jakku, then retired to Mon Cala. Decades later Leia Organa talked him out of retirement to help the Resistance. He oversaw the attack on Starkiller Base and was killed on the bridge of the Raddus when First Order fighters attacked the fleeing Resistance fleet.

Facts

Born
61 BBY
Died
34 ABY
Gender
Male
Pronouns
He/him
Height
1.8 meters
Eyes
Yellow-orange
Skin
Salmon
Type
Resistance

Connections

Species
Mon Calamari
Homeworld
Mon Cala
Affiliations
Galactic Empire, Galactic Republic, Alliance to Restore the Republic, New Republic, Resistance, Rebel Alliance Navy, New Republic Defense Fleet, Alliance High Command
Children
Aftab Ackbar

Appearances

331 Star Wars works, first in Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi (1983).

See all 331 appearances in release order ›

Notable works

Key events in Gial Ackbar's story

View Gial Ackbar on the Timeline ›

~55 BBY - Birth on Mon Cala

Born on Mon Cala in the last years of the Galactic Republic. Canon only places his birth between about 61 and 52 BBY.

Before 20 BBY - Council Seat and Rise in the Guard

Represents Coral City on the Calamari Council, then joins the Mon Calamari Guard and rises to captain, becoming chief military advisor to the throne.

~20 BBY - Battle of Mon Cala

After King Yos Kolina is assassinated, Ackbar protects Prince Lee-Char as Quarren separatists and Riff Tamson's droid forces attack Coral City. He fights beside Anakin Skywalker, Kit Fisto and Ahsoka Tano and is taken prisoner.

~20 BBY - Liberation and Coronation

Leads the prisoners' uprising once Lee-Char wins the Quarren over. Tamson is defeated, and Ackbar stands beside the throne at Lee-Char's coronation.

18 BBY - Imperial Invasion of Mon Cala

As Commander and Chief of Security, he confronts Darth Vader and the Inquisitors, defends the northern hemisphere and destroys an Imperial sky-base. The Empire still takes the planet.

After 18 BBY - Joins the Rebellion

Flees Mon Cala and joins the nascent Alliance to Restore the Republic. At one point he is enslaved by Tarkin until rebels rescue him.

1 BBY - Supreme Commander of the Fleet

After Admiral Raddus dies at Scarif, Ackbar takes command of the Alliance Fleet. He sends ships to protect Alderaanian refugees at Fostar Haven.

0 ABY - Evacuation of Yavin 4

Helps organize the rebel evacuation of the Great Temple after the Battle of Yavin.

0 ABY - Missions with Luke Skywalker

Sends Luke to Rodia, to scout the moon Fex and to extract Drusil Bephorin from Denon. He also backs the plan to hijack the Star Destroyer Harbinger to relieve Tureen VII.

~1 ABY - Mutiny at Mon Cala

Answers King Lee-Char's dying call and leads the Mon Cala Mercantile Fleet in a mutiny against the Empire. Captain Pysk Lila sacrifices the Aurora Flare to open an escape route.

~1 ABY - Assault on Mako-Ta Space Docks

Survives Death Squadron's ambush on the sabotaged new fleet and gets Home One away into hyperspace.

3 ABY - Hoth and the Road to Endor

Keeps the Alliance Fleet together after the Empire's attack on Echo Base.

4 ABY - Battle of Endor

Commands the rebel fleet from Home One, realizes the Imperial trap and holds the line until the second Death Star is destroyed.

4–5 ABY - New Republic Fleet Admiral

Becomes a fleet admiral of the New Republic Defense Fleet and leads the campaign against the Imperial remnants.

5 ABY - Battle of Jakku

Leads the New Republic to its decisive victory over the Empire, then retires to Mon Cala.

~9 ABY - New Republic Council

Appears as a senior New Republic figure during the era of Ahsoka.

34 ABY - Returns to Serve the Resistance

Leia Organa persuades him out of retirement. He takes back his admiral's commission at the D'Qar base and helps oversee the destruction of Starkiller Base.

34 ABY - Death aboard the Raddus

Killed on the Raddus's bridge when Kylo Ren and his TIE escorts attack the fleet during the evacuation of D'Qar.

Often seen with

Data from Wookieepedia (revision 15627413, 2026-09-26), licensed CC BY-SA 3.0.

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