Sinjir Rath Velus is one of the most compelling characters to emerge from Star Wars canon. He’s an ex-Imperial Loyalty Officer who eventually becomes a close advisor to the New Republic Chancellor Mon Mothma. He’s also the first major Star Wars character to be openly gay. That makes Pride Month an excellent time to bring forward an argument that really needs to be made: Star Wars needs more Sinjir Rath Velus!
Author Chuck Wendig first created the character, making Sinjir one of the central heroes of his Aftermath trilogy. And the Aftermath novels remain by far the most extensive collection of source material for Sinjir’s character. Daniel Jose Older’s story, Last Shot, does give us one (very brief) glimpse into Sinjir’s life post-Aftermath. But those book appearances (and Last Shot is really just a mention) constitute the entirety of Sinjir-sightings in Star Wars.

And therein lies the problem. Sinjir Rath Velus is simply too rich a character to leave there!
Read on to explore just a few of the reasons why an expansion of the character of Sinjir beyond the Aftermath novels would be an excellent thing for Star Wars.
**Warning: Spoilers Ahead for Chuck Wendig’s Aftermath trilogy!!**
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Sinjir’s Brand of Dry Wit is Unique Within Star Wars
Sinjir Rath Velus is funny. But he’s not funny the way most Star Wars characters are funny. A certain lightheartedness frames most Star Wars humor, but Sinjir is far from a lighthearted man. His humor is consequently dry, often sarcastic and always cynically framed. This is a reflection of his inner turmoil.
When the Aftermath trilogy opens, the Empire has fallen, and the New Republic is establishing itself. Sinjir spends most of his time drinking. It’s not that he regrets the fall of the Empire. His problem is what he did as part of it. As an Imperial Loyalty Officer, he regularly hurt people emotionally and physically. And he was, by his own admission, extremely good at his job. This weighs heavily on him, manifesting outwardly in cynicism and snark. But the thing about Sinjir is that his humor isn’t mean. He doesn’t use his wit to hurt the people around him. Sardonic commentary is more his thing. This makes him an amusing personality and unique among Star Wars characters.

Sinjir is Responsible for His Own Redemption
Sinjir doesn’t get a dramatic redemption arc in Star Wars. He doesn’t get to commit some heroic act and get all his past bad actions instantly absolved. No. Sinjir is undoubtedly living a very different life by the end of the Aftermath trilogy than he was living as an Imperial Loyalty Officer. But it’s a life he formed through his own choices, step-by-step, day-by-day.
I love the big hero stories as much as anybody. But it’s in these smaller moments that I find the most inspiration. It’s in watching someone find the courage to do a little bit better every single day. If your definition of heroism is expansive enough to allow for these quieter stories, as mine is, Sinjir Rath Velus is one of the most heroic characters around.
Rebel Converts Like Sinjir Have Interesting Layers
Some of Star Wars’ best character arcs, IMO, have come via stories of committed Imperials who only later become rebels. ISB Agent Kallus of Star Wars: Rebels comes to mind. Tie Fighter pilot and Inferno Squad Commander Iden Versio, of the Battlefront II game and its novel adaptation, is another. Imperial Loyalty Officer Sinjir Rath Velus is definitely a compelling third.
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Sinjir and Kallus compare particularly well. Kallus is even shown in Rebels as being stationed eventually on Yavin, in the company of Mon Mothma and other Alliance leaders. It’s clear that he’s privy to and part of Alliance strategy sessions. This parallels Sinjir’s later work with Chancellor Mon Mothma and the New Republic. In this, Sinjir (and Kallus) become interesting not only for themselves but for what the acceptance of their presence says about others. Mon Mothma, for one, takes on new dimensions through her relationship with characters like Sinjir. What does her welcoming him into her inner circle mean for how she shaped the New Republic?
Stalwart heroes like Luke and Leia are absolutely interesting, with stories worth dwelling on – don’t get me wrong. But those who course-correct along the way, like Sinjir (and Kallus and Iden Versio), are the ones who really fascinate me.

Much of Sinjir and Conder’s Story is Yet Untold
In the Aftermath books, Conder Kyl is shown to be a brilliant New Republic slicer. He’s intelligent, brave and charming, and he’s goodhearted, too. Sinjir falls for him for all of these reasons. They’re also why Sinjir breaks up with Conder. Sinjir, at base, simply doesn’t think well enough of himself to imagine a long-term future with someone like Conder. His eventual journey back to Conder is only possible because of the personal evolution Sinjir undergoes throughout the trilogy.
By the end of Aftermath: Empire’s End, Sinjir and Conder are together again. Last Shot reveals that they even got married. This is lovely, and I’d personally like to see more of their relationship. Maybe their wedding? Certainly something of the life they build together after making that public commitment. There are a lot of Sinjir-and-Conder stories that Star Wars could (and should!) tell.
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Exploring Sinjir’s New Republic Work Would Open Up a Star Wars Period We Haven’t Seen Much
The early years of the New Republic haven’t gotten a lot of non-novel franchise attention yet. There’s The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett, yes. Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) has a few run-ins with New Republic patrols. Kara Dune (Gina Carano) eventually decides to become a New Republic Ranger. But beyond that, you don’t see a lot of what’s really happening in the time period, governmentally, via those shows. Both function far from the centers of power and play fast and loose with the concept of law.
The Aftermath novel trilogy, in contrast, did a fantastic job of depicting a fledgling New Republic government trying to find its feet. I particularly enjoyed seeing Princess Leia and Mon Mothma as they work to transition a scrappy rebellion to a functioning governing body. Mon Mothma (Genevieve O’Reilly) is reportedly set to appear in Andor in her role as Rebel Alliance leader. I can’t help imagining a future television series (or some other media) that would showcase her subsequent role as the New Republic’s first Chancellor. Of course, Mon Mothma’s close adviser, Sinjir Rath Velus, would have to be a part of any such tale. I’d love to see that story told!

Who else thinks we need more Sinjir Rath Velus appearances across Star Wars? What are your favorite Sinjir moments in the Aftermath trilogy? Let us know in the comments!
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