Which mercenary does the player control in Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire?

The player controls mercenary Dash Rendar in Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire.

LucasArts' 1996 game places Dash in a story set between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. Rather than making Luke Skywalker or another film protagonist the main playable character, the developers created a new hero who could operate alongside the familiar cast. Dash is a skilled freelance pilot and combatant, accompanied by his droid co-pilot Leebo.

Across the game, Dash defends Echo Base during the Battle of Hoth, searches for Boba Fett after Han Solo is frozen in carbonite, battles swoop-bike gangs, steals information about the second Death Star, and helps rescue Princess Leia from Prince Xizor. The campaign mixes third-person shooting with vehicle sequences, including a snowspeeder mission and space combat.

Players sometimes confuse Dash with Kyle Katarn, another prominent Star Wars game protagonist, or with Boba Fett, who appears as an enemy and rival. Carth Onasi belongs to Knights of the Old Republic and is unrelated to this 1996 adventure. Dash was introduced as part of the wider Shadows of the Empire multimedia project, not solely for the game.