In the first Star Wars film, General Jan Dodonna was one of the high-ranking members of the Rebellion present during the Battle of Yavin. He helped orchestrate and coordinate the attack on the Death Star during the climactic final act, but his character was never really heard from again, following that film. Later, Dodonna would resurface in ancillary Star Wars material, such as novels and video games.
The character of Dodonna has quite an interesting backstory, and it's been fleshed out to greater degree in the years that have followed. Originally an accomplished war hero during the Clone Wars, Dodonna would abandon the future Galactic Empire, and become a key figure in the Rebellion's fight for galactic freedom and unity.
His Birthplace
According to Expanded Universe material, Dodonna was born on the planet Commenor, which lay just outside the vicinity of the Core Worlds. It had been a part of the Galactic Republic for tens of thousands of years before the Battle of Yavin, in the original Star Wars film.
It was taken over by the Empire during the Rebellion era, but it later joined the New Republic in keeping with tradition, and once again served as a symbol for galactic freedom. However, that peace was short-lived, following the breakout of the Second Galactic Civil War.
His Clone Wars Career
Dodonna answered the call to protect the Republic from Separatist forces during the Clone Wars conflict, and he served as a bridge officer on board a fearsome Venator-class Star Destroyer, where he began climbing the ladder. Expanded Universe material went a bit farther on this point, showing details about his role in the war.
After scoring a prestigious victory at the Battle of Anaxes, Dodonna later served as a member of the Galactic Republic's negotiating team at the Battle of Rendili. His loyalty would carry over when the Republic was reformed by Palpatine into the Galactic Empire, but he soon defected to the Rebellion.
The Assassination Attempt On His Life
According to Expanded Universe material, an attempt was made on Dodonna's life, shortly before the Battle of Yavin. The Emperor's secret police, known as COMPNOR, had decided that Dodonna was a liability that needed to be dealt with. Since COMPNOR's entire purpose was built around indoctrinating society to accept Palpatine's New Order, Dodonna was viewed as a threat.
They tried assassinating Dodonna, but the attempt was thwarted by Rebels who whisked him away to safety. It was there that Dodonna finally made the call to take up the fight against the Empire. He became a high-ranking official within the Rebellion in short order.
Leading The Massassi Group
The Rebellion was broken up into various cells who were allied together in the fight against the Empire. Dodonna ended up commanding one of the largest and most influential of these cells - the Massassi Group, named after a race of beings living on the jungle moon of Yavin 4.
The group pulled off a series of defensive campaigns and attack runs against Imperial forces. They were also present at the battle of Scarif, where the Death Star plans were acquired, and later, against the Death Star itself at the Battle of Yavin.
He Ordered A Hit On Darth Vader
Assassination orders were largely kept secret within the Rebellion, but they did happen from time to time. One of the most high-profile hits ever put on an Imperial was via Dodonna himself. The target was none other than the dreaded Sith Lord Darth Vader, who delivered one of his absolute-best quotes of all time in Vader Down, #1.
It started when Dodonna learned that Rebels had engaged Vader on the planet Vrogas Vad. He sent a battalion to back them up, in the hopes that they could corner and kill Vader, putting an end to one of the Empire's most feared attack dogs. Unfortunately, they underestimated the situation, and Vader himself.
His Alternate "Legends" Death
In the Expanded Universe timeline, Dodonna died in a much different way. Rather than go on to fight throughout the war with the Empire, Dodonna was captured shortly after the Battle of Yavin, and imprisoned for almost 9 years. He was eventually freed by the elite team Rogue Squadron in the final waning days of the Imperial remnant.
Later, Dodonna would serve on the council for the New Republic, presiding over a new conflict that arose. He would later settle on New Alderaan, passing away during his retirement years, shortly before the climatic Yuuzhan Vong invasion of Galactic space.
The "Dodana" Name
George Lucas's original Star Wars screenplay was quite different in comparison to the 1977 film that followed. Many character names, including Dodonna's, were given to completely different characters before Lucas revised the script.
In that screenplay, a Sith Knight named Valorum was renamed "Dodana," due to a potential naming conflict that might have arisen. That character was an early version of what would later become Darth Vader, while the Vader character was neither a Sith nor capable of wielding the Force.
He Died Protecting The Rebellion
Dodonna met his official canonized end during a battle to protect the Rebellion from destruction. It started when the Empire learned of the secret Rebel base on Mako-Ta, and multiple Star Destroyers commanded by Darth Vader to destroy it. The Mon Calamari cruisers present at the battle were sabotaged, leaving them wide open for Imperial attack.
Eventually, Luke Skywalker managed to turn the tide, but Dodonna ordered the Rebellion to retreat, fearing more casualties. He remained behind to provide cover support at the cost of his own life. Had he not made the call that day, the Rebellion might have been extinguished for good.
The Actor Who Portrayed Him
Dodonna was played by Scottish actor Alex McCrindle, born in 1911 in Glasgow. The actor passed away in 1990 at the age of 78, with a total of 67 acting credits to his name. His last role was on the Scottish drama series Take The High Road, from 1998-1990.
The character was later played by Game of Thrones alum Ian McElhinney for the 2016 film Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Part of that movie's success in comparison to other Disney Star Wars films was the insistence on bringing back classic characters like Dodonna, not just for nostalgia's sake, but continuity as well.