Born on Fondor in 20 BBY, Ripp Patorial was orphaned at a young age by a mugger who shot his parents in front of him. Raised by his uncle, Ripp felt a burning desire from a young age to avenge his parents and enact justice on those who harmed others. Knowing that criminals were a superstitious and cowardly lot, he became a vigilante detective and made a name for himself as the Red Devil, using his wits, street smarts, and latent connection to the Force to solve mysteries and stop would-be megalomaniacs. Eventually, he was forced to go on the run when the Empire got wind of his activities, ending up in the Rebellion. After the end of the Civil War, Ripp was contacted by First Master Luke Skywalker and invited to train as one of the first of the new Jedi.