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When you introduce yourself as a new character to a group of PCs, try to come up with something memorable in your first few lines. Either a mannerism, a way of speaking, or a bit of dialogue that's just unexpected and out of the blue. That first impression can flavour the whole feeling of the character, setting them up as an individual.
Rather than a bland introduction, say something unusual - and that can become a catch-phrase which all the players will forever associate with the character. Rather than a normal voice, put on an accent, or an exaggerated way of speaking. Maybe pause... between words... like William Shatner.
Preferably not all of these at once, but you get the idea. Just one memorable thing at the first meeting gives the character an identity, rather than being just another generic person who will fade into obscurity later on.
Commentary by memnarch (who has not seen the movie)
Kanata obviously hasn't rethought their life. Even if the chance is remote, it'd be pretty funny if a death sticks joke was made here as a callback to one of the good parts of Episode II. If the plot in VII can remix Episode IV along with parts of the other movies, why not grab some of the jokes? It'd be even funnier if Kanata has a deep or raspy voice to go with it.
I also notice that Kanata hasn't tried calling Yanni by any of his previous names yet. Chewbacca was the one that remembered Kanata was a possible information source; maybe Yanni seemed familiar because he's usually with Chewie. I'm going to guess that Kanata knows Yanni as Carlo, simply for the alteration bonus.
NPC conversations, worldbuilding, background noise; whatever it gets called, it's a great way to drop clues in for attentive players or just provide them an amusing show. Wild, almost completely unsubstantiated guess of these two people in the last panels? They're a certain couple that are still somehow in the spy game. Which would also mean that in the movie, they're just background characters. Which leads to me now wondering why there's a close-up shot of these two in the movie in the first place. Hm.
Commentary by Keybounce (who has not seen the movie)
[Keybounce's comments will appear here when received.]
Transcript
Yanni: Hey, Kanata! Long time, no see.
Darth Kanata: Yeah, sure. You got some death sticks?
Yanni: I could have. What are you paying?
Darth Kanata: Ah, nothing. Just looking to bum a few. I gotta hold on to my butts.
Finn: We’re after information. We heard you can help us.
Darth Kanata: Ah. Let’s go somewhere more private.
Darth Kanata: This way.
{In the background, Grummgar and Bazine Netal watch them walk past}
Grummgar: {sotto voce} Did you see that?
Bazine Netal: {sotto voce} Yeah. Which means anybody could see that.
Grummgar: {sotto voce} Never even figured out the moon.
Bazine Netal: {sotto voce} Give them time.
Rey: What are you mumbling?
GM: Just some worldbuilding. You know, the stuff you lot never pay attention to.