Stats

• Name: Wes Janson
• Age: Approximately a couple of years older than Luke Skywalker. At best guess he was 21 at the time of the Battle of Yavin (in A New Hope)
• Gender: Male
• Species: Human
• Home Planet: Taanab
• Height: A little below average
• Hair: Short, dark brown
• Eyes: Dark brown

Physical Description

Described by Aaron Allston as appearing preternaturally youthful, handsome and with a permanently merry expression on his face.

Biography

Wes Janson was born on the planet of Taanab, approximately two years before the Empire was formed. Little is known of his early youth, but he joined the Tierfon Yellow Aces, a rebel Y–wing Squadron, sometime in his teens. There he flew alongside Jek Porkins, a human male.

Janson was not present at the Battle of Yavin (in A New Hope) due to being ill with Hesken Fever. Jek Porkins took his place; and was killed in action – a consequence that deeply affected Janson.

In the Battle of Hoth Janson was rear gunner to Wedge Antilles. Unlike many of their team-mates, and Luke Skywalker’s gunner, both Wedge and Janson survived. So, too, did Derek "Hobbie" Klivian (who has one line in the film; a question he poses to Leia Organa), later to be known as Janson’s best friend.

It has not been clarified whether Janson was present at the Battle of Endor – certainly his actor was not hired for the film Return of the Jedi – but it is assumed that he would have been.

After the death of the Emperor, Janson was a lieutenant in the infamous X–wing Rogue Squadron, helping his commander, once Luke Skywalker, now Wedge Antilles, pacify planets caught up in the collapse of the Empire, and advertising the strengths of the fledgling New Republic to other worlds.

However, as more and more pilots needed to be recruited, Janson and Hobbie departed from Rogue Squadron to train and organise new squadrons of X–wings. Unfortunately not all of their endeavours met with success. One squadron, Talon Squadron, was obliterated in a surprise ambush soon after commission. Only their leader, Myn Donos, survived.

A few months after Janson and Hobbie left Rogue Squadron (approximately six and a half years after A New Hope), Wedge Antilles decided to create a new squadron of pilots who had additional skills that could be of use in covert operations. Wes Janson was chosen to be Wedge’s second–in–command whilst Hobbie returned to Rogue Squadron.

Here Janson affirmed his status as a joker and prankster – but Wedge did at least manage to turn the tables on him and paid him back for the merriment Janson’d had at his expense.

Wraith Squadron, as the new squadron was called, was such a huge success that they were decommissioned as an X–wing squadron and given a special status as a commando unit. When this happened, Wedge reassumed control of and Janson transferred back to Rogue Squadron.

Despite the usual brevity of pilots’ lives, Janson continued to serve with Rogue Squadron for several more years.

Thirty years after A New Hope, and having reached the age of fifty, Janson had resigned his commission after eventually reaching the rank of General. This was in order to form the Taanab Yellow Aces, named no doubt in honour of his very first squadron, a squadron of volunteer pilots, to fight against the threat of the Yuuzhan Vong. Still flying, still dark-haired, still single and still best friends with Hobbie, it doesn’t appear that he will die anytime soon.