Ernek Marskan Ernek Marskan was a captain in the Alliance Starfighter Corps during the Galactic Civil War . He served as a pilot with Blue Squadron on the Mon Calamari Star Cruiser " Independence " , participating in many missions during this time . When his younger brother , Casal , was killed during a mission with fellow pilot Keyan Farlander , Marskan blamed Farlander for his death . However , when Marskan confronted the other pilot , Farlander used the Force to choke him . The incident led to animosity toward Farlander from the other pilots . Marksan was later one of several pilots transferred to Yavin 4 for the battle against the Death Star , and among the few pilots to survive . Biography . Ernek Marskan was the elder brother of Casal Marskan . He joined the Alliance to Restore the Republic early in the Galactic Civil War , preceding his brother into the Alliance Starfighter Corps . By 1 BBY , Marskan had achieved the rank of captain and was a senior flight leader in Blue Squadron aboard the Mon Calamari Star Cruiser " Independence " , though he flew with other squadrons when needed . After the Galactic Empire launched Operation Strike Fear in response to the Rebel victory at the Battle of Turkana , Marskan was one of several officers involved in the early planning for a Rebel operation to destroy the " Imperial " - class Star Destroyer " Invincible " . The Alliance had learned of a powerful Imperial explosive device being transported aboard the BFF - 1 bulk freighter " Gafra " to the Celanon spaceport and was planning a raid to capture it for use against the " Invincible " . Marskan was concerned that Celanon was too well defended for a raid to succeed . His opinion was shared by the " Independence " mission planner , Commander S ' man , who decided to launch the raid at a deep - space transfer zone along the " Gafra " course to Celanon . The mission was a success and the Rebels were later able to smuggle the explosive aboard the Star Destroyer and detonate it , destroying the vessel . Following the defeat of Operation Strike Fear , as the Rebels searched for more information about the Death Star , the " Imperial " - class Star Destroyer " Intrepid " hyperdrive was damaged in an accidental collision with an EF76 Nebulon - B escort frigate , leaving it stranded in the Circarpous system . A Rebel team of BTL Y - wing starfighter s , led by Keyan Farlander and escorted by Marskan in a T - 65 X - wing starfighter , were sent to destroy a group of Imperial reinforcements before they could reach the Star Destroyer . Marskan arrived late and his performance was reckless , frequently targeting the same ships as the Y - wings , putting his allies in danger . The mission was a success , nevertheless , allowing the Rebels to mount a subsequent attack that destroyed the Star Destroyer . However , following Marskan ' s poor performance , the " Independence " briefing officer , Commander Lagrane , promised Farlander that Marskan would receive an official reprimand , but Farlander asked him to go easy on the pilot as everybody makes mistakes . Shortly before the Battle of Yavin , Marskan was one of several pilots in the ready room aboard the " Independence " when Farlander entered , having lost his wingmate , Breth Gart , in a previous mission . Captain Samuel Raider went to console Farlander and was clearly surprised when the other replied that Gart simply hadn ' t been strong enough to survive . The incident was one of the first signs of a growing change in Farlander . The pilot became increasingly militant , taking a group of rookie pilots under his wing and encouraging them to act aggressively in combat . Among his followers was Marskan ' s younger brother , Casal , having recently followed Marskan into the Alliance . When Casal was later killed flying a mission with Farlander , Marskan blamed the other for his brother ' s death . He confronted Farlander as he emerged from a debriefing , shoving him against a wall , gripping his throat , and moving to strike him . Farlander used the Force to make Marskan release him , before closing his windpipe and choking him . Marskan clutched uselessly at his throat before Farlander , shocked by his own actions , finally released him . Scared and angry , Marskan fled to the ready room , where he told several other pilots , including Raider and Speedy , what had happened , creating hostility toward Farlander from the others . Shortly after Marskan ' s confrontation with Farlander , the " Independence " traveled to the Alliance ' s base on Yavin 4 to assist in the preparations for an expected attack from the Death Star . Marskan , along with several other pilots including Raider and Farlander , was transferred to Yavin Base upon arrival . The Death Star arrived in the Yavin system soon after the Rebels , but the Alliance pilots succeeded in defeating the Imperial battlestation due to the efforts of the rookie pilot Luke Skywalker . Marskan was among the survivors of the Battle of Yavin , as was Farlander . However , despite Farlander apologizing for his actions , Marskan continued to hate him for his part in Casal ' s death . Personality and traits . Marskan was a competent pilot who , despite at least one reckless performance , was generally considered reliable in combat . While he was friendly with the other pilots aboard the " Independence " , his relationship with Farlander was strained by the other pilot ' s role in his brother ' s death , which left Marskan angry to the point where he attacked Farlander , though Farlander ' s use of the Force easily defeated him . Behind the scenes . Ernek Marskan was created by Rusel DeMaria for the 1993 book " " , which presented the story of Keyan Farlander , the player character in the game " " . In the book , Marskan is established as one of the previously unidentified pilots aboard the " Independence " . While writing the 2012 reference book , " The Essential Guide to Warfare " , author Jason Fry considered Marskan as one of several candidates for the role of Red Twelve , a previously unidentified Rebel pilot whose death at the Battle of Yavin is depicted in . Fry and Leland Chee , keeper of the Holocron continuity database ultimately rejected Marskan in favor of another character from " X - Wing : The Official Strategy Guide " , Puck Naeco . " X - Wing : The Official Strategy Guide " had previously established that Marskan survived the Battle of Yavin .