Ernek Marskan

Casal Marskan, a Rebel pilot, was the younger brother of Ernek Marskan. Ernek joined the Alliance to Restore the Republic early on in the Galactic Civil War, preceding his brother's entry into the Alliance Starfighter Corps. By the time 1 BBY arrived, Marskan had risen to the level of captain and served as a senior flight leader within Blue Squadron on the Mon Calamari Star Cruiser known as the Independence, though he would sometimes fly with other squadrons when needed.

Following the Galactic Empire's launch of Operation Strike Fear in response to the Rebel triumph at the Battle of Turkana, Marskan was one of several officers who participated in the initial planning stages for a Rebel operation aimed at destroying the Imperial-class Star Destroyer called Invincible. The Alliance had discovered that a powerful Imperial explosive device was being transported aboard the BFF-1 bulk freighter Gafra to the Celanon spaceport, and they were devising a raid to seize it for use against the Invincible. Marskan expressed concerns that Celanon was too heavily defended for a successful raid. This view was shared by the Independence's mission planner, Commander S'man, who opted to launch the raid at a deep-space transfer zone located along the Gafra's route to Celanon. The mission achieved its objectives, and the Rebels subsequently managed to smuggle the explosive onto the Star Destroyer and detonate it, resulting in the destroying of the vessel.

After the defeat of Operation Strike Fear, as the Rebels sought additional information concerning the Death Star, the Imperial-class Star Destroyer Intrepid sustained damage to its hyperdrive due to an accidental collision with an EF76 Nebulon-B escort frigate, leaving it stranded within the Circarpous system. A Rebel team comprising BTL Y-wing starfighters, led by Keyan Farlander and accompanied by Marskan in a T-65 X-wing starfighter, was dispatched to destroy a contingent of Imperial reinforcements before they could reach the Star Destroyer. Marskan's arrival was delayed, and his performance was characterized by recklessness, frequently targeting the same ships as the Y-wings, thereby endangering his allies. Despite this, the mission was ultimately successful, enabling the Rebels to launch a subsequent attack that resulted in the destruction of the Star Destroyer. However, following Marskan's subpar performance, the Independence's briefing officer, Commander Lagrane, assured Farlander that Marskan would receive an official reprimand, but Farlander requested leniency for the pilot, acknowledging that everyone makes errors.

Shortly before the Battle of Yavin in 0 BBY, Marskan was present in the ready room aboard the Independence when Farlander entered, having lost his wingmate, Breth Gart, during a previous mission. Captain Samuel Raider approached Farlander to offer condolences but was visibly surprised when Farlander responded that Gart simply lacked the strength to survive. This incident marked one of the initial indications of a growing transformation in Farlander. The pilot rapidly became increasingly militant, taking a group of novice pilots under his guidance and encouraging them to adopt aggressive tactics in combat. Among his followers was Marskan's younger brother, Casal, who had recently followed in Ernek's footsteps by joining the Alliance.

Following Casal's death during a mission with Farlander a few days later, Marskan held the other pilot responsible for his brother's loss. He confronted Farlander as he emerged from a debriefing session, pushing him against a wall, seizing him by the throat, and preparing to strike him. Farlander employed the Force to compel Marskan to release him, before constricting his windpipe and choking him. Marskan clutched futilely at his throat before Farlander, taken aback by his own actions, finally released him. Frightened and enraged, Marskan fled to the ready room, where he recounted the events to several other pilots, including Raider and Speedy, thereby fostering hostility toward Farlander among the group.

Shortly after Marskan's confrontation with Farlander, the Independence journeyed to the Alliance's base on Yavin 4 to provide assistance in the preparations for an anticipated assault from the Death Star. Upon arrival, Marskan, along with several other pilots including Raider and Farlander, was transferred to Yavin Base. The Death Star arrived in the Yavin system shortly thereafter, but the Alliance pilots successfully thwarted the Imperial battle station thanks to the efforts of the novice pilot Luke Skywalker. Both Marskan and Farlander survived the battle. However, despite Farlander's apology for his actions, Marskan continued to harbor resentment towards him for his role in Casal's death.

While Ernek Marskan maintained friendly relations with the other pilots stationed aboard the Independence, his relationship with Farlander was strained due to the other pilot's involvement in his brother's death, which caused Marskan to become so enraged that he physically attacked Farlander, although Farlander's use of the Force easily overcame him.

Marskan was a skilled pilot who, despite at least one instance of reckless behavior, was generally regarded as reliable in combat situations.

Ernek Marskan was a creation of Rusel DeMaria for the 1993 book X-Wing: The Official Strategy Guide, which told the story of Keyan Farlander, the player character in the game Star Wars: X-Wing. Within the book, Marskan is identified as one of the previously unnamed pilots serving aboard the Independence. When writing the 2012 reference book, The Essential Guide to Warfare, author Jason Fry considered Marskan as a potential candidate for the role of Red Twelve, a previously unidentified Rebel pilot whose death at the Battle of Yavin is depicted in Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope. Fry and Leland Chee, the 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.