Evaan Verlaine

Verlaine's birth occurred on the planet Alderaan a number of years before the Battle of Yavin. During her early years, she was fortunate enough to be selected as one of the few Alderaanian youths to receive instruction from Queen Breha Organa, the reigning monarch of the planet. Through her interactions with the queen, Verlaine gained extensive knowledge of her homeworld's culture and heritage, developing a lasting respect for both the queen and the House of Organa. She embraced royalist ideals, demonstrating unwavering support for the Alderaanian monarchy, and, emulating the actions of her planet's leaders, she joined the Alliance to Restore the Republic. As a member of the Rebellion fighting against the Galactic Empire's authority, Verlaine became a Rebel pilot.

During the year 0 BBY, Verlaine participated in the Battle of Scarif, operating as Gold Three within Gold Squadron as a component of the Rebel support forces that were attacking the Shield Gate positioned above Scarif.

Playing a role in the space engagement as the Alliance Fleet assaulted the Shield Gate, Gold Squadron executed several attack runs on the Shield Gate, aiming to weaken its defenses. Following these initial runs, the Squadron shifted its focus to attacking two Star Destroyers.

In the same year, 0 BBY, she was stationed in the Great Temple, the Rebel base on Yavin 4, when Alderaan met its end. This event, known to Alderaanian survivors as "the Disaster," was perpetrated by the Death Star, the Empire's mobile deep space battle station, resulting in the death of Queen Organa and her husband, Viceroy Bail Organa, a founding member of the Rebel Alliance. However, the Rebels achieved a swift victory when Princess Leia Organa, the queen's adopted daughter, delivered the stolen Death Star plans to Yavin 4. After analyzing the plans and identifying a vulnerability in the station, a small fleet of Rebel starfighters initiated the Battle of Yavin and successfully destroyed the Death Star. Verlaine participated in the battle as Gold Three of Gold Squadron, flying alongside seven other Y-wings under the leadership of Jon "Dutch" Vander. As Verlaine attempted to return to the Yavin moon, her Y-wing was targeted by the TIE fighter piloted by Senior Lieutenant Iden Versio; however, the rebel pilot successfully made it back to base, unlike the rest of her squadron.

Following the Battle of Yavin, only a small number of the original task force made it back. Luke Skywalker, the pilot responsible for the shot that destroyed the Death Star, and Han Solo, a smuggler who assisted Organa in bringing the Death Star plans to the Rebel base and aided Skywalker during the battle, were both awarded medals during a ceremony held in the Great Temple. Verlaine was present at this event. After the awards were given out, Organa delivered a brief eulogy for her parents and her homeworld. Her words were controlled and lacked emotion, leading some of the Rebels in attendance to refer to her as the "ice princess." After the ceremony concluded, Verlaine remained behind to pay her respects to Queen Organa and Viceroy Organa at a memorial statue.

Because the Empire had learned the location of the Rebel base before the Battle of Yavin, Rebel General Jan Dodonna gave the order to evacuate the Great Temple. Verlaine, along with some of her fellow Rebels, packed supplies in the base's hangar for loading into the Rebel fleet that had arrived at Yavin 4. While working, she and another Rebel were discussing Organa's detached demeanor. The princess overheard them and approached, prompting the other Rebel to quickly depart, leaving Organa and Verlaine to converse privately. Verlaine expressed her unwavering loyalty to the House of Organa and the late queen, and she pledged her service to the princess, despite her initial misgivings about how the princess was handling her responsibilities in the wake of Alderaan's destruction. Verlaine also shared rumors suggesting that the Empire was actively hunting down all surviving Alderaanians, rumors she believed to be true. Prompted by Verlaine's concerns about her leadership and these rumors, Organa decided to leave the Rebel base without a Rebel escort, in defiance of General Dodonna's orders, to find and protect the surviving Alderaanians. Verlaine agreed to accompany her, driven by a desire to preserve their planet's culture.

Verlaine, Organa, and the astromech droid R2-D2 departed Yavin 4 aboard a T-1 shuttle, with Verlaine at the controls. Before their departure, Organa sent a holographic recording to General Dodonna, explaining her reasons for leaving the Rebel base in violation of his orders. Verlaine voiced her disagreement with sending this message, believing it would prompt the Rebels to dispatch forces to prevent their departure, a concern that proved accurate when Skywalker and Wedge Antilles—the only two members of Red Squadron to survive the Battle of Yavin—intercepted the shuttle and ordered them to return. Verlaine and Artoo secretly devised a plan to mislead the X-wing pilots into believing they had intercepted the shuttle, then release a component of the ship that the pilots would mistake for a critical part of the hyperdrive, when it was actually a decoy. They refrained from informing the princess, knowing the pilots were monitoring their communications. Organa was infuriated when the plan was executed, believing Verlaine had recklessly endangered the mission by damaging the ship when it collided with Antilles' X-wing. However, when the fighters retreated to avoid the presumed damage, Verlaine initiated a jump to hyperspace.

Once the ship was safely in hyperspace, Verlaine admitted to the princess that the maneuver had been a ruse. Organa thanked her for her efforts, and the two set course for the planet Naboo. During the journey, Organa and Verlaine briefly discussed the latter's role in the princess' mission, with Organa emphasizing that she wanted Verlaine to be a companion rather than a servant. Upon the shuttle's arrival over Naboo, Artoo transmitted a signal falsely identifying them as Imperial auditors, based on Organa's belief that authorities would be hesitant to question them to avoid interacting with auditors. Verlaine expressed skepticism about this plan, citing the bounty on the princess' head and Naboo's status as the homeworld of the Emperor, Sheev Palpatine. Organa felt it was essential to proceed, as a cloister of Alderaanian musicians known as the Melodic Order resided on the planet, and she believed the Empire would begin its eradication of Alderaanian survivors with this group.

The shuttle landed at a docking bay in Theed, the capital city of Naboo. Organa identified herself using a false name, First Minister Solo, and demanded that all fees be charged to the Imperial Advisor's Office. Verlaine questioned this approach, suggesting it might have been simpler to pay with cash credits and avoid attracting Imperial attention, but Organa explained that they had no money and would need to rely on their resourcefulness. The princess abruptly stopped speaking upon noticing a mural of the late Padmé Amidala, who had served as Queen of Naboo and later as its Senator during the Clone Wars. Organa seemed to recognize her, and Verlaine asked who it was, but the princess dismissed the question.

As the group moved through the streets of Theed, they were spotted by Lord Junn, an old acquaintance of the princess who was secretly working for his own gain and had recognized Artoo's signal as a decoy that alerted the Imperials to the princess' presence on the planet. Organa introduced Verlaine to Junn, and the Rebel pilot was wary of the encounter, especially since the princess had removed the hood concealing her face from those who might recognize her. Junn led the group to his palace, where he revealed his knowledge of Verlaine and Organa's purpose on Naboo and offered to connect them with Mul Sanaka, the owner of Club Deeja, where the Melodic Order performed via hologram. Junn left to speak with Sanaka and discreetly inform him of the princess' identity, giving Verlaine an opportunity to express her suspicions and reiterate her concerns about the bounty on Organa's head. Organa urged Verlaine to trust her, but the pilot remained doubtful. Upon Junn's return, he announced that he had contacted Sanaka and that they could proceed to the club.

Verlaine and Organa traveled to Club Deeja in the Marina District of the city Keren. Their arrival drew significant attention and apprehension from the locals, who mistook their shuttle for an Imperial vessel. Verlaine and Organa attempted to enter the club but were stopped by Sanaka, who feigned believing Organa was First Minister Solo, there to collect the Alderaanians for the Empire. Snes, the club's guard, forced them to surrender their weapons, then revealed his knowledge of Organa's true identity and ordered Verlaine and the princess to enter the club. Instead of complying, the princess attacked Snes, triggering a brawl in the club's entrance involving Verlaine, Organa, and the guards. The two subdued the guards, and Sanaka nearly shot the princess before another Alderaanian, Uwa Pareece, knocked him unconscious and revealed that she also knew the princess' identity.

Pareece, who had concealed the news of the Disaster from the Alderaanians she protected, led Verlaine and Organa into the club. Verlaine watched as Pareece revealed the truth to her people and as Organa pledged to protect them. The Alderaanian cloister agreed to join them, and Organa managed to barter a ship, named Lord Junn, from Junn in exchange for sparing his life after his betrayal. The cruiser, large enough to accommodate the Alderaanians, followed Verlaine and Organa's shuttle as it traveled to the planet Sullust in the Outer Rim Territories.

Verlaine and Organa were then transported to Sullust's Alderaan Enclave by a smuggler named Tivvy. There, they were introduced to Preserver Jora Astane. Astane initially suspected that the princess intended to betray them to the Empire, but Organa told her about her ship in orbit and their mission to rescue Alderaanian survivors. Astane ordered Clovis to scan the ship, disregarding Verlaine's plea to trust their princess. As Astane showed them around the Enclave, they became embroiled in an argument. Verlaine accused Astane of being a hypocrite and destroying what remained of Alderaan's culture. Their conversation was interrupted by a replay of a transmission between Lord Junn and an Imperial cruiser. Verlaine and Organa realized that there was a traitor among them aboard the ship, but Astane accused them of being traitors when they discovered that the cruiser had entered orbit. Astane's troops opened fire on them, and Verlaine protected Organa as they made their way to a computer to warn Lord Junn of the incoming Imperials.

As more troops fired upon them, R2 intervened, and they escaped into a waterway. While studying a map, Verlaine urged Organa not to blame herself for the fate of Alderaan. The group then encountered Rockrenders who fed on dense minerals. R2 led the creatures to the stormtroopers who had infiltrated the enclave and were firing upon the Alderaanians. With their combined forces, the Alderaanians defeated the Imperials, and on Astane's command, they knelt before their princess.

Nien Nunb, a Sullustan smuggler, transported the Alderaanians off Sullust. Verlaine later oversaw the purchase of supplies and weapons from Nunb's ship, the Mellcrawler, for the Lord Junn. She then introduced Nunb to Organa to express their gratitude. Organa presented Nunb with the Chalcedony waves from her late mother, Queen Breha Organa.

Verlaine then rescued Organa from Dreed and his stormtroopers, using Nunb's ship to bypass the Star Destroyer. Organa then instructed Verlaine to warn the Lord Junn about the Star Destroyer's imminent arrival, and they were joined by thousands of other Alderaanian survivors. Verlaine and Organa then reunited Tula with her sister Tace. Verlaine then encouraged Organa to continue leading her people, with Verlaine as her friend. Following their victory over the Empire, Verlaine celebrated alongside Nunb, Organa, and other Alderaanians. Before Organa departed to return to the Rebel Alliance, she suggested that the Alderaanians elect a new princess to lead them and proposed that Verlaine be the one elected.

According to the cartographer Emil Graf, when the Alliance evacuated their base on Yavin, they were intercepted by an Imperial Star Destroyer. It fell to Verlaine to lead a team to stop the Destroyer. Despite securing the bridge, the Imperials had locked down the controls. As her troops debated their next move, she went to the hangar to pilot a Raider-class corvette, which she then rammed into the mighty vessel, ejecting at the last moment. The impact was sufficient to knock it off course as it fired, causing the blast to level the top of a nearby mountain. This action bought enough time to complete the evacuation.

In the year 3 ABY, Verlaine was selected to join Starlight Squadron as part of the Fourth Division's Operation Starlight. The squadron's objective was to locate the scattered divisions of the Rebel Alliance fleet following the Battle of Hoth, warn them about the Galactic Empire's decryption of Alliance communications, and deliver a new Trawak code developed by C-3PO and his team. During their search, the squadron discovered wreckage of the Sixth Division near Felucia and encountered Imperial probe droids lurking nearby. The probe droids attached themselves to the astromechs of the X-wings, attempting to access their archives. Fearing the probe droids would obtain the other rendezvous points, Wedge Antilles suggested shooting them off, but Shara Bey (Starlight Leader) questioned their ability to succeed. Instead, Bey ordered all pilots to set their astromech's self-destruct and eject them. However, this meant losing their nav data and the ability to return home. With no other choice, the droids were ejected and detonated, safeguarding valuable data from the Empire. Almost immediately, the Imperial II-class Star Destroyer Tarkin's Will arrived and attacked the squadron.

Verlaine later contacted Organa, who was with Chewbacca aboard the Millennium Falcon, to inform her that Alliance High Command wanted her to go to Arkanis to rescue Lando Calrissian from bounty hunters who had shot down his ship.

Following the Battle of Endor, Evaan became a member of the New Republic Defense Fleet. In the year 5 ABY, Evaan was stationed at Hanna City Spaceport on Chandrila, the capital of the New Republic, the successor to the Rebel Alliance. After the slicer Conder Kyl informed Leia Organa that the Empire had initiated an orbital bombardment of the planet Kashyyyk in response to a Wookiee uprising orchestrated by Leia's husband Han Solo and his Wookiee co-pilot Chewbacca, Leia successfully convinced Verlaine to fly her aboard the freighter Millennium Falcon to the Kashyyyk system by appealing to her Alderaanian patriotism.

Evaan served as Leia's co-pilot during a brief space engagement with three Imperial Star Destroyers above Kashyyyk. Evaan and Leia were reinforced by Captain Wedge Antilles' Phantom Squadron and Admiral Ackbar's cruiser Home One. After Solo and Chewie managed to hijack the Star Destroyer Dominion and destroy the Vitiator, the remaining Star Destroyer Neutralizer surrendered to the New Republic, ending the Imperial occupation of Kashyyyk. Evaan and Leia then flew into the Dominion's hangar where Leia reunited with Han.

Eventually, in addition to her service in the Republic Starfleet, Verlaine was also entrusted with the managing of Leia Organa's image. As such, she was charged with approving likenesses of her friend in works of propaganda.

Evaan Verlaine was a human female characterized by blonde hair, light brown eyes, and a fair complexion. As a rebel pilot, she typically wore an orange flight suit and a flight helmet similar to that of Blue Leader Antoc Merrick.

Having been mentored by the Queen of Alderaan herself, she held a deep reverence for the Alderaanian throne. The queen had earned Verlaine's respect, leading her to become a staunch royalist. Even after Alderaan's destruction, Verlaine pledged her loyalty to Princess Organa, viewing her as the rightful queen and leader of the surviving Alderaanian people. Although Organa objected to such treatment, Verlaine believed it was essential to preserve one of the few remaining aspects of Alderaanian culture after the Disaster. This included ensuring the princess' safety; during their mission to rescue the Melodic Order on Naboo, Verlaine expressed numerous concerns about Organa's conduct, particularly her willingness to put herself in harm's way.

Evaan considered herself first and foremost an Alderaanian pilot, and only secondarily a New Republic pilot. Her friendship and respect for Princess Leia motivated her to accompany her on the Millennium Falcon during a perilous mission to Kashyyyk.

Within the Rebel Alliance, Verlaine stood out as a highly proficient pilot. By the time the Battle of Yavin occurred, she had accumulated a total of 3,637 hours in flight, along with a record of four confirmed enemy kills. During her mission with Organa, she demonstrated her piloting skills by successfully piloting the T-1 shuttle away from Yavin 4, even managing to outmaneuver experienced pilots such as Luke Skywalker and Wedge Antilles. Skywalker was notably impressed by the maneuver she executed to evade the two X-wing pilots. Furthermore, she possessed effective combat abilities, as evidenced by her elimination of at least one Besalisk guard outside of Club Deeja on Naboo. Evaan also demonstrated her capabilities as a co-pilot, once sharing the cockpit of the Millennium Falcon with Princess Leia.

The character of Evaan Verlaine was conceived for the Star Wars: Princess Leia mini-series, a comic book published by Marvel in 2015. The series was written by Mark Waid and illustrated by Terry Dodson. Her initial appearance was in Princess Leia 1, where she was only known as Evaan; her full surname was revealed in Princess Leia 2. Dodson's character design was influenced by Waid's suggestion to make Verlaine the "physical opposite" of Organa, resulting in a character who was "tall, blonde, and blue eyed." To further differentiate her from Organa, Dodson incorporated sharper angles into her facial features, while also ensuring some degree of visual harmony between the two. He designed their hairstyles to reflect Alderaanian styles, drawing inspiration from the Northern European aesthetic of Organa in Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope.

Although Evaan Verlaine doesn't make a physical appearance in Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope, later sources have confirmed that she was the Y-wing pilot who survived the Battle of Yavin. Within the Star Wars Legends continuity, the surviving Y-wing pilot from the Battle of Yavin was Keyan Farlander (Gold Seven), while Ryle Torsyn (Gold Three) perished.

Verlaine later had a brief appearance in Chuck Wendig's 2016 novel Aftermath: Life Debt, which is the second book in The Aftermath Trilogy.