Wes Janson

Hailing from Taanab, Wes Janson's initial involvement with the Rebel Alliance was as a member of the Tierfon Yellow Aces, a training squadron specializing in BTL Y-wing starfighters during the early stages of the Galactic Civil War. The Tierfon Rebel Base served as the group's operational hub. The Yellow Aces were designed to involve pilots in technically "active" missions, but with the intention of avoiding overly dangerous scenarios, thus preparing them for more challenging assignments in the future.

During his time with the Yellow Aces, Janson developed a strong reputation and achieved a noteworthy number of kills. However, early in his tenure, Janson encountered a challenging moral dilemma. The Yellow Aces were assigned to ambush an Imperial convoy transporting vital supplies that the Alliance desperately required. Upon the convoy's arrival, the armed escort was larger than anticipated.

One pilot, Kissek Doran, experienced a sudden panic and attempted to abandon the group. To prevent the entire ambush from being compromised if Doran was detected by the Imperials, Janson and Jek Tono Porkins received orders to stop him. As using his ion cannon could have revealed their location, Janson was compelled to use his lasers, resulting in the destruction of the fleeing pilot's craft—marking his first kill. Despite the necessity of the action and the possibility that Doran might have survived had his makeshift flight suit been in better condition, Doran's family held Janson responsible for his death and the perceived tarnishing of their family's name.

Despite this incident, Janson's performance with the Yellow Aces was considered exceptional. He was quickly promoted to the rank of Lieutenant and received the title of True Gunner in recognition of his "consistent excellence and superior performance as an officer and a gunner," as stated by General Jan Dodonna during an awards ceremony at Tierfon Fighter Base. While serving with the Yellow Aces, Janson developed a close bond with Porkins, who was nicknamed "Piggy." Having come from the same training class, they quickly became friends. Janson would often share exaggerated stories of their experiences together at Tierfon. He also encountered Tomer Darpen within the squadron, whom he would later meet again on Adumar.

Following the destruction of Alderaan and the looming threat of the Death Star, the Yellow Aces were placed on "full active" duty. An emergency roster was created, listing pilots who would be transferred to Yavin Base. Wes Janson's name was on that list. However, at the time of the transfer, Janson was afflicted with Hesken Fever, which he had contracted during a scouting mission, rendering him unable to participate. Despite Janson's insistence on his ability to fly, a replacement was chosen to take his place on the transfer list. That replacement was Jek Porkins. Porkins never returned from the assault on the Death Star, and Janson often blamed himself for his friend's death. From that moment forward, he vowed to fly in honor of his fallen comrade. His future heroic actions would help to ease the guilt and sorrow he carried.

After the destruction of the Death Star, Wes Janson was among the first pilots to join the newly formed Rogue Flight under the leadership of Rebel pilot and aspiring Jedi Knight Luke Skywalker. As a member of the Rogues, Janson was permanently assigned to the roving Alliance High Command group. He performed admirably in several skirmishes during the Thila evacuation, helping Rogue Flight prove their value. Six months after the Battle of Yavin, he participated in the campaign against Moff Kohl Seerdon, including action at the Raid on Balmorra, where he assisted in crippling the Empire's production of AT-AT walkers for a period of time, and the Second Battle of Thyferra, which resulted in Seerdon's death.

While with the Rogues, Janson became fast friends with fellow pilot Wedge Antilles. The two frequently served as each other's wingman. During training exercises, Janson repeatedly saved Antilles' T-65 X-wing starfighter from being targeted by target-drone beams, destroying them before Antilles was even aware of the threat. They also shared numerous interests, including a fondness for both Corellian ale and sabacc.

During one mission, while scouting for a new location for a Rebel base, Janson and the other Rogues found themselves on Kwenn Space Station. After witnessing the Empire seize control of a freighter, the Stellar Manx, the Rogues decided to investigate. Wedge Antilles, Tycho Celchu, and Janson disguised themselves and infiltrated Hangar 872-H. While examining the Stellar Manx, they were confronted by a group of stormtroopers. The three Rebel pilots evaded the troopers and ultimately liberated the freighter's crew from Imperial custody, also capturing the ship itself. During this operation, they discovered that the Stellar Manx was on a clandestine mission to Bonadan to meet with Frap Radicon to research gravity well technology. The Rebel Alliance later disrupted this plan.

Sometime after the Battle of Yavin, Janson also piloted a T-47 airspeeder on a ground mission alongside Antilles. During the mission, while engaged in a dogfight against Imperial TIEs, Antilles requested that Janson inspect his speeder for any issues. A stunned Janson reported that Chewbacca—a Wookiee—was clinging to his craft. Fortunately for both the Wookiee and Antilles, the Rebels executed a mid-air boarding maneuver, enabling Chewbacca to steal a TIE fighter and return safely.

When High Command relocated to the newly established Echo Base on the planet Hoth in 2 ABY, Janson was transferred there along with the rest of Rogue Group. Given his renowned gunnery skills and the need for pilots to operate the two-seated snowspeeders, Janson was assigned as Antilles' rear gunner. During the subsequent assault in 3 ABY when the Empire discovered Echo Base, Janson and Antilles successfully brought down the first AT-AT walker of the battle, employing a tactic that involved using the speeder's harpoon and tow cable to entangle the walker's legs. Their snowspeeder was eventually shot down, but Janson and Antilles escaped without serious injury. They abandoned their craft and safely returned to the base, where they prepared for evacuation. Janson then manned the rear gunner position of a BTL-S3 Y-wing starfighter, with fellow Rogue Derek "Hobbie" Klivian piloting, for the escape through the Imperial blockade. Along with Antilles and Skywalker in their X-wings, the three ships cleverly used the Tallon split to aid the GR-75 medium transport Thon's Orchard in escaping into hyperspace. Afterward, Janson rejoined the other Rogues at their secret rendezvous point. Antilles would later tell new recruits about him and Janson being stranded on Hoth for months, with Janson eventually being slain at the hands of scavengers, only to have Janson emerge, alive and well.

During Luke Skywalker and Leia Organa's mission to rescue Han Solo from the bounty hunter Boba Fett, Janson, as a member of Rogue Squadron, was stationed on the moon of Kile at a temporary base. Skywalker's plan involved a surprise raid on Gall, where they would attack two full wings of TIE Fighters and two Imperial-class Star Destroyers. The true objective of the assault was to create a diversion, allowing the Millennium Falcon and the Outrider to reach Fett's ship and rescue Han.

When the Imperials launched more TIE fighters, Skywalker ordered a retreat as the Rogues began to suffer losses. However, Janson's astromech droid suddenly took control of his X-wing. Having been programmed by a bribed technician, Janson's ship began firing on Skywalker's X-wing, leaving Janson powerless to stop it. Fortunately, Skywalker managed to disable Janson's rogue droid without causing any harm to Janson.

Later, Janson and the other Rogues participated in a space battle over Coruscant against forces of the Black Sun criminal organization while escorting the Millennium Falcon to safety following a mission to rescue Leia Organa from Black Sun captivity. Ultimately, the intervention of the Imperial Navy, particularly the Executor, resulting in the destruction of the Black Sun leader's skyhook, allowed the Rogues and the Falcon to escape amidst the chaos.

Janson served with Red Group during the Battle of Endor, where he displayed "meritorious service" as a pilot. He also participated in the Battle of Bakura. After returning from Bakura, Janson and Tycho Celchu were assigned to ground patrol on the surface of Endor to search for an Imperial patrol that the native Ewoks had reported to the Alliance. During the patrol, Janson and Celchu were attacked by a gorax; however, Janson's proficiency with a blaster pistol allowed him to kill the beast with a single shot to the eye. Following the incident, they were recalled to base and reassigned under Luke Skywalker.

On this mission, Janson accompanied Skywalker, Celchu, Ten Numb, and Antilles to Corellia as part of the under-strength Rogue Squadron. Having found no trace of the Empire, Janson and the other Rogues were enjoying themselves in a local tapcafe when they were attacked by Imperial forces attempting to reclaim the planet. Recovering from the attack, the Rogues launched a counter-attack and pursued Imperial General Weir. However, Weir escaped Corellia after capturing Numb. Janson, Antilles, and Skywalker pursued Weir on speeder bikes, but Weir managed to escape on a transport. Celchu and the R2 units brought the pilots their craft, and the Rogues pursued the fleeing general. Distracted by a suicide fighter attack on a civilian convoy, Rogue Squadron was delayed long enough for Weir to flee to Tralus, but Skywalker, Janson, and the others followed them into Tralus's tunnels. With the help of native Selonians, the Rogues located Weir's base and attacked it in an attempt to rescue Numb. Janson and R2-D2, separating from the others, managed to find Numb, but the Sullustan pilot had already been killed. After returning from the mission to Tralus, Antilles assumed command of the squadron, with Janson remaining a member even after its reorganization.

During a mission to Cilpar, Janson's fighter was shot down by enemy TIE fighters, resulting in a crash landing on the planet. He suffered a broken leg and several broken ribs. Celchu managed to land his fighter and locate the injured Janson, carrying him to a nearby cave and tending to his wounds while awaiting rescue, although Janson was not impressed with Celchu's cooking.

While in the cave, Celchu and Janson encountered Winter, who was disguised as Princess Leia. Winter gave Celchu a new assignment, tasking him with impersonating an Imperial officer and infiltrating the local garrison while she remained with Janson. During their time together in the cave, Janson learned about Celchu's past from Winter.

After a while, Winter briefly left Janson to inspect Celchu's fighter; however, the fighter took off with her inside. After managing to return to the cave after defeating a squadron of TIE fighters, Winter and Janson remained in hiding. However, a member of the local resistance who was assisting the Rogues was actually an Imperial spy. He led the Empire to the cave, and both Winter and Janson were captured and taken to the local Moff's palace, with Winter being mistaken for the real Princess Leia. Upon arriving at the palace, the Imperials kept Janson in the infirmary due to his injuries, rather than a cell or even in the Moff's company, as Winter was.

The successful attacks by an anti-Imperial insurgent named Elscol Loro and Antilles' Rogues allowed the Rebels to capture the Moff and rescue Janson, liberating Cilpar from Imperial control.

Following his rescue on Cilpar, Janson remained convalescent in a Lambda-class shuttle while the other Rogues, with Elscol Loro newly added, were assigned to escort a convoy to Mrlsst—along the way they fought off an attacking Imperial fleet. During the defense, the Wookiee Groznik, who was in the shuttle with Janson, became anxious about Loro being placed in danger due to his life debt to her, which irritated Janson. After spending the first few days in a Mrlssti hospital, Janson was present when a warrant was issued for their arrest after they were implicated in stealing the datacards of the Phantom Project, an experimental weapon desired by both the Empire and Rebellion, although the datacard was actually a fake. Breaking out of the hospital on a repulsor bed and still dressed in pajamas, Janson, accompanied by several other Rogue pilots, Groznik, and smuggler Mirax Terrik, fled the city, pursued by Imperials. Shooting out the safety control on Janson's repulsor bed, the Rogues ascended to the top of Mrlssti's greenstalk trees, finding refuge in a treetop village and outdistancing their pursuers.

Janson, seemingly recovered enough to fight, joined Plourr Ilo and Klivian in rescuing Antilles, who had been captured by the Empire. Unbeknownst to them, Antilles had already escaped from Imperial custody. The group was mostly reunited when the Empire decided to attack Mrlsst in retaliation for the destruction of the Phantom Project datacards. Janson helped defend the planet from the attack, and the use of another experimental Mrlssti superweapon forced the Empire to withdraw after suffering heavy losses.

Following their return from Mrlsst, Janson—now fully recovered—and the other Rogues went to Tatooine in support of an Alliance agent (later revealed to be Winter). Janson, Klivian, Ilo, and Dllr Nep were sent to investigate the local underworld and the intensity of the gang wars that had erupted following the death of Jabba the Hutt. Janson's group went to a local cantina on Nep's recommendation, which Janson later considered a mistake—he thought the band was terrible, Ilo started a barfight, and the group was kicked out. Outside the cantina, the group was hired by a Devaronian to cause some trouble at a local ranch, but without bloodshed, as his original employees had been beaten by Ilo. Janson agreed, for a price of eight hundred credits, despite Ilo's objections, having noticed the man's military-grade blaster. Janson intended to play along until he could determine the Devaronian's true plan, unaware that the target was the Darklighter farm where Antilles, Celchu, Loro, and Winter were. Janson's group was to serve as a diversion to allow Winter unnoticed access to Darklighter's safe, but another group of raiders attacked the Darklighter residence first, and a pair of Rodians stole the datadisks that Winter sought.

Accompanied by the Devaronian, the group started their journey to the farm; however, they halted when they realized it had already suffered an attack. Janson tried to get information from the Devaronian through questioning, but the Devaronian was uncooperative and put up a fight. Winter and Celchu, chasing the Rodians, zipped by on a speeder, but their ride was shot down, leading them to join Janson's group. It was then that Winter identified the Devaronian as her acquaintance, Kapp Dendo. Afterward, Winter went back to the Darklighter farm and forcefully obtained a copy of the data disk from Darklighter. The following morning, Janson and the other Rogues soared into the sky in their X-wings, making their way to the arms cache location Winter had deciphered. The cache turned out to be weapons and gear stolen from the Eidolon, pilfered by Firith Olan, who unleashed TIE Interceptors to chase them. After easily defeating Olan's fighters, they chased his ship into space, but the arrival of Imperial fighters, also after Olan, stopped them from disabling his craft, and he managed to escape to Ryloth.

While Antilles, Loro, Celchu, and Winter took a freighter to Ryloth, Janson, Ilo, Nep, and Klivian stayed behind on Tatooine. Unfortunately, the Empire managed to capture Olan before Antilles could, extracting crucial information from him. Upon the Rogues' return from the Twi'lek homeworld, they reunited and were joined by Sixtus Quin and his former Imperial commandos. Chasing the Imperials back to the Eidolon's location, Janson and the other Rogues provided air cover while Winter landed Sixtus and his men, initiating a two-pronged attack on the Imperial forces hidden there. Despite Celchu and Ilo being shot down, the X-wing pilots destroyed the TIEs, and Sixtus's men successfully secured the base, eliminating the Imperial leader, Captain Semtin.

About a month after the events on Tatooine, Rogue Squadron welcomed a new member named Feylis Ardele. Admiral Ackbar recruited Ardele because of her skill and experience piloting the TIE Series fighters, and during a training exercise, she even managed to shoot down Janson.

As the squadron got acquainted with their new pilot, Antilles and Celchu were introduced to Grand Duke Gror Pernon, the uncle of Plourr Ilo, one of the Rogues. The Grand Duke spoke of the troubles on his home planet, Eiattu, and revealed Plourr Ilo's royal heritage, making her a Princess of Eiattu. Pernon requested Rogue Squadron to escort Ilo back to her home so she could try to heal the fractured world.

Janson, along with the rest of Rogue Squadron, went with Ilo on her journey home. Once on Eiattu, Janson, Klivian, and some other Rogues decided to ride trained thuvasaurs and explore the untamed countryside. During their exploration, Janson and the others found themselves under heavy fire from Imperial ground forces who had been chasing the People's Liberation Battalion (PLB). During the battle, Janson contacted Antilles, requesting immediate air support. The Rogues, along with Count Rial Pernon, answered the call and drove off the Imperial air cover that was attacking Janson and the others. After the skirmish, Janson and the other grounded Rogues couldn't be extracted but were instead found by the PLB members and taken to the rebel camp. That night, Janson encountered the PLB leader Harran, who was actually an Imperial spy. The real Harran was Harrandatha Estillo, a deceased prince of Eiattu and Plourr Ilo's younger brother.

The next day, PLB soldiers led the Rogues back to the city where Antilles and the others were. Upon arrival, Janson and Hobbie were briefed by Antilles and Celchu about the previous day's firefight and what they had seen during their time with the PLB. The pilots concluded that the Imperials' actions the previous day were suspicious and that they were likely hiding something in the swampy area. Janson, Klivian, another Rogue pilot named Nrin Vakil, and others formed a squad and returned to the swamp to aggressively patrol for any signs of the Imperials. However, Janson and his patrol were ambushed by scout troopers, and Vakil appeared to have been killed. Janson and the patrol, without Vakil, were captured and taken to the Imperial stronghold.

While in Imperial custody, Janson discovered that Harran was an Imperial spy working with Moff Leonia Tavira. Janson's and the others' capture coincided with a PLB attack and a showdown between Ilo and the spy posing as her long-dead brother. Meanwhile, Vakil, who had survived the ambush, reached the prison where the captured Rogues were held and freed them.

The conflict on Eiattu ended with the capture of the fake Harran, Moff Tavira's expulsion from the planet, and Ilo's assumption of the royal office, deciding to stay and help rebuild her home world.

After returning from Eiattu, the Rogues, minus Ilo, were tasked with finding the Starfaring, a ship with a crew of Bothans that had vanished in the Malrev system. Using his Sullustan hearing, Nep guided the squadron to a forested planet where the Starfaring was located, but they were attacked by TIEs, and Antilles was shot down.

Setting up camp for the night with the Bothans at the Starfaring's crash site, Janson and the others planned to search for Wedge the next day. Janson and Klivian were intrigued and attracted to the female Bothan dancers, but their attention was diverted when they went to help Vakil, who was fighting with some of the Bothans. Janson and the other Rogues were beaten up, though not severely. Suddenly, the entire camp was attacked by irrukiine beasts wielding Imperial blasters, and the Rogues and Bothans joined forces to fight them off. After the attack, Janson and Celchu took the first watch, and Janson apparently spent the night with one of the Bothan females. The next day, the Rogues and some Bothans went to find Wedge but were attacked by irrukiine near a large temple that served as a focal point for Sith dark side powers. Janson and the others retreated and were joined by Antilles, who had escaped captivity in the temple during the chaos of the firefight. However, Klivian and Herian were injured, and Nep, drawn to the "music" from the temple, stayed behind.

Wedge took Tycho and Janson on a quick flight in their X-wings to get away from the Bothans. Wedge explained that a Devaronian named Cartariun was using the temple to control the irrukiine and was trying to conquer the world. As they approached the temple from above, Cartariun sent irrukiine in TIEs after them, guiding the savage beasts with the Force in a way similar to battle meditation. As the Rogues fought through the swarm of TIEs, Janson claimed he was damaged and had his astromech fake more damage to his ship, deceiving the enemy. His plan worked, and several TIEs were destroyed. The assault was called off when Nep managed to resist the temple's lure long enough to distract Cartariun. Janson and the other airborne Rogues returned to the Starfaring only to learn that Girov Dza'tey, the Bothan commander, had betrayed them to take over the temple and that Girov was a trained military officer.

Wedge spoke with the Bothan second-in-command and convinced him to launch a ground assault while the Rogues attacked the temple from the air. Janson helped the mostly recovered Klivian into his fighter, and the squadron launched their aerial assault to destroy the temple. Unfortunately, Girov had taken control of the temple and, being a trained officer, was better at controlling the irrukiine and using TIE Interceptors to boost his firepower. As the battle intensified, the injured Herian, in mental contact with Nep, took a grounded X-wing to the temple, guided by Dllr's mind. Just in time to cover the attack, Plourr Ilo arrived with a squadron of Z-95 Headhunters. Herian crashed her ship into the temple, destroying it. The Rogues and Ilo's fighters easily wiped out the remaining fighters, now uncoordinated, but both Herian and Nep died.

After the events in the Malrev system, the Rogues were assigned to perform a reconnaissance sweep in Imperial territory of Brentaal IV in the Bormea sector. Wedge, Vakil, Ilo, Celchu, and Janson were selected for this mission. Following a brief encounter with a group of Imperial TIE fighters, Vakil successfully obtained the requested information about the planet's defenses, making the sweep a success.

Upon Janson and the others' return to the Rebel base, Wedge and Tycho were introduced to four new pilots to replenish the Rogues' ranks: Dar Keyis, Standro Jcir, Avan Beruss, and Xarcce Huwla. After the new pilots were introduced to the other Rogues and shown their quarters, Admiral Ackbar informed Antilles and Celchu that Rogue Squadron would support Colonel Horton Salm and Aggressor Wing in the upcoming offensive in the Bormea Sector. The plan was to gain a foothold by capturing one of Brentaal IV's two moons and using it as a staging area for the larger attack against Brentaal IV itself.

Janson and Rogue Squadron, along with Aggressor Squadron, attacked their target in the Bormea Sector but encountered an unidentified Imperial fighter squadron that began to harass the attacking Rebel starfighters. Shortly after the battle began, Klivian's X-wing was unexpectedly hit, and he crash-landed on the moon's surface after ejecting from his doomed craft. For the most part, the attack proceeded without further issues, and Alliance troopers successfully captured the Imperial hangar on the moon. Once the Rogues and Aggressors returned to the Rebel base at Delta-Nine, they discovered that the unidentified Imperial squadron was actually the 181st Imperial Fighter Group, commanded by Baron Soontir Fel.

After a short rest on Delta-Nine, Janson and the Rogues were transferred to the newly captured Brentaal Moonbase and briefed on the upcoming battle. The briefing revealed that Fel had recently been spotted on Brentaal IV and that it was crucial for the Rogues to engage and prevent Fel and the 181st from attacking the Alliance ground troops. Shortly after, Rogue and Aggressor squadrons flew to Brentaal IV and began the attack. Although the spaceport of Oradin was captured, Fel and the 181st managed to inflict severe damage on the Rebel forces. Both Wes Janson and Ibtisam were shot down, and Aggressor Squadron suffered heavy losses.

Once on the ground, Janson and Ibtisam were rescued by Alliance Intelligence agents led by Kapp Dendo. They were taken to the agents' hidden base and shown the plans for the upcoming attack on Vuultin. Soon after, the attack began, and the Rogues and Aggressors were once again on the offensive. Fel and the 181st engaged the Rebels, and during the fight, Standro was shot down and killed. Meanwhile, Dendo, Janson, and Ibtisam led a ground assault against a massive air-defense network that Admiral Lon Isoto had constructed. During the assault, Janson sustained a minor shoulder wound from stormtroopers defending the complex. Despite his injury, Janson and the others managed to set explosive devices at key points and destroy the air defenses, relieving pressure on the attacking Rebel starfighters and allowing Rebel assault ships to land with ground forces. The Rebels successfully captured Brentaal IV and drove the Imperials from the sector. Following the battle, Janson and Ibtisam were reunited with Rogue Squadron. Additionally, the Rebellion captured Baron Soontir Fel, who agreed to fly for the Rebellion.

Shortly after Fel joined the Rogues, Antilles dispatched Janson, Klivian, and Ilo to Corellia to try and retrieve Fel's wife, Wynssa Starflare. The trio successfully arrived on Corellia and made their way to the Fel estate, where they learned from CorSec Captain Corran Horn that two-year-old Fyric Fel had been kidnapped earlier that day. They left the Fel Estate and returned to their ship, only to be approached by Fyric's mother, Ajai Fel, who asked for their help in finding her child in exchange for Wynssa's location.

Plourr took charge and arranged a meeting with the kidnappers in an alley. Their leader told her that if she defeated his Weequay, they would trade the money for the child. Ilo defeated the Weequay, but the kidnappers betrayed them and captured the three Rogues, intending to execute them. Fortunately, CorSec agents Horn and Iella Wessiri arrived and helped the Rogues defeat the kidnappers, but Post escaped.

Returning to their ship, the Rogues and CorSec agents planned a raid on Post's estate to rescue the child. The assault easily overwhelmed Post's guards, but Post appeared at an upper-story window with a gun to Fyric's head. Todr Fel, armed with a blaster rifle, shot Post through the head, and Ilo caught Fyric as he fell. Janson and the other Rogues then retrieved all the Fels from Corellia, departing in their freighter as Horn promised to delay filing his report. As they left, their freighter was attacked by Ugly starfighters, and although Janson tried to evade them, their escape was made possible by Corran Horn's skill in an X-wing fighter, who shot down three of the four attackers.

After returning from Corellia, Janson and the Rogues responded to a distress call, fending off a group of pirates during a training mission. While Celchu and Fel escorted Princess Leia (actually Winter in disguise), Han Solo, and Chewbacca to a diplomatic conference on Eiattu, and Antilles and the real Leia met with Imperial Vizier Sate Pestage in a secret lair on Axxila, Janson and the other Rogues were elsewhere on Axxila. Recognizing a group of pirates in a cantina as those they had fought earlier, they followed them back to their hangar, but the encounter turned violent when the pirates realized they were being followed. Meanwhile, a different group from the same pirate organization captured Celchu and Winter on Eiattu and brought them to Axxila as well, but the two eventually escaped in a Y-wing. This wouldn't be the last time the Rogues encountered Kavil's Corsairs, who were actually led by Leonia Tavira, the Moff they had encountered on Eiattu.

Responding to Celchu's call for help, Janson and some of the other Rogues scrambled in their fighters and cleared the pirate fighters off of Tycho while the other pilots fought some of the pirates on the ground. Despite being heavily outnumbered, the arrival of the Millennium Falcon with Solo and Fel aboard helped even the odds, and the entire group reunited at the Rogue Squadron hangar on Axxila. However, the arrival of Admiral Delak Krennel and the Reckoning disrupted their plans, forcing them to go into hiding. Fel and Celchu captured a TIE fighter and a secure Imperial comlink, and Fel gave Krennel an AT3 Directive to withdraw from Axxila long enough for them to escape. With Krennel gone, the Falcon and the Rogues left Axxila, their mission accomplished.

Following their mission to Axxila, the Rogues were granted some R&R, during which Janson attempted to woo an attractive female officer named Reina Faleur, only to discover she was already on a date with Antilles. However, their vacation was interrupted by an urgent mission to rescue Sate Pestage, who had been compromised by Director of Imperial Intelligence Ysanne Isard for his deal with Organa. Admiral Ackbar assigned Rogue Squadron to work with Winter and Kapp Dendo to retrieve Pestage from Ciutric IV. Janson and the other Rogues, along with Aggressor Wing, entered the space around Ciutric and targeted the local fighters while Dendo's men retrieved Pestage. With friendly ground troops under fire, the Rogues also provided close air support to the commandos. As they were escaping, they were trapped by the Reckoning and the Interdictor Binder. The Rogues, Dendo's troops, and Pestage fled to the night side of Ciutric while Aggressor escaped to get help.

Pinned down on the ground, Antilles had Dendo's men seize an Imperial communications outpost so he could send a message. However, they still had to fend off TIE fighters hunting them, and Ibtisam was shot down and killed during a dogfight, which also alerted Krennel to their location. The Rogues were swarmed by TIEs from the Reckoning, but help arrived in the form of Mirax Terrik in the Pulsar Skate and Aggressor Wing with General Horton Salm, and although Janson's R2 unit was shot out in the fight, no other pilots were killed or shot down.

Mirax and Antilles planned an assault on the Binder and Reckoning to allow Dendo's men to escape with Pestage, using the Pulsar Skate as a decoy. While the pilots dealt with the capital ships and fighters, Dendo's team fled from Imperial ground troops pursuing them, but Pestage deserted them for the Imperial forces and Krennel. He paid for his treachery when Krennel crushed his throat and became a new warlord, one of many in the fractured Empire.

Shortly thereafter, TIE Defenders flown by a warlord known as Shadowspawn began raiding merchant ships. The fighters were difficult for the New Republic to track, and none of the pilots had been captured alive. Commander Antilles devised a plan for Rogue Squadron to disguise themselves inside a hollowed-out shell resembling the luxury liner Corellian Queen. After the ship's route was relayed to Shadowspawn's forces, a group of TIE Defenders arrived to intercept the craft. Janson participated in the subsequent ambush, shooting down at least one TIE Defender with specially modified torpedoes that exploded into hundreds of metal flechettes. His wingman, Klivian, had his fighter disabled in the skirmish, and after the remaining Defenders fled, Janson returned to retrieve his wingman, who was drifting in space. As he pulled his fighter alongside Klivian's to attach a tow cable, Janson seized the opportunity to take several pictures of the hapless Klivian plugging breaches in his cockpit with the severed ends of his artificial limbs, much to the merry Taanabian lieutenant's delight, and little to Klivian's.

Following their successful mission, the Rogues helped bring Mandalore Fenn Shysa to Mandalore for negotiations with other Mandalorian Supercommandos. Janson later accompanied Rogue Squadron to Mindor, which had been revealed by a transponder in the Rogues' torpedo flechettes to be Shadowspawn's stronghold and where Luke Skywalker had led the Rapid Response Task Force to deal with the warlord. The Rogues arrived later, escorting Leia Organa to Mindor after the Rapid Response Task Force failed to contact anyone and following a rescue attempt led by Chewbacca and Han Solo on the Millennium Falcon. They soon found that the Rapid Response Task Force was being battered by waves of Shadowspawn's starfighters after being damaged by gravity mines.

Organa boarded the Falcon and headed for the surface, where Skywalker's cruiser, Justice, had crashed. Rogue Squadron was called upon to guide them through the asteroid belt around Mindor, which was swarming with hostile starfighters. After the Falcon landed, the squadron battled their way back into orbit, attempting to clear an escape path through the mines and hostile fighters. They used their craft's repulsorlifts to their advantage, knocking large pieces of rock into nearby hostile starfighters, who lacked repulsorlifts. The Rogues also aided the remaining ships of the Rapid Response Task Force in fending off waves of starfighters, many of whom made suicide runs against the New Republic vessels. The New Republic flotilla received reinforcements in the form of a Mon Calamari Star Cruiser commanded by General Lando Calrissian, who took command of the beleaguered fleet.

However, as orbital debris triggered stellar flares in Mindor's sun, Taspan, Janson, the Rogues, and the rest of the New Republic fleet were ordered by Calrissian to descend towards Mindor's surface to shield themselves from the surges of intense radiation. From there, the New Republic launched an assault on Shadowspawn's base, attempting to seize the anti-orbital weapons before Mindor rotated enough to bring them to bear against the surviving New Republic fleet. The Rogues flew cover for the assault but were forced away after the dormant volcano around which the installation was built was blasted into space by gravitic effects. Skywalker, who had infiltrated Shadowspawn's base, ordered the Imperial troops to take his orders, as they believed he was the Emperor. The Jedi ordered the Imperial troops to stand down, and the New Republic vessels began evacuating personnel from the flying volcano when Shadowspawn regained control over the Imperial stormtroopers and starfighter pilots, ordering them to make suicidal attacks on the New Republic presence. As the TIEs turned to attack, Janson was part of a desperate defense that attempted to destroy as many TIE fighters as possible before they rammed into the New Republic vessels. Skywalker eventually cut off Shadowspawn's control, which slew the rest of the Imperials and allowed the New Republic forces to escape the system.

Eventually, Janson and his close comrade Derek Klivian transitioned from active combat roles to training and organizing new starfighter squadrons. This endeavor led to the formation of Corsair Squadron and Gauntlet Squadron, alongside the unfortunate Talon Squadron. Given his extensive experience as a pilot, Janson's skills as an instructor were in high demand.

When Wedge Antilles, accompanied by the revamped Rogue Squadron, departed from the New Republic to pursue Ysanne Isard, the New Republic found itself in need of a Rogue Squadron to uphold the reputation of the renowned X-wing unit. Consequently, they established a provisional Rogue Squadron, jointly commanded by Klivian and Janson, comprising both veteran Rogues and fresh recruits. Upon Antilles' return from Thyferra, this squadron encountered them above Coruscant, showcasing their synchronized aerial maneuvers before landing. With the original Rogues reinstated into the New Republic, the temporary squadron was dissolved, and select members were integrated into the returning Rogues. As recognition for assembling the interim replacements, Janson (along with Klivian) was officially reinstated to active duty in Rogue Squadron by High Command.

Soon after, Antilles placed Rogue Squadron under the leadership of Tycho Celchu and Klivian, while he and Janson initiated a new unit, Wraith Squadron, with Janson serving as the executive officer. Wraith Squadron was an experimental group largely composed of rejected and underperforming pilots, functioning both as a commando unit and a starfighter squadron. Antilles deemed this type of unit essential following his encounters with Isard and well-suited for the New Republic's overarching objective of eliminating prominent Imperial warlords, notably Warlord Zsinj. Janson acted as Antilles' second-in-command within Wraith Squadron and assisted in selecting its members. Antilles also shared with Janson and Klivian the story of Talon Squadron's demise and brought the sole survivor, Myn Donos, into the Wraiths.

An interesting twist within the Wraiths emerged with the selection of Kell Tainer, a demolitions expert, for the squadron. He was the son of the deceased Kissek Doran and had changed his name upon learning of his father's act of cowardice during battle. Initially, tension arose between Janson and Tainer, but as the campaign against Zsinj and his associates progressed, they began to understand each other. They eventually realized that their initial awkwardness stemmed not from aggression, but from mutual apprehension. Ultimately, the two pilots resolved their differences, setting aside their long-held animosity and distrust.

Janson played a crucial role as one of the primary training officers for the new squadron, guiding the pilots through a series of exercises designed to test their skills and adaptability. During a proton torpedo drill, he intentionally disrupted their targeting systems, forcing them to aim manually. In another instance, he stipulated that each pilot's performance would be evaluated based on their wingman's performance. This rigorous training process narrowed down the pool of candidates, resulting in a final roster of ten new pilots, initially known as Gray Squadron. Janson was designated as Gray Eleven and given command of Three Flight.

Gray Squadron (soon renamed "Wraiths" by Tyria Sarkin) was initially stationed at Folor, but was compelled to evacuate due to an attack by Admiral Apwar Trigit, an ally of Zsinj. The Wraiths, having barely completed their training, hastily departed. Janson assisted in escorting the struggling freighter Borleias, shooting down several TIE fighters targeting it. However, they were pulled out of hyperspace by an Empion mine, which also disabled their X-wings. Janson and the majority of the squadron landed on the inhospitable planet of Xobome 6 to perform makeshift repairs. Through unconventional tactics and improvised weaponry, the Wraiths remaining in orbit managed to seize a mine-laying vessel, the Night Caller. Assuming the identities of the ship's crew, Janson and the other Wraiths utilized the vessel to gather intelligence on the activities of Trigit and Warlord Zsinj. A rendezvous with New Republic forces led to their official commissioning as a squadron, and they adopted the name Wraith Squadron. However, Janson and Antilles grew concerned about the emotional and personal instability exhibited by some of the pilots, such as Kell Tainer and Tyria Sarkin. Tainer still displayed visible discomfort around Janson, while Sarkin had assaulted another pilot after being challenged about potentially cheating to improve her scores. Janson feared that this group of misfits and rejects was heading towards disaster.

As senior officers, Wedge and Janson maintained a degree of distance from the other pilots, interacting with them primarily in an official capacity. The Wraiths conducted various infiltration and intelligence-gathering missions targeting Zsinj-affiliated businesses, including a commando raid on Xartun. During this mission, Janson and the other Wraiths infiltrated a production facility that had previously been shown to a disguised Loran and sabotaged it. While stormtroopers attempted to intercept the intrusion party, Janson held them off until the rest of the intruders could rejoin him. They escaped just before the Zsinj-allied production facility was destroyed.

During their Night Caller deception, the Wraiths suffered their first loss, Jesmin Ackbar, when a group of pirates attacked them. Janson and the others repelled the attack, with Janson achieving an aerial victory and contributing to the pirates' swift surrender. Despite this setback, their missions continued, and Janson successfully resolved his issues with Tainer. Following their success, they were contacted by Zsinj, who instructed the fake Night Caller crew to assist in attacking the New Republic alongside Admiral Trigit.

On a subsequent infiltration mission to Storinal, Janson impersonated an expatriated Bakuran Senator, helping to contaminate an Imperial shuttle with Bunkurd Sewer Disorder. This contamination spread to a supply ship scheduled to rendezvous with Night Caller, preventing it from exposing their cover. The mission also resulted in the Wraiths acquiring two TIE fighters to equip the Night Caller. The Wraiths then engaged another corvette and a frigate belonging to Zsinj in the Battle of Talasea, successfully maintaining their disguise as Zsinj's crew by feigning near-fatal injuries from the engagement that destroyed the corvette and frigate.

The culmination of their Night Caller escapades was the ambush and destruction of the Star Destroyer Implacable, commanded by Apwar Trigit. The Wraiths led Trigit and his Star Destroyer to attack what appeared to be a defense of a Zsinj-allied business on Ession, but was in reality a New Republic trap. During that battle, Janson achieved multiple combat kills, but was unable to rescue Wraiths Grinder or Falynn Sandskimmer, who had flown into a vulnerable area inside the Star Destroyer's power cells to destroy it from within. Both perished, though the Star Destroyer and Admiral Trigit were also destroyed.

Upon returning to Coruscant for a period of respite, the Wraiths narrowly avoided capture by a group of impostors posing as military police following a bar brawl. Janson sustained a blaster graze along his ribs during a fight with the impostors, but the injury was minor. Following their successful use of the Night Caller, the Wraiths opted to masquerade as a pirate group, the Hawk-Bats, to further disrupt Zsinj's operations and gather additional intelligence. In their inaugural mission, they stole several TIE Interceptors from an Imperial base to replenish their squadron's complement of starfighters, as they had not received replacements since incurring losses and required craft for their pirate persona. Janson participated in the ground mission, effectively utilizing his blaster skills to eliminate several stormtroopers. Between missions, Janson returned to Coruscant to collect cargo and orders for the Wraiths, as well as a stuffed Ewok doll that would feature prominently in his pranks. Meanwhile, several members of the squadron posed as the Hawk-Bats, wreaking havoc on the relatively defenseless world of Halmad to entice the locals to seek assistance from Zsinj, thereby drawing him out.

On his subsequent mission, Janson, alongside new member Dia Passik, engaged in a dogfight over Halmad against a large contingent of starfighters from the recently arrived Iron Fist, Warlord Zsinj's flagship. The Wraiths largely escaped, with the exception of Ton Phanan, who was shot down and later died. To facilitate their escape, they destroyed a refueling tanker that Iron Fist had tractor beamed, causing damage to the hangar bay. This action also prompted Zsinj to offer employment to the Hawk-Bats. However, the demanding missions, coupled with recent casualties, took a toll on the Wraiths.

Janson remained occupied working with Antilles to maintain stability within the unit and deciphering data to use against Zsinj. While analyzing the defenses of Zsinj's target, Janson initially believed that the target was Coruscant, but Antilles correctly deduced that it was actually the shipyards at Kuat, and Zsinj was attempting to steal the newest Super Star Destroyer under construction there. Janson also facilitated a connection between Dia Passik, his wingmate, and Garik "Face" Loran at a formal dance, leading to a romantic relationship between the two.

During Zsinj's attempt to seize the new warship, Janson and several of the Wraiths remained aboard the Mon Calamari Star Cruiser Mon Remonda in their X-wings as part of an anti-Zsinj task force under Han Solo, tasked with ambushing Zsinj as he fled Kuat. Meanwhile, other Wraith pilots infiltrated the new battleship and served as pirates flying for Zsinj. The mission and subsequent ambush, in which Janson participated, proved largely successful, resulting in the destruction of the Razor's Kiss, although Iron Fist managed to escape.

With the Razor's Kiss destroyed, the Wraiths temporarily abandoned their Hawk-Bats scheme and rejoined Han Solo's flagship, the Mon Remonda, continuing their intelligence and sabotage missions. Wraith Squadron underwent reorganization at this point, with Garik Loran promoted to commander of the unit. Despite Janson being the senior officer of the two lieutenants, he had never desired (or intended) to remain with the Wraiths beyond their initial formation period and was content taking orders from the younger officer, remaining as XO of the unit. Although Antilles technically rejoined Rogue Squadron at this time, it did not deter Janson from his ongoing teasing and practical jokes directed at the commander.

The Wraiths continued their activities as part of Solo's fleet, ultimately leading to Zsinj engaging Solo's force in a major battle to eliminate what had become a persistent nuisance to the warlord. In a fleet battle against a significant portion of Zsinj's fleet, including Iron Fist, Janson, the Wraiths, and the Rogues destroyed two Carrack-class cruisers, but Janson's craft was disabled by an ion cannon. He was rescued, and Solo's fleet escaped to fight another day.

The Wraiths then pursued new leads to investigate the network of businesses that Zsinj appeared to be accumulating to support his military operations. On an intelligence-gathering mission to Saffalore, the Wraiths investigated Binring Biomedical, but were ambushed by Zsinj's forces after being lured into a trap. Janson sustained burns when the Wraiths fell through a trapdoor into a crematorium, but they managed to escape, capturing Dr. Edda Gast, a prominent scientist working for Zsinj, despite suffering moderate injuries. Janson later received a commendation for bravery for his actions, which he accepted after completing bacta therapy. In response, Zsinj activated a number of sleeper agents in an effort to assassinate several high-profile New Republic leaders. After Wraith Tyria Sarkin was compelled to shoot down a brainwashed A-wing pilot attempting to kill Han Solo, Janson was able to counsel her and assist in her recovery, drawing upon his own experience of shooting down a friendly pilot.

On a mission to Kidriff 5, Janson and three other pilots flew TIE Interceptors to assess the planet's security. They later rendezvoused with a decoy YT-1300 freighter, dubbed the Millennium Falsehood in imitation of the Millennium Falcon, as bait for Zsinj. Once reunited, Janson and the other Wraiths and Rogues provided cover for the Falsehood as it departed the planet, pursued by enemy starfighters, which they engaged and repelled. During the final stages of the battle, Wraith pilot Myn Donos intentionally fired upon a fellow Wraith, Lara Notsil, after Garik Loran inadvertently revealed that Notsil had been an Imperial Intelligence agent directly responsible for the destruction of Donos's Talon Squadron before Notsil had defected. Notsil escaped, fleeing to Zsinj as a double agent, and the Wraiths returned to Mon Remonda. Donos was placed on probation, and eventually sought advice from Janson, who encouraged him to relax and enjoy himself more often. This advice proved beneficial, and Donos eventually returned to active flying status. Janson also became the target of Wedge's revenge for his numerous pranks when he was tricked into walking naked into a room filled with all the Wraiths.

Janson, still piloting a TIE Interceptor (his X-wing being used by members of Wraith Squadron who lacked their own fighter or experience with TIE fighters), and the Wraiths later flew escort missions for Nova Squadron's B-wing starfighters in attacks on Iron Fist during the Battle of Vahaba and the subsequent Battle of Selaggis. The latter battle was made possible by the efforts of Wraith Squadron member Lara Notsil, who had feigned allegiance to Zsinj to sabotage and assassinate him from within his organization. During these battles, Janson destroyed several more TIE Interceptors. Zsinj's fleet was crippled at Selaggis, and the warlord was killed by Han Solo shortly thereafter, bringing that campaign to an end.

Upon his return to Rogue Squadron, Janson participated in the Thrawn campaign, culminating in the Battle of Bilbringi. Shortly before the Bilbringi mission, he, Antilles, Klivian, and Celchu were involved in a New Republic disinformation effort to convince the Empire that Tangrene was the intended target. They encountered Aves, a member of the Talon Karrde criminal organization, and persuaded him that their target was Tangrene. Janson believed that Aves would sell the information to the Empire, unaware that a large smuggler force was also planning to strike Bilbringi. The collaboration between the two factions and the death of Thrawn contributed to the New Republic's success in the battle.

With Thrawn's assassination and the Empire once again in retreat, the New Republic decided to launch an offensive against Prince-Admiral Delak Krennel's Ciutric Hegemony as a warning to other Imperial warlords. Following the Thrawn campaign, Admiral Ackbar advocated for promotions for several members of the squadron, including Janson to Major along with Klivian. This led to Janson assuming command of Two Flight of the Rogues. As preparations for the Ciutric campaign intensified, Janson also participated in a raid on Commenor to assist in freeing some of the Lusankya prisoners after a prisoner named Urlor Sette appeared at a Rogue Squadron victory celebration and was gruesomely killed by a device implanted within him. Janson and the Rogues easily overcame the limited resistance on the ground, and intelligence gathered from the rescued prisoners revealed that Ysanne Isard, previously presumed dead over Thyferra, was still alive.

Janson flew in the Battle of Liinade III, engaging Krennel's TIE fighters in space and conducting runs against ground targets in preparation for the New Republic's occupation of the world. Upon learning of the potential construction of a Death Star-like superweapon near or within Distna, the Rogues and Nrin Vakil were assigned to reconnoiter the system, with Janson predicting that they would ultimately be tasked with destroying the superweapon. However, the entire superweapon was a ruse designed to eliminate the Rogues. Upon arrival, they were ambushed by six squadrons of TIE fighters. In the ensuing battle, Janson performed admirably, as did the rest of the squadron, but he was shot down and left adrift in space. While the remaining surviving Rogues were rescued by a group of TIE Defender pilots, Janson was stranded, facing death from exposure. The timely arrival of the Errant Venture saved him, as Booster Terrik's investigative team had uncovered Krennel's trap. Terrick's crew recovered Janson, and he recovered with the aid of bacta. However, Antilles and the other Rogue pilots were rescued and taken elsewhere by the Defender pilots. They assumed Janson had died.

After the Battle of Ciutric and defeat of Krennel, Janson was joyfully reunited with the other Rogues, who had covertly infiltrated Krennel's forces posing as TIE Defender pilots. Antilles, in particular, was delighted to see his long-time friend alive and well.

Following his recovery, Janson continued to serve in Rogue Squadron, aiding in the fight against the Invid pirate group. Janson helped disable the Booty Full after it attempted to attack the liner Glitterstar. This was not the Rogues' only encounter with the Invids. The squadron was also present at the Battle of Xa Fel, where the Invids attempted to engage a New Republic force blockading the planet.

In 13 ABY, Antilles was selected by the New Republic to serve as an ambassador to Adumar. Wedge was instructed to bring along three of the New Republic's most skilled starfighter pilots. Celchu, Klivian, and Janson were chosen to accompany Antilles. The four, under the designation of Red Flight, landed in the largest nation of Adumar, Cartann, where they met with Tomer Darpen, their diplomatic liaison, the documentarian Hallis Saper, and their local guide Cheriss ke Hanadi. Janson recognized Darpen from his time in the Tierfon Yellow Aces, jokingly referring to him as "Ejector" Darpen due to an ejection seat incident during Darpen's combat days. The four pilots were invited to a state dinner, where they were warmly welcomed and honored by Cartann. Janson quickly embraced local customs, such as the blastsword, and extravagant clothing styles, including cloaks that glowed and featured flatscreen panels sewn onto them.

title: Wes Janson

The situation quickly became complex when the New Republic squadron discovered the Adumari's deep interest in life-or-death combat, both on the ground and in spacecraft, and the presence of Imperial 181st pilots vying for the Adumari's approval. The Red Flight pilots also faced obstacles due to Darpen's manipulative schemes. Furthermore, they were attacked by a quartet of enemies, who were quickly defeated. Nevertheless, the pilots aimed to positively represent the New Republic, piloting the local Blade-32 superiority fighters in simulated battles against each other and against Adumari pilots. Despite initially receiving a warm welcome as honored guests, complete with gifts, attention, nicknames (Janson was called "the darling one"), and displays of their piloting skills, Antilles and the other pilots grew increasingly uneasy about the state of affairs on Adumar. Upon learning that New Republic Intelligence operative Iella Wessiri, a former love interest of his, was working undercover on Adumar, Antilles requested Janson to accompany him to her residence. Janson agreed, although Antilles left him to guard the outside of her apartment while Antilles spent the entire night with Wessiri, rekindling their romance. The following day, Janson and Antilles encountered even greater challenges after visiting the Allegiance, the New Republic Star Destroyer stationed in orbit. The Adumari's casual acceptance of deadly honor duels deeply disturbed the pilots. When their guide, ke Hanadi, who had developed feelings for Antilles, discovered his renewed relationship with Wessiri, she engaged in a series of duels, seemingly seeking to end her own life. Janson intervened after she sustained injuries in a duel, verbally and physically defeating Thanaer ke Sekae in a blastsword fight.

However, the New Republic's position continued to decline. Their alliance with Cartann dissolved when the perator of Cartann declared the formation of a planetary government, annexing all other Adumari nations. While the Imperial pilots chose to join him, the four Rogues rejected the offer. Darpen then betrayed the Rogues, inciting the perator to send them to their deaths and severing communications with the Allegiance that had brought them to Adumar. As punishment, they were forced to run through a gauntlet of armed citizens eager to earn the honor of killing them. Janson and the other Rogues had to evade blaster fire from over a hundred individuals, fleeing through the streets of Cartann's capital to a nearby airbase, where Blade-32s awaited to transport them to the Allegiance. Janson's proficiency with a blaster pistol proved invaluable during their escape from the mob's fire, as he neutralized or wounded many of their attackers. Boarding their Blades, Red Flight engaged in a desperate 4-versus-30 dogfight against Adumari fighters, emerging victorious, but with all of their aircraft too damaged to reach space. Janson's fighter was shot down, but he ejected, and he and Klivian escaped on foot. The assistance of sympathetic Adumari pilots allowed the other Rogues to escape, and the help of New Republic Intelligence agent Iella Wessiri enabled them to reach a friendly nation threatened by Cartann.

After negotiating an agreement to ensure Adumar's unification following the conflict, Antilles agreed to lead an alliance composed of the Adumari nations not allied with Cartann, and Janson joined him in a massive airstrike against Cartann. The pilots were still using local aircraft, which put them at a disadvantage against the Imperial pilots flying TIE Interceptors. Although the Adumari Union achieved surprise, they were outnumbered and outgunned. However, a team of commandos and intelligence personnel located the New Republic X-wings, and Red Flight quickly blasted open a tunnel leading to the perator's palace before taking to the skies to confront the Imperial pilots. After shooting down three of the four TIEs, Red Flight also accepted the surrender of numerous Cartann squadrons following the capture of their perator.

Just days after Cartann's defeat and the unification of Adumar, which was preparing to join the New Republic, Janson and Red Flight once again took to their fighters, this time to defend against an Imperial attack force supposedly sent to aid Cartann. Janson participated in the battle, shooting down several TIE Interceptors that were targeting Antilles. The New Republic and Adumari force triumphed over the Empire, and with their mission accomplished, the pilots returned to the New Republic.

Some time after their successful mission, Janson, Celchu, and Klivian were interviewed by Hallis Saper aboard the Errant Venture as part of a holodocumentary on Adumar she was creating. In particular, Janson described the Adumari's fascination with the blastsword and other cultural aspects, even wearing his favorite cloak from Adumar as a souvenir of the trip.

Janson, still serving with Rogue Squadron as of 19 ABY, was present under Garm Bel Iblis's command during the Caamas Document crisis and was among the first to learn of the Bothan involvement in the attack on Caamas on Morishim, as he possessed some knowledge of the Morish language. A native speaker was informing the public about the Bothan's role, and Janson translated the man's speech for the others. Janson, Celchu, Antilles, and Lando Calrissian traveled to the location of the Old Recluse—believed to be the source of the information—only to discover a fully operational Imperial communications center that had fallen into local hands. Before they could fully investigate, they were summoned back to their ships to intercept an Imperial Star Destroyer pursuing a corvette. Despite the Rogues' efforts, the Star Destroyer captured the corvette and escaped, although Lando managed to intercept a portion of a transmission from the ship. Unbeknownst to them, the corvette was carrying Colonel Meizh Vermel, an aide to Gilad Pellaeon, who was carrying a meeting request for Bel Iblis, although Janson believed it was simply a case of theft and defection on the part of the corvette.

After the end of the Galactic Civil War, Janson, along with numerous other Rogue pilots, retired from active duty. Janson received an invitation to the Wedding of Luke Skywalker and Mara Jade in 20 ABY as a guest. Janson arrived late for the wedding, but upon his arrival, Antilles met him and enlisted his and Klivian's assistance. Antilles had learned that a swoop gang hired by Imperials intended to disrupt the wedding. When they attacked, Janson and several other former Rogue pilots, including Celchu, as well as Jedi Kam Solusar and Chewbacca, fought them off. Janson and Klivian were tasked with stalling a group heading for the annex buildings, but they were unarmed and outnumbered. The swoop gang members threatened to beat them when smuggler chief Booster Terrik emerged from the annex and threatened the swoop gang with bodily harm if they woke the children he'd been babysitting. Impressed by Terrik's reputation and his swift knockout punch delivered to one of the gang members, the others retreated.

Janson later established the volunteer squadron of A-wings and E-wings known as the Taanab Yellow Aces during the Yuuzhan Vong War. This squadron arrived to assist Wedge Antilles and his New Republic forces in the defense of Borleias in 27 ABY following the Battle of Coruscant. Flying as escorts for the transport Reckless Abandon, Janson and his fighters repelled groups of alien coralskipper fighters as New Republic fighters from Borleias arrived to escort him and his group to the planet. After the coralskippers were defeated, Janson flirted with Jaina Solo without knowing her identity. Upon landing on the planet and being greeted by Antilles, Janson was informed of "Twin Suns Leader's" identity, to his surprise and embarrassment. Janson then informed Antilles that he and his pilots were permanently assigned to assist in the defense of Borleias.

Janson and the Aces distinguished themselves within the New Republic military as an elite starfighter squadron alongside Twin Suns, Vanguard, Blackmoon, and Rogue Squadrons during the Yuuzhan Vong siege of the planet. The Yellow Aces fought valiantly at Borleias, helping protect the pipefighter decoys to divert the Yuuzhan Vong during a strategic retreat. As the Yuuzhan Vong launched a final assault, Janson's Yellow Aces and the other elite squadrons escorted the pipefighters up for one last deception, only to abandon their charges and jump to assist the Star Dreadnought Lusankya, which was approaching the Yuuzhan Vong command worldship. With Janson and the rest of the New Republic's elite squadrons providing cover for the massive ship and fending off waves of coralskippers, Lusankya executed Operation Emperor's Spear, ramming the giant warship into the worldship to destroy it. Following the destruction of the worldship and the recapture of Borleias, Janson and the rest of the New Republic forces withdrew. The defensive action at Borleias allowed the New Republic to reorganize itself after a series of defeats, and a new government called the Galactic Federation of Free Alliances was formed, uniting much of the galaxy to combat the Yuuzhan Vong.

At Selvaris, approximately four years into the war, Janson and the Yellow Aces assisted the Galactic Alliance in liberating captured troops from the traitorous Peace Brigade and the Yuuzhan Vong. Janson's squadron was tasked with destroying the forward gunships of the prisoner convoy. The prisoner transports were quickly secured, and Janson's squad shifted to an escort role, protecting the transports as Yuuzhan Vong reinforcements arrived in the form of advanced stingcrawler fighters, which easily breached the Galactic Alliance lines and inflicted heavy damage. The Aces suffered casualties during their assault but managed to escape with most of the transports. Janson and the Aces went on to participate in the Recapture of Coruscant, with his squadron helping escort the initial wave of troop transports to land on the galactic capital. When one transport was attacked by grutchin creatures and went out of control, the Yellow Aces followed it down to the surface, using their lasers to pick off the grutchins, but were unable to save it. The Galactic Alliance ultimately succeeded in retaking the planet and forcing the surrender of the Yuuzhan Vong, ending the war.

In 40 ABY, war erupted again as numerous star systems seceded from the Galactic Alliance to form the Confederation, leading to the Second Galactic Civil War. During the war, Jacen Solo fell to the dark side of the Force and seized power in the Galactic Alliance, causing a division between the New Jedi Order and the Galactic Alliance. As the Jedi and their Hapan allies developed plans to neutralize Solo, now calling himself "Darth Caedus," Caedus responded by kidnapping the daughter of the Queen of Hapes. To prevent her from being held hostage, Luke Skywalker devised a mission that would both free the young Hapan princess Allana and neutralize the Centerpoint Station weapon, which the Galactic Alliance sought to control.

Janson was among the many veteran pilots recruited by Wedge Antilles to support Luke Skywalker's combined mission, meeting with Skywalker on Endor and learning of the Jedi's plan to free Allana. Janson flew with the other pilots in Rakehell Squadron as Rakehell Twelve during the operation to destroy Centerpoint Station and rescue Allana. Upon arriving in the Corellia system, the Rakehells first provided cover for the infiltration team that boarded Solo's flagship by feigning a chase of a shuttle carrying the boarding party into its hangar bay.

The Rakehells then repeated their procedure on a second shuttle, simulating a chase that resulted in the subsequent insertion of a second Jedi-led team onto Centerpoint Station. Galactic Alliance fighters then engaged the Rakehells, leading to Janson battling against his former unit, Rogue Squadron. Both squadrons inflicted casualties on each other, but as a Confederation assault force arrived to contest Centerpoint Station, the Rogues were called away to respond, leaving the Rakehells disengaged. Once Allana was rescued, the Rakehells then provided cover for the Millennium Falcon extracting the boarding party from Solo's ship by distracting hostile gunners with their strafing runs. Furthermore, the other sabotage party successfully destroyed Centerpoint Station, resulting in a complete success for the Jedi faction in the battle. The Rakehells and their accompanying transports then retreated to a space station orbiting Gyndine. Janson survived the battle, and the Jedi ultimately slew Caedus not long afterward to end the war.

Janson possessed dark brown hair, brown eyes, and a height of 1.7 meters. He was known as a joker, despite being a deadly opponent, particularly skilled with blaster pistols and starfighter weaponry. According to Skywalker, Janson was only truly content when he was operating the guns of a Y-wing or an airspeeder. He was known for his short temper, often requiring intervention to prevent him from engaging in cantina brawls. Janson was described as observant, using his observations as material for his witty remarks, mockery, or jokes. He was generally cheerful and light-hearted, even when facing adversity or boredom.

Janson also considered himself a ladies' man, frequently seeking the attention of women he found attractive. His flirtatious nature was amplified by a dark side temple on Malrev IV, leading him to solicit a female Bothan. Janson's casual flirtations also resulted in him unknowingly attempting to attract the attention of Jaina Solo—he was shocked when he learned her identity and regretted his actions.

He enjoyed playing pranks on his fellow squad mates. He believed in living in the moment, as the future was uncertain. During his time in Wraith Squadron, he created the character Lieutenant Kettch, a fictional Ewok starfighter pilot. Kettch became a recurring theme in Janson's pranks. This originated when he claimed that a candidate for Wraith Squadron was an Ewok, and it then spread among the Wraiths, including when Wraith slicer Castin Donn reprogrammed Antilles' TIE Interceptor to make his voice sound like an Ewok. This resulted in Antilles being forced to fly into battle against Imperial forces while carrying a stuffed Ewok in his lap. When the stuffed Ewok doll began appearing everywhere and seemingly moving on its own, Antilles attached a transponder to it, leading to the discovery that Janson was placing the doll in those locations. The Wraiths retaliated by convincing Janson that the real Kettch had escaped and that he needed to strip naked and cover himself in Ewok food to find and recapture it. The joke ended only when Lara Notsil found a real Ewok that precisely fit Kettch's description. She found this hilarious.

Due to his mischievous nature, Antilles did not deem Janson suitable to leave behind on the ground on Adumar to conduct sensitive diplomatic negotiations. However, Janson was loyal to his friends and fellow pilots, despite any good-natured grumbling or teasing he gave them when they needed his help. Janson was willing to stand guard all night long for Antilles during a covert rendezvous between Antilles and Iella Wessiri, and he also risked his life to save both Antilles and Cheriss ke Hanadi from potentially fatal injuries by engaging in a blastsword duel against an experienced duelist.

Janson also possessed a serious side, which manifested as grim, angry determination. It was not often displayed, but Janson apparently was in this mood when fighting or flying against an enemy. Janson also abandoned his typical jesting nature when discussing the incident in which he was forced to kill fellow Rebel pilot Kissek Doran. Janson similarly displayed his serious side in a series of interactions with Doran's son, Kell Tainer, which ultimately led to the resolution of the conflict between them.

Throughout his career as a pilot and soldier, Janson was known for his bravery, especially during commando missions. Kell Tainer remarked that Janson could likely build a fort out of all his bravery commendations. During ground combat, Janson remained calm and controlled under fire, utilizing his blaster skills effectively or placing charges to destroy key facilities.

Following his retirement, Janson developed a sense of responsibility and initiative when he founded, trained, and commanded the volunteer fighter squadron Taanab Yellow Aces. Janson remained with the squadron for over two years of the Yuuzhan Vong War, ruefully citing his responsibility to them as sufficient reason to remain with the squadron instead of transferring back into Rogue Squadron. His light-hearted and playful side remained, but Janson was still a skilled enough pilot and trainer that his squadron was considered an elite unit alongside Rogue and Twin Suns Squadrons.

Although Janson had limited screen time in Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back, his character received significant attention in the Expanded Universe, as he was prominently featured in the X-Wing: Rogue Squadron comics, novels in the X-wing series, and several later EU novels. In his Rogue Squadron comics, Janson's cheerful and jesting nature was established by writer Michael Stackpole, as were his blaster pistol and gunnery skills.

Janson's novel appearances have primarily occurred in works written by Aaron Allston: X-Wing: Wraith Squadron, X-Wing: Iron Fist, X-Wing: Solo Command, X-Wing: Starfighters of Adumar, The New Jedi Order: Enemy Lines II: Rebel Stand, and Legacy of the Force: Fury. In the latter two novels, Allston integrated Janson's character into the New Jedi Order and Legacy eras with brief appearances, while he played a more significant role in the three Wraith Squadron books. Janson has also appeared as a minor character in novels by other authors, including Timothy Zahn, Matthew Stover, and Michael Stackpole, as well as the Star Wars: Union comic.

Wes Janson was portrayed by Ian Liston in The Empire Strikes Back. During the filming of The Empire Strikes Back, a call was made for an actor, not an extra, to play an AT-AT gunner. This was Liston's initial role in the film, but he was later asked by an assistant director with whom Liston had previously worked to take on the role of Janson, as the original actor had fallen ill. Thus, he ironically played both an Imperial and a Rebel, and in one sequence of the film, he is effectively trying to shoot himself down. Regarding his scenes as Janson with Wedge Antilles, Liston revealed in 2005 that the two actors were never actually on set together—Liston's double took his place when the scene focused on Denis Lawson (Antilles) and vice versa. In Star Wars: Rogue Squadron, Janson is voiced by Terence McGovern.

Janson's non-canon death was depicted in Marvel Star Wars (1977) 78. The story was later retconned to be a tall tale that Wedge would tell new recruits, only to surprise them with Janson's appearance.

Janson's helmet, like most, is modeled after the helmet seen in Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope, where it is worn by Puck Naeco. However, due to an editing error, Naeco and his helmet are only visible when Theron Nett is shot down later, as seen here.

In West End Games' first edition of Galaxy Guide 3: The Empire Strikes Back, in Wedge's entry, his gunner is named "Derit Janson." All other mentions of Janson in the book use the name "Wes." The error was corrected in the second edition. In Star Wars: X-Wing Rogue Squadron: Requiem for a Rogue, Janson's homeworld is incorrectly listed as "Taanad." In X-Wing: Wraith Squadron during the Battle of Ession, Janson was mistakenly listed as flying an X-wing during part of the battle. Author Aaron Allston has stated that this was a mistake, and Janson is in a TIE fighter throughout the battle.

Aaron Allston, whose works have frequently featured Wes Janson, has stated that Janson is one of his favorite characters to write among those he did not create. Janson has appeared or been mentioned in eight of Allston's novels. Ian Liston has followed the books and other appearances of Janson and has called them "great fun." Liston has met Allston on multiple occasions and approves of the direction taken with Janson's character as a practical joker.