Mazer Rackus, a Twi'lek hailing from the Rebel Alliance, spent many years as a starfighter pilot. He initially joined the Rebellion at the young age of sixteen, well before the notable Battle of Yavin. His entry involved stealing a starship from his father and subsequently crashing it on a planet under Rebel control. Despite this rocky start, Rackus successfully convinced his captors of his dedication and flew countless missions for the Alliance, though the memory of his father always lingered.
Rackus was born on Ryloth, the homeworld of the Twi'lek species, sometime before 16 BBY. At sixteen, he commandeered a starship belonging to his father and proceeded to crash it on a planet under the control of the Rebel Alliance.
After being captured, Rackus managed to persuade the Rebels of his allegiance. However, he later confided in friends that his primary motivation was fear of facing his father. From that point onward, Rackus served as a starfighter pilot, participating in numerous raids for the Alliance. By the time of the Battle of Yavin, Rackus had already dedicated a significant number of years to the Rebel cause.
Rackus presented as a typical [Twi'lek](/article/twi%27lek-legends] in terms of physical appearance. He possessed pinkish-white skin, red eyes, and prominent lekku extending from his cranium. However, diverging from Twi'lek tradition, he favored a standard flight suit over elaborate robes. Additionally, he had a penchant for spending money.
Despite his boisterous demeanor, Rackus exhibited a surprising level of sensitivity, particularly regarding the destruction of beauty. He was also notably touchy about his piloting skills, attributing any mishaps to external factors rather than admitting fault. Rackus was drawn to speed and risk, provided they didn't result in a crash. He readily engaged in dogfights with enemy TIE fighters, but he actively avoided Imperial capital ships. While not necessarily afraid of death, he recognized the danger posed by capital ships and the potential for another crash, which would bring back unpleasant thoughts of his father.
Rackus was skilled in astrogation, repulsorlift operation, starfighter piloting, starship gunnery, and general mechanical ability. He also possessed technical expertise in repairing T-65 X-wing starfighters.
His standard gear included a Merr-Sonn Model 44 blaster pistol carried in a shoulder holster, a comlink, macrobinoculars, a datapad, a hydrospanner, three medpacs, his Rebel uniform, dark starglasses, and his personal X-wing fighter.
Mazer Rackus was first introduced in the 1993 Galaxy Guide 9: Fragments from the Rim sourcebook by West End Games, with writing credits going to Simon Smith and Eric S. Trautmann. He was designed as an example character for a Rebel operative in Star Wars: The Roleplaying Game. Mike Vilardi created the illustration of Rackus for the sourcebook.
Rackus later made an appearance in the 1998 PC game Star Wars: Rebellion, where he was a playable character for the Rebel Alliance. In the game, Rackus functions most effectively as a Special Forces operative, especially when paired with Ma'w'shiye. Both characters possess excellent combat and espionage skills, allowing them to succeed in challenging missions when working together.
Originally, Galaxy Guide 9 described Rackus as having "piercing green eyes." However, the character illustration created for Star Wars: Rebellion depicts Rackus with red eyes.