Redd Wessel was a male Human who held the rank of general in the Imperial Army, serving under Carnor Jax within the Crimson Empire organization.
Marcellin Wessel, who was among the first moffs appointed by Palpatine, was Redd Wessel's father. From his early years, Redd harbored aspirations of becoming a commander in the Imperial fleet, envisioning himself leading vessels to triumphant victories in battle. However, a career in the Navy was not destined for him. Upon reaching the age to enter the Academy, assessments indicated that his talents would be better utilized by the Galactic Empire as an officer in the Imperial Army. Consequently, he committed himself to the army and began to develop his career.
In the meantime, Marcellin was struggling to recover his standing. Marcellin attempted to regain Palpatine's approval by capturing Leia Organa, a prominent Rebel figure, on Yinchorr. This endeavor backfired when the Yinchorri overthrew his administration and aligned themselves with the Rebel Alliance. The Empire responded with a large-scale attack on Yinchorr, aiming to eliminate the Rebel presence and completely decimate all Yinchorri cities and their civilization. Redd Wessel participated in this military action, impressing his commanding officers.
Wessel steadily climbed the ranks, primarily employing traditional command and strategic methods. He eventually achieved the rank of general, but his career progress eventually stalled. He desired more than just rank; he sought to wield power, but he lacked the innovative thinking required in the post-Endor galaxy. His best option was to identify a promising warlord and align himself with that leader.
An opportunity presented itself when, after a year of a resurgent New Order under a resurrected Palpatine, Carnor Jax, one of the Emperor's Royal Guardsmen, recruited Wessel into a scheme involving members of the Imperial Ruling Council to assassinate Palpatine and seize control of the Empire. Jax, having a military background himself, felt more at ease with army officers than navy officers on his staff, so he brought Wessel on board as his personal assistant. Following Palpatine's permanent demise in 11 ABY, Wessel assisted Jax in gaining control of the Council and establishing himself as a legitimate contender for the Imperial throne.
Wessel was appointed by Jax as the overall commander for military operations as head of Central Command, leaving Jax and a lieutenant named Geff Blim to manage the pretender's personal affairs. He eventually attained the position of Supreme Commander. However, Jax eventually recognized the reason for Wessel's stalled career advancement; Jax valued vision in his high-ranking officers, a quality Wessel lacked. Their professional relationship deteriorated into constant criticism of Wessel's inability to grasp Jax's intentions.
General Redd Wessel met his end aboard the Imperial Star Destroyer Emperor's Revenge when a Scimitar assault bomber, rigged with explosives by Jax's adversary Kir Kanos, was brought onboard. The resulting explosion killed everyone on the ship and severely damaged a significant portion of the vessel.
David Anthony Brinkley voiced General Wessel in the audio drama version of Crimson Empire.