Keyan Farlander

[spideycw]

Does anybody know what Keyan Farlander, perhaps the best starfighter pilot to ever grace the galaxy, was doing in between the end of the X-Wing game and his subsequent apperance in Ylesia? Seems to me that a such as him would be mentioned somewhere. Any and all information appreciated

[Publius]

Like Tan Maarek Stele, of TIE Fighter fame, Keyan Farlander is conspicuous by his absence from the vast majority of the Expanded Universe. Aside from "Ylesia", Mr. Farlander was mentioned in passing in Dark Tide I: Onslaught.

Publius

[Mad]

Keyan Farlander, to my knowledge, is not the player in X-Wing. There's a historical mission that can be played, entitled "Farlander's first mission." It is decidedly different from the first Tour Of Duty mission the player plays.

[Publius]

Keyan Farlander, to my knowledge, is not the player in X-Wing. There's a historical mission that can be played, entitled "Farlander's first mission." It is decidedly different from the first Tour Of Duty mission the player plays.

Why assume that the first mission in the first Tour of Duty is Mr. Keylander's first mission overall? The first Tour of Duty in TIE Fighter is not Tan Stele's first combat mission.

Publius

[Mad]

Why assume that the first mission in the first Tour of Duty is Mr. Keylander's first mission overall? The first Tour of Duty in TIE Fighter is not Tan Stele's first combat mission.

Well, the player doesn't have any medals, but earns a patch for completing the training mission. That seems odd, since Farlander would seem to have some kind of trophy for his first mission. And then he receives a training patch for completing a training mission he actually was a part of?

Why assume that Farlander is the player character? Is there some source that gives this, or is it simply an assumption because the character is named in the game?

(For that matter, where is the player in TIE Fighter identified?)

[The Dark]

AFAIK, the player in TIE Fighter is identified in Star Wars GAmer #5, in an article on the various Emperor's Hands of the EU. They are: Blackhole, Roganda Ismaren, Lumiya, Sarcev Quest, Arden Lyn, Maarek Stele, and Jeng Droga.

Stele is noted as being a TIE Fighter ace, who was noticed by the Secret Order of the Emperor, aka the Prophets of the Dark Side. Stele also helped Vader save the Emperor (and SWG5 claims the rank is "Ta", not "Tan"). According to the article, the last anyone heard of Stele he was flying with Baron Soontir Fel's 181st Squadron.

[Darth Yoshi]

Farlander was featured in one of the B-wing cutscenes, which suggests that the player is actually someone else, since the player is never seen in the game.

The Secret Order and the Prophets of the Dark Side are the same?

[The Dark]

According to Star Wars Gamer, Volume 1, Number 5, the Secret Order and the Prophets are the same thing. I have no idea if that fits continuity in any way. I suppose that until something proves differently, that the Prophets may have concealed themselves as a secret organization for some political reason (after all, if the Force is really some "hokey religion," what would it say about the Emperor that his closest advisors claim to be Prophets in that religion?)

[Publius]

Why assume that Farlander is the player character? Is there some source that gives this, or is it simply an assumption because the character is named in the game?

It is no assumption. The Farlander Papers and the X-Wing Official Strategy Guide chronicle General Farlander's career, and he is clearly identified with the player character, completing the player character's missions in the manner prescribed.

As such, the use of promotions and decorations within the game may be considered as no more than the trappings of the medium, much like the promotions and decorations of Rogue Squadron and Rogue Squadron II: Rogue Leader.

Incidentally, with reference to the initial question, General Farlander was also mentioned briefly in passing in Skywalker's biography in The New Essential Guide to Characters.

(For that matter, where is the player in TIE Fighter identified?)

Like General Farlander, Tan Stele was originally identified in the limited edition bonus materials accompanying the game, The Stele Chronicles, and his story continued in the TIE Fighter Official Strategy Guide, which clearly identifies him with the player character. This identification has been subsequently confirmed by "The Emperor's Pawns", in Star Wars Gamer number 5.

Stele is noted as being a TIE Fighter ace, who was noticed by the Secret Order of the Emperor, aka the Prophets of the Dark Side. Stele also helped Vader save the Emperor (and SWG5 claims the rank is "Ta", not "Tan"). According to the article, the last anyone heard of Stele he was flying with Baron Soontir Fel's 181st Squadron.

On page 51, Tan Stele clearly identifies himself as "Tan [sic] Maarek Stele of the Empire".

Publius

[spideycw]

What page is he mentioned in Dark Tide 1, Im interested but dont want to have to dig through the whole book

[Agent R]

Are you sure it was Dark Tide? I don't remember him in that novel. IIRC, there was another Agamarian commanding the Corusca Fire that covered Kre'fey and the refugee's escape from Dantooine, but it wasn't Farlander. As far as I know, he was only in Destiny's Way.

BTW, I've heard that Keyan Farlander was also a capable Force-user. Any truth to that?

[Robert Treder]

Farlander was a Force-user, but the extent to which his powers ultimately manifested themselves is as of now unclear, as far as I know. By the end of the Farlander papers, he was being ostracized by his friends because his self-exploration of the Force was distancing himself from reality. He also Force-choked Capt. Ernek Marskan in a fistfight. The fight was caused by Capt. Marskan's rage upon hearing that his younger brother, Farlander's wingman, was KIA.
IIRC, Farlander also was using the Force to affect the minds of the Imperial pilots he fought, giving himself easier kills. But that might have been from somewhere else; I'll have to re-read The Farlander Papers.

Also, Keyan Farlander is described and pictured in the Essential Guide to Planets and Moons, under the entry for Agamar.

[Robert Treder]

Yeah, I'm looking at the strategy guide again, and Keyan did use the Force to affect his enemies in battle. During this period of Dark-side experimentation, he built a cult of personality for himself among some of the recruit pilots.

[Publius]

What page is he mentioned in Dark Tide 1, Im interested but dont want to have to dig through the whole book

During her address to the Agamarian Council, the former Princess Leia of Alderaan rather perfunctorily remarked (pp. 69 - 70):

"The Agamarian history of service to the New Republic is well-known. I have no doubt that if not for the courage of Keyan Farlander, I certainly would not be standing here before you. [...]"

That is the full extent of his appearance in that book. His appearance in The New Essential Guide to Characters is equally brief (p. 159):

Luke worked with pilot Keyan Farlander on the rollout of the B-wing starfighter.

He is given a somewhat less cursory treatment by the Star Wars Encyclopedia (p. 98):

Farlander, Keyan A famous Rebel Alliance pilot, he came from the planet Agamar in the Outer Rim's Lahara sector. He was a leading member of an Alliance strike team that was particularly active following the Battle of Yavin. Among other accomplishments, they eliminated Imperial System Patrol Squadron bases near the planets Feenicks VI and Farfeld II, destroying many Imperial corvettes at the same time. Perhaps his most daring and successful mission was the destruction of a vital Imperial storage area in Hollan D1 sector. He and his fellow Alliance pilots used captured ships from Overlord Ghorin in the attack, successfully discrediting Ghorin in the eyes of the Empire. [FP]

Publius

[Ender]

, perhaps the best starfighter pilot to ever grace the galaxy,

In your opinion, perhaps, but all evidence points to him being mediocre. He survived the war, certainly, but there are quite a few others with far more kills logged to their names.

[YT300000]

, perhaps the best starfighter pilot to ever grace the galaxy,

In your opinion, perhaps, but all evidence points to him being mediocre. He survived the war, certainly, but there are quite a few others with far more kills logged to their names.

IIRC, he was the only Y-Wing pilot to survive the Battle of Yavin. That says something about his skill level.

[Ender]

, perhaps the best starfighter pilot to ever grace the galaxy,

In your opinion, perhaps, but all evidence points to him being mediocre. He survived the war, certainly, but there are quite a few others with far more kills logged to their names.

IIRC, he was the only Y-Wing pilot to survive the Battle of Yavin. That says something about his skill level.

There are conflicting reports about the identity of that pilot. the game says it was Farlander, other reports say it was someone else who's name escapes me right now.

But that doesn't really show much as we have almost no record of him after that whereas we have Luke and Wedge going up against much worse, and the rest of reformed rogue squadron going through similar if not worse odds.

[spideycw]

I personally thing Soontir Fel is the best pilot I just added that in for dramitic affect. However if you go by kills alone Farlander(in game player) had a hell of alot. I also beleive even without the force Farlander was a great pilot, before some of you try to state he is only good because of the force.

[The Dark]

Stele is noted as being a TIE Fighter ace, who was noticed by the Secret Order of the Emperor, aka the Prophets of the Dark Side. Stele also helped Vader save the Emperor (and SWG5 claims the rank is "Ta", not "Tan"). According to the article, the last anyone heard of Stele he was flying with Baron Soontir Fel's 181st Squadron.

On page 51, Tan Stele clearly identifies himself as "Tan [sic] Maarek Stele of the Empire".

Publius

Hmm, so he does. Interesting, because page 50 states that "Palpatine bestowed his newest Hand with the title-rank Ta." Perhaps someone who holds the title-rank Ta is referred to as Tan?

[Ender]

Stele is noted as being a TIE Fighter ace, who was noticed by the Secret Order of the Emperor, aka the Prophets of the Dark Side. Stele also helped Vader save the Emperor (and SWG5 claims the rank is "Ta", not "Tan"). According to the article, the last anyone heard of Stele he was flying with Baron Soontir Fel's 181st Squadron.

On page 51, Tan Stele clearly identifies himself as "Tan [sic] Maarek Stele of the Empire".

Publius

Hmm, so he does. Interesting, because page 50 states that "Palpatine bestowed his newest Hand with the title-rank Ta." Perhaps someone who holds the title-rank Ta is referred to as Tan?

Or perhaps it was a typo, and it was supposed to be Tan.

[Eleas]

I personally thing Soontir Fel is the best pilot I just added that in for dramitic affect. However if you go by kills alone Farlander(in game player) had a hell of alot.

Luckily, no person conversant with Canon policy would.

I also beleive even without the force Farlander was a great pilot, before some of you try to state he is only good because of the force.

That's good. Faith can be a beautiful thing.

[Publius]

I also beleive even without the force Farlander was a great pilot, before some of you try to state he is only good because of the force.

It is difficult to give General Skywalker or General Farlander (or, for that matter, Lord Vader) much credit as a pilot because they were quite clearly using the Force to augment their natural piloting abilities, to an unknown extent. As young Anakin Skywalker demonstrated, even if one is using the Force unconsciously, it can profoundly improve one's abilities and reflexes. Given that Mr. Farlander was actively using the Force, it is impossible to accurately measure how good a pilot he would be without it.

The Dark, the correct form is "Tan". It is an obscure continuity correction, as it seems that Maarek Stele had been once referred to as "Tan Stele" in some of the early, first-generation TIE Fighter promotional material. It also seems that Anakin Skywalker was once referred to as "Tan Skywalker" in the Marvel Comics series.

Given that there is a third person known to have that name attached to his surname -- Tan Starpyre, from Crimson Empire II -- , and that at least one other Imperial pilot of some fame has been created a Baron of the Empire, it seems likely that "Tan" is the galactic equivalent of a knight (more comparable to the German "Ritter" or French "Chevalier", both of which are attached to the surname, than to the British "Sir", which is appended to the given name).

Publius

[Mad]

It is no assumption. The Farlander Papers and the X-Wing Official Strategy Guide chronicle General Farlander's career, and he is clearly identified with the player character, completing the player character's missions in the manner prescribed.

Ah, okay. Thanks. I didn't know there were any sources that stated explicitly.

It is difficult to give General Skywalker or General Farlander (or, for that matter, Lord Vader) much credit as a pilot because they were quite clearly using the Force to augment their natural piloting abilities, to an unknown extent. As young Anakin Skywalker demonstrated, even if one is using the Force unconsciously, it can profoundly improve one's abilities and reflexes. Given that Mr. Farlander was actively using the Force, it is impossible to accurately measure how good a pilot he would be without it.

Since the pilots in question will have the Force with them in almost any given situation, what does it matter? Does one look at an athelete and claim that he or she is using some inherent advantage and then wonder how that person would perform with out that advantage? (Say height, a heavier or lighter build (depending on the sport), etc.)

[Ender]

Since the pilots in question will have the Force with them in almost any given situation, what does it matter? Does one look at an athelete and claim that he or she is using some inherent advantage and then wonder how that person would perform with out that advantage? (Say height, a heavier or lighter build (depending on the sport), etc.)

No, but one does look at an athlete and wonder if they would preform as well without steroids.

[Mad]

No, but one does look at an athlete and wonder if they would preform as well without steroids.

But would the Force be considered a natural advantage (Force sensitives tend to be born with the trait) like phsyical traits in atheletes, or an external influence that allows them to cheat?