Zev Senesca

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"Echo Base, this is Rogue Two. I've found them. Repeat, I've found them."

―Zev Senesca, after locating Luke Skywalker and Han Solo on Hoth^[2]

Zev Senesca was a Human male starfighter pilot who served with Rogue Group in the Alliance to Restore the Republic during the Galactic Civil War. In 3 ABY, he flew as Rogue Two during the Battle of Hoth. However, he was killed when his snowspeeder was shot down by an Imperial AT-AT.

Biography[]

Early life[]

Zev Senesca was born and raised on Kestic Station, a trading outpost on the fringes of the Bestine system. A stopover point for free-traders with no affiliations, especially ties to the Galactic Empire, Senesca became familiar and skilled in the life of a trader and pilot. His parents were persons of high ideals. They were known for trading in virtually any kind of good and, in their later years, began running arms for the fledgling Rebel Alliance. Although supplying the Rebellion was illegal and punishable by death, they felt they were doing the right thing and sought to instill this same kind of morality in their son. Growing up in such a free environment and surrounded by people with such strong ethical values, Senesca was a perfect candidate for recruitment by the Rebellion. His parents encouraged him to leave Kestic and take up arms with the Rebellion, which he soon did.^[5]

Under his parents, Kestic soon became a vital link in the Alliance's supply chain. However, Rebel supply lines were traced back to the station. The Star Destroyer Merciless, on a tip from an informant, arrived and, without stopping to take prisoners or ask questions, destroyed the station. All aboard were killed, including Senesca's parents. His response to this tragedy was not grief, but anger. He blamed the Alliance for the destruction of Kestic Station, and for the death of his parents. And so, after no more than a year of fighting for the Rebellion, he left the Alliance and headed for deep space and a life as a free-trader.^[5]

It was not long until Senesca learned the shocking truth about what happened. A "friend" he had confided in concerning Kestic's Rebel involvement was the informant who revealed the station's ties to the Empire. He had trusted this "friend," and the leak in security of the supply line was Senesca's fault. This realization gave him a newfound attitude toward the Rebellion, and he came to accept his own responsibility. It was not long after this that Zev rejoined the Alliance to fight the true enemy—the Empire.^[5]^[6]

Returning to the Rebellion[]

"Commander Skywalker, do you copy? This is Rogue Two. This is Rogue Two. Captain Solo, do you copy? Commander Skywalker, do you copy? This is Rogue Two."

―Zev Senesca searching for Luke Skywalker and Han Solo^[2]

Zev-hd — Zev smiles after making contact with Han Solo on Hoth.

Senesca's second stint with the Rebellion saw him become known as a worthy starfighter pilot. During the evacuation of the Rebel base at Alis Point, Senesca single-handedly held off three TIE/LN starfighters, while an unarmed transport fled into hyperspace, the action that the pilot was most proud of in his work with the Alliance.^[5]

After the Battle of Yavin, Senesca served under Commander Arhul Narra in the newly rebuilt Red Squadron. He accompanied Luke Skywalker, Wedge Antilles, and temporary squadron members Han Solo and Chewbacca on a reconnaissance mission to Kamino, returning to Yavin 4 with news of the mission's failure after Skywalker, Solo, and the Wookiee crashed to the planet's surface.^[7]

Six months after Yavin, Senesca flew with Skywalker's Rogue Flight.^[4] He was the oldest member of the flight throughout his service with them, and kept to himself. Senesca flew with the Rogues for early missions such as an escort run on Barkhesh and the search for the Nonnah. In 1 ABY, he assisted in the defection of Crix Madine, and that of Kasan Moor following the liberation of Gerrard V. Using Moor's knowledge, Senesca and the Rogues struck at Imperial targets in a battle over the Jade Moon supply base, a raid on the weapons facilities of Balmorra, and an assault on Kile II's Imperial Enclave.^[6]

After rescuing Wedge Antilles from Kessel, Senesca fought with the Rogues in the campaign against Moff Kohl Seerdon, including a raid on Imperial tibanna gas facilities above Taloraan; the destruction of the Weapons Research Facility on Fest; the Battle of Chandrila; the Rogues' raid on Sullust; and in defense of bacta facilities on the planet Thyferra, in which Seerdon was finally killed.^[6]

Seven months after Yavin, on a mission to establish a listening post, Senesca and Antilles helped defend grounded members of Red Squadron from TIE fighters on an uncharted world. Due in part to Senesca's actions, Skywalker and Narra escaped the planet with their lives, and in the company of the clone trooper Able.^[3]

Along with the rest of the Rogues, Senesca was assigned to the newly formed Echo Base on the planet Hoth in 2 ABY to protect the Alliance High Command. When Skywalker failed to return from a routine scouting mission in 3 ABY, Han Solo went out to locate his missing friend. Neither returned before nightfall, when the base's shield doors had to be closed to protect the base from the planet's brutal icy winds. At daybreak, Senesca, under the call sign Rogue Two, led the snowspeeder patrol sent out to locate them. He successfully found Skywalker and Solo stranded amid the snow, having survived an overnight blizzard.^[2]

Rogue Two TCG — Zev Senesca flying as Rogue Two during the Battle of Hoth.

When the Empire discovered the Rebel base and launched a massive ground assault soon thereafter, Senesca once again manned his airspeeder and flew with the ad hoc Rogue Group to hold off the invasion to buy time for the base's troop transports to evacuate. He managed to maintain control of his craft through most of the battle despite being hit by several laser barrages by the horde of AT-AT walkers. Late in the battle, he formed up with Skywalker on an approach of the Imperial line, ordered to try and bring down one of the walkers with the speeder's harpoon and tow cable, a trick that Antilles had successfully employed to bring down one of the walkers earlier. As his gunner, Kit Valent, prepared his tow cable, Senesca, Skywalker, and Derek "Hobbie" Klivian approached, his speeder suffered several direct hits from multiple walkers and he was killed along with his gunner.^[2]^[8]

During his time with the Rebellion, Senesca was distinguished for his actions in combat. In his career, he had 48 confirmed kills and received several commendations for his actions.^[5]

Behind the scenes[]

Zev Senesca was portrayed by the late Christopher Malcolm in The Empire Strikes Back.

A helmet styled after Zev's film helmet was used by Keir Santage in Return of the Jedi and another, unidentified pilot in the Home One briefing room scene in the film.^[9]

The character should not be confused with Zev Veers, the son of Maximilian Veers who appeared in Star Wars: Dark Empire, set after Senesca's death.

Within the Star Wars 3 and 3/4 inch figure line, there have been two releases of Zev Senesca. The first figure came in the Saga Collection's "Rogue Two Snowspeeder" vehicle, an exclusive toy sold at Target toy stores in 2006. Zev proved so popular with collectors that the figure was released again in 2008 in the Star Wars: 30th Anniversary Collection. Zev was chosen by fans in late 2007 as the winner of the Saga Legends Showdown, he was also the last figure to be released in the Saga Legends collection. Both figures of Zev were identical, the only differences being in the decoration of the removable helmet and the addition of a blaster pistol supplied with the 30th Anniversary Collection figure.