I love to go fast, fly, blow things up, my wife and kids, and to liberate galaxy from tyranny, in that order. It's a Calaan thing.
—Tarvin Calaan joking with his squadron mates
Tarvin Calaan was a Human male who was born and raised on Alderaan. Years after the destruction of his home world, he resettled on Naboo, where he would live for most of his adult life. He was the adopted son of Tristan Calaan and didn't meet his birth mother, Karen Orvan, until he was almost thirty. He was married to his childhood friend, Larena Vaal and was the father of Jedi Knight Brin Calaan and Galactic Alliance fighter pilots Dirrax and Nerric Calaan. Also, as of 36 ABY he had one grandchild in Mayla Onar. Despite his humble beginnings in the rebellion against the Galactic Empire, he quickly rose to be one of their best pilots and throughout his service with both the New Republic and its successor state, the Galactic Federation of Free Alliances, he was renowned as one of the best in the galaxy. During his years in the military he won many awards, becoming one of the most decorated pilots of the era. He eventually rose to attain the rank of Colonel, and briefly held the rank of General during the war that broke out in 40 ABY.
Calaan was a staunch believer in individual freedom and always reacted passionately whenever he felt that people’s freedom was being threatened. Like his wife, Tarvin both hated and feared the Empire throughout his life and would go to any lengths to ensure that it never returned to power. During the course of his life, Tarvin grew to trust the Jedi above any other faction, and as a result ended up fighting for them directly in 40 ABY.
Biography[]
Early life[]
Someday, I'm gonna be a gweat pilot just like my daddy.
—Even as early as 14 BBY, Tarvin knew that flying was his calling
Tarvin Calaan was born in Aldera on Alderaan in 18 BBY to Karen Orvan and Gorlon Nikks. Nikks and Orvan had met and fallen in love during the latter stages of the Clone Wars. When the war ended however, Nikks’ status as an Antarian Ranger made him a fugitive in the new Empire. In an effort to protect Karen and their unborn child from Imperial authorities in the event of his capture, Nikks decided to leave Alderaan and go into hiding. Before he disappeared, Nikks left Karen a message which expressed his eternal love for her and their child as well as instructions to seek out Bail Organa, whom Nikks had worked with to save Jedi from the Empire at the end of the war, if she ever was in need of help. Gorlon’s sudden departure left Karen in a state of despair. Karen, who was just 19 at the time of Tarvin’s birth, had been left impoverished by the actions of her parents during the Clone Wars and with Gorlon now gone, she was alone, with few friends and no family. Realizing that she would be unable, both materially and emotionally, to care for him, Karen reluctantly followed the instructions from Gorlon’s message and sought out Bail Organa shortly after Tarvin was born. Organa took pity on the young woman and agreed to help find someone who could raise Tarvin. Organa eventually settled on the young Tristan Calaan. Calaan had experienced great personal loss both before and during the Clone Wars, and Bail believed that raising Tarvin would do Tristan as much good as it would Tarvin. Tristan, a Clone Wars veteran and active member of the new Alderaanian Resistance, was initially reluctant to take on the responsibility of raising a child, but eventually gave into Bail. As per Karen’s wishes, Bail told Tristan nothing about Tarvin’s parents. In the end, as Bail expected, Tristan proved to be a loving father to Tarvin. Tristan’s relationship with his adoptive son helped to heal some his emotional scars from the Clone Wars. Though Tarvin was told at a young age that he was adopted, he never attempted to seek out his birthparents. After Alderaan’s destruction, Tarvin assumed that his birthparents had been killed. Despite their close relationship, Tristan kept his connections to the Alderaanian Resistance, and later the Rebel Alliance, a secret from Tarvin. Tristan hoped to spare his son the life of warfare that he had experienced.
Tarvin was an adventurous child which, much to the chagrin of his father, commonly got him in trouble. He enjoyed traveling with his father onboard his ship, the CR90 corvette Star Blade, more than anything else. Tristan, however, would only allow Tarvin to accompany him on legitimate diplomatic missions and would manufacture excuses as to why Tarvin could not join him on missions which were connected to resistance activities. With Tarvin accompanying him on a diplomatic mission to Bandomeer in 12 BBY, Tristan, in his capacity as a member of the Alderaanian Resistance, received a distress call from a Jedi survivor of Order 66 who was in hiding on Vanquo. Diverting to Vanquo to assist, Tristan ordered the 6 year old Tarvin to remain in his cabin no matter what happened, and placed a guard at his door to make sure he did. Soon after landing however, Tarvin escaped his cabin through an air vent, slipped past the guard and snuck off the ship in search of his father who had left in search of the Jedi. While searching through the forest, Tarvin was happened upon by squad of Imperial Stormtroopers. Tarvin turned to run, but was quickly put down by a shot from one of the soldiers. Fortunately, the Stormtrooper who fired on Tarvin didn't want to kill a child and set his weapon to stun. Moments later, Tristan and the Jedi Knight Strix arrived on the scene and fought off the Imperial patrol. Tristan took Tarvin back to the Star Blade, while Strix held off the Imperial reinforcements. Tarvin escaped Vanquo unscathed, but for years afterwords, Tristan would be far more apprehensive about bringing Tarvin along with him on his trips.
It was around this time that Tarvin met the two people who would go on to become his best friends; his future wife, Larena Vaal, and Dirrax Norsen. Both Tarvin and Dirrax were expert mechanics as well as pilots and enjoyed fixing up old, broken speeders. For their sixteenth birthdays Tristan was able to acquire a broken down and rusting Whitecloak fighter for the two to toy around with. After about a year of tinkering, the ship, which was originally named Twin Star, was eventually brought back to flying condition. The two eventually renamed the craft the Twinster; a play on the word twister, which was the term they used to describe a dangerous high-G corkscrew maneuver that the two liked to perform while flying the ship. By the time they had turned eighteen, both Tarvin and Dirrax were excited about joining the Imperial Naval Academy, although both secretly disliked the Empire and even considered defecting to the Rebel Alliance once their training was complete. Only a few weeks before Tarvin intended to enter his application to the Academy, his father asked him if he would like to accompany him on another trip on the Star Blade. Fortunately for Tarvin he said yes to his father. Tarvin waved goodbye to his friends, not knowing that it was the last time he would ever see his home. A few hours after the Star Blade hyperspaced out of the system, the Death Star arrived in orbit around Alderaan. Under the orders of Grand Moff Tarkin, the battle station fired its main weapon, wiping Alderaan from the face of the galaxy.
Joining the Rebellion[]
When word reached the crew of the Star Blade that Alderaan had been destroyed, Tristan immediately changed the ship's course and headed toward the Rebel base on Yavin 4. While in hyperspace, Tristan finally revealed to his son his connections with the Rebels. Upon arriving, Tarvin, against the will of his father, who after the destruction of Alderaan wanted to keep him safe, immediately volunteered to join the Rebel Alliance. Due to his inexperience Tarvin was asked to sit out the attack on the Death Star. During this time he discovered that Larena had also survived the destruction of their homeworld and had with the help of R2-C6 made her way to the Yavin system. Sadly, she told him that Dirrax had not been with her at the time and had died in the explosion. After the destruction of the Death Star, Tarvin was assigned to the newly reformed Gold Squadron, along with Tyler Saft, Rita Tabber, Tol Dorr, and eight others. He only had a few short weeks of training in his X-wing before he and the rest of his squadron were pressed into combat to fend of Imperial attacks on the moon. In his first engagement, Tarvin impressed Commander Saft by scoring two kills one of which got an enemy fighter off the Commander Saft's tail. Tarvin would continue to prove himself over the next year. At some point during this year he scored at least three more kills, becoming an ace.
Tarvin quickly earned the respect of his commander and other squadron mates during his first year of service. As a result he was hand picked by Saft to accompany him and General Madine on a mission to Gerrard V in 1 ABY. Flying a Y-wing, Tarvin scored three kills in the battle and, as the squadron's kill leader, was promoted to Lieutenant by Commander Saft a few days later. During his downtime he grew closer to his friends Larena Vaal and Kora Vintar, whom he had met on Yavin 4. At some point during this time, Saft taught Tarvin a unique precision flying tecnique that Tarvin would later put to good use throughout his life.
If it weren't for him, we'd be space dust right now. Mark my words gentlemen; that kid is going places
—Tyler Saft to Tristan Calaan and Rilk Teller on Tarvin's actions over Zolan in 2 ABY
Early in 2 ABY, Tarvin won the Shield of Yavin for his role in defending an Alliance convoy from an Imperial ambush at Zolan. Despite his actions, the squadron still suffered at least two casualties. Fortunately, replacements in the form of Kael Sykes and Hally Serrie arrived at Echo Base about six months later. The two became fast friends with Tarvin, and the three of them quickly proved themselves to be some of the best pilots in the Alliance.
Rising through the ranks[]
Tarvin diving during combat.
When Imperial forces discovered the location of the Rebel base on Hoth, Gold Squadron was assigned to escort the first transports out of the system. Commander Saft chose Tarvin to accompany him as escort for the first transport, Quantum Storm. Tarvin was initially upset that he would not get a chance to stay and fight the Imperials. Just before he left, he was approached by Kora, who revealed she had feelings for him. Tarvin didn't know how to react, as he cared for Kora but somehow felt he would be betraying Larena. Kora understood, and, after convincing herself that Larena needed him more than she did, volunteered to stay behind and set off charges to destroy the base. In the attempt, she was killed, which shook Tarvin emotionally. He blamed himself for her death and for almost a year was unable to look Larena straight in the face. After the evacuation he was promoted to Captain and second in command of the squadron, by Commander Saft.
Welcome to my home, Kael. Welcome to my reason for fighting the Empire.
—Tarvin upon seeing The Graveyard
Over the course of the following year, in preparation for the assault on the second Death Star, Tarvin and his squadron took part in numerous battles and raids against the Empire. One of these missions was an escort assignment which took them through The Graveyard. This was Tarvin's first time in the Alderaan system since his homeworld's destruction. The sight of the asteroids reminded him of why he had joined the Rebellion and what he was fighting against. Later, in private, he promised Kael that no matter what, once he found a new home, he would never let anything happen to it.
Things changed drastically just a few weeks before the Alliance launched their attack at Endor. During the Battle of Bespin, Commander Saft was killed when he sacrificed himself by flying his X-wing in front of an enemy concussion missile which had been aimed at one of the vital Tibanna gas platforms. After the battle, Tarvin was immediately promoted to Commander. However, for the coming battles, General Calrissian would be chosen to lead the squadron. At Endor, after the Emperor sprung his trap, Tarvin flew in defense of the Rebel fleet, scoring one of the highest kill counts among Alliance pilots in the process. During the battle he defended the Star Blade from a flight of TIE fighters. During the battle, he led Gold Group in a successful attack against an Imperial Star Destroyer when Lando gave the order to "engage them at point blank range." During the attack on the Star Destroyer, Tarvin was separated from Kael Sykes who had been flying as his wingman. As a result he briefly flew on the wing of Grizz Frix of Red Group who was ultimately killed when he flew too close to the Star Destroyer's exploding shield generator. After forcing the Star Destroyer to break off, Calaan was reunited with Sykes. When General Solo's strike team deactivated the Death Star's shields, Tarvin was ordered to take his flight to the surface of the battle station and give Wedge, Lando and the others cover as they moved into the superstructure. Despite their efforts however, two TIEs were able to slip past Tarvin and his wingmen and make it into the superstructure. Ordering Hally Serrie to take the lead on the surface, Calaan took Sykes and dove in after the TIEs. Tarvin quickly eliminated the interlopers, but without confirmation that the main reactor had been destroyed, had to make a decision as to whether he should continue on towards the heart of the Death Star, or make a break back toward the surface. Just as Calaan reached the access tunnel back to the surface, Wedge's astromech droid was able to detect the incoming fighters, and warn them that the main reactor had been destroyed. Reacting instantly, Calaan and Sykes were able to make the turn, and escaped the doomed station with just seconds to spare. Afterwards, during the celebrations, Larena and Tarvin finally expressed their feelings for each other and shared there first kiss. For his actions in the battle, Tarvin was later awarded the Battle of Endor Hero's Medal.
Over the next few weeks Tarvin and the rest of Gold squadron would take part in a series of intense battles against the Nagai and Tof invaders from the Unknown Regions. Despite coming out victorious each time, the constant combat began to take its tole on the squadron. When Naboo called for aid in their uprising against the Empire, Gold Squadron had been cut down to just seven members, including new addition Ace Azzameen. This problem was compounded by the fact that most other Alliance units were either in just as bad shape as Gold Squadron or were already deployed elsewhere, meaning Gold Squadron would be deployed to the Chommell Sector without any other fighter support. Also, Tarvin was having difficulty taking on a leadership role in the squadron as he was not used to flying without Saft, who had been his mentor for years. When the small group of ships under the command of Commodore Tristan Calaan entered the Naboo system, they were ambushed by an Imperial Star Destroyer and a Victory II-class frigate. Tarvin led the few members of his squadron in a desperate effort to fend them off. During a strafing run against the frigate, he was hit and his fighter fell out of control toward the planet. He was able regain control a mere meters off the ground. After helping Naboo and Gungan forces in capturing the hangar and palace he led Bravo Squadron into orbit against the Imperial forces there. With the help of the new squadron, the surviving members of Tristan Calaan's force were able to destroy the Imperial forces and liberate the system. Despite the victory, Gold Squadron had been hit hard again, losing long time members Rita Tabber and Tol Dorr. As a result the squadron was put on the inactive list until new pilots could be trained. Young Bravo Squadron pilot, Cody Vistal, volunteered to join, however, Alliance High Command felt he was too young and inexperienced. Before he left, Tarvin promised Cody that he would be a member of Gold Squadron some day. Tarvin was later awarded the Star of Alderaan for his actions during the battle. After the battle, Tarvin finally felt comfortable in the leadership role and was ready to lead Gold Squadron into the seemingly bright future.
Fighting for the New Republic[]
Tarvin and Cody Vistal flew a two seat variant of the X-wing during the Ohma-D'un Crisis.
After the new recruits had been trained, about a year later, Gold Squadron was assigned to patrol the area around the Naboo system. On one of these patrols, Tarvin and fellow pilots Kato and Trav Otov were performing a security check on an a suspicious Action VI transport. When Tarvin ordered it to halt and prepare to be boarded, it opened fire on him and his wingmates as well as proceeded to launch three TIE Hunters from a hidden hangar bay. Despite the surprise attack, Tarvin and his wingmen were able to destroy both the fighters and the freighter. The investigation into the origins and intent of the freighter would lead to what would become known as the Ohma-D'un Crisis. During these events, Tarvin would score his highest profile kill yet when he destroyed Imperial Moff Tage Kallag. Also, it was during this time that he first met Brek Onar, although neither knew at the time because Brek was still fighting for the Empire and they had met in a dogfight over Talravin. For the bravery they showed in bringing the crisis to an end, both Tarvin and Cody Vistal were awarded the Medal of Bravery. Tarvin was also able to make good on his promise to Cody as the young Naboo pilot was finally allowed to join the squadron. Tarvin also chose to make a permanent home on Naboo and asked Larena to live with him, which she did.
About a year later, when the New Republic began its push toward the Core, Tarvin and Gold Squadron were tasked with spearheading a diversionary assault on the Talravin system. During the ensuing battle, Tarvin once again tangled with Brek Onar and Black Knight Squadron. After New Republic forces had secured the planet, Brek secretly approached Tarvin and informed him of his and his squadron's intentions to defect. After the Knight's defection, Onar and Calaan would, along with their respective squadrons, go on to fight in the Liberation of Coruscant. The two would also go on to become close friends. During the celebrations on Coruscant, Tarvin asked Larena to marry him, to which she happily answered yes. They were married a few weeks later in a small ceremony on Naboo. Kael Sykes served as Tarvin's best man.
Soon afterwards, much to Tarvin's dismay, New Republic High Command chose to turn Gold Squadron from a multi-fighter unit into an all A-wing unit, forcing Tarvin to leave the cockpit of his beloved X-wing. Tarvin's protesting of the change caused him to be passed over for a promotion to Major. It would be another seven years before Calaan would be offered another promotion. Despite his objections however, the squadron was retrained to fly A-wings and was subsequently stationed at Folor, as it awaited an assignment. When Admiral Trigit attacked the base under the orders of Warlord Zsinj in 7 ABY, Tarvin led the squadron in escorting the evacuation transports. Much like at Hoth however, he was upset that he would not get the chance to stay and fight. After the battle Tarvin was finally able to convince Starfighter Command to turn his squadron back into a multi-fighter unit.
The Tarsik Campaign[]
In 8 ABY, while the rest of the New Republic military was off fighting over the remains of the recently defeated Warlord Zsinj's empire, ex-Imperial Admiral Peri Tarsik, now a warlord hmself, revealed himself and his new Deep Core-based fiefdom, which he referred to as the Third Tetan Empire, to the New Republic. Despite the ongoing campaign against the Empire in the Mid Rim, the Republic could not ignore the threat posed by Tarsik's empire and its proximity to Coruscant, and quickly organized a force to dissuade Tarsik and his minions. Included in this force were Gold, Black Knight and Lancer Squadrons, as well as General Horton Salm's Defender Wing, all under the command of Admiral Kir Vantai. The members of the New Republic task force would not have to wait long to see action. After setting up an advanced base on the Deep Core world of Tython, the task force quickly gained Tarsik's attention, who immediately sent a scouting force to investigate. Tarvin and his squadron with the help of Defender Wing easily dispatched the scouting force. Tarsik, realizing that the New Republic meant business, sped up construction on his flagship which was being built at Foerost. When the New Republic learned of this, they immediately ordered Tarvin and the rest of the task force to assault the Foerost Shipyards and destroy Tarsik's new warship.
During the assault on Tarsik's shipyards at Foerost, Tarvin and his Squadron was, ordered to provide fighter cover for the Fleet, while the less experienced B-wing pilots of Lancer Squadron were sent in to destroy the dry docks where Tarsik's flagship, Revanchist, was being built. Tarvin compared the task to the Death Star trench run and protested that sending in a lone squadron was suicide. Soon after beginning their attack run, the Lancers found themselves overwhelmed by both ground and fighter defenses. The Black Knights, who were providing top cover for the Lancers, requested immediate assistance and Calaan quickly prepared to move in on the Revanchist to provide support. Vantai however was confident that the mission could be accomplished as planned and despite repeated objections from both Calaan and Onar, he ordered Gold Squadron not to intervene. As the situation deteriorated, General Salm stepped in and overruled Vantai, ordering Gold Squadron to move in and attack. Although they arrived too late to save Lancer Squadron, which had been completely wiped out, the intervention of Calaan's unit saved the Black Knights from a similar fate. Taking charge of the situation, Calaan led his pilots into an attack on the docks. Supported by the Black Knights, Calaan and Gold Squadron were able to destroy the Revanchist's docking supports, causing the vessel to be pulled down into Foerost's atmosphere, where it disintigrated.
With Tarsik's most powerful weapon destroyed, the New Republic task force, now under the joint command of Vantai and Admiral Areta Bell, launched its final assault on Tarsik's capital of Empress Teta. During the battle Calaan led Gold Squadron in an attack on Tarsik's flagship, the Hunter. Calaan, Azzameen and Vistal were able to take down the ship's shields long enough for Kato, who had been once been a slave of Tarsik's, to destroy the bridge, killing the warlord once and for all. Shortly after the end of the campaign, Calaan shocked his squadron-mates by announcing that he would be leaving Gold Squadron. After the incident involving Lancer Squadron over Foerost, Calaan became convinced that New Republic commanders had become overconfident in the abilities of their fighter squadrons. He believed that without a major shift in the way that new pilots were trained, more and more units would suffer Lancer Squadron's fate. As a result he requested and was granted permission by Starfighter Command to create a new starfighter squadron using Calaan's proposed training techniques. Calaan took Cody Vistal with him to serve as his executive officer. Calaan quickly determined that his new unit would be dubbed Republic Squadron.
A few months after the conclusion of the campaign against Tarsik, Larena gave birth to the couple's first child, whom they named Brin. Soon after her birth it became apparent to her grandfather that Brin was force-sensitive. Tristan Calaan was force-sensitive himself, and despite their apprehension, he was able to convince Tarvin and Larena to allow her to learn the ways of the force when she was old enough.
Republic Squadron[]
After Tarvin had hand picked each of the new recruits for Republic Squadron, he began a long and rigorous training program to weed out pilots who weren't yet at an elite skill level. Because of the length of the program, Tarvin was unable to take part in the campaign against Grand Admiral Thrawn. During the time, Tarvin turned down a number of promotions so that he could stay with his new unit. After more than a year of training, Tarvin and Cody finally felt they had a good final roster which was now ready for combat. They would get their chance when the reborn Palpatine launched his attack on Mon Calamari. Tarvin led his squadron against the World Devastators along with the rest of the New Republic relief force. During the battle, Rep. Squadron's Three Flight under the command of Arto Reedo was cut off from the rest of the group. Despite the best efforts of Tarvin, Cody and the rest of the squadron, the four pilots of Three Flight were all killed. When his squadron was called on only a few weeks later to defend Manaan, Tarvin was forced to call up inexperienced replacements to replenish the ranks. His own wife volunteered and took the callsign Republic Twelve. At Manaan, the inexperienced pilots of Three Flight were again cut off. After already losing two of the replacements, Larena and the other survivor were rescued by Tarvin and Lead Flight. Tarvin would go on to lead his squadron at the Battle of Onderon, during which his flying earned him another embellishment for his Kalidor Crescent.
Colonel Calaan readies for takeoff in the cockpit of his X-wing.
In 12 ABY, about a year after the end of the campaign against the clone Palpatine, Larena gave birth to twin boys whom they named Dirrax, after their friend, and Nerric, after Larena's father, both of whom perished on Alderaan. Dirrax and Nerric quickly grew up to want to be just like their father. With his encouragement the two would eventually begin honing their piloting skills in the Twinster, just as he had years earlier. During this time, while aiding in the rebuilding process on Coruscant, Tarvin met his birth mother for the first time. Though the meeting was awkward at first, Tarvin accepted his mother's apologies and after meeting her husband Alsod and their son Conor, left, glad to have met her at last. Conor, Tarvin's half brother would be inspired to go on to become a fighter pilot himself after Tarvin's visit.
As the Galactic Civil War began to wind down, Tarvin finally began accepting promotions. He was promoted to Major in 14 ABY and to Colonel a year later. The latter promotion gave him command of not just Republic Squadron, but Black Knight Squadron as well. Tarvin felt that the war would be ending soon and as a result he began grooming Cody to take over Republic Squadron soon after his promotion; believing he was the best man to replace him when he retired.
Sending one elite squadron to eliminate another elite squadron? It's like ramming two Star Destroyers together. All it leaves is a big mess, and in the end everyone has a bad day.
—Tarvin in 16 ABY
In 16 ABY, Republic Squadron was ordered to eliminate a squadron of TIE Defenders which had been harassing New Republic convoys. Unbeknownst to the New Republic however, Typhoon Squadron, the squadron in question, was one of the most elite units in the Remnant and had been tasked specifically with drawing out Republic Squadron and destroying them. When Republic and Black Knight Squadrons were tasked with escorting a convoy, Typhoon Squadron ambushed them. Despite being outnumbered two to one, the Imperials were able to inflict heavy casualties on the Knights and scored two kills against Republic Squadron as well. Fortunately, Tarvin had the presence of mind to record the hyperspace vectors of the retreating Imperials, which led New Republic Intelligence straight to their base. New Republic forces made up of Tarvin's command, a small SpecForce team led by Larena, and a group of CR90 corvettes attacked the base shortly after and caught the Imperials completely by surprise. Using a precision flying maneuver he had learned from Tyler Saft, Tarvin was able to fly his fighter through a small gap in the station's outer defenses and destroy the shield generator, allowing the attack force to destroy the base. Many of the fighters from Typhoon Squadron were destroyed before they could launch. The squadron's commander however, was able to get away where he proceeded to engage Tarvin in one on one combat. After a fierce dogfight, Tarvin was able to shoot the Commander down as the two surviving Imperial fighters escaped into hyperspace. Immediately after the battle, Republic Squadron was praised as a rival to Rogue Squadron and Tarvin became a national celebrity for his actions in ending the Imperial threat. A few weeks later, the public attention coupled with his pre-existing cockiness got the best of Tarvin and he challenged Rogue Squadron's Wedge Antilles to a simulated dogfight. Though Tarvin was able to make the engagement interresting, he was ultimately bested by Antilles. Though Antilles was a gracious winner, Tarvin was forced to endure weeks ribbing from members of Rogue and Republic Squadrons alike.
Two years later, Tarvin and Larena sent Brin to train at the Jedi praxeum on Yavin IV. Later that year, Luke Skywalker asked Tarvin to come to the Praxeum and help him train the Jedi in the art of starfighter combat. Tarvin gave Cody temporary command of the squadron during his time on Yavin IV and ended up being thoroughly impressed with Cody's ability to lead.
When the war ended a year later in 19 ABY, Tarvin felt that he had accomplished his goal of ridding the galaxy of the Empire's tyranny and getting revenge for Alderaan. After discussing it with his wife and his old friends Kael and Hally, he finally chose to retire and live out the rest of his days in peace on Naboo. Unfortunately for Tarvin and his vision for a peaceful future, he was unaware that the long sought after peace would be short lived. Six short years later he would be called on again to face an extragalactic threat, greater than any he could have imagined.
The Yuuzhan Vong War[]
This is an enemy unlike any we've fought before. The New Republic doesn't just need great pilots, we needs heroes. We need Tarvin Calaan.
—Major Cody Vistal after the Battle of Dantooine in 25 ABY
Tarvin at first didn't know what to think of the stories of the extragalactic invaders called the Yuuzhan Vong. In his mind, there couldn't be anything worse than the Empire. As the stories of atrocities became more frequent and horrific however, he came to realize that he could have been wrong and prepared himself for a return to action. After the debacle at Dantooine, Cody Vistal knew it was time to call Tarvin back. Tarvin however, not wanting to interfere with Cody's command, had himself bumped from Colonel back down to Major so that Cody, who himself was a Major at the time, would be able to maintain control of the squadron.
Tarvin joins the fight against the Yuuzhan Vong.
Tarvin's first action was at the Battle of Ithor. Calaan was horrified by the devastation that was unleashed on the planet. He quickly realized that this war would be different. He saw that unlike the war against the Empire, this one wasn't being fought for a political ideal, but for the very survival of the many species in the galaxy. After Ithor Tarvin and Republic Squadron were assigned to the task force under General Yald Sutel which was subsequently deployed to defend Ord Mantell. During the ensuing battle, Tarvin and Republic Squadron attempted to attack the qworlth skaal that the Yuuzhan Vong had launched at the Jubilee Wheel space station. Ultimately the qworlth skaal proved to be too well protected and it succeeded in capturing a number of refugees from the Wheel. After withdrawing from Ord Mantell, Republic Squadron was reassigned to the defense of Gyndine. When the Yuuzhan Vong subsequently attacked, Tarvin disobeyed the order to withdraw after the evacuation of the New Republic embassy and, along with his squadron, attempted to rescue seven civilian refugee ships which were stranded behind the Yuuzhan Vong line. Despite his best efforts only three transports made it out, for which he would blame himself until the end of the war. To add insult to injury, Tarvin was demoted to Commander in the aftermath of Gyndine for unecessarily putting the lives of his squadron mates at risk. Republic Squadron was then assigned to the New Republic defenses at Commenor. When the Yuuzhan Vong attacked Fondor, Tarvin and Republic Squadron were part of the task force under Commodore Brand that was sent to assist. Shortly after emerging from hyperspace, Tarvin witnessed the distraction of the Hapan fleet at the hands of Centerpoint Station's repulsor beam. Calaan and his squadron had been positioned close to the Hapan fleet, and despite initially being presumed dead, they were, by chance, spared from the destruction. As the Yuuzhan Vong began their push into the Core, Republic Squadron took part in the hectic evacuation of Bellassa. The operation was largely successful and millions of refugees were saved. Calaan and Vistal were the last people to depart the planet before it fell to the Yuuzhan Vong and only barely managed to break through their blockade and escape. After the evacuation, Tarvin and his squadron were reassigned to General Antilles' new flagship, the Mon Mothma, and would go on to take part in two small yet still uplifting New Republic victories at Talfaglio and the Black Bantha. The victories were short lived however, as soon after, the Yuuzhan Vong began their push towards Coruscant. When they finally did launch their attack, Tarvin and Cody led the squadron in a heroic defense of the planet. During the battle, Cody was surrounded and cut off by enemy coralskippers and was in danger of being killed. Tarvin, putting himself directly in harm's way, dove in to assist his friend but was hit, and spun out of control. Knowing that to eject in the middle of so many enemy units would be suicide, he stayed in his cockpit and awaited his fate as Cody's E-wing exploded above him. Fortunately for Tarvin, his father's Star Destroyer was nearby and Tristan was able to get a tractor beam on his son and pull him aboard moments before the remaining New Republic Forces were ordered to retreat. Weeks later, Tarvin learned that, along with Cody, his mother and her husband had also perished during the battle when the Vong bombarded the planet's surface. Tarvin was emotionally shaken by the loss of his longtime friend and the mother whom he had really never had the chance to know. However, just as the loss of Alderaan had years earlier, the loss of those he cared about inspired him to keep on fighting so that one day he might have vengeance.
After Coruscant, Tarvin went on to take part in the recapture and defense of Borleias, where he single-handedly destroyed a squadron of coralskippers. During the battle he learned that his daughter had narrowly escaped Coruscant and with the squadron down to only eight members invited her to join Republic Squadron. By the time the New Republic was finally pushed off Borleias, Brin had proven herself to both her father and the other members of the squadron and was asked to stay as a permanent member.
I made you a promise Kael. I promised you that once I found a new home I would never let anything happen to it. That's a promise I intend to keep. I was at Ithor. I was at Gyndine and Coruscant. I'm tired of running. I'm drawing a line in the sand right here. Maybe we can't win this war. Maybe this galaxy can't be saved. But if we are going to turn the tide, it's going to happen right here! The Yuuzhan Vong's win streak ends today!
—Tarvin to Kael Sykes moments before the Battle of Naboo in 27 ABY
After Borleias, Tarvin was able to link up with the Dagger and Black Knight Squadron, both of whom had barely escaped Coruscant themselves. While onboard the Dagger Tarvin learned that the Vong had threatened to attack Naboo for the sole purpose of striking fear into the broken New Republic by devastating the peaceful and out of the way world. Tarvin, acting without orders, decided that he had to do whatever he could to prevent that. He refused to order his men to join him in what was a seemingly suicidal task, however they all volunteered to stick with Tarvin until the end. Brek, Black Knight Squadron and the crew of the Dagger followed suit and the small renegade force set off for Naboo. Upon arrival Tarvin and his men linked up with his old friend Kael Sykes and the other members of the Royal Naboo Security Forces. The battle turned out to be a stunning success, despite the loss of the Dagger. News of the victory spread quickly throughout the galaxy. It was used throughout the New Republic as a propaganda tool and years later it would be used in Galactic Alliance military academies as a textbook example of how to defend a position when the enemy had greater strength. From that point on, Republic Squadron was known among the Yuuzhan Vong as the Death Bringers and Tarvin himself was known simply as the Death Bringer.
Late war[]
The Death Bringer! All yorik-et, attack and pray that your deaths bring you eternal glory!
—Unknown Yuuzhan Vong pilot during the Battle of Ebaq 9
Tarvin during the final battle against the Yuuzhan Vong in 29 ABY.
After Naboo, just as Tarvin said it would, the war went much differently. Tarvin took part in a series of small New Republic victories meant to train the new recruits. Afterwards, he and his squadron were assigned to General Farlander's battle group for the trap being set at Ebaq 9. During the battle, Republic Squadron actually fought alongside Tarvin's old unit, Gold Squadron. Gold Squadron, as well as many of the other fighter groups in Farlander's group suffered heavy casualties. Republic Squadron however, came away unscathed. After the battle Cal Omas reformed the New Republic into the Galactic Federation of Free Alliances, much to Tarvin's disappointment. He felt that by taking away the New Republic, Omas was saying that all of Tarvin's friends who had died fighting the Empire had died for nothing. When asked by Galactic Alliance politicians to change Republic Squadron's name to Naboo Squadron or Alliance Squadron, Tarvin refused saying that even though the Vong had destroyed the New Republic, he and his squadron mates would always fight for the ideals which it stood for.
In early 29 ABY Calaan took part in the liberation of Bellassa. Due to his actions during the battle coupled with his actions during the evacuation of the planet earlier in the war, Calaan, along with the rest of Republic Squadron, would be revered by the people of Bellassa for many years to come. Tarvin would go on to lead Republic Squadron in a series of major battles that finally brought about an end to the war. First he fought in the defense of Mon Calamari. Following that, he fought under Wedge Antilles at the Battle of Corulag and immediately after joined the attack on Coruscant. During the final battle, he led Lead Flight directly into the Vong lines around Muscave. Thanks to the heroic sacrifice of squadron mate Ryanni Synter, Tarvin and Lead Flight were, with the help of other ships in the area, able to destroy an enemy Kor Chokk warship. Afterwards, his squadron was withdrawn to Zonama Sekot, where he helped defend his father's group of warships from a wave of coralskippers. During the battle Tarvin had enlisted the help of a lost TIE pilot who had been seperated from his unit. Tarvin later learned that the pilot was one of the two survivors from Typhoon Squadron. Tarvin and Valner Greer, the pilot in question, made amends, with both men realizing that the other was only following orders. With the war finally over, Tarvin retired once again. He handed command of Republic Squadron over to longtime member Jarton Kinsk and then returned to his family on Naboo with the hopes of living out the remainder of his life in peace.
Retirement[]
When Tarvin and Tristan returned to Naboo for their long awaited retirement, they were immediately invited to a ceremony in Theed in which a street was renamed Calaan Way in their honor. At first, Tarvin had trouble adjusting to a civilian life and spent most of his spare time in the cockpit of Twinster, weaving through the asteroids in the Naboo system. What he found most difficult was the fact that his sons had left to join Republic Squadron and the knowledge that he had missed out on much of their growing up while he was away in the military. Eventually however, he was able to settle down and enjoy the retirement that he had waited so long for.
Dirrax: “How can you sit there and say that your own son died for nothing?”
— Tarvin Calaan and his son Dirrax after Nerric's death in 36 ABY
Tarvin: “Because my son did die for nothing! And you almost did too. If you took the time maybe you would see it! Your my son. You used to listen to me. You used to see these things.”
Dirrax: “Well maybe I changed while you were away. Did you ever think of that? Maybe I shouldn't be your son anymore. I never want to see you again.”
Tarvin: “Then get out.”
Tarvin was vehemently opposed to the Galactic Alliance's involvement in the Swarm War. As he saw it, the conflict didn't involve the Alliance and they were trying to play the role of galactic police. He felt that the Empire had once played this role and that by doing so the Alliance was heading down a dangerous path. He encouraged his friends in Republic Squadron to resign and Jarton Kinsk and the other surviving members from Tarvin's day, who agreed with Tarvin's views, subsequently chose to retire. Tarvin's own sons however, who had spent their entire adult lives under the Alliance, decided to remain loyal. During the war, Republic Squadron was ambushed and wiped out. Only Dirrax and the squadron's commander, Zhandon Narva, survived. The squadron was officially decommissioned shortly afterward. When word of Nerric's death reached Tarvin and Larena, they were heartbroken. Kael and Hally attempted to comfort their old friends but it was no use. Things got worse when Dirrax returned home. Tarvin and his son's frustration turned to anger and the two fell into a heated argument. Dirrax told his father that he resented him for all the years he had missed of their childhood while he was away in the military. Tarvin told his son that Nerric had died for nothing. The confrontation ended with Dirrax storming out, claiming he no longer wanted to be Tarvin's son. Tarvin couldn't understand how his son had become so different from him. Brin and Larena however, hypothesized that they had fought not because they were different but because their two personalities were so similar. Around this time Tarvin learned that Brin had become pregnant with Jance Onar, Brek's son. Tarvin was surprised that he hadn't noticed the relationship between the two before, and feared that Dirrax might have been right when he said that Tarvin had missed out on much of his children's lives. Shortly thereafter, Tarvin, Larena and the Onars attended a small wedding ceremony between Jance and Brin.
Tarvin would go on to hold a deep resentment toward the Galactic Alliance. This resentment was so deep in fact would lead him to come out of retirement for the conflict that would ignite only four years later.
Second Galactic Civil War[]
I'm sort of surprised your here. I figured you'd stay with the Alliance."
"Hey, I'm all for galactic unity. I believe if we let every system leave the Galactic Alliance whenever they felt like it, the galaxy would fall apart. But the minute Alliance leaders decided to use intimidation to keep those systems from leaving, they lost my support.
—Wedge Antilles and Tarvin Calaan in 40 ABY
General Tarvin Calaan at the beginning of the Second Galactic Civil War in 40 ABY.
In 40 ABY, as tensions between Corellia and the Galactic Alliance rose, so did Tarvin's anger over how the GA was handling the growing situation. Though he was upset with Corellia for taking advantage of Galactic Alliance laws while at the same time disobeying them, he was more upset with Galactic Alliance for using military muscle to threaten the Corellians. Just as he had four years earlier, Tarvin felt that the Galactic Alliance was acting very Imperial. He especially disagreed with the GA's laws specifying how large the Corellia's defense forces could be. Their navy had always been a source of pride for Corellians and in Tarvin's eyes imposing regulations on its size was tantamount to putting regulations on Corellian culture. Due to his being so outspoken against the Alliance, he garnered the attention of Galactic Alliance Intelligence. When he learned that he was under surveillance coupled with the news that Wedge Antilles had been detained by GAI, Tarvin was outraged and told Larena that he had lost all faith in the Alliance. When the Alliance tried to intimidate Corellia with a show of force in the form of Operation Roundabout, it was the last straw. Tarvin knew intimidation would only strengthen Corellia's resolve and that if left unchecked, the crisis could escalate into a full scale war. As a result, he and Larena traveled to Corellia in the hopes that they, along with people like Wedge, could help prevent the conflict from exploding into an open civil war.
Upon arrival on Corellia, Tarvin was immediately commissioned as a General in the Five Worlds military. Though he was originally asked to take command of a large group of warships, Tarvin instead chose to command only a single wing of fighters. Tarvin dubbed the three squadrons now under his command Messenger Wing in reference to him joining the Corellians in the hopes of, as he put it, "sending the Alliance a message." The wing consisted of two XJ7 X-wing squadrons named Independence and Liberty Squadron and one A-9 Vigilance interceptor squadron named Freedom Squadron. Tarvin himself took the callsign of Independence Leader. Tarvin and his new wing were soon assigned to the Corellian fleet being sent to Hapes to aid the Heritage Council in deposing Queen Mother Tenel Ka. Tarvin questioned the mission from the start and was completely opposed to any action which involved assassinating the Queen Mother. Five World Prime Minister Gejjen however was able to convince Tarvin that killing the Queen Mother was not their intention, and that they only wanted her step down from power. When the Corellians entered the Hapes system and immediately came under attack from the waiting Hapan Navy, Tarvin realized, too late, that Gejjen had lied. During the battle, Tarvin found himself in a dogfight with his son Dirrax, who was now a Galactic Alliance Guard pilot. The two shared a touching moment in which Dirrax told Tarvin that he would always be proud to call him his father. However, the meeting was bittersweet as Dirrax, always duty-bound, told Tarvin that if they ever met like that again, he would have no choice but to shoot him down. Tarvin, fighting back tears, told his son that if that was case, he would not hesitate to defend himself. When Tarvin realized that the Corellians had been drawn into a trap, he was forced to convince Admiral Delpin that they had no choice but to retreat or risk losing the three heavily damaged Corellian Dreadnaughts. Reluctantly, Delpin agreed and the Corellians escaped. After the battle, outraged about being deceived by Gejjen, Tarvin began to question the Five Worlds leader's motives and whether he had made the right decision in joining the Corellians.
Tarvin: “No. I just figured you'd be smart enough to leave me alone. I guess I gave you too much credit. You're going to regret this.”
―Dur Gejjen and Tarvin Calaan upon the latter's capture
Tarvin became very distressed when Wedge Antilles "resigned" his post in the Corellian military. Tarvin knew immediately that Wedge had been fired and had Larena, using her Intelligence experience and Tarvin's secuirity clearance, search for some information on the Five Worlds' reasons for firing their most experienced military leader. What the pair dicovered was that Wedge had been fired for not being aggressive enough and not just that, but after his "resignation", the Five Worlds leaders had attempted to have him assassinated. Tarvin realized that the Corellians had no intention of bringing about a quick resolution to the war and as a result he decided it was time for him and Larena to leave. After seeing what had happened to Wedge however, Tarvin new it wouldn't be as easy as simply retiring. As result, he decided to wait for the right moment to leave. In the meantime, he sabatoged the starfighters of Messenger Wing by making it so their weapons systems would fail when he activated a signal. After Tarvin was ordered into the battle to break the Blockade of Corellia, he realized that it was time to make his move. When he refused to fire on a heavily damaged and defenseless GA frigate, he was relieved of his command. Messenger Wing was ordered to take the frigate out, but found their weapons had been sabatoged by Tarvin and they were forced to leave the battle. Meanwhile, Tarvin slipped away from the battle to his estate on the surface, hoping to pick up Larena and make a quick getaway. Upon arrival however, he found his estate swarming with CorSec officers and he and Larena, realizing that Gejjen had suspected they might defect, were taken into custody. Without even a trial, Tarvin was sentenced to death for treason and Larena was placed under house arrest. Fortunately for Tarvin, the newly formed Confederation proudly broadcast news of his capture across the galaxy. His children, Brin and Dirrax, quickly went about formulating a rescue attempt upon hearing the news. With the help of former Republic Squadron pilots Jarton Kinsk, Vyalla Serru and Nien Nuvv, the two were able to rescue their parents and get them out of the system. During the rescue, Tarvin's friends had been forced to kill Dane Tabber, the younger brother of close friend and squadron mate Rita Tabber. Because Dane insulted Rita's memory to Tarvin's face however, Tarvin didn't regret seeing him die.
After the Raid on Corellia, Tarvin and Dirrax made amends, with both men realizing they had misread the situation. Tarvin, Larena and their three Republic Squadron companions then took refuge on Rori in an old smuggling hideout once used by Hally Serrie Sykes' father, where they could avoid detection from both the Confederation and the GA. Kael Sykes helped by using his position in the RNSF to throw off GA investigators, who had learned off Tarvin's escape and hoped to capture the "traitor" themselves. From Rori, Tarvin and his companions planned their next actions to help and bring about a quick end to the war.
Personality and traits[]
You need to realize that I'm acting without orders. I won't command any of you to come with me. This is a completely volunteer mission."
"Then I think I speak for all of us when I say we're in. We'll follow you to the end, Tarvin.
—Tarvin Calaan and Jarton Kinsk before the Battle of Naboo in 27 ABY
Tarvin Calaan was a loyal and trustworthy individual. Tarvin always put the well-being of his friends, family and innocent civilians above his own. He was always willing to put himself at risk for those he cared about and was always ready to try a new and dangerous maneuver in order to accomplish his mission. Due to this fact, his own father once described him as brave to the point of insanity. Tarvin would even go so far as to disobey direct orders if it meant he could help someone in need. At multiple times during the Yuuzhan Vong War, Tarvin disobeyed or acted without orders in the hopes of saving lives. The most notable instances of this are at Gyndine, where he went back to defend a group of stranded transports, Coruscant, where he dove in to assist Cody Vistal, and Naboo, where he left the New Republic fleet and led in the defense of that world.
Above all else, Tarvin always felt the need to have something to believe in. After years of fighting against the Empire, Tarvin truly believed in the New Republic and was heartbroken when it collapsed during the Yuuzhan Vong War. This, almost impulsive, need to be a part of some movement also led him to join the Corellians in their rebellion in 40 ABY; a decision he would later regret. First and foremost, Tarvin was a born leader. He inspired loyalty in the men and women under his command and most of them would remain close friends with him years later. Some were even willing to risk their lives to save him from Confederation imprisonment in 40 ABY. Despite his good qualities, Tarvin, like all fighter pilots, was cocky and headstrong, much to the annoyance of his wife.
Physically, Tarvin was fairly tall and of a strong build, though he was not big enough to be considered intimidating. Strangely, he bore a close resemblance to his adoptive father Tristan Calaan, and most who didn't know otherwise, assumed that the two were in fact related by blood. It is unknown if this resemblance was simply a coincidence, or if it was brought about by the Force bond they shared.
Talents[]
Arrogant, stubborn and one of the best pilots I've ever seen. He's definately your son, Tarvin.
—Larena Vaal Calaan to Tarvin, refering to their son Dirrax
Tarvin Calaan was known throughout his career as one of the best fighter pilots in the galaxy. This was not surprising, considering he had a Clone Wars veteran fighter pilot as a father. During the Second Galactic Civil War, Luke Skywalker and Wedge Antilles both agreed that amongst non-Jedi, Calaan was probably the best X-wing pilot to have never flown with Rogue Squadron. Tarvin was most famous for his attacks on capital ships. During his career he accounted for more capital ship kills by a fighter than any other pilot. Though, in most cases, he had support from other fighters and sometimes even other capital ships during these assaults, Tarvin's precision flying techniques, imparted to him by Tyler Saft, made him exceptionally good at evading fixed defensive weaponry. Tarvin's skills in a fighter were made even more impressive by the fact that he, like Antilles, flew without the benefit of the Force. Also, Tarvin was known to set the inertial compensator on his fighter as low as eighty percent. This meant he had to deal with far greater g-forces than the average pilot and still he was able to outmatch them in combat.
Tarvin apparently had some skill with a blaster as well, as he showed when he was shot down during the Ohma-D'un Crisis. During the battle, he was able to use his sidearm to fight through waves of battle droids and destroy the Imperial Installation on Ohma-D'un. It is unknown where he picked up his skill with blaster. Like piloting, he might have learned it from his father. Another possible teacher was his wife Larena, who herself was skilled with the weapon. More likely however, learning how to use a blaster was part of his basic training to become a fighter pilot.
Relationships[]
Larena Vaal[]
Larena was Tarvin's main love interest throughout his life and in fact was the one who ends up marrying him. Tarvin met Larena at age six and the two were fast friends. Despite their friendship never turning into anything romantic throughout their teenage years, their friend Dirrax and both of their parents knew, even then, that the two were meant for each other. It wasn't until after the destruction of Alderaan and the loss of their friends and family however, that the two realized how much they needed each other. After finally admitting their feelings at Endor, the relationship took off, with the two being married just about two and a half years later. After surviving the Galactic Civil War, Yuuzhan Vong War and the tragedy of losing a child, it became apparent to those close to them that they had possibly the strongest relationship any of them had ever seen. Tarvin and Larena remained happily married as of 44 ABY.
Kora Vintar[]
Kora Vintar and Tarvin had interesting yet brief relationship early in the Galactic Civil War. They met on Yavin IV and became close friends. Due to the fact that Kora was Larena's partner, they saw a lot of each other. Kora, like Larena, had experienced a great personal tragedy and needed someone like Tarvin to love her. During the evacuation of Hoth, Kora revealed to Tarvin that she had feelings for him. Tarvin cared about her but was unsure if he could carry on a relationship with her while he also cared about Larena. Kora didn't want to hurt Larena either and so convinced herself that Larena needed Tarvin more than she did. She volunteered to stay behind at Echo Base and set of charges to destroy the facility. During the attempt she was killed. Tarvin was extremely hurt by the loss of Kora, and was unable to look Larena straight in the eyes for almost a year. Although he eventually did fall in love with and marry Larena, he never forgave himself for Kora's death.
Rita Tabber[]
Rita Tabber and Tarvin's friendship never really developed into anything romantic. Nonetheless, many pilots in Gold Squadron who weren't aware of Tarvin's relationships with Kora and Larena, felt that he would end up falling for Rita. Before the arrivals of Kael Sykes and Hally Serrie, Rita was clearly Tarvin's closest friend in the squadron and he reacted more severely to her death at Naboo than he had for other squadron mates who had been killed.
Behind the scenes[]
If this fanon were actually canon, then Tarvin would actually make three brief appearances in the films. He could first be seen in Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back, as one of the two X-wings escorting Quantum Storm away from Hoth. He could also be seen twice during the Battle of Endor in Episode VI: Return of the Jedi. First he could be seen flying just ahead of the Millennium Falcon as the Imperial fighters attack. He could be seen again later in the battle as Grizz Frix's wingman.
This character's name was originally meant to be Tristan Calaan. However, in the hopes of making the character's name more "Star Wars sounding" it was changed to Tarvin. The name Tristan was later used for his father.
Tarvin Calaan's character was heavely based of that of Wedge Antilles (The author's favorite canon character). Many of the events in Tarvin's life were inspired by events in Wedge's life. Examples include the Tarsik Campaign, which was based off the Zsinj Campaign, Tarvin leaving Gold Squadron to form Republic Squadron, which was based off Wedge's departure from Rogue Squadron to form Wraith Squadron, and Tarvin's decision to join the Five Worlds. Despite their similarities, it has been said by the author that, of the two, Wedge is the better pilot, making Tarvin arguably the second best, non-jedi, pilot in the galaxy. In fanon, Tarvin and Wedge are friends and interact on a regular bases.