Jek Tono Porkins/Legends

"The lieutenant and I once knew a very fine Human pilot who went by 'Piggy.' There's no 'derogatory component' to it in this squadron. Rather, it's a badge of honor I hope you can live up to."

- Wedge Antilles to Voort saBinring

Jek Tono Porkins, who flew as Red Six during the Battle of Yavin, was the first Rebel pilot to die in the battle. He got the nickname "Belly Runner" from both his skill at low-altitude strafing runs and his rotund physique.

Biography


He, like so many others, gained experience flying in the cockpit of a T-16 skyhopper. He was a friend of Biggs Darklighter and was a member of the Y-wing Tierfon Yellow Aces Squadron with Wes Janson. When Janson was down with a seemingly ill-timed case of Hesken Fever, Jek took his place in Red Squadron and transferred to Yavin 4. Later, Jek went with a team to Commenor to escort a shipment of R2 astromechs carried by smuggler Captain Nera Dantels.

Jek flew with Red Squadron during the Rebel's attack on the first Death Star. Though his X-wing fighter was maneuverable enough to avoid the Death Star's sluggish turbolasers, a mechanical malfunction hampered his ability to dodge enemy fire. Jek always set his acceleration compensator to full power, and unfortunately in this case it caused him to misjudge his altitude. He needed a short break to restabilize, during which he was eliminated by one of the Death Star's turbolaser emplacements.

Behind the scenes

 * Jek Porkins was played by William Hootkins in A New Hope.
 * The name "Tono" and nickname "Piggy" originally appeared in the Marvel Star Wars adaptation of A New Hope.

Appearances

 * Star Wars: Empire at War
 * Star Wars Empire: Darklighter
 * X-wing Rogue Squadron ½
 * Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope novel
 * Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope
 * Star Wars 6: Is This the Final Chapter?
 * Slave Ship
 * X-wing Rogue Squadron: Family Ties
 * X-wing: Rogue Squadron
 * X-wing: The Krytos Trap
 * X-wing: Wraith Squadron
 * The Last Command
 * X-wing: Isard's Revenge
 * Jedi Search
 * I, Jedi