Wookieepedia:Featured article queue/Week 26, 2008/1



Soontir Fel was considered among the best starfighter pilots in the galaxy, becoming an Imperial hero, but his journey to those heights was anything but easy. Born on Corellia to a farming family, Fel developed his piloting skills over the fields before gaining entrance to the Imperial Academy and beginning a career as a TIE fighter pilot. He served dutifully, demonstrating a strong sense of responsibility for his men. After a series of events out of his control tarnished his career, Fel was exiled to the lackluster 181st Imperial Fighter Wing, which he revived, eventually gaining its command and the title of Baron of the Empire, winning Fel a reputation as the Empire's most deadly pilot and the 181st as its most elite starfighter unit. During that time, Fel met and married the famous actress Wynssa Starflare, who he discovered was actually the sister of Rebel ace Wedge Antilles.

When Director of Imperial Intelligence Ysanne Isard sent Fel and his men to die at Brentaal IV for her own political gain, Fel was captured and defected to the New Republic, tired of the growing corruption after Palpatine's death. He joined his brother-in-law Antilles in Rogue Squadron, serving the New Republic faithfully, but shortly thereafter Fel was recaptured by Isard and sent to Grand Admiral Thrawn's base on Nirauan. There, Thrawn showed Fel the myriad threats awaiting the galaxy in the Unknown Regions, and Fel agreed to serve in Thrawn's Empire of the Hand, fighting against warlords and would-be invaders beyond the knowledge of galactic civilization.

There Fel raised a family, surrounded by hardship, before once again making contact with the galaxy at large during the hoax proclaiming Thrawn's return. When the Yuuzhan Vong War broke out, Fel sent his son Jagged and some Empire of the Hand forces to the New Republic's aid. During the course of the war, the Empire of the Hand was dissolved, with Fel joining the Chiss Ascendancy and becoming a senior officer in the Chiss Expansionary Defense Fleet. A failed guarantee of parole on Jagged's part during the Dark Nest Crisis bankrupted and dishonored the Fels, but their difficulties would not last forever&mdash;Soontir Fel was the ancestor of royalty, with his descendants sitting on the throne of the New Galactic Empire.