Wyl Lark

There are many things to love about Wyl Lark - the way he flies, the way he tells stories, the way he talks to his ship in combat. But it’s his goodness that sets him apart from the rest. 

Let every village send a warrior, for the battle against the Empire has become our battle; and no people in the galaxy fly as the people of Home fly.

This proclamation from the elders on Polyneus would completely turn the world of Wyl Lark upside down. At just nineteen years old, he would answer this call and begin a long and arduous fight against the Galactic Empire.

While an A-Wing may not be as smooth as the down feathers of his homeworld’s flying beasts, the sur-avka, Wyl deftly proved that his piloting abilities stand among the best pilots we’ve ever seen. 

As a pilot for Riot Squadron in the Rebel Alliance, he found himself revered amongst friends, becoming lovingly referred to as “Wyl Lark, the beloved! Gift to the galaxy!” Easy going and gentle in demeanor, he was quick to find camaraderie amongst his peers - even to the point of some short-lived romances. He was young and full of hope.

Unfortunately, he was also in the middle of a war.

After the battle of Endor, the little-known Imperial TIE fighter group known as Shadow Wing became notorious for decimating squadron after squadron in the fledgling New Republic. The longer the fighting continued, the more Wyl found himself surrounded by loss and confronted with choices he didn’t feel qualified to make.

He just wanted to go home.

Galactic warfare has a way of changing people, though, and Wyl is not immune. Getting to know his squadmates, and even those he pursues in Shadow Wing, Wyl found himself conflicted by the ongoing struggle. There are people on the other side of this war with stories, homes, families, and loved ones. Though he wrestles with this internally, it affects the way he flies, alters his decision-making in combat, and even adjusts the ways he communicates with his family back home.

This isn't so simple anymore, and he isn't sure how those closest to him will take it.

When an extended cat-and-mouse chase through a dangerous star cluster leaves Wyl nearly dead, he wakes to find himself the lone surviving member of his squadron. Rescued by allies, he is now a member of a new team filled with difficult strangers, each with a unique ship of their own. Alphabet Squadron.

Though he may be broken, he is quick to adapt to his surroundings and finds ways to dig deep within himself to do whatever is required of him. Whether it is a run in a training simulator, another dangerous dogfighting mission, or even leading his own makeshift squadron for a time during the events of Alphabet Squadron: Shadow Fall, Wyl consistently demonstrates that he is loyal to his new family.

He is a proven leader, he just needs to believe it within himself. And after all of the breadcrumbs Alexander Freed has given us, it is no surprise that Wyl takes the forefront in the dramatic conclusion to this high-flying series, Alphabet Squadron: Victory’s Price.

Though he has only appeared in the Alphabet Squadron Trilogy of novels thus far, Wyl’s legacy has already been cemented as one of the most graceful pilots, and kind beings, in all of the galaxy. For more on Wyl’s story, be sure to check out the titles below.