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Jace Dillon is a character in the Wing Commander universe. His first appearance is in Wing Commander III: Heart of the Tiger.

Character Background[]

Game History[]

Jace Dillon was a hotshot pilot fresh out of the Terran Confederation Academy in the year 2669. He was known to be cocky and rather arrogant, and was always ready to show off his flying maneuvers when the opportunity presented itself. It was his ego and exaggerated flying prowess that earned him the callsign "Flash". Upon graduation, Confed High Command gave him his first major assignment in the Space Navy: The test flights of the new F-103 Excalibur Heavy Fighter. These tests were to be conducted on the TCS Victory in the Tamayo System, so Flash flew in a prototype starfighter to join the ranks. While on the Victory Flash met Colonel Christopher "Maverick" Blair, who he read about in the Academy.

Flash did not have a very warm reception upon arrival at the Victory. The crew and pilots could see what an egotist he was. Captain William Eisen resented being assigned to watch over such an arrogant pilot. When the Victory was ambushed in the Tamayo System by a Kilrathi bomber force, Flash slept through the battle in the barracks despite having heard the scramble alarm. The Victory managed to stave off the attack, but nonetheless suffered losses. Blair confronted Flash in the barracks and reprimanded him for his negligence and lack of regard for his comrades. Flash was not deterred by the Colonel's remarks, so Blair called Flash a coward and stormed off.

Blair's and Flash's rivalry reached its climax when Blair was assigned to save Tamayo II from a Kilrathi invasion force. Chief Petty Officer Rachel Coriolis offered Blair the chance to fly the Excalibur prototype into battle, and Blair accepted. Using the craft's superior weaponry, Blair eradicated the Kilrathi before they ever reached Tamayo II. When Blair returned to the Victory, Flash confronted him and accused the Colonel of meddling with Confed's equipment. He then challenged to Blair to a duel in the space simulator to prove who the real pilot was. Blair agreed on one condition: If Flash lost, he would reassign himself to combat status on the '"Victory. Confident that he would win, Flash agreed to the terms.

There are two outcomes to the simulator battle depending on whether the player wins or not. If Flash wins, he leaves the Victory with the Excalibur and is not seen again.

If Blair wins, Flash keeps his promise and transfers to the Victory as a combat pilot. Flash later apologizes to the Colonel for his behavior and promises to prove his abilities on the battlefield. Flash then serves on Blair's wing through the course of the War. He assists in operations like the Ariel Offensive and the defense of the TCS Behemoth during that ship's failed attempt to destroy Kilrah. Whether Flash survives the War or not is up to the actions and the progress of the player.

If Flash survived the War, it can be assumed that he returned to test-piloting new spacecraft.

Novel History[]

Flash's fate in the novelization of WC3 can be very different from that of the game. In this version of the story, Flash loses his bet with Colonel Blair and ends up serving on the Victory flight wing. He ultimately dies in the Ariel System during the failed attempt to defend the TCS Behemoth.

Behind the Scenes[]

  • In the FMVs of WC3, Flash is portrayed by American actor Josh Lucas in one of his earliest film roles.
  • During the ambush of the Victory in the Tamayo System, Flash can clearly be seen on the flight deck when the warning sirens sound off. However, a later scene shows Flash claiming that he was asleep in the barracks at the time the bells went off. This is an inconsistency in the game. Alternatively, it could mean that Flash, not wishing to participate in the fight, went to the barracks despite the scramble alarm, ignoring the plight of the Victory's pilots. This would lend even more weight to Blair's outrage and his denunciation of Dillon as a self-centered coward.

External Links[]

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