Squadron 42 Characters: Who You Meet in the Campaign

Squadron 42's story is carried by a large ensemble of naval officers, pilots and civilians, all played by screen actors with full performance capture. The player takes the role of a rookie recruit who survives the Battle of Vega II, earns flight training, and is posted to the Idris frigate UEES Stanton during the war with the Vanduul. This page walks through the confirmed characters, who plays them, and what each brings to the campaign's story.

The Player Character

You play a rookie pilot in the 42nd Squadron, voiced and captured by Ian Duncan and Alix Wilton Regan. The character is a newcomer to the squadron at the start of the campaign, which makes the player the audience's eyes: you learn the ship, the crew and the war at the same pace the story demands. Chris Roberts has framed the game as an interactive movie with the player as the lead, so the supporting cast exists to pull you into the narrative rather than to serve as menu screens.

The Command Structure

At the top sits Admiral Ernst Bishop, played by Gary Oldman, commander of Operation Gemini and one of the most senior officers in the UEE Navy. His daughter, Captain Rachel McLaren, is played by Gillian Anderson — she commands the destroyer UEES Gauntlet at the Battle of Vega II, and her fate there shapes the war's politics. Captain Noah White, played by Liam Cunningham, serves as commanding officer of the ship at Stanton. Captain Thomas Wade, played by Mark Strong, and XO Sophia Kelly, played by Rhona Mitra, round out the senior officers the player answers to across the campaign.

The Squadron and Crew

Among the pilots and crew, Lieutenant Commander Steve "Old Man" Colton, played by Mark Hamill, is the standout: a veteran of encounters with the Vanduul and a mentor figure whose scenes are among the most prominent in official trailers. Ryan Enright, played by Henry Cavill, Cal Mason, played by Jack Huston, and Cara "Web" Webster, played by Sophie Wu, fill out the squadron's roster. On the intelligence and civilian side, SAIC Rebecca Trejo is played by Eleanor Tomlinson, Julian Wexler by Ben Mendelsohn, and Randall Graves, security at Archon Base, by John Rhys-Davies.

The Enemy Side

The Vanduul, the warrior race waging war on the UEE, are performed characters too. Andy Serkis plays Thul'Oquray, a Vanduul role confirmed by CIG. The decision to cast the leading name in performance capture for an alien character signals that Squadron 42's enemy scenes will carry real dramatic weight, not just combat encounters. Details of Thul'Oquray's story arc remain limited until CIG publishes more.

How the Characters Fit Together

The campaign's structure — 28 chapters, roughly 30 missions and an estimated 40 to 45 hour main story — gives each of these characters room to develop. The player rises through the ranks while the command drama between Bishop and the Stanton's crew unfolds, and the war with the Vanduul escalates around them. Because every role is performed by a named actor, the campaign plays like an ensemble film: conversations aboard the UEES Stanton, briefings before missions and combat chatter all feature the same faces shown in trailers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is the main character of Squadron 42?

The player is a rookie pilot in the 42nd Squadron, performed by Ian Duncan and Alix Wilton Regan.

Who is the admiral in Squadron 42?

Admiral Ernst Bishop, played by Gary Oldman, is the senior commander in the campaign.

Are all characters performed by real actors?

Yes. Every confirmed character uses full performance capture — face, body and voice recorded together.