

Zev Senesca was created for the 1980 film Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back, in which he was portrayed by actor Christopher Malcolm. However, ultimately, Senesca respected Solo for being heroic and putting himself at risk to go search for Skywalker. Senesca did not hold Solo in the highest regard, thinking him to be a "blowhard" who had a big mouth and possessed more luck than talent. Senesca often organized betting pools for his squadron, including one about how long it would take General Organa to tire of Captain Solo's attempts to flirt and show off in front of her. He did not enjoy life on Hoth, hating the snow and the cold wind, but nonetheless continued to serve. Senesca was a brave rebel pilot and honorably served in multiple engagements during the Galactic Civil War. The first shot damaged their snowspeeder enough to slow it down, making the second the killing strike that killed both Senesca and Valent. While defending Echo Base, Senesca's snowspeeder was hit by an Imperial All Terrain Armored Transport twice. During the subsequent Battle of Hoth, Senesca piloted his snowspeeder, with Kit Valent serving as his gunner.

Soon after, the Galactic Empire discovered Echo Base, and the Rebel Alliance began an evacuation. Thinking of Organa's words, Senesca smiled to himself as he approached Solo and Skywalker, also remembering that he had won a lot of extra flight pay. The following morning, Senesca led Rogue Squadron and located the two missing officers. The entire squadron then entered the pool. Ralter and Wedge Antilles wrote their names on the board, but when Derek "Hobbie" Klivian said that it was morbid, Leia Organa walked in and said that she thought it was a gesture filled with hope and that she was confident they could find him. As news spread of their missing leader, Senesca, as the new first in command of Rogue Squadron, gathered the pilots in the barracks and started a new betting pool, saying the first Rogue pilot to find Skywalker would win a week's worth of wages off of his squadronmates. When Rogue Leader Luke Skywalker went missing during a patrol, Captain Han Solo went in search of him. Senesca organized a betting pool for the worst thing about their new base, which pilot Dak Ralter won for betting on "too damn cold." Senesca and his fellow pilots liked to fly the airspeeders, but they were not operational for some time due to the cold weather and the squadron were forced to use tauntauns until the engineers were able to adapt their equipment. In 3 ABY, Senesca was among the Rebels stationed at Echo Base on the ice- planet of Hoth, where he flew a T-47 airspeeder under the callsign of Rogue Two. " Set for position three." ―Zev Senesca shortly before being shot down Thanks to Han Solo, the Rebel starfighters were eventually able to launch, and Senesca, serving as a founding member of Rogue Squadron, flew an X-wing in the battle. Whilst stuck aboard the Star Cruiser Republic Senesca told Klivian that he knew and accepted the risks of fighting the Empire.

In 1 ABY, Senesca was present at the Mako-Ta Space Docks when the Galactic Empire launched an assault on the Alliance's base. After joining the Alliance, he met Wedge Antilles and Hobbie whilst at one of General Hera Syndulla's training exercises. By the time of the Galactic Civil War, Senesca had joined the Alliance to Restore the Republic, serving the Rebel Alliance Starfighter Corps. At some point, Senesca left Kestic Station and resided on Uthura, where he hunted starwhales. Zev Senesca was a human male born on the Kestic Station near the Bestine system. Zev Senesca locates Han Solo and Luke Skywalker. " Like hunting starwhales on Uthura! I'm coming home!" ―Zev Senesca, during the Battle of Hoth
