Admiral Flanken served the Galactic Empire as an Imperial Officer during the Galactic Civil War. He was in command of the Imperial-class Star Destroyer known as the Hammer, leading a dedicated task force tasked with hunting down Rebels who were attempting to escape from Hoth as part of a wider campaign.
Flanken was the commanding officer of the Imperial-class Star Destroyer Hammer, and his duties included suppressing Rebel activity, with the assistance of the Mugaari pirates, within the Hoth System.
Following Maarek Stele's discovery of Rebel fugitives aboard the BFF-1 bulk freighter named Onece 3, and his subsequent assistance in disabling the vessel, Flanken, together with Major Thorbo, took charge of interrogating the captured individuals within a makeshift interrogation room. Flanken presented the prisoners with an Interrogation droid, which Thorbo was eager to employ in order to extract information, including details of a Rebel attack on the platform.
Subsequently, Flanken returned to the bridge of his ship to confer with his advisors. He made the decision to allow the Rebel assault to proceed with minimal opposition, considering the possibility of it being a diversion or a probe of their defenses. He suggested waiting until the Rebels committed their full force before unleashing their own counterattack. His advisors were in agreement with his strategic assessment.
Flanken would approach captured prisoners in a composed and collected manner, addressing each one as "friend." He would assert that he intended no harm and that, once they provided the necessary information, they would be returned to their comrades—a statement that was ultimately untrue. He would also introduce and explain the function of the interrogation droid, suggesting that the process could be conducted amicably. However, Thorbo displayed impatience and a strong desire to utilize the droid immediately. When Flanken was on the bridge, discussing how to respond to the Rebel assault, he proposed holding back their forces to observe the Rebels' approach. Once the Rebels fully committed, he would then launch a full-scale counterattack, a strategy that his advisors endorsed.
The character of Flanken was initially conceived as a minor figure in the TIE Fighter: The Official Strategy Guide. Although he is not explicitly mentioned within the game itself, it is generally accepted that he was the commanding officer of the Hammer during the battle depicted in Battle 1 Combat 2, titled "Red Alert".