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Star Wars revealed that Wedge Antilles’ actions during the Battle of Yavin earned him hero status similar to Han Solo and Luke Skywalker.
WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Star Wars #15 from Marvel, on sale now.
The Battle of Yavin during A New Hope helped to solidify the Rebel Alliance as a genuine threat to the Empire. Luke Skywalker’s miraculous destruction of the First Death Star and Han Solo’s heroic escapades made heroes out of the Rebellion’s newest recruits. They even received Medals of Bravery during a special ceremony after the battle. Wedge Antilles was the only survivor of Red Squadron besides Luke. While he might not have received a ceremony for his actions, Star Wars revealed that he was held in the same light as Luke to the Rebellion.
Star Wars #15 by Charles Soule, Ramon Rosanas, Rachelle Rosenberg, and Clayton Cowles saw Luke suit up with Wedge Antilles’ Starlight Squadron. They were performing a recon mission in an effort to gather any Rebel ships that had been separated from the fleet. They dropped out of hyperspace just outside of Ab Dalis where they located a Rebel base that was under attack by an Imperial Star Destroyer.
The Rebels within the base put out communication and were amazed that a Rebellion squadron was in the vicinity. Many were unsure that seven fighters could help them in this scenario but when word spread that it was Wedge and Luke, who were considered the Heroes of Yavin, many Rebels became inspired with hope. Wedge found a way to communicate with the ground forces even though they did not have the new communication codes. The ground forces patched coordinates through to Starlight Squadron. They were directed to blast a mountain on the planet’s surface. This triggered a dormant volcano, which engulfed the Star Destroyer. It was revealed that the Rebellion’s leader, Mon Mothma, was within the base and that Starlight Squadron’s efforts saved her from capture or death. Luke set forth to help Leia rescue Han while Wedge took care of the Rebels they just saved on Ab Dalis.
Han, Luke, Leia, Chewie, Artoo, and C-3PO are usually regarded as the Heroes of the Rebellion due to their actions seen during the Original Trilogy. Star Wars #15 shows that outside of the movies, many other Rebels were held in the same regard as the trilogy’s protagonists. While Wedge never had to duel Darth Vader, his actions during crucial space battles prove that he was just as heroic and vital to the Rebellion as Luke.
Similar to Han, Wedge also hailed from the planet Corellia. He would be recruited by the Empire while flying cargo ships to which he eagerly joined, hoping for more excitement. The excitement of his work did not outweigh the cruelty of the Empire and he quickly grew unhappy with his role. He began to look for a way out and found it when Sabine Wren infiltrated Skystrike Academy in the Rebels episode “The Antilles Extraction.” He would continue to work with Hera Syndulla in the early stages of the Rebellion.
Wedge made a name for himself early on and helped train Luke before the Battle of Yavin. The pair were both assigned to Red Squadron and prepared to destroy the Death Star. Wedge would destroy a TIE fighter that was tailing Luke which allowed him enough time to reach the vents and destroy the Death Star. Of the original 12 members of Red Squadron, only Wedge and Luke survived the Battle. Without Wedge, Luke may not have survived long enough to destroy the Death Star. Antilles’ reputation would only grow from there. He accompanied Luke on countless missions before he was assigned to Echo Base on Hoth. During the Battle of Hoth, Wedge was the first pilot to bring down an AT-AT. He was also part of the squadron that helped Lando destroy the second Death Star. Even after the fall of the Empire, Wedge did not stop. He was present at the Battle of Jakku and even became the head instructor at the Hosnian Prime flight academy where he taught Poe Dameron.
Wedge Antilles was present for nearly every major conflict during the Galactic Civil War. He was essential to the destruction of both Death Stars and helped stave off the Empire during the Battle of Hoth. Wedge played a more active role in the Rebellion than Luke or Han but was never acknowledged for his actions. Though he might not be a household name, Wedge Antilles is as much a hero as anyone else in the Rebellion.
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