Star Wars: The Rebellion’s Five Best Pilots
Choosing or favorite pilots of the rebellion is a little like choosing a favorite child, but we’re going to try to narrow it down!
The rebellion is chock full of amazing pilots. And it’s a good thing since numbers, funding, and ship size always seem to be working against them. There are almost too many to keep straight and picking the best one is nearly impossible, but these are our favorites.
Han Solo
I wanted to avoid adding Han to this list in preference of giving some other characters the spotlight… but when you get right down to it he really just is one of the best and that’s all there is to it. Han is the equivalent of having your friend who drives an old delivery van that he promises is supped up but seems to always need repairs to join your rag-tag team of hooligans because he promises his old van can outmaneuver and outrun any car the police have. And then he’s right. And then he dates your sister.
Wedge Antilles
Making the transition from TIE pilot to Rogue Squadron to mentor in the New Republic and everything in between, Wedge always has something incredible going on. He was instrumental in destroying both of the Death Stars and flew on a number of high-profile missions; the fact that he made it all the way through the original trilogy is somewhat miraculous. Plus, he’s just a character you can’t not like.
Wes Janson
It feels right to follow Wedge up with Wes. He may not be a name you recognize, but aside from being a pilot, Wes acted as Wedge’s gunner in the Battle of Hoth and was the first member of Rogue Squadron to successfully take down an Imperial Walker with Luke’s walky-and-trippy tactic.
Thane Kyrell
Appearing in Claudia Gray’s Lost Stars, Thane learned to fly in for the empire where he was selected for the Imperial Navy’s elite track before he decided that space fascism wasn’t for him and joined the rebellion. Using this education he was able to act as a co-pilot and navigator and had valuable inside knowledge of Star Destroyer layouts making him an almost unparalleled asset for the rebellion.
Hera Syndulla
Recently it’s been seeming more and more likely that Mary Elizabeth Winstead will be playing Hera Syndulla in the upcoming Disney+ series, Ahsoka. And we hope it’s true. She is a character who has done everything and met everyone. If there’s a character in the galaxy who you can name, Hera has probably either out-flown or out-smarted them.
Her skills as an expert pilot, strategist, and revolutionary earn her the title of General as well as her ability to work undercover and her aptitude for hand-to-hand combat. She’s a renaissance woman and a character who has spent her entire life working towards being the best the rebellion has. But what does her inclusion in Ahsoka mean? Will this really be the Rebels reunion tour? Will we see this Galaxy’s version of Jacen? We’ll have to see more of live-action Chopper now, right?!
Who are your favorite rebellion pilots? Who would you have added to this list? Are there any you want to know more about know? Let us know in the comments!
May The Force Be With You, Adventurers!
