Luke Skywalker’s closest childhood friend and one of the men responsible for fostering the young Jedi’s idealism and courage. Born on Tatooine, Biggs nurtured his own skills as a pilot in T-16 skyhoppers, then escaped the desert world and attended the Imperial Academy. Like many others before him, he came to loathe the Empire and eventually defected to the Rebel Alliance. Alongside Luke, Biggs braved the trenches of the Death Star at the Battle of Yavin, where he gave his life for the cause he held so dearly.

Unlike Luke Skywalker, Biggs Darklighter was born into one of Tatooine’s very few wealthy families. His father, Huff, was a wildly successful food magnate who made his money at the expense of the world’s struggling moisture farmers. Despite their differences, Biggs and Luke crossed paths in the small town of Anchorhead and became fast friends soon after. The pair often raced landspeeders and skyhoppers through the winding corridors of Beggar’s Canyon, developing a healthy sense of competition. Eventually, however, the elder Biggs entered the Imperial Space Academy, leaving Tatooine and Luke behind.

While attending the Academy, Biggs became more aware of the threat posed by the Empire. Along with several classmates, Biggs vowed to defect to the Rebel Alliance at the first possible moment. At 24, Biggs graduated from the Academy and was appointed to First Officer aboard the merchant ship Rand Ecliptic, where he soon discovered that several of his fellow crewmembers had actually made contact with the Rebels. During a brief trip to Tatooine, Biggs was reunited with Luke and confessed his plan to join the Rebellion. In the weeks that followed, Biggs joined the Rand Ecliptic’s executive officer in a mutiny. Together, they stole the ship and its cargo, then joined the Alliance.

In his short time with the Rebels, Biggs flew an X-wing into several clashes with the Empire. He was finally reunited with Luke on Yavin 4 as the Alliance forces prepared to attack the first Death Star. During the battle, Biggs valiantly protected Luke, destroyed several TIE fighters, and bravely entered the space station’s harrowing trenches. Sadly, he was doggedly pursued by Darth Vader, who murdered the heroic young pilot only moments before Luke launched his proton torpedoes into the heart of the Death Star.

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