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CharactersWedge Antillies
A decorated Alliance pilot and the soul of the famous Rogue Squadron. One of the few men to have survived the three major conflicts of the Galactic Civil War, Wedge flew against both Death Stars and was directly responsible for the small Rebel victories during the Battle of Hoth. From his first flights for the fledgling Rebellion to his distinguished career as a general within the New Republic, Wedge has always embodied the luck, loyalty, confidence, and courage required of every Rebel pilot. Born and raised on Outer Gus Tetra, a spaceport in the Corellian system, Wedge Antilles became an orphan as a teenager after his parents were killed by pirates. With money from an insurance settlement, he purchased a stock light freighter and tried to launch a legitimate shipping business, but was soon smuggling weapons for the Rebel Alliance. At the age of 16, he jumped into the cockpit of an X-wing fighter and quickly became one of the Rebellions most skilled pilots. An invaluable warrior, Wedge earned a post in Red Squadron at the Battle of Yavin, where he first met Luke Skywalker. After the destruction of the first Death Star, Wedge and Luke founded Rogue Squadron and soon surrounded themselves with some of the best pilots in the galaxy. Armed with snowspeeders, Rogue Squadron flew against the Imperial AT-ATs at the Battle of Hoth. During the engagement, Wedge and his copilot, Wes Janson, managed to use their vehicles power harpoon and tow cable to entangle the legs of a walker, casing the AT-AT to topple over and explode. When Luke Skywalker began embarking on personal missions throughout the latter half of the Galactic Civil War, Wedge was promoted to captain and took control of the Rogues. With Admiral Ackbar and Lando Calrissian, he planned the attack on the second Death Star. At the Battle of Endor, Wedge led his squadron against an Imperial Star Destroyer and later followed the Millennium Falcon into the heart of the space station and aided in the Death Stars destruction. As the New Republic struggled into existence, Wedge became heavily involved with the mission to Bakura and, five years later, led Rogue Squadron against the forces of Grand Admiral Thrawn. In the intervening years, Wedge and his fellow Rogues flew numerous missions for the New Republic, often undertaking covert missions under the guise of "Wraith Squadron." Many of these adventures are recounted in several volumes of the X-Wing novel series. After Thrawns defeat, Antilles agreed to accept the rank of general under the condition that he could still lead Rogue Squadron. He proved an incredible tactician but both he and Lando Calrissian suffered heavy losses in the war against the reborn Emperor. Despite such setbacks, Wedge has remained a confident yet humble leader and one of the New Republics most heroic figures.
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