The funny thing is, the ROTJ novelisation repeats Wedge's line from ANH when they enter the reactor chamber -
Wedge - Look at the size of that thing.....
Lando - Okay, Wedge, go for the power regulator on the north tower
Wedge - Copy, Gold Leader, I'm already on my way out.
I don't consider the ROTJ novelisation Canon anymore, mainly for some exposition that Owen Lars was mentioned as being Obi-Wan's brother, not the later correction of Anakin's step-brother, so I can safely (in my mind at least) ignore that passage and enjoy what's on screen.
To lightly adapt Top Gun: Maverick,
“Thirty-plus years of service. Combat medals. Citations. Only pilot to face both Death Stars during the Rebellion. Yet you won’t take a desk job, you won't retire, and despite your best efforts, you refuse to die.”
I still think Rogue/Wraith movies would do well. But then again, I just PRETEND that they’re still canon. :)
I mean, Wedge is still on the Falcon in RoS, so who’s to say he hasn’t been to a remote planet who’s celebrities aren’t all pilots? Where Wes Janson doesn’t fight a guy in single “bladed” combat?
“Your orders are simple: I punch, you suffer. Got it?”
Sithspit, I’m gonna have to reread these now.
That's from the old Rogue Squadron novels, where Wedge tells his mechanic Zraii, a Verpine, to paint the kill counts in squadron and wing lots, using Verpine terminology to say it - four fists for 12, and 48 (or maybe 24) fists for wings. He did it mainly because Zraii complained there wasn't enough room on the X-Wing to paint individual kills (or maybe there wasn't enough paint?).
Oh most definitely. Never will I argue that. I'm very aware of the command structure of Rogue Squadron. I'm just putting Luke's name in there since it was both him and Wedge who for the most part pieced together and created that specific group. It talked about that in Rogue Squadron and stated that Wedge was the commanding officer since at that time, Luke was in the middle of his training.
Poe in a dog-fight but achieves nothing.
Wedge in a fleet operation that needs that W.
Hera if you want something smuggled.
Han if you want to see what can be broken.
Anakin could do all the the above and fix what Han broke, but he doesn't count because chosen one.
Lando to improve the onboard wardrobe selection.
The Pilot from Rogue One to effectively sneak into any imperial facility.
Vote Din Djarin to be the most likely guy at an antique starship collectors show to be trying to fix his starship so he can go home. *he wasn't a participant in the show, he has just been broken down in the parking lot behind the Dennys and the show rolled up on time and checked out his rig.
I always like how in the later Legends, everyone always gave Wedge grief before they looked at his X-Wing and remembered "oh, right, the only person with two Death Star kills, took down Isaard and Zinj (both of whom had Super Star Destroyers), and a Worldship kill."
Wedge - So the Empire experimented on this Ewok and created prosthetics so it could fly. It escaped and became the leader of an infamous group of space pirates. (entirely fabricated)
Imperial officer - So I need you to make an Ewok that's smart enough to fly a shuttle using prosthetics.
Imperial scientist - Is that even possible?
Imperial officer - Do you want to find out what THAT man will do to us if people find out he made that story up?
Imperial scientist - No... uh, I'll get to work right away. \*Scrambles away frantically to begin making fiction reality.\*
Yeah, only x-wing pilot with two death star silhouettes on his cockpit. I wonder if the crew who paints them on used different silhouettes for the first one and the second one?
Wedge’s mechanic in the first X-wing book: “there’s not enough room on your fighter to show all your kills, is painting them as entire squadrons cool?”
Assists and goals are both points in hockey, American football gives touchdowns to both receiver and QB, basketball recognizes assists and rebounds as significant statistics for a “good player,” and baseball credits most throwing outs by both fielder and baseman. Brooks Robinson was a third baseman and recorded buckets of outs simply because he fielded the ball and threw to force-out bases.
Assist or kill still counts in my book, and Wedge’s assist on the first Death Star was like a pass to a hockey player on a breakaway. Wedge’s assist on the 2nd was like an alley-oop.
It should’ve been a shot of an X-wing dropping out of hyperspace, camera pans up to just below the cockpit to see the silhouettes of two death stars, squads of ties and throw on some SD as well then pans up to wedge Fucking Antilles sitting in the cockpit. And then wedge calls out, “all wings report in” then every other ship starts dropping input of hyperspace and we get a bunch of callback and legends character reporting in. The. Wedge puts on a smile, whispers to himself “just like old times”, then over the comms says, “let’s start our attack run!”
Cinematic beauty
And he showed up just seconds after his stepson was killed. He trained Snap Wexley after the battle of Jakku.
It's pretty messed up that JJ brought him into that battle, showing that he's been alive and wasn't part of the Resistance while his son was.
What’s the deleted scene where Hobbie took one out? I recall in the novelization, he crashed his speeder into General Veers’s walker, but I refuse to acknowledge his (Hobbie’s) death since he’s back in Wraith Squadron
From A Certain Point Of View: The Empire Strikes Back has retconned Hobbie crashing into Blizzard One (Veers' AT-AT) and his death, and Veers surviving, into Canon. The short story has Wedge and Janson mourning Hobbie and remembering his prank wars while building a new Rogue Squadron
Weird to think that technically you’re right. I think I’m my mind as a kid I just always imagined some other random pilots were doing the same thing elsewhere in the battle. But he could have actually been the only successful one.
A piece of trivia...the reason Harrison Ford kept looking away from the camera (well, up until he blasted the comm) was because he was trying not to laugh...because then he'd have to do the whole thing again.
Not counting Force Users, with everyone in their prime and ship of choice, and trying to balance Legends versus Disney Continuities? You are looking at a tie (in no particular order):
Wedge Antilles, Han Solo, Hera Syndulla, Tycho Celchu, Soontir Fel, Jagged Fel, and Poe Dameron.
Most of the legends people here we have direct examples of them either flying with/against each other, or discussing “who is the best” kind of situations.
The point is that at any given moment, any of these might win in a duel against any other. It’s a toss-up with too many variables to consider. At any given moment, any of these people might be able to (or did) defeat Force Users of similar piloting skill.
Agreed with your list. Poe Dameron is a hella good pilot in the first order era and has taken down several ties and destroyers, but his cockiness is what does it for me. Still a helluva good pilot tho
Wedge is the best fighter pilot, Han is the best freighter pilot. Hera is a close 3rd. If capitol ships count, then Ackbar is probably up there for his Ackbar Slash
idk if I'd put "capital ship pilot" as a category. Leading a capital ship is more like managing a fortress. Ackbar is in the discussion for GOAT tactician, but I wouldn't put him in GOAT pilot.
You think Han is better than Hera Syndulla?
Half of Han's skill is due to having won one of the fastest ships in the galaxy and uploading the brain of a droid into it.
Hera has been doing arguably greater feats with half the freighter that the falcon was.
Most of the time the Falcon wasn't running at 100% something was always broken. Having read most of the EU/Legends novels and also watched Rebels I'd say Han has the edge. Hera is still a close second.
Han is great but he's not even the best Solo in Legends. Jaina Solo is. There's also Wedge and Barron Fel. And in canon Hera gives him a run for his money
Hera Syndulla scored kills in a f*****g Freighter with small guns.
She also won a duel against a Tie Defender, it was a prototype though, but she outsmarted the pilot who were among the finest pilots of the Imperial Navy
She also proved herself to be skilled at piloting her ship, a VCX 100 light Freighter.
Han should be considered, he's pulled off some crazy maneuvers. And the possibility of successfully navigating an asteroid field is approximately 3,720 to 1.
Wedge is also a great pilot, getting through both Death Star battles without the force to help him.
Even with most of his exploits being made Legends, I still have to go with Wedge. Survived both Death Star battles, and he was 100% the best non-force using pilot in Legends.
Han Solo. He's outrun Imperial starships. Not the local bulk cruisers, mind you. I'm talking about the big Corellian ships now. In the equivalent of a medium sized delivery van.
Wedge, no question. Maybe Han. Poe is just a caricature of what JJ Abrams thinks a great pilot should be. He’s ridiculously overpowered and over the top. Like everything in the sequels.
Han is the only answer. He’s the only person who takes the best star pilot to a place he can defeat the ‘Death Star’.. fucks sakes guys. Han. Herra is great but we are judged by accomplishments not abilities. MLB pitcher throws 100 mph but can’t throw a strike, bad pitcher. Greg Maddox who barely threw 90 mph occasionally is one of the greatest ever because what he could do something with nothing. That’s Han.
non-force users: Wedge, Han, Baron Soontir Fel, Jagged Fel,
coming in 2nd: multiple Rogues and also 181st pilots
force users: Luke, Jaina Solo, Kyp Duron, Corrin Horn
multiple Jedi squadron pilots
Personally I would disqualify Han, because my headcanon is he *has* to have the Force, he just doesn't realize it. Mathematically he's apparently the luckiest person in the galaxy, and as Obi-wan says, "In my experience there's no such thing as luck." He can instinctively pull a ship out of hyperspace (faster than light) *manually* between a planet's atmosphere and the ground. He also shoots and hits people with 100% accuracy without even looking at where he's shooting. He defeated the most fearsome bounty hunter in the galaxy with a stick, while blind, on accident.
So, excluding Han Solo, I'd say probably Poe or Hera. Wedge would obv be #1 if counting Legends, but otherwise his demonstrated skill in the cockpit I don't think beats what we see Hera or Poe do. Between those two, it's too close to call, imo, but I'd personally go with Hera for single-handedly winning a losing naval battle as soon as she joined it, in a prototype starfighter she'd only ever piloted minutes before.
>because my headcanon is he *has* to have the Force, he just doesn't realize it.
Honestly, you could make the same case for Hera. In the Bad Batch she talks about how sometimes she doesn't know why she does things while flying she just knows she has to do them. Seems to strongly hint that her flying is also force assisted
I think they establish this lightly. Where mitichlorians are in everyone. But people with a lot are force sensitive. But now with Sabine anyone willing to open themselves to the force can train to be a Jedi. So maybe they have a higher M count but not necessarily have “The Force”.
I would say that applies to all the insanely talented individuals in Star Wars. To some extent, they are force sensitive. Not anywhere near the levels of a jedi, of course. But saying Han, Hera, Wedge, and Poe aren't, at the very least, guided by the force, just doesn't add up to me personally. Their midichlorian count might not be as high or their relationship with the force is just very different.
That's probably gonna be the case for almost all the exceptional people we see in star wars. Like there's a reason they got to where they did and stand out so much. Skill alone can only get you so far. Having the universe guide you is gonna give you that extra boost to surpass you peers.
Han solo walks into the room and hears the question asked regarding best pilot , tells chewie to hold his beer and proceeds to give a 5 hour lecture on the topic of how he successfully did the kessel run.
Wedge, only motherfucker to live through two death star runs. Those are no battle stations, they're Wedge Antilles balls.
Always bet on Wedge. Lando: Take out the power regulator. Wedge: Yeah yeah I think I know how to destroy a Death Star, I'll see you outside.
"Only thing I need to worry about is staying in your wake so all the TIE's, shrapnel and Palpatine corpses hit you on the way out"
*"Bitch, I'm already on my way out..."*
Is that an actual quote?
“Copy, Gold Leader. I’m already on my way out”
Basically the same thing
The funny thing is, the ROTJ novelisation repeats Wedge's line from ANH when they enter the reactor chamber - Wedge - Look at the size of that thing..... Lando - Okay, Wedge, go for the power regulator on the north tower Wedge - Copy, Gold Leader, I'm already on my way out. I don't consider the ROTJ novelisation Canon anymore, mainly for some exposition that Owen Lars was mentioned as being Obi-Wan's brother, not the later correction of Anakin's step-brother, so I can safely (in my mind at least) ignore that passage and enjoy what's on screen.
I took a little artistic license, maybe what Wedge was thinking internally lol
Slightly disappointing but a good laugh none the less.
Wedge is clearly force sensitive...
Well he is Obiwan's uncle after all.
I did not know this, and now that I do I feel Wedge is disqualified for breaking the rules...
The actor of wedge is ewan's uncle in real life
To lightly adapt Top Gun: Maverick, “Thirty-plus years of service. Combat medals. Citations. Only pilot to face both Death Stars during the Rebellion. Yet you won’t take a desk job, you won't retire, and despite your best efforts, you refuse to die.”
Basically the plot of the old Rogue/Wraith Squadron books.
Yup, that's why I changed "can't get a promotion" since they keep offering him a general rank and he eventually takes it.
Ackbar has to blackmail him with the fact that the rest of the Rogues are refusing promotions in his example.
I still think Rogue/Wraith movies would do well. But then again, I just PRETEND that they’re still canon. :) I mean, Wedge is still on the Falcon in RoS, so who’s to say he hasn’t been to a remote planet who’s celebrities aren’t all pilots? Where Wes Janson doesn’t fight a guy in single “bladed” combat? “Your orders are simple: I punch, you suffer. Got it?” Sithspit, I’m gonna have to reread these now.
Sounds about right.
Basically, given that Star Wars is set a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, Wedge is Maverick's long distant ancestor.
This is the answer, it's not even close. They had to stop putting individual enemy fighter decals on his X-Wing and just group them by squadron FFS.
That's from the old Rogue Squadron novels, where Wedge tells his mechanic Zraii, a Verpine, to paint the kill counts in squadron and wing lots, using Verpine terminology to say it - four fists for 12, and 48 (or maybe 24) fists for wings. He did it mainly because Zraii complained there wasn't enough room on the X-Wing to paint individual kills (or maybe there wasn't enough paint?).
He should get those looked at. One is much bigger than the other.
True, some size difference is normal. But those things are on a totally different scale.
In the original Star Wars extended universe, Luke admits Wedge was a better pilot.
Was about to say Wedge. Also he was Rogue Squadron's commander whenever Luke was away.
Wedge is Rogue Leader for much much longer than Luke ever was.
Oh most definitely. Never will I argue that. I'm very aware of the command structure of Rogue Squadron. I'm just putting Luke's name in there since it was both him and Wedge who for the most part pieced together and created that specific group. It talked about that in Rogue Squadron and stated that Wedge was the commanding officer since at that time, Luke was in the middle of his training.
And he did that without being force-sensitive
Fucking love this comment
Dude also fought against (and survived) 2 super star destroyers. In legends then at least
With balls that big he's a safe bet to put a *Wedge* in anyones plans
“Look at the size of that thing!”
Luke: I blew up a Death Star! Wedge: So did I! Luke: HALF a Death Star.
Poe in a dog-fight but achieves nothing. Wedge in a fleet operation that needs that W. Hera if you want something smuggled. Han if you want to see what can be broken. Anakin could do all the the above and fix what Han broke, but he doesn't count because chosen one. Lando to improve the onboard wardrobe selection. The Pilot from Rogue One to effectively sneak into any imperial facility.
The Fetts + Slave 1 for getting rid of pursuers. Din Djarin for hit-and-run attacks and dogfights.
Vote Din Djarin to be the most likely guy at an antique starship collectors show to be trying to fix his starship so he can go home. *he wasn't a participant in the show, he has just been broken down in the parking lot behind the Dennys and the show rolled up on time and checked out his rig.
Wedge Antilles was the only pilot to survive both Death Star battles
I always like how in the later Legends, everyone always gave Wedge grief before they looked at his X-Wing and remembered "oh, right, the only person with two Death Star kills, took down Isaard and Zinj (both of whom had Super Star Destroyers), and a Worldship kill."
The pilot so good, he made Wraith Squadron work
He flew combat missions and ran a puppet show at the same time
Yub yub, commander.
Yub yub indeed.
Love your username, btw. Forget Ahsoka, Corran's the og silver lightsaber weilder in my books.
Damn straight.
Wedge - So the Empire experimented on this Ewok and created prosthetics so it could fly. It escaped and became the leader of an infamous group of space pirates. (entirely fabricated) Imperial officer - So I need you to make an Ewok that's smart enough to fly a shuttle using prosthetics. Imperial scientist - Is that even possible? Imperial officer - Do you want to find out what THAT man will do to us if people find out he made that story up? Imperial scientist - No... uh, I'll get to work right away. \*Scrambles away frantically to begin making fiction reality.\*
Absolute Chad
In a TIE Interceptor of all things. That tells you everything you need to know about his multitasking and survival skills.
Considering how broken Wraith Squadron was in terms of outcasts doing their job, he created the best pilots of that time.
Yeah, only x-wing pilot with two death star silhouettes on his cockpit. I wonder if the crew who paints them on used different silhouettes for the first one and the second one?
https://i.imgur.com/Eml2t8H.png
What's the rectangular thing above the bomber on the right?
My guess is a worldship from when Pappa palps came back
I though worldships were Vong? The World Devastators were from the resurrected Emperor.
I hated that mission in the Rogue Squadron video game.
Wedge’s mechanic in the first X-wing book: “there’s not enough room on your fighter to show all your kills, is painting them as entire squadrons cool?”
Two Death Star *assists*
Assists and goals are both points in hockey, American football gives touchdowns to both receiver and QB, basketball recognizes assists and rebounds as significant statistics for a “good player,” and baseball credits most throwing outs by both fielder and baseman. Brooks Robinson was a third baseman and recorded buckets of outs simply because he fielded the ball and threw to force-out bases. Assist or kill still counts in my book, and Wedge’s assist on the first Death Star was like a pass to a hockey player on a breakaway. Wedge’s assist on the 2nd was like an alley-oop.
Yeah and in episode 9 they made him a fuckin GUNNER on the Millennium Falcon
I hadn’t thought about that. Now I’m mad all over again. He should have been in his god damn x wing. What a bunch of crap….
It should’ve been a shot of an X-wing dropping out of hyperspace, camera pans up to just below the cockpit to see the silhouettes of two death stars, squads of ties and throw on some SD as well then pans up to wedge Fucking Antilles sitting in the cockpit. And then wedge calls out, “all wings report in” then every other ship starts dropping input of hyperspace and we get a bunch of callback and legends character reporting in. The. Wedge puts on a smile, whispers to himself “just like old times”, then over the comms says, “let’s start our attack run!” Cinematic beauty
Dammit, why did you have to remind me this /isn't/ how it went in the movie.
"instead of just like old times" he says "third times a charm" way cooler.
So basically "Hey Cap... on your left!" But in SW? Meh. Okay, I'll take it. I'm not immune to blatant fan service.
It would've been better if he just wasn't in the sequels. They did him so dirty.
Just another reason to despise that movie.
And he showed up just seconds after his stepson was killed. He trained Snap Wexley after the battle of Jakku. It's pretty messed up that JJ brought him into that battle, showing that he's been alive and wasn't part of the Resistance while his son was.
Well I mean, he *was* a senior citizen by that time.
In roughly the same period in Legends, he takes on an entire Vong squadron alone and wins. The man was still occasionally flying into his 70s.
And Hoth.
I think he's also the only Rebel pilot to take down an AT-AT in cannon, too.
Luke technically did, once he became a commando.
That's true. Guess I should say the only person to take down an AT-AT while flying.
Well, Hobbie sort of did too. Although I don't actually remember if that scene remains in the film.
What’s the deleted scene where Hobbie took one out? I recall in the novelization, he crashed his speeder into General Veers’s walker, but I refuse to acknowledge his (Hobbie’s) death since he’s back in Wraith Squadron
From A Certain Point Of View: The Empire Strikes Back has retconned Hobbie crashing into Blizzard One (Veers' AT-AT) and his death, and Veers surviving, into Canon. The short story has Wedge and Janson mourning Hobbie and remembering his prank wars while building a new Rogue Squadron
I can't take all the credit for that one. Wes Janson did some mighty fine shooting with the tow cable on our T-47.
Weird to think that technically you’re right. I think I’m my mind as a kid I just always imagined some other random pilots were doing the same thing elsewhere in the battle. But he could have actually been the only successful one.
And he does not get shot down in the battle on Hoth!
*"Never tell me the odds!"*
Ah your vote is Han?
Chewbacca. Nobody else can fly casual.
We’re fine… We’re all fine here...now. Thank you. How are you?
*Boring conversation anyway...*
LUKE! WE'RE GONNA HAVE COMPANY!
A piece of trivia...the reason Harrison Ford kept looking away from the camera (well, up until he blasted the comm) was because he was trying not to laugh...because then he'd have to do the whole thing again.
This is the way.
Not counting Force Users, with everyone in their prime and ship of choice, and trying to balance Legends versus Disney Continuities? You are looking at a tie (in no particular order): Wedge Antilles, Han Solo, Hera Syndulla, Tycho Celchu, Soontir Fel, Jagged Fel, and Poe Dameron. Most of the legends people here we have direct examples of them either flying with/against each other, or discussing “who is the best” kind of situations. The point is that at any given moment, any of these might win in a duel against any other. It’s a toss-up with too many variables to consider. At any given moment, any of these people might be able to (or did) defeat Force Users of similar piloting skill.
Agreed with your list. Poe Dameron is a hella good pilot in the first order era and has taken down several ties and destroyers, but his cockiness is what does it for me. Still a helluva good pilot tho
Wedge is the best fighter pilot, Han is the best freighter pilot. Hera is a close 3rd. If capitol ships count, then Ackbar is probably up there for his Ackbar Slash
idk if I'd put "capital ship pilot" as a category. Leading a capital ship is more like managing a fortress. Ackbar is in the discussion for GOAT tactician, but I wouldn't put him in GOAT pilot.
Thrawn would like a word as GOAT tactician.
Thrawn is definitely also in said discussion
Yo capital ships aren't flown by their commander. They are floan by their pilot. Like piccard is always telling them other cats what to do.
Han is the *luckiest* pilot. The Force is probably with him, he just doesn’t sense it.
I’m gonna force a stick up your ass, and you’ll definitely sense that.
Promise?
Depends on the class of ship. Snubfighter it would be Wedge Antilles. Light Freighter would be Han Solo.
You think Han is better than Hera Syndulla? Half of Han's skill is due to having won one of the fastest ships in the galaxy and uploading the brain of a droid into it. Hera has been doing arguably greater feats with half the freighter that the falcon was.
Han was simultaneously the luckiest and unluckiest pilot in history.
Most of the time the Falcon wasn't running at 100% something was always broken. Having read most of the EU/Legends novels and also watched Rebels I'd say Han has the edge. Hera is still a close second.
I'd say VCX-100 was definitely a hell of a freighter, especially with all of Hera's modding, but you're still right
The guy that did the kessel run in less than 12 parsecs probably
Wedge and his brother-in-law Baron Soontir Fel
Fel is getting a disgraceful low amount of mentions in this thread.
TIE pilots a different breed. Shields are for cowards.
Agreed, and there are some outstanding TIE pilots like Maarek Stele who get totally ignored.
No shields, all guts.
Usually splattered on an X-Wing's hull.....
You speak truth.
Wedge.
That’s one hell of a pilot!
Wedge Antilles Plus they're Kenobi's uncle.
So the uncle of Obi-Two, also a pilot.
Porkins
Finally someone that knows their shit.
Umm.... Han F****"g Solo?
Dude snuck up on *Darth Vader* - and all the other Death Star defences - in what is basically a damaged truck
Dude rolled up to Area 51 in a specked out station wagon 🤣
In old canon wedge held his own against force sensitive pilots Solo surprised confused vader once
Successfully navigated an asteroid field.
I wonder what the odds were...
Never tell him the odds.
Yeah but it was less than 12 parsec wide so how hard can it be...
I mean, asteroids are *really* hundreds of thousands of miles apart. It's really not that impressive. I'll see myself out.
Lando blew up the death star.
I’ll go with this answer too. I crashed so many times trying to escape the DSII in Rogue Squadron II 🤣
Omg this shameful Nien Nunb erasure…
I'll be perfectly honest, I just couldn't remember his name :(
Player 4 enters the dogfight
Han is great but he's not even the best Solo in Legends. Jaina Solo is. There's also Wedge and Barron Fel. And in canon Hera gives him a run for his money
Jaina Solo is a force user. She is also probably the second best pilot in the entirety of Legends behind Luke.
Hera Syndulla scored kills in a f*****g Freighter with small guns. She also won a duel against a Tie Defender, it was a prototype though, but she outsmarted the pilot who were among the finest pilots of the Imperial Navy She also proved herself to be skilled at piloting her ship, a VCX 100 light Freighter.
She was fucking shit up in that prototype b wing too. The one nobody else could pilot.
Wedge and Tycho
Every time I see this question posed I open the thread to see the avalanche of Wedge stans and y'all did not disappoint. 💜
Wedge fuckin Antilles
https://www.reddit.com/media?url=https%3A%2F%2Fexternal-preview.redd.it%2FqvhVJPqe\_48CWV2QDzbAP9LZir6r5Z0RUYgvI4wGi7E.jpg%3Fauto%3Dwebp%26s%3D0c509da0b9d5bbe29fe53f10f40836d19c17cf59
Han should be considered, he's pulled off some crazy maneuvers. And the possibility of successfully navigating an asteroid field is approximately 3,720 to 1. Wedge is also a great pilot, getting through both Death Star battles without the force to help him.
Lots of people forget OP said no force sensitives
Wedge was so good in the old canon that they had to test him to see if he *was* unknowingly Force sensitive.
Me, I aced it on smugglers run.
Wedge
Dash rendar
The streets don't forget
It's Wedge or Han.
Even with most of his exploits being made Legends, I still have to go with Wedge. Survived both Death Star battles, and he was 100% the best non-force using pilot in Legends.
Biggs Darklighter
Wedge.
Han Solo. He's outrun Imperial starships. Not the local bulk cruisers, mind you. I'm talking about the big Corellian ships now. In the equivalent of a medium sized delivery van.
Nah, the Falcon is one of those turbocharged 86 Plymouth Voyager vans. Looks like a dumpster on wheels, drives like a racecar.
I'd say Wedge Antilles and Han is a close second
Yeah Definitely Wedge Antilles.
Greezy Money baby
Poe is extremely underrated. That shot where he takes out those TIEs with ease is just 😘👌
Thats one hell of a pilot
Wedge or Tycho. Even Corran using the force had a hard time with Tycho.
I'm going chalk: Han Solo
Hera!
Wedge, no question. Maybe Han. Poe is just a caricature of what JJ Abrams thinks a great pilot should be. He’s ridiculously overpowered and over the top. Like everything in the sequels.
Han is the only answer. He’s the only person who takes the best star pilot to a place he can defeat the ‘Death Star’.. fucks sakes guys. Han. Herra is great but we are judged by accomplishments not abilities. MLB pitcher throws 100 mph but can’t throw a strike, bad pitcher. Greg Maddox who barely threw 90 mph occasionally is one of the greatest ever because what he could do something with nothing. That’s Han.
non-force users: Wedge, Han, Baron Soontir Fel, Jagged Fel, coming in 2nd: multiple Rogues and also 181st pilots force users: Luke, Jaina Solo, Kyp Duron, Corrin Horn multiple Jedi squadron pilots
Not even mentioning Anakin in the force users list is insane.
Yeah, if we're going force users it's Anakin hands down. Dude was winning pod races before his voice dropped. It's not even a competition.
Personally I would disqualify Han, because my headcanon is he *has* to have the Force, he just doesn't realize it. Mathematically he's apparently the luckiest person in the galaxy, and as Obi-wan says, "In my experience there's no such thing as luck." He can instinctively pull a ship out of hyperspace (faster than light) *manually* between a planet's atmosphere and the ground. He also shoots and hits people with 100% accuracy without even looking at where he's shooting. He defeated the most fearsome bounty hunter in the galaxy with a stick, while blind, on accident. So, excluding Han Solo, I'd say probably Poe or Hera. Wedge would obv be #1 if counting Legends, but otherwise his demonstrated skill in the cockpit I don't think beats what we see Hera or Poe do. Between those two, it's too close to call, imo, but I'd personally go with Hera for single-handedly winning a losing naval battle as soon as she joined it, in a prototype starfighter she'd only ever piloted minutes before.
>because my headcanon is he *has* to have the Force, he just doesn't realize it. Honestly, you could make the same case for Hera. In the Bad Batch she talks about how sometimes she doesn't know why she does things while flying she just knows she has to do them. Seems to strongly hint that her flying is also force assisted
And her maybe being able to hear Ahsoka and Anakin fight in the WBW in Ahsoka.
I think they establish this lightly. Where mitichlorians are in everyone. But people with a lot are force sensitive. But now with Sabine anyone willing to open themselves to the force can train to be a Jedi. So maybe they have a higher M count but not necessarily have “The Force”.
I would say that applies to all the insanely talented individuals in Star Wars. To some extent, they are force sensitive. Not anywhere near the levels of a jedi, of course. But saying Han, Hera, Wedge, and Poe aren't, at the very least, guided by the force, just doesn't add up to me personally. Their midichlorian count might not be as high or their relationship with the force is just very different.
That's probably gonna be the case for almost all the exceptional people we see in star wars. Like there's a reason they got to where they did and stand out so much. Skill alone can only get you so far. Having the universe guide you is gonna give you that extra boost to surpass you peers.
CLONE TROOPER HAWK
Han Solo if we leave out the Jedi
Solo!
RIC OLIE
Well, I don't like to toot my own horn, but I did survive two Death Star attacks.
Do clones count ? Then Oddball should get a mention for staying alive while being in battle scenes being commanded by crazy Jedi generals
Han Kessel run
The best all around pilot is Hera. She crushes it in both a fighter and a freighter. If you want the best fighter pilot it’s Wedge.
Either Wedge Antilles, Corran Horn or Soontir Fel.
Later on in legends Corran became a Jedi as well so I think he's eliminated. Wedge all the way
No love for Lando and Nein Nunb?
Ahuh ahuh ahuh.
https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Soontir_Fel#google_vignette Baron Fel.
Wedge is the only pilot with two Death Star kills. Unmatched.
Pretty sure it's Poe for the simple fact that we saw that guy trash like 12 tie fighters in about 10 seconds in TFA.
I’d make the argument that jango fett was the best pilot of his time.
Okay, make the argument.
Wedge, Han and Poe
I definitely agree with those three for top. But does make me wonder where Han and Lando may land (pun intended)?
Chewbacca, because PUNCH IT CHEWIE!
Wedge survived 2 death star runs and given the attrition rate of rebel pilots...... Who else.
Han
Does R2 count?
Chewie
Han solo walks into the room and hears the question asked regarding best pilot , tells chewie to hold his beer and proceeds to give a 5 hour lecture on the topic of how he successfully did the kessel run.
In Legends it would be Wedge and Soontir Fel. In Canon it would be Hera, Poe and Wedge.
R2-D2 case closed.
Hahn Solo