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- "Red Leader standing by."
- ―Wedge Antilles
Red Leader, Wedge Antilles, exits the second Death Star just prior to its destruction
Red Leader was the call sign of the Commander of Red Squadron. There were a number of starfighter squadrons with this name, and several pilots went by the call sign "Red Leader."
Contents
History[]
Galactic Republic[]
Tsui Choi flew as Red Leader with his Jedi starfighter squadron,[1] and led his Jedi Delta-7 starfighter pilots, including Aayla Secura, into battle against the forces of Commander Merai at the Battle of Kamino.[2]
A Red Leader also commanded a Republic starfighter squadron of the same name, consisting of clone trooper pilots and their V-19 Torrent starfighters, at the Battle of Muunilinst.[3]
During the recapture of Tythe and the Battle of Coruscant,[4] Obi-Wan Kenobi led Red Squadron, flying in his Jedi Interceptor along with Anakin Skywalker, as Red Five and a squadron of ARC-170 starfighters led by Commander Davijaan.
Rebel Alliance[]
In 1 BBY, Lieutenant Hamo Blastwell was Red Leader of the Rebel Alliance's Red Squadron aboard the Mon Calamari Star Cruiser Independence, leading Keyan Farlander on his first mission.[5]
In 0 BBY, Garven Dreis[6] served as Red Leader at the Alliance's Massassi Base on Yavin 4, leading his pilots against the Death Star in the Battle of Yavin, during which Dreis was killed by Darth Vader.[7]
Luke Skywalker flew as Red Leader for a reconnaissance mission to Kamino,[8] an ambush in the Ison Corridor[9] and later, a skirmish at Chinshassa.[10]
Approximately two years after the Battle of Yavin, Lieutenant Commander Bakki Sourthol was Red Leader,[1] commanding an X-wing squadron with Reekeene's Roughnecks in the Fakir sector.[11]
During the Battle of Endor, Wedge Antilles flew as Red Leader, commanding the squadron formerly flying as Rogue Squadron. He led Red Squadron into the superstructure of the second Death Star, and, along with Gold Leader Lando Calrissian, destroyed the battle station.[12] Following that battle, Red Squadron was once more renamed Rogue Squadron,[13] although Antilles flew with the Rogues as Red Leader on at least one occasion.[14]
Shortly after the Alliance's victory at Endor, another Red Leader—the youngest of the Rebel squadron leaders of the Bakura task force—led an element of Red Squadron tasked with maintaining an escape cone for Rogue and Gold Squadrons during the planet's invasion by the Ssi-ruuvi Imperium, and later in the battle destroyed a Ssi-ruuvi Wurrif-class light cruiser.[15]
New Republic[]
A few months after the Battle of Endor, another Red Leader led a Red Squadron in defending a Star Tours travel agency StarSpeeder 3000 from Imperial TIE fighters when the civilian vessel accidentally ended up in the midst of the squadron's battle to destroy a Death Star-like space station.[16]
Commander Mirith Sinn flew a tandem X-wing starfighter as Red Leader in the Battle of Smarck.[17]
Wedge Antilles again flew as Red Leader on a mission to the planet Adumar.[18]
During the the Black Fleet Crisis, BTL-S8 K-wing assault starfighter pilot Esege Tuketu led the New Republic Fifth Battle Group's Red Flight as Red Leader, with Skids as his gunner.[19]
Behind the scenes[]
The novelization of A New Hope identifies the film's Gold Leader, Jon "Dutch" Vander, as Red Leader.[7][20]
Appearances[]
Sources[]
- A Guide to the Star Wars Universe
- X-Wing: The Official Strategy Guide
- Galaxy Guide 5: Return of the Jedi, Second Edition
- Star Wars Technical Journal of the Rebel Forces
- Alliance Intelligence Reports
- The Essential Guide to Characters
Star Wars Customizable Card Game – Premiere Limited (Card: Red Leader) (backup link)- Star Wars Customizable Card Game – Premiere Limited (Card: Red 1) (backup link)
- Star Wars: The Roleplaying Game, Second Edition, Revised and Expanded
- Star Wars: The Official Starships & Vehicles Collection 8
- Star Wars Fandex Deluxe Edition
- The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia
- Star Wars: The Card Game – Core Set (Card: Red Two)
- Star Wars: The Card Game – Core Set (Card: Rebel Assault)
- Star Wars: The Card Game – Core Set (Card: X-Wing Escort)
- Stay on Target
Notes and references[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia
- ↑ Republic 50
- ↑
Star Wars: Clone Wars – "Chapter 10"
- ↑ Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith
- ↑ X-Wing: The Official Strategy Guide
- ↑
Star Wars Customizable Card Game – Premiere Limited (Card: Red Leader) (backup link)
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope
- ↑ Rebel Force: Firefight
- ↑ Star Wars: Rogue Squadron II: Rogue Leader
- ↑ Star Wars (1977) 60
- ↑ Alliance Intelligence Reports
- ↑ Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi
- ↑ Galaxy Guide 5: Return of the Jedi (Second Edition)
- ↑ X-Wing Rogue Squadron Special
- ↑ The Truce at Bakura
- ↑ Star Tours
- ↑ Crimson Empire II: Council of Blood 5
- ↑ X-Wing: Starfighters of Adumar
- ↑ Before the Storm
- ↑ Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope novel
