Wedge Antillies started as a mere background character in the original trilogy movies. He was the sole survivor of all 3, survivor of 2 Death Stars and the Battle of Hoth. He had very few lines.
Wedge gets a big boost in the Thrawn trilogy when he and the Rogues join the heroes in winning the Katana fleet and fighting Thrawn. This is followed by his own series X-Wing, leading up into how the Alliance took Coruscant. Then the Rogues get their own comic series, set before that.
Antillies was given temporary command of the Rogues when Luke went off to work on his Jedi training and save Han from Jabba. (Shadows of the Empire)
During the battle of Endor, Rogue Squadron was temporarily renamed by Wedge in honor of their roots in Red Squadron. Some of the pilots were scattered to fill out other squadrons.
After the battle of Endor, Luke was given his first battlegroup at Bakura. This mission was instigated by Wedge, when he had a close encounter with an Imperial message drone which tried to self destruct. The drone’s message encouraged the Alliance to check out Bakura’s situation. Wedge remained in command of the squadron while there. (Truce at Bakura)
Afterward Luke invited Wedge and some his fellow Rogues on a recon mission to Corellia. At the end of the adventure there, he told Wedge that he would have less and less time to fly with them and handed over command. This made Wedge Antillies Rogue Leader AKA Rogue One, and put him in position of rebuilding the squadron. (Dark Horse Comics, Rogue Leader)
Wedge rebuilt Rogue Squadron, leaving only the survivors of Tycho Celchu, Wes Janson and Hobbie Klivian from the original group. (Follow these adventures in Dark Horse Comics X-Wing Rogue Squadron series)
Wedge having led the Rogues into a victory that wins its way to Coruscant, goes on to form and lead Wraith squadron. This led to him being made general. But this was with the condition that he could still, at times, fly with Rogue squadron. (X-Wing Novels)
Wedge’s parents were Jagged and Zena Antillies. They were responsible for the Gus Treta Space station in the Corellian sector. Sadly, they sacrificed themselves to save the station when pirates caused an explosion and fuel leak that could’ve destroyed it.
Wedge’s sister, Syal Antillies, had gone off to become the movie star, stage name Wynssa Starflare. She in turn married Soontir Fel. (This led to some awkwardness as Fel was a top Imperial pilot).
This left Wedge alone in the care of Smuggler Booster Terrik. He became close friends, like a brother, to Mirax Terrik. He introduced her to her husband Corran Horn (whose father in CorSec once arrested Terrik.)
Having insurance payout and the help of Smuggler Booster Terrik he became a trader.
Wedge’s earliest love was Mala Tinero, who he lost to the Empire. At this point he becomes a weapon smuggler for the Alliance, before becoming an X-Wing Pilot.
Wedge finds a first love with Qwi Xux, a deceived Imperial scientist who was brainwashed into helping design the first Death Star. However, eventually they break up, though remaining friends, and he finally marries Iella, a former Corellian Security agent and current Alliance Intelligence agent. They go on to have 2 daughters, Myri and Syal.
As late as the Yuuzhan Vong War, he was still flying, though it was rarer due to arthritis. He was highly successful once Coruscant to the Vong and the reluctant government was no longer in the way. At this point he finally met one of his nephews, Jagged Fel.
Wedge was close to Biggs Darklighter and Jek Porkins. Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Leia and company. He also stayed close to his Rogue friends, including Janson, Hobbie, Gavin Darkligher and Corran Horn.
The marriage of his nephew, Jag Fel, to Jaina Solo, daughter of Han and Leia Solo connects him to the infamous Skywalker/Solo clan.
Wedge was Luke’s second in command at the Battle of Hoth and Gall and regularly stood in as leader when Luke was away.
He reformed the Rogues when they shrank due to attrition and led the Rogues to victory at Brentaal V, Mrlsst, Eiattu, and perhaps most importantly Coruscant.
When Ysanne Isard fled Coruscant and an internal coup by the Xucphra bacta cartel put her in charge of Thyferra, a world with a monopoly on bacta, Wedge quit. Bacta was a prime ingredient in medicine, critical for any emergency. Yet the New Republic government could not officially sanction going after her. They might be seen as a conquering tyrant for interfering with internal politics. Wedge followed Corran Horn’s instant resignation, knowing that someone had to stop her, sanctioned or not. In the process they assisted the native ashern and competing Zaaltin bacta cartel free their planet, as well as capture her super star destroyer, the Lusankya.
Later, he finally agreed to accept the rank of General, on the condition he could still fly with the squadron and remain in command. He aided in the rescue of the Lusankya prisoners, who had been scattered when Isard took the ship and fled Coruscant. He also aided in bringing Adumar to the Republic. These are only a few of his victories after the second Death Star was destroyed and the Emperor’s death at Vader’s hand.
After the Vong war he again retired, only to be caught in the middle between the Galactic Alliance government and his homeworld of Corellia. He tried to stay neutral, however trickery on the part of Galactic Alliance leaders who pre-emptively arrested him, led him to joining up with the Corellians. He was also caught between family and friends as Rogue Squadron still flew for the Galactic Alliance, and one of his daughters was among them.
Through it all, Wedge Antillies remained a great friend to the Jedi Order.
Stories with Wedge Antillies
- Rogue Leader (comic)
- X-Wing Rogue Squadron (comics)
- X-Wing (9 novels)
- Rogue Squadron I, 2, 3, Rogue Leader (games)
- Choices of One
- Thrawn Trilogy (Dark Force Rising/Last Command)
- Jedi Academy Trilogy
- Thrawn Duology
- Union
- New Jedi Order: especially Rebel Dream & Rebel Stand
- Legacy of the Force
Minor Appearances:
- Crimson Empire (Dark Horse Comics)
- Dark Empire (Dark Horse Comics)
