r/StarWars • u/same1224 Baby Yoda • 4d ago
How would you rank these six from best to worst pilot? General Discussion
8.1k
u/HaunterOfTheDark666 4d ago
Anakin may be the best pilot while flying but he can't be first because he crashes everything he touches.
1.8k
u/LikeBladeButCooler Resistance 3d ago
Anakin whining about not doing things his way and Obi-Wan responding "We crashed the ship your way." will forever be my favorite CW interaction.
626
59
→ More replies19
u/Kryostar 3d ago
Also, "at least you're a Master at getting caught". I laughed for a good few minutes.
2.3k
u/DarkLordLiam 4d ago
Most expensive pilot the Republic ever had flying for them
How many billions of credits worth of ships?
899
u/betterthanamaster 3d ago
Not to mention billions worth of credits in property damage…
496
u/dsdvbguutres 3d ago
"Those contractors knew what they were doing"
310
u/LeicaM6guy 3d ago
You know, any contractor willing to work on that Death Star knew the risks. If they were killed, it was their own fault. A roofer listens to [his heart]…not his wallet.
126
u/tearfueledkarma 3d ago
Andor may have solved that issue.. contractors.. no. Prison labor.
→ More replies49
u/LeicaM6guy 3d ago
One way out, so long as you’ve kept up to date with your union dues.
→ More replies→ More replies18
100
u/HaunterOfTheDark666 3d ago
"Try not to suck dick on the way to the parking lot!"
59
→ More replies20
u/breakfromreality79 3d ago
Truth. But Luke destroying the death star definitely tops property damage
→ More replies133
u/raknor88 3d ago
He was also the bane of the separatists. He crashed many of their ships too. I'm not talking about the fighters and droids he destroyed. He crashed several Separatist shuttles and battleships.
169
u/Bob_JediBob 3d ago
He crashed a venator that’s probably a couple billion credits there alone.
→ More replies152
u/TheWomandolorian 3d ago
Tbf he only crashed half the venator
137
u/YakiVegas 3d ago
Nah, you're thinking of the Providence Class Dreadnaught that was Grievous' flagship, the Invisible Hand. That was a CIS ship anyway, so I'm pretty sure the Republic would call that a win. Parts of it were put on display later in the Invisible Hand Cantina on Coruscant as well so that's bonus points in my book.
56
u/RaHarmakis 3d ago
Add on that it was the Clones that blew up the Invisible Hand not Anakin. All he did was give Dooku a very short haircut, and save the Chancellor.
You can't lay Coruscant damage at the feet of Anakin. If anything, bringing the half down that did, somewhat under control, likely saved lives and property.
→ More replies38
→ More replies25
u/Western_Roman 3d ago
The REAL reason he became Vader; since he’s “not Anakin” it’s not his debt (anymore). /s
→ More replies132
u/JMoney689 3d ago
Luke should get some flak for the same reasoning. He would have been shot down in 4 had Han not bailed him out, crashed a snowspeeder on Hoth, and an X-Wing on Dagobah, which very luckily hit water and not solid ground. Also crashed a speeder on Endor if that counts for anything.
→ More replies78
u/danishjuggler21 3d ago
Now that you mention it, Luke dodged hundreds and hundreds of turbolasers in the battle of Yavin, but then like two Imperial Walkers with their stupid little lasers took him out. Weren’t even really turrets, right?
Luke dropped the ball hard as a pilot on Hoth.
→ More replies41
u/Tjep2k 3d ago
They do explain that turbolaser towers were designed to fight capital ships and fighters are too agile for them to target well. The snowspeeders are slower and the AT-AT's could target them faster/guess their flight paths easier.
22
u/JMoney689 3d ago
Yeah, the only reason snowspeeders were used over X-Wings in that fight was they had FAR more maneuverability in-atmosphere.
→ More replies95
272
u/Dimensionalanxiety 3d ago
He crashes everything he touches and survives. That's what makes him the best pilot. Everyone else would have died.
→ More replies128
368
u/DarkLordSidious Darth Sidious 3d ago
Tbf he is probably the best even while crashing.
267
u/HaunterOfTheDark666 3d ago
I guess any landing you can walk away from is a good one, but for fuck sake Anakin/Vader land a damn ship that can take off again.
147
u/DKLancer 3d ago
too busy standing on top of his TIE fighter making a dramatic entrance to learn how to land.
→ More replies36
u/Glorious_Jo 3d ago
Fun fact totally not pulled out of my ass but that's why Vader chooses to stand on top of the TIE Fighter. He knows he can't land it any other way, if he's inside the cockpit he'll just inevitably crash it and that's not a suitable entrance when you're trying to be serious and intimidating.
→ More replies→ More replies57
u/AlanharTheRiver 3d ago
and that's where Hera takes the cake in survivability. the majority of her few crash landings left the ship in well enough condition that it could be repaired.
144
u/DragonTigerSword 3d ago
The Star Wars version of Launchpad McQuack.
→ More replies48
u/ZC3rr0r 3d ago
Thanks for that comment, I actually LOLed reading that.
Interestingly, neither Duck Tales nor Darkwing Duck ever did a proper Star Wars parody, unlike just about every cartoon in the ninetees.I did find this fan-made poster though: https://br.pinterest.com/pin/321725967102000354/
41
u/requiemofchaos 3d ago
Gets kinda funny when you remember that Jim Cummings, the voice of Darkwing Duck, later went on to be Hondo Ohnaka, who is arguably the most popular TCW character after Ahsoka (to the point that he's the star of the Millennium Falcon: Smuggler's Run ride at Disneyland and Disney World).
→ More replies18
→ More replies25
u/Insanik_mb 3d ago
He always crashes perfectly so that it’s timed as soon as he’s walking away it explodes and makes him look cool
44
u/Aggravating_Set_7523 3d ago
A jedi is never late nor is he early, he crashes precisely when he means to.
→ More replies28
105
→ More replies18
497
u/Sphader 3d ago
I always just remember Vader attacking the ghost and completely fucking it up solo, and in the Vader comic when he jumps into a training exercise of rebel pilots and grounds them all solo including Luke by himself.
Now Vader/Anakin does also crash... Everything, always, all the time, it's basically a gag how often he does it.
→ More replies79
u/levelzero2019 3d ago
But he flies all the time, like Harrison Ford, he always sticks the landing and survives.
3.2k
u/H6IL_S6T6N 4d ago
Where’s porkins?
4.5k
u/Spodson 4d ago •
::Gestures to a two mile long smear on the Death Star::
666
u/hybridtheory1331 4d ago
Too soon.
→ More replies201
→ More replies423
184
u/Seraphzerox 4d ago
Is he safe? Is he alright?
→ More replies57
32
u/gatorbeetle 3d ago
Insert porkins.gif here
The one with the fried chicken...classic
→ More replies→ More replies18
1.7k
u/Reginald_Musgrave
3d ago
•
Lando did the Death Star Trench Run without either guidance software or the force. Just saying. He will always be the best pilot in my heart.
948
u/franklsp 3d ago edited 3d ago
And he did it in the galaxy's equivalent of a double trailer Mack truck that he was just BORROWING.
Most impressive.
425
u/mrsegraves 3d ago
Yeah but the Falcon was his before it was Han's. Like riding a bike
→ More replies→ More replies47
u/awesome-yes 3d ago
That he won running a con game, lost to a con game, and is now borrowing it from the guy who conned him after trying to have that same guy permanently installed as modern art in a gangsters throne room.
→ More replies→ More replies239
2.0k
u/ThatMatthewKid 4d ago
Ok, but I think it depends.
I would imagine Han is better at flying freighters than Poe, for example, but Poe would trounce him at piloting an X-Wing or other starfighter.
996
→ More replies567
u/GenXUser 3d ago
Hera can fly both freighters and starfighters.
525
u/Badvevil 3d ago
Hera can fly a glider while stoned out of her mind
102
u/L-Guy_21 3d ago
I just watched the episode yesterday! Broke my fucking heart because I knew what was coming.
35
u/Badvevil 3d ago
My wife just watched it yesterday for her first time it’s rough sitting there when you already know what’s coming
22
→ More replies16
→ More replies117
168
u/AlanharTheRiver 3d ago
she's flown heavier freighters, light ships, shuttles, experimental fighters such as the B-six, practically every type of starfighter to have major appearances on-screen x-wing, a-wing, y-wing, I think that she even flew a TIE fighter), a corvette a couple of times (hammerhead and i think a cr-90), even taken the helm of a quasar-fire class carrier when they were commandeering it.
and Hera has flown them well. true jack of all trades pilot and that's not even counting range of skills with each ship and the logistical parts (command skills, piloting skills for different types of situations, ability to solve problems when in flight, repairs, etc.)
135
u/jekyl42 3d ago
Yeah, Hera is likely the most experienced and talented pilot in the graphic. Anakin is perhaps the best pilot, but Hera has a lot more to offer AND she doesn't rely on the Force.
Personally, I vote Syndulla.
→ More replies23
u/StanleyRoper 3d ago
Anyone outside of the Empire that gets Thrawn's respect as a tactition and pilot gets my vote too.
→ More replies→ More replies92
3.0k
u/Ohgood9002 4d ago
Im interested in why people are ranking Poe above Wedge. Wedge has a much more impressive track record
242
u/Dayman_ah-uh-ahhh 4d ago
Man survived both and was responsible for one of two successful Death Star assaults.
→ More replies120
u/Tfsz0719 3d ago
Survived Hoth too. Which was a slaughter as far as on the battlefield rebel fighters went
Heck, he took down an AT-AT with a freakin’ tow cable.
→ More replies37
u/captain_ender 3d ago
His Xwing just littered with Trooper skulls.
→ More replies26
u/Sere1 Sith 3d ago
Fun fact, that actually happened in the Legends version of events. He had so many kill tallies post-Endor that his mechanic had to start painting them in a different color since they were running out of room for his individual kills and instead had to start marking how many squadrons he has shot down.
2.2k
u/OhioForever10 Cassian Andor 4d ago
And he taught Poe in canon flight school. Legends Wedge is the GOAT non-force sensitive pilot
651
u/ForceGhost47 3d ago
Top Gun
1.2k
u/OhioForever10 Cassian Andor 3d ago
"Your instructor is one of the finest pilots this program has ever produced. His exploits... are legendary. Thirty-plus years of service. Combat medals, citations. Only pilot to face down two Death Stars. Yet he won't take a promotion, won't retire, and despite his best efforts he refuses to die."
494
u/HiImNickOk 3d ago
Talk to me, Biggs
→ More replies175
84
u/captain_ender 3d ago
Goddamnit this only makes me more salty on the Rogue Squadron cancelation. Literally Star Wars: Top Gun
→ More replies20
u/OhioForever10 Cassian Andor 3d ago
Jenkins said in mid-December I believe that it was still in development!
19
184
36
78
u/Andoverian 3d ago
In Legends, Wedge does get promoted. By the time of the NJO he's an Admiral leading a whole fleet, reporting (such as it is) directly to Ackbar.
67
u/OhioForever10 Cassian Andor 3d ago
I know, he just kept turning them down in most of the X-Wing novels (and the original Top Gun line is "can't get a promotion" so I had to change it somehow)
→ More replies→ More replies15
u/Curious-Accident9189 3d ago
He won a battle he was trying to lose in Legends, and then, just for shits and giggles, stole a starfighter, killed a whole squadron of more advanced biological ships with black hole shields with fucking ease, then one of his most junior former pilots called him up and was like, "Goddamn I don't who you are or why you're ignoring orders to pursue suicide missions, but even Wedge Antilles would be somewhat impressed by your flying and he's the deadliest pilot in the galaxy."
I'd like to emphasize that he won the battle he planned to lose by using a Super Star Destroyer as a fucking spear to kill a Yuuzhan Vong Worldship. Which is basically an angry, armed fucking continent.
→ More replies→ More replies15
82
u/RPGeoffrey 3d ago
Legends, I miss Tycho, it was cool having a character that was definitively better at a high skill task than force users. Gave the impression that the force made it easier, didn't make you innately better than all non force users.
32
u/tfemmbian 3d ago
Tycho, Corran, Ooryl, Face, Dia, Asyr...
So many good stories about normal (y'know, by Star Wars standards) people
→ More replies28
u/Cannibal_Soup 3d ago
Corran turned out to be not only Force sensitive, but became a Jedi in Legends.
Face, and Piggy, and Runt, hell all of Alston's characters were amazing.
→ More replies67
u/GhostlyTJ 3d ago
Wedge was so good that the force users who flew against him struggled. Didn't Corran say Tycho (who was a solid number 2) was nearly impossible to predict because of how quickly he'd pick up and drop a plan when it didn't work? Basically just flowing with the situation so fluidly it was nearly random? I loved I, jedi.
→ More replies→ More replies170
u/We_The_Raptors 3d ago
Barron Fel would like a word.
Did y'all know there's a kid in the Legends continuity with Skywalker, Solo, Antilles and Fel blood? Talk about goated genetics when it comes to pilot skill lol. I think it's funny to imagine that kid was like Obi Wan and just always despised flying.
127
3d ago edited 1d ago
[deleted]
→ More replies36
u/RogerTheAliens Jar Jar Binks 3d ago
whose justice, then? Remember, we speak now of the Muad'Dib who ordered battle drums made from his enemies' skins…
Muad’Dib and the Fremen could’ve made mince meat of the republic forces, empire, and rebels…at least on Tatooine…
Anakin’s only weakness is sand…
→ More replies18
u/SurfandStarWars 3d ago
Sand isn’t a weakness, it’s a strength. He hates sand. Hate makes him powerful. He would have single-handedly massacred anyone and anything on Arrakis.
→ More replies38
97
u/FattyESQ 4d ago
I'll venture a guess that Poe is fresher is the minds of most people, and also that most of Wedge's exploits weren't in the main movies and people may not be aware of his CV. And I mean that to describe how impressive Wedge really is--sure it was shown that he was the only pilot to have survived both death star assaults, AND he has done so much cool shit other than that.
Out of the six, I think Wedge is hands down the best, and he didn't get enough screen time. I want a rogue squadron film and tv show starring him.
→ More replies→ More replies345
u/We_The_Raptors 4d ago
Recency bias. Anyone who hasn't read the X-wing novels prolly just sees Wedge as the guy who was lucky enough to survive the Deathstar attack
350
u/Maleficent-Finance57 4d ago
Twice. He has Two Death Stars painted on his fuselage in the Rogue Squadron novels IIRC
→ More replies117
u/Mr_Viper Jyn Erso 3d ago
lol that rules
122
u/Crayshack 3d ago
The side of his X-Wing is described as a functional fleet of Imperial craft bracketed by two Death Stars. Of course, he's still in the military 20 years after that book. Mostly just in command positions later in his career, but he still occasionally climbs in the cockpit.
→ More replies63
u/mxzf 3d ago
He paused for a moment and looked at the rows of TIE fighters, bombers, and Interceptors painted on the side of the ship. Big Death Stars bracketed the collection of smaller ships on either side, and Ssi-ruuk fighters had started a new row, right at the top of the red stripe bisecting the fuselage.
"Master Zraii apologizes for not being able to fit all your kills in the space allotted. The ships rendered in red are meant to represent a squadron worth of kills—meaning a dozen."
There literally wasn't enough room on his ship to paint all the kills, they had to switch to a different color for the dozens of ships.
→ More replies→ More replies73
u/tealcandtrip 3d ago edited 3d ago
If I recall correctly, the maintenance crew feel bad that there isn't enough room for all of his kills. So they paint some red to represent multiple kills with one icon. IE: each red tie fighter represents an entire squadron of kills.
→ More replies102
u/Scout_man 4d ago
I’m sorry. Not just one Death Star attack but two! The only pilot to be a veteran of two death stars!
71
u/direwolf19 3d ago
Let's also not forget he survived the Battle at Hoth and tripped an AT-AT with his friggin' tow cable!
18
15
u/EmergentSol 3d ago
Nowadays tripping ATATs is just the go-to method of dealing with them, but is ESB they basically invented the maneuver on the spot.
→ More replies21
u/Zefirus 3d ago
Yup. In the X-wing novels he's got two Death Stars painted on his X-wing and if that's not a flex I don't know what is.
→ More replies→ More replies54
u/rickSanchezAIDS 3d ago
Anyone who is saying “oh Wedge is slightly force-sensitive” is disrespecting my man. Wedge Antilles is the best pilot in the galaxy, and it’s all skill baby
→ More replies21
u/We_The_Raptors 3d ago
Don't look at it as disrespect. Look at it as them saying "that dude's such a boss he must be some sort of jedi".
→ More replies
1.3k
u/DohDohDonutzMMM 4d ago
I'd take Wedge as my wingman over any Skywalker. That's all I got to say.
229
u/Crayshack 3d ago
The Skywalkers will get their targets destroyed. Wedge will bring his wingman home.
→ More replies33
572
u/riesrat 4d ago
"I'm already on my way out "
Gives me chills every time.
242
u/lightlyflavored 3d ago
Man's ice cold under pressure.
→ More replies138
u/ManWithKeyboard C-3PO 3d ago
Tbh this is why Wedge is my fav character in all the movies
78
u/TheYoungTwileks 3d ago
Same. I have a tiny Wedge Antilles shrine I used to have on my desk back when you could play multiplayer XvT.
→ More replies140
u/Jorgenstern8 Han Solo 3d ago
Fuck the entire space battle gives me chills. They do such a good job at showing the desperation of the Rebels to survive that battle at all.
→ More replies72
u/aZombieSlayer K-2SO 3d ago
The Falcon shooting out of the ball of fire..
YEEEEEE-HAAA!
→ More replies59
u/Jorgenstern8 Han Solo 3d ago
Closer! I said closer, and engage those Star Destroyers at point-blank range!
50
u/aZombieSlayer K-2SO 3d ago
At that close range, we won't last long against those Star Destroyers
61
u/Jorgenstern8 Han Solo 3d ago
We'll last longer than we will against that DEATH Star, and we might just take a few of them with us!
→ More replies24
→ More replies16
97
u/beckermao 4d ago
I mean with Anakin you need to be his wingman and cover his ass when he does something crazy, dude is a wild man.
→ More replies62
→ More replies34
716
u/BanditsMyIdol 3d ago
Anakin and Luke can't actually fly. R2-D2 just lets them think they are flying, but we all know who is the real ace.
222
u/Militantpoet Han Solo 3d ago
Like giving your younger sibling an unplugged controller while you play video games.
→ More replies50
u/MajorTrump 3d ago
I agree about Luke but everybody in here seems to forget that Anakin was a podracer before he ever flew a star fighter or even met R2D2
28
u/YamatoIouko 3d ago
Luke use to shoot womp rats and navigate Beggar’s Pass on Tatooine in a T-16, which has a flight speed in the triple digits if i remember correctly.
→ More replies
1.9k
u/raalic 4d ago
IMO Wedge is #1 and it’s not close. Not even counting legends. He’s the only pilot in any of the media who knows how to mitigate risk over stupidly dying so he can fight another day (without relying on the Force). Two successful Death Star runs. Countless missions before, in between, and after. It’s more difficult for me to rank the others. Han flies much larger vessels, so he’s almost in a different category.
501
u/SOUTHPAWMIKE 3d ago
I have no idea what the status of the Rogue Squadron movie is, but I hope it's still on. There's no Star Wars character more deserving of having their story told than Wedge "the Edge" Antillies!
→ More replies209
u/Crayshack 3d ago
I'm crossing my fingers that it is basically just an adaptation of the X-Wing series. Even extremely abridged I will love it. Those were some of my favorite books.
→ More replies89
u/ReggieTheReaver 3d ago
My first and most hopeful thought was to have a Rogue Squadron Movie/Series/Whatever set AFTER the OG trilogy. Right when the New Republic is starting to demilitarize.
In the newer novels they mention a rise of crime after the Empire, as different groups took advantage of a lack of a large Imp navy. When a crisis happens (say...over on a certain bacta producing planet), the Republic tries to stick to its "guns" an not intervene militarily, attempting to solve the situation diplomatically.
However, Rogue Squadron does what it does...and goes Rogue, and then we get the Bacta War!
→ More replies49
u/Crayshack 3d ago
That would work perfectly. They could pretty much adapt the entirety of that book. If that means we get Booster Terrik fucking off with a Star Destroyer and painting it red, I consider that a bonus.
→ More replies→ More replies133
u/Angry_with_rage 3d ago
Yep, all this. He's not even so much as force sensitive like most on this list.
→ More replies
965
u/brayunlee 4d ago
Not sure, but Han definitely shot first
→ More replies185
u/WaffleWarrior1979 4d ago
Yo Disney make with the theatricals already
→ More replies90
u/Electricfire19 3d ago
There’s got to be some kind of deal they made with Lucas to not release them. They know people have been asking for them for ages and there’s no way Disney would pass on the chance to make money from that unless there was something else stopping them. Some people initially thought it was cause 20th Century Fox had distribution rights for A New Hope, but, you know, that’s definitely not an issue anymore.
→ More replies
378
u/GhostRaptor4482 3d ago
Remember that scene in Rebels where Vader pretty much solos the entire rebel fleet?
No contest
→ More replies50
160
u/GlobalPhreak 3d ago
Wedge is the GOAT.
Survived 2 Death Stars, the attack on Hoth and lived long enough to join the assault on... on... whatever the fuck that was in Ep. IX.
→ More replies
658
u/Badvevil 3d ago edited 3d ago
Why is my girl not getting the love she deserves literally has multiple episodes dedicated to how great a pilot she is even thrawn is in awe of her ability and he would likely beware of everyone else’s ability other than Luke and Poe and still regards her as the best
188
u/skywalkers66 3d ago
Hera is by far the captain I would trust most to fly us to safety she's gotten out of impossible situations
→ More replies14
u/alwaysmispells1word 3d ago
Hera was the one trusted to fly the blade wing... and was the one the early rebels specifically went to when they needed the very best.
259
78
u/EllieZabe 3d ago
In the opening story arc of season 2 she gets Vader stuck in a tractor beam while the Ghost hyperspace jumps out of harm. That’s definitely one of my top 5, or maybe 10, most bad-ass scenes in Rebels.
153
u/KrakenKola 3d ago
Rebels in general is often overlooked tbh, even the darksaber lore in Sabine's training arc just gets disregarded in most Mando conversations I see.
→ More replies→ More replies162
u/PM_ME_YOUR_DIFF_EQS 3d ago
Honestly, I could give a fuck who is ranked what here. She is the best captain and I would follow her before everyone else on this list.
→ More replies
16
577
u/Fortherebellion72 4d ago edited 3d ago
Damn… this thread is doin’ my man Wedge dirty.
Edit: Hey, looks like this thread is coming to its senses.
→ More replies175
u/DeadpoolAndFriends 3d ago •
Brightside from an hour after your comment, Wedge's cock is firmly entrenched down the throat of comments section... where it belongs.
→ More replies
3.9k
u/sasquatch606 3d ago •
For having such few lines in the OT, you can see how much Wedge grew as a pilot from a nervous kid in ANH to being stone cold tactician in ROTJ. "I'm already on my way out" He's the GOAT.