‘Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker’: Here’s Why Fans Love This 1 Minor Character—Plus A Few Things You Never Knew About Him
With the recent release of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker in December, fans cannot stop talking about the film. It’s not all good, but it’s not all bad either. The latest viewer discussion surrounds this one minor character. Let’s take a look at what fans are saying about him, and a few interesting facts you likely never knew.
Who are fans calling the best minor character in the entire ‘Star Wars’ saga?
Wedge Antilles is a supporting character played by Denis Lawson in all three of the original Star Wars movies. He also appears as the lead character in most of the X-Wing novels.
“Wedge is the best minor character in Star Wars,” wrote one fan on Reddit. “He’s barely in it, but he’s just quietly awesome in every scene he’s in, and he survives all three films of the original trilogy.”
The pilot appears towards the end of A New Hope as Red Two, an X-wing pilot and part of the Red Squadron. He saves Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) in the Battle of Yavin by shooting down a TIE fighter. During the battle at the Death Star, Wedge and Luke are the only two X-wing pilots to survive, along with one lone Y-wing and the Millennium Flacon.
He then appears in The Empire Strikes Back as part of the Rogue Squadron flying a snow speeder against the Empire’s AT-AT ground assault. Wedge’s impressive aim and flying skills help him to inflict the first casualty against the group. He circles one of the walker’s legs with a harpoon tow cable causing it to trip and fall, and allowing Rebel forces to destroy the walker.
Wedge again appears towards the end of Return of the Jedi during the Battle of Endor. He and Lando lead the fighter attack on the second Death Star. The pilot’s skills again shine through when he navigates the narrow flight spaces inside the Death Star, leading to its core. Wedge destroys the power regulator on the core’s north tower, while Lando destroys the center.
What do fans think of the cameo that Denis Lawson’s Wedge has in ‘Rise of Skywalker’?
“When he showed up, I jumped out of my seat,” added another Redditor. “I was so thrilled.”
Wedge appears once again played by Denis Lawson in The Rise of Skywalker, which many fans are excited about. He controls the gun turret aboard the Millenium Falcon during the final battle of the film, between the Resistance and Emperor Palpatine’s fleet.
“It was a lame cameo IMO,” commented one fan. “Give the man an X-wing and more than three seconds of camera time.”
Although fans were happy to see Wedge, his cameo left a lot to wish for.
“He performed the kill shot of the Death Star II,” added another viewer. [Wedge] could have been a General commanding his own ship in The Rise of Skywalker, but nope, a gunner seat on the Falcon.”
The very brief cameo left fans wanting more for their beloved supporting character.
Here’s a fun fact about Ewan McGregor and Denis Lawson
“It should be noted that Denis Lawson, the actor to play Wedge is Ewan McGregor’s real-life uncle,” commented another Redditor. “Ewan McGregor got his first introduction to Star Wars because he went to go see his uncle in the films.”
McGregor owes a lot to Lawson because he then plays Obi-Wan Kenobi in the prequel trilogy. Criticism often surrounds the three-part movie series; however, one thing fans and critics always note is that McGregor’s performance is one of the highlights. Fans often request that he make appearances in other Star Wars films and TV shows.
Avid Star Wars viewers will finally get their wish when McGregor reprises his role as Obi-Wan Kenobi in the new untitled mini-series coming soon on Disney+.
You can watch the brief cameo of Wedge at around the two-hour mark of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, which is currently playing in theaters.
