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What precisely was the reasoning on Red Leader's part for putting Luke in the lead of the torpedo attack in the trench? Both Wedge and Biggs had more experience and time in on the Rebellion. Not only that but it was Luke's first time flying an X-Wing and in the SE Red Leader does express some doubt about Luke being able to handle the X-Wing. So aside from obvious plot reasons, why Luke?

Is it possible that Red Leader was force sensitive and felt it in Luke? That would explain his choosing Luke.

It's possible that Luke had some brief qualifying exam at Yavin IV and he did especially well.

Maybe he expected Luke to take most of the turbolaser fire for Biggs and Wedge the more experinced pilots, then get shot down so Biggs or Wedge could move up.

StarshipTitanic wrote:It's possible that Luke had some brief qualifying exam at Yavin IV and he did especially well.

Exactly the case. Seriously people, pick up the radio dramas and listen to them. They're G level canon and fill in gaps like this in the movies quite nicely.

Biggs probably vouched for his marksmanship skills, which were more necessary in the trench run. Also, Wedge and Biggs were almost certainly better at covering for him, so Red Leader might have been hoping that they would buy Luke the time he needed to take a clean shot.

Luke clearly showed his skill during the battle making at least two daring and successfull strafing runs on the DS surface and also saved Biggs life once during the battle. This along with the fact Biggs vouched for him before the battle likely convinced Red Leader that Luke was worth entrusting to the final shot.

Maybe Red Leader actually expected the Ties would kill the next ship attempting a trench run, so he sent Luke in as cannon fodder while he (planned) to deal with the Ties himself.

No, Red Leader knew he was as good as dead. He lost his starboard engine, which is why he told Luke and wingmen not to cover his escape from the surface.

Regardless of how well Luke may or may not have done in any 'exam' this is his first combat mission! Both Biggs and Wedge are already aces with many combat missions under their belts. He might be a good pilot, it doesn't automaticly make him a qualified flight leader.

The only reason I can think of is that Luke showed some bloody amazing skill in nailing the exhaust port in a training run (though I don't see how they had TIME for simming unless there was a massive timecut between the brifing and launch). So it became critical to protect him long enough to make the trench run. Wedge freely admits in one of the Rogue Squadron books that he and Biggs both knew they were little more then mobile shields for Luke to buy him time.

Chris OFarrell wrote:The only reason I can think of is that Luke showed some bloody amazing skill in nailing the exhaust port. So it became critical to protect him long enough to make the trench run. Wedge freely admits in one of the Rogue Squadron books that he and Biggs both knew they were little more then mobile shields for Luke to buy him time.

It actually makes good sense. The skill that Luke seemed to have at flying was marksmanship, and Wedge and Biggs were better pilots than he was. It makes sense, given those two factors, that Luke would be the one to take the shot while they covered for him.

I think back to the scene in the ANH novelization when Red Leader tells Luke that he flew with his father while he was a young pilot and that he was the best pilot he had ever seen. Perhaps Red Leader was hoping that there was enough of Anakin's skill in him to make a difference? I was unaware of a test taken by Luke before the battle.

Stravo wrote:I think back to the scene in the ANH novelization when Red Leader tells Luke that he flew with his father while he was a young pilot and that he was the best pilot he had ever seen. Perhaps Red Leader was hoping that there was enough of Anakin's skill in him to make a difference?

This is interesting, then perhaps Red Leader did know Luke was Force sensitive. It has been established that Force inheritance isn't genetic, but maybe a lesser informed snub fighter pilot like Red Leader didn't know that.

Stravo wrote:I was unaware of a test taken by Luke before the battle.

Either was I, but Rogue 9 says they were in the radio dramatization, which is as good as source as any.

Actually, in the novelisation Luke goes through a combat simulator and demonstrates exceptional piloting ability.

Its also quite likely that he let Luke do the run because he wasn't as experienced as the other two. Since they intended to let the targeting computer do most of the work, its not like Luke's actions required all that much finesse (he just had to fire when told by the computer.)

On the other hand, Biggs and Wedge, having more experience, would be well suited to keeping enemy fighters off his back and let him do what he needed.

It was because Luke said "it's not sooo hard! i've shot wampas back home and they're small!", so they like assigned him to lead his group and told him "ok smartass, let's see you hit the fucking port!"

Womp rats, not wampas. I don't think wampas would find Tatooine to be very comfortable at all.

Spanky The Dolphin wrote:Womp rats, not wampas. I don't think wampas would find Tatooine to be very comfortable at all.

Nor can they exactly be described as "small."

Wompthings.

Wedge repeatedly demonstrated a lack of confidence both before and during the Battle of Yavin. First, he openly expressed his opinion that the plan was an impossible one during the middle of the breifing (what do you think that could do to morale?) He again spoke out of turn and on an open channel during the first attack on the Death Star, ("Look at the size of that thing!") which attracted the ire of his CO ("Cut the chatter, Red Two!") and may have convinced Red Leader that he didn't have the guts to make the run himself.

Luke, on the other hand, demostrated both admirable confidence and skill. Despite having never flown an X-wing before, (let alone taken part in a dogfight) he managed to hold his own, taking out both surface installations and TIE fighters. Add to that his assertion that he could make the shot and Red Leader probably thought of him as a perfectly viable 'second string' candidate (remember, Red Leader was using Luke's group as a backup plan in case he failed to make the shot himself).

As for Biggs, he'd already seemed to have maneuvered himself into the position of Luke's wingman and was following his lead. And if Luke really did show amazing targeting skill beforehand, then it seems natural that Biggs would fall into the role of human shield alongside Wedge.

Spanky The Dolphin wrote:Womp rats, not wampas. I don't think wampas would find Tatooine to be very comfortable at all.

You're forgetting the breed of "desert" wampas from the SotE game.

Spanky The Dolphin wrote:Actually, in the novelisation Luke goes through a combat simulator and demonstrates exceptional piloting ability.

Where was this??

I think back to the scene in the ANH novelization when Red Leader tells Luke that he flew with his father while he was a young pilot and that he was the best pilot he had ever seen. Perhaps Red Leader was hoping that there was enough of Anakin's skill in him to make a difference? I was unaware of a test taken by Luke before the battle.

I always thought that was why......... its even in a cut scene, so why not? All rebel pilots are superstitious like crazy anyway, maybe Red leader was thinking "Small kid, blew up Droid Control Ship. Big kid......... please blow up Big Death Star."
For all we know, Red leader fought at the Battle of Naboo............

Spanky The Dolphin wrote:Womp rats, not wampas. I don't think wampas would find Tatooine to be very comfortable at all.

Sand Wampas.

I like Painrack's theory too.

I think Wedge was just vocalizing what everyone else was thinking and muttering about. We only hear him speak because he is sitting next to Luke.

Wedge does redeem himself later in the battle when he saves Luke from that TIE. I always found it odd that neither Wedge nor the Y-Wing pilot that survived were at the medal ceremony. Doesnt Wedge deserve a medal too??? And Chewbacca, he was there in the Millenium Falcon! Why no medal for him???

Macross wrote: I always found it odd that neither Wedge nor the Y-Wing pilot that survived were at the medal ceremony. Doesnt Wedge deserve a medal too??? And Chewbacca, he was there in the Millenium Falcon! Why no medal for him???

Luke & Co. make better poster boys for the Rebellion. Bush pilots from the Rim and Smugglers are welcome.