The TIE Fighter Pilot Who Saved The Day

[Battlehymn Republic]

Nothing really controversial, just the most obsessive article I've ever read about a character who's probably still nameless even in the EU

[RogueIce]

Actually, any true obsessive nerd Star Wars fan would know the day was saved by an Imperial gunner having a crisis of conscience at the time (even though he was, finally, firing on a legitimate military target), otherwise the DS would have fired and blown up the base before Luke got his shot off.

Granted Luke may have still blown up the Death Star in return thanks to this guy, but Leia and all those important generals would be dead.

[Galvatron]

What about the Imperial officer who told the Devastator's gunner to hold his fire when the droid's escape pod launched from the Tantive IV?

[Crazedwraith]

That was on a different day. Duh.


OT: Is there a canon reason Han blasted the wingman? Did he just miss Vader? Or did he decide Vader's TIE's shields would make it pointless or something?

[Galvatron]

Seems to happen a lot.

Admiral Ozzel almost saved the day in TESB, too. First by trying to dissuade Vader from investigating Hoth and then by dropping out of hyperspace too close to the system.

I always thought Ozzel was actually a rebel sympathizer; not clumsy and stupid. Fuck the EU.

[Kuja]

That was on a different day. Duh.


OT: Is there a canon reason Han blasted the wingman? Did he just miss Vader? Or did he decide Vader's TIE's shields would make it pointless or something?

It's possible he was remote-operating the guns from the cockpit and just opened fire on the first TIE he could get a weapons lock on.

[Batman]

It's possible he was remote-operating the guns from the cockpit and just opened fire on the first TIE he could get a weapons lock on.

IIRC both he and Chewie were in the cockpit for that scene so that would be pretty much a given.
Also, why would Han shoot at Vader and not one if the other TIEs? Unlike us he doesn't know that's Vader in there, nor do I see why he would particularly care if he did, again not knowing as we do that Vader was the greatest threat.
Besides, the whole point of Han's attack as I see it was not to kill Vader, but to keep the Imperials otherwise busy long enough for Luke to make the shot, and that seems to have worked out well enough. The destruction of the wingmen was essentially a nice bonus.

[Elfdart]

Given Han's habit of going in guns blazing, and the full-auto guns on his ship, he may have opened fire the instant they came into view and the wingman just happened to be the one who got hit.

[Wing Commander MAD]

Nothing really controversial, just the most obsessive article I've ever read about a character who's probably still nameless even in the EU

Hate to break it to you, but Star Wars: Customizable Card Game begs to differ. I'd not be surprised if every single character to appear on screen hasn't had some form identification by the EU. Keep in mind we've had nearly 30 years worth of EU for this happen.

[Srelex]

Well, at least that bio seems reasonable compared to other EU madness.

[Thanas]

Am I the only one who thought that article was sarcasm?

[RogueIce]

Am I the only one who thought that article was sarcasm?

No. It definately is.

[Raptor 597]

Seems to happen a lot.

Admiral Ozzel almost saved the day in TESB, too. First by trying to dissuade Vader from investigating Hoth and then by dropping out of hyperspace too close to the system.

I always thought Ozzel was actually a rebel sympathizer; not clumsy and stupid. Fuck the EU.

Actually, I remember reading somewhere, maybe the Essential Guide to Characters or Star Wars.com that Ozzel and his family were suspected rebel sympathizers after his death. Looking on Starwars.com now though it seems they changed the EU part to sheep ineptitude, I don't remember that there.

[Crazedwraith]

You maybe thinking of Captain Needa, one of his relatives was stationed on an orbital mirror of Coruscant when the rebillion invaded. His crew suggested using his 'known rebel sympathies' to defect to the other side.

[Galvatron]

Considering how much emphasis was made in ANH about the Imperial Senate's ever-increasing sympathy for the rebellion, it wouldn't surprise me at all if there were quite a few high-ranking officers within the military who were closet rebel sympathizers as well. Especially following the destruction of Alderaan.

Besides, aren't there lots of examples of rebel officers who were former Imperials anyway? Wasn't General Madine?

[Batman]

If memory serves ANH didn't tell us much about the Imperial Senate other than Tarkin eventually proclaiming it had been disbanded but yes, General Madine was a former Imperial.

[Azron_Stoma]

Tagge said that "The Rebels will continue to gather support in the Imperial Senate" but is cut off by Tarkin saying the Senate had been dissolved permanently.

[Galvatron]

"Holding her is dangerous. If word of this gets out it could generate sympathy for the rebellion in the Senate."

"Send a distress signal and then inform the Senate that all aboard were killed."

"The Rebel Alliance will continue to gain the support of the Imperial Senate..."

"The Imperial Senate will no longer be of any concern to us."

[Raptor 597]

You maybe thinking of Captain Needa, one of his relatives was stationed on an orbital mirror of Coruscant when the rebillion invaded. His crew suggested using his 'known rebel sympathies' to defect to the other side.

Yes, now that I've checked your right, thanks.

[Molyneux]

I'd say the article is BS, really. Yes, the pilot clipped Vader's fighter, but that's not evidence of gross incompetence on his part - they were in pretty damned tight quarters, he was pulling up and out of the trench (presumably to avoid being caught a sitting duck for the Falcon), and Vader starts evading at the exact same moment. He just got unlucky.

[PainRack]

Odd. I always remembered him as Black 4..... so apparently he was Black 2.

Got to go see if I still had his card.