The Yavin IV medal ceremony

Gil Hamilton · Post by **Gil Hamilton** » 2006-05-30 12:03am

In the medal ceremony at the end of StarWars following the destruction of the Death Star, Luke and Han Solo receive medals for service to the Rebellion in destroying the Death Star. It is very often pointed out that Chewbacca marches up there with Han and Luke, but he isn't honored with a medal.

However, including Chewbacca, where are the other pilots who managed to survive the battle? I know Wedge Antilles was there and pulled through and in fact later became a General. There were a couple other guys too. Why didn't they get medals as well or at least get to stand up on the podium with Luke and Han?

I know the out-of-universe reason, of course, but what was the reason?

Knife · Post by **Knife** » 2006-05-30 12:08am

Gil Hamilton wrote:In the medal ceremony at the end of StarWars following the destruction of the Death Star, Luke and Han Solo receive medals for service to the Rebellion in destroying the Death Star. It is very often pointed out that Chewbacca marches up there with Han and Luke, but he isn't honored with a medal.

However, including Chewbacca, where are the other pilots who managed to survive the battle? I know Wedge Antilles was there and pulled through and in fact later became a General. There were a couple other guys too. Why didn't they get medals as well or at least get to stand up on the podium with Luke and Han?

I know the out-of-universe reason, of course, but what was the reason?

*shrug* they didn't make either the kill or the assist in the kill. IIRC, there was only (besides Red 5 and the MF) Wedge and one Y-wing that are shown flying away from the DS. Neither Wedge nor the Y-wing pilot were involved in the killing shot so recieved no credit for the kill.

Wedge took a shot at the DSII's reactor (north tower?) so if there was a simular ceremony, I'd imagine he'd get a medal that time around. Though, IIRC from the X-wing books, Wedge had a ribbon or medal or some sort of badge denoting his runs on the DS's, Tycho as well for his one run on the DSII.

So Wedge recieved recognition for the attack, but Luke and Han got the CMH's for the day.

Admiral Johnason · Post by **Admiral Johnason** » 2006-05-30 12:11am

While I agree that Wedge and Chewie got hosed, no one else that survived was involved in the final attack (actually going down the trench.) Wedge didn't geta medal though probably becasue he had to peel off at the last minute. Chewie got screwed.

Gil Hamilton · Post by **Gil Hamilton** » 2006-05-30 12:15am

Han Solo didn't make the killing shot on the Death Star either and Wedge was even more involved in the battle than Han Solo was, given that he and the Y-Wing guy were there for the entire thing. Wedge helped out Luke alot during the battle given that he was one of his wingmen, along with Biggs. They were right there in the last attack run on the Trench, in which Biggs got smoked by Vader and Wedge had to back off due to damage. If Han Solo got a medal for saving Luke's hash in the last run on the trench, Wedge should have gotten one too.

Besides, so what if they weren't actually part of the last attack run? They were all heroes of the Battle, even if Luke was the one who physically destroyed the thing. Shouldn't they have been honored there too?

Ace Pace · Post by **Ace Pace** » 2006-05-30 12:25am

Wedge later on did get a medal of some sort, that he wears on his dress uniform.

Admiral Johnason · Post by **Admiral Johnason** » 2006-05-30 12:26am

Didn't Wedge get promoted right after the battle?

Stofsk · Post by **Stofsk** » 2006-05-30 01:32am

Gil Hamilton wrote:I know the out-of-universe reason, of course, but what was the reason?

What is the out-of-universe reason? They only had two medals or something?

Gil Hamilton · Post by **Gil Hamilton** » 2006-05-30 01:51am

Stofsk wrote:What is the out-of-universe reason? They only had two medals or something?

The stage scene was a cast shot of the main characters, which is why 3P0 and R2-D2 were on the stage as well and why they had as few non-central characters on the stage as humanly possible. As for why Chewie isn't given a medal, they don't say, though the actor who played Chewbacca points out that Chewie does get the last line in the film.

Marko Dash · Post by **Marko Dash** » 2006-05-30 02:02am

Luke got it for the kill shot, maybe Han got it for knocking Vader out of the fight

VT-16 · Post by **VT-16** » 2006-05-30 02:11am

Looking at the scene, I always thought Chewie was part of the ceremony himself, he almost seemed to bark the order to begin the applause or something. (And maybe Han accepted the reward on behalf of the Falcon's crew?)

CaptainChewbacca · Post by **CaptainChewbacca** » 2006-05-30 02:43am

The reasoning was that Chewbacca for all his bipedalism, is the "dog" in the movie, the faithful companion, and "nobody gives the dog a medal" according to Mark Hamil.

thejester · Post by **thejester** » 2006-05-30 03:04am

Gil Hamilton wrote:Han Solo didn't make the killing shot on the Death Star either and Wedge was even more involved in the battle than Han Solo was, given that he and the Y-Wing guy were there for the entire thing.

Solo didn't even have an obligation to be there: he arrived out of his own sense of duty. Flying into the heart of a battlestation covered in turbolasers and swarming with TIE fighters merely to help your mates deserves some kind of reward - kind of like the Belgians or French giving Allied aces the Croix de Guerre. It's been a while since I watched ANH, but Solo also would have been credited with two confirmed kills and one propbable (did they know Darth was piloting?); did Wedge get any?

Wedge helped out Luke alot during the battle given that he was one of his wingmen, along with Biggs. They were right there in the last attack run on the Trench, in which Biggs got smoked by Vader and Wedge had to back off due to damage. If Han Solo got a medal for saving Luke's hash in the last run on the trench, Wedge should have gotten one too.

It's harsh, but when the entire Rebellion is at stake, pulling off the leaders wing because you've got battle damage - even if he was ordered to - seems a bit pussy. Again, it's been a while since I watched ANH, but my general impression is that the Rebel pilots were pretty much fucking hopeless, and the failure to protect each other in the runs was the most stark example. *shrug* If you're wingman, the expectation is that you'll protect the lead, and as far as I can remember Wedge didn't do much to accomplish that aim.

Besides, so what if they weren't actually part of the last attack run? They were all heroes of the Battle, even if Luke was the one who physically destroyed the thing. Shouldn't they have been honored there too?

And on Iwo Jima 'uncommon valour was a common virtue', but not everyone got the CMH. Just being at a battle doesn't mean you're an automatic hero. Maybe later Wedge will get a DFC or campaign ribbon or something, but the clear heroes are the kid who potted the DS and the man with no actual obligation who shot down 3 TIEs and made the attack possible.

CaptainChewbacca · Post by **CaptainChewbacca** » 2006-05-30 03:20am

IIRC, Luke ordered Wedge to pull off since he wouldn't be effective.

VT-16 · Post by **VT-16** » 2006-05-30 03:20am

The reasoning was that Chewbacca for all his bipedalism, is the "dog" in the movie, the faithful companion, and "nobody gives the dog a medal" according to Mark Hamil.

Damn specism. :x

thejester · Post by **thejester** » 2006-05-30 03:34am

CaptainChewbacca wrote:IIRC, Luke ordered Wedge to pull off since he wouldn't be effective.

Wedge says he is hit, at which point Luke says 'Get clear, you can't do any more good back there.' Wedge says sorry and then pulls out. I'm being harsh on him, but you don't get medals for getting shot at. I just don't think what Wedge did can really compare to the efforts of Luke or Han.

Gil Hamilton · Post by **Gil Hamilton** » 2006-05-30 03:35am

thejester wrote:Solo didn't even have an obligation to be there: he arrived out of his own sense of duty. Flying into the heart of a battlestation covered in turbolasers and swarming with TIE fighters merely to help your mates deserves some kind of reward - kind of like the Belgians or French giving Allied aces the Croix de Guerre. It's been a while since I watched ANH, but Solo also would have been credited with two confirmed kills and one propbable (did they know Darth was piloting?); did Wedge get any?

He did destroy surface targets and frankly, the Death Star didn't launch very many TIEs at all for him to shoot at.

And I don't see how exactly showing up at the 11th hour of the battle when he didn't have to makes Han Solo any braver than any of the pilots present, considering they were 30 fighters against an enormous moonsized battlestation.

It's harsh, but when the entire Rebellion is at stake, pulling off the leaders wing because you've got battle damage - even if he was ordered to - seems a bit pussy. Again, it's been a while since I watched ANH, but my general impression is that the Rebel pilots were pretty much fucking hopeless, and the failure to protect each other in the runs was the most stark example. *shrug* If you're wingman, the expectation is that you'll protect the lead, and as far as I can remember Wedge didn't do much to accomplish that aim.

What the hell are you talking about? Wedge looked after Luke for the entire battle and when he pulled out of the trench he took alot of fire off Luke.

That's amazing. "Sure, he was part of a mission that he had virtually no chance of surviving in a last ditch effort to defend his cause against a basically invincible adversary, his pulling up out of the trench after getting his ass chewed up they the enemy, getting him out of the way and distracting the voluminous amounts of armaments on his lead guy was an act of cowardice! Even though Luke owed Wedge his life in that battle every bit as much as he did Solo! No medal for Wedge!"

And on Iwo Jima 'uncommon valour was a common virtue', but not everyone got the CMH. Just being at a battle doesn't mean you're an automatic hero. Maybe later Wedge will get a DFC or campaign ribbon or something, but the clear heroes are the kid who potted the DS and the man with no actual obligation who shot down 3 TIEs and made the attack possible.

No, seriously, are you bullshitting me? You don't think volunteering to join a mission of 30 single man fighters in order to defend his way of life against the Death Star literally blowing up the entire planet your comrades were on, protecting his wingman until he was unable to fight anymore, and being one of the three survivors of a hopeless mission that was miraculously successful in which he was a direct part to you only warrants a freakin' campaign ribbon?

VT-16 · Post by **VT-16** » 2006-05-30 03:40am

I just don't think what Wedge did can really compare to the efforts of Luke or Han.

Wedge saved Luke's life, just as Han did. And he participated from the start of the battle, not in the final few seconds, like Han. I'd say he deserves a medal just as much as Luke and Han (even more so than Han). As well as that Y-wing guy, who also participated throughout the battle and survived it.

thejester · Post by **thejester** » 2006-05-30 03:56am

Gil Hamilton wrote:He did destroy surface targets and frankly, the Death Star didn't launch very many TIEs at all for him to shoot at.

20 of his comrades were killed by TIEs, so there must have been some targets hanging about - and in the trench run, both Biggs and Wedge sit like gimps behind Luke and make no attempt to manuevre to fend off Vader and co.

And I don't see how exactly showing up at the 11th hour of the battle when he didn't have to makes Han Solo any braver than any of the pilots present, considering they were 30 fighters against an enormous moonsized battlestation.

Han had absolutely no obligation to go back. He wasn't a member of the Rebellion. He could simply have flown off and washed his hands of the entire affair. Instead, he made a concious decision to go back and help in what he'd already labelled a suicide mission. That's not to say the Rebel pilots were snivelling cowards, but ultimately they didn't have a choice - they'd die if they flew or not, and fighting was what they had signed up to do.

What the hell are you talking about? Wedge looked after Luke for the entire battle and when he pulled out of the trench he took alot of fire off Luke.

I haven't watched ANH in a while, and my EU knowledge is minimal, but in the script it's always Biggs who is with Luke and vice versa, and Wedge pulling out clearly didn't draw off Vader, who was the biggest threat - Vader orders his wingmen to stick with him on Luke. At the very least, Wedge should have made some kind of effort to nail Vader.

That's amazing. "Sure, he was part of a mission that he had virtually no chance of surviving in a last ditch effort to defend his cause against a basically invincible adversary, his pulling up out of the trench after getting his ass chewed up they the enemy, getting him out of the way and distracting the voluminous amounts of armaments on his lead guy was an act of cowardice! Even though Luke owed Wedge his life in that battle every bit as much as he did Solo! No medal for Wedge!"

Care to prove that Luke owed his life to Wedge? Last time I checked Wedge left Luke with three TIEs on his tail, and there was no distraction of armament.

No, seriously, are you bullshitting me? You don't think volunteering to join a mission of 30 single man fighters in order to defend his way of life against the Death Star literally blowing up the entire planet your comrades were on, protecting his wingman until he was unable to fight anymore, and being one of the three survivors of a hopeless mission that was miraculously successful in which he was a direct part to you only warrants a freakin' campaign ribbon?

Volunteering? What was he going to do, say no? 'Sorry boys, think I'll sit this one out.' Going on a dangerous mission does not earn you a medal, end of story. Destroying a battlestation and returning to a battlespace when it is not your duty to do so to destroy 2 enemy fighters and drive off a third does.

thejester · Post by **thejester** » 2006-05-30 03:58am

VT-16 wrote:
I just don't think what Wedge did can really compare to the efforts of Luke or Han.
Wedge saved Luke's life, just as Han did. And he participated from the start of the battle, not in the final few seconds, like Han. I'd say he deserves a medal just as much as Luke and Han (even more so than Han). As well as that Y-wing guy, who also participated throughout the battle and survived it.

I reiterate: since when does surviving a battle get you a medal, apart from campaign ribbons?

Crazedwraith · Post by **Crazedwraith** » 2006-05-30 04:46am

Wedge does get to paint a DS kill marker on his X-Wing though. It's mentioned in the X-Wing books that he has two Death Stars painted on the sides of his fighter.

Ace Pace · Post by **Ace Pace** » 2006-05-30 08:25am

He has both DSs on his fighter and has two medals on his dress uniform that signify he survived two engagements with Death Stars. I belive that is mentioned in Krytos trap.

Chris OFarrell · Post by **Chris OFarrell** » 2006-05-30 08:29am

I'm sure one of the Jedi Accadamy books says that Chewie WAS honored for his role in the Battle of Yavin as were 'other heros'. It might be when Leia comes to the accadamy in Champions of the Force and enters the Throne Room.

*My guess* is that Han, Luke and Cheiwe were all honored at that point because none of them were members of the Rebel Alliance. Granted Luke has his commision after the battle, but going into it he was just a civilian. Add to that the fact that Luke fired the killing shots and hans last second reversal WAS rather dramatic...you have the answer.

My guess is that Wedge and Farlander were honored either before or after that ceromony.

EDIT

Ah here we are.

"Leia remembered standing on that stage years before, after the Death Star had been destroyed, oresenting medals to Han, Chewbacca, Luke and the other heroes of the battle of Yavin."

Emphesis Mine. PP22 "Champions of the Force"

Knife · Post by **Knife** » 2006-05-30 08:31am

*sigh* Again, Wedge got his ribbon/medal/badge for the run, but apperently didn't rate the medal (what ever it's significance) at the end.

Luke made the killing shot; Han made that shot possilbe. Yes, you can say that Wedge and Biggs and that dude who fueled Lukes X-wing made the shot possible too but they were not right there, at the time of the shot making it happen. The 'support' personel and those who were in the battle, I'm sure rate a medal, but probably not as high as whatever Han and Luke got.

It could also be accumaltive; in so far as Han and Luke rescued the Princes from the DS and then again were instrumental in destroying it right afterwards. Again, Chewie got screwed, but Wedge wasn't on the DS after Alderaan.

18-Till-I-Die · Post by **18-Till-I-Die** » 2006-05-30 12:28pm

It appears they simply were going for a propaganda victory here in some respects.

Which also explains why no Chewie medal. Its easy to play a ruggedly handsome pirate and a blonde blue-eyed farmboy as heroes, while not so easy to play up a seven foot alien guy as a hero. To humans, anyway.

You have to remember, SW still has their version of Jim Crow going on during the Empire. Palpatine has long been keen on the whole "Humans=T3h Ub3r!!1!" political viewpoint. Chewie's race isnt even considered intelligent during the Imperial era, they're considered "non-sentient" slaves.

So its not hard to reason out why Chewie got screwed.

Anguirus · Post by **Anguirus** » 2006-05-30 01:07pm

Care to prove that Luke owed his life to Wedge?

Care to give the movie even a cursory viewing?

Luke saves Biggs from a TIE, then Wedge saves Luke from a TIE. Don't you remember that TIE pilot's POV shot with the X-wing screaming right toward him firing? (It was in all the Special Edition previews.) That was Wedge.

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The Yavin IV medal ceremony

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