Wedge Antilles has flown Rebel Alliance craft in practically every major battle since the Rebellion's inception. Defecting from the Empire with Luke Skywalker's childhood friend, Biggs Darklighter, Wedge has the distinction of flying though the hazards of both Death Stars. Flying as Rogue 2 during the Battle of Hoth, Wedge later went on to lead Rogue Squadron in the days of the New Republic. and spearheaded that squadron's operation to liberate Coruscant from the Empire.
Born on Corellia, like fellow Rebel Han Solo, Wedge's parents operated a small orbital supply station. When the Empire destroyed this station along with his family, Wedge decided to place his loyalties elsewhere. Thus, he brought his considerable skills to bear on the side of the Alliance. Not only was he a talented pilot, but he had a strong abilities to calculate numbers in his head.
Wedge always found himself on the front line. During the Battle of Yavin, Wedge flew behind Luke, effectively extending his shield cover until he took too many hits to remain within the Death Star's trench. He also flew a T-47 snowspeeder at Hoth, where he and his gunner, Wes Janson, employed the speeder's magnetic harpoon and tow cable to trip up AT-AT walkers. During Battle of Endor, Wedge's proton torpedo attack, combined with missiles from the Millenium Falcon, destroyed the second Death Star's main reactor and the station itself (bringing into question how the Empire didn't see that coming again.)
While he was known to fly all manner of spacecraft, Wedge's heart always belonged to the X-wing. He believed its versatility allowed for maximum flexibility on an ever-changing battlefield. Thus, when he commanded Rogue Squadron, they primarily operated X-wings.
Unlike many of the other main characters in the Star Wars universe, Wedge is not Force-sensitive. Thus, he survives the Galaxy's most dangerous battles with nothing but his well-honed skills. In fact, he is the archetype for what has since become known as a "Wedge-type character" in fiction, which is a character who survives because he or she is exceptionally skilled, rather than because they have some type of innate power.
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