Era: Rebellion
Biggs Darklighter is from a more well off family on Tatooine. His father owns far more moisture farm land than the Lars. He has dealings with a great many people in business and does pay Imperial bribes. Biggs didn’t want to follow in his father’s footsteps, choosing to go to the Academy instead.
Biggs went to the Academy for educational opportunities and to improve his piloting skills. But to do so, that meant a stint as an Imperial fighter pilot. Biggs may have been a big fish in a small pond on Tatooine, but he was a nobody at the Academy. When a friend who helped him through was taken away for interrogation and never came back, he began to rethink his future.
Biggs and several other friends planned to take the first ship he was assigned to as first mate, the Rand Ecliptic. His rival, Hobbie, as it turned out, was also aboard and unexpectedly part of a different rebel cell.
Biggs did complain of the Empire’s attitude on the last visit, and gave his best friend, Luke Skywalker, news he planned to join the Rebellion.
Once they escaped, Biggs and company ended up on the Alliance base at Yavin 4, assigned to Red Squadron with the likes of Wedge Antillies. From there, they helped make off with a bunch of factory ready X-Wings with help from Income sympathizers. Then they picked up a bunch of R2 units.
Biggs explored Yavin 4 to find a cure for Hobbie, who had been infected after an injury and no treatment was working, saving his friends life. He was killed in battle with the Death Star, during the trench run. He died protecting his best friends’ back from Darth Vader.
Relationships:
His father is Huff Darklighter, his Uncle is Jula Darklighter and his aunt Silya. His mother is long gone, but he has had 2 stepmothers and a half sister, as well as many cousins. Gavin would go on years later to join the Alliance, under Biggs colleague Wedge Antillies.
He had a childhood crush, Kandji who was killed by sandpeople. He was developing a relationship with Nera Dantels, a smuggler captain, when he died.
Luke Skywalker was his best friend growing up.
Biggs Darklighter Continuity and Lore
There are variations on Bigg’ Darklighter’s history. West End Games had an entirely different version of the Rand Ecliptic escape. Biggs Darklighter’s reunion with Luke is the most confusing. The original novelization and script for the original Star Wars movie had Biggs tell Luke that he planned to ‘jump ship and join the Alliance.’
The Empire comics mention that he lied to protect Luke, but it was only a partial lie, in that he left out details.
The original script and novelization suggest Biggs didn’t know about Luke being at the base until they were heading for the ships. Their commander comes up and asks for confirmation that he could handle the ship. The Empire comic follows this, rather than the Star Wars Radio Drama. The radio version details his reunion with Luke at the rebel base, how he first heard of it and then put Luke through a simulator so he could prove he had the skill to fly the ship. This may be because the Star Wars A New Hope Special edition re-added the Biggs Darklighter’s reunion with Luke at the base, even though the rest of Biggs content was cut.
Biggs Darklighter Sources and Stories
- Star Wars novelization by George Lucas, ghost writer Alan Dean Foster
- Star Wars Radio Drama
- Star Wars Empire comics 8,9,12.15
- Rogue Squadron 1/2
- “The Lost City of Tatooine” — Archaeology’s Dig July 1999 (Try starwarstimeline.net)
- Camie’s Story – Galaxy Guide 1: A New Hope
- Mutiny on the Rand Ecliptic — Galaxy Guide 3: The Empire Strikes Bac
- The Pit — Galaxy Guide 5: Return of the Jedi
- The Movie Trilogy Sourcebook
- Small Favors— Star Wars Adventure Journal 12
- The Essential Guide to Characters
