Patty Jenkins’s upcoming Rogue Squadron film will return Luke Skywalker’s famous team of Rebel pilots to the Star Wars spotlight. From X-wings to snowspeeders, Rogue Squadron flew some of the Alliance’s most iconic ships through some of the biggest battles of the Galactic Civil War. Though the story details and timeline of Jenkins’ film have yet to be revealed, there’s plenty of fantastic lore and backstory to pull from.
Rogue Squadron was first introduced to the Star Wars universe in 1980’s The Empire Strikes Back, where they fought valiantly in the Battle of Hoth. Since then, the team has largely existed on the fringes of core Star Wars content, though they’ve also taken leading roles in numerous books, comics, and perhaps most famously, video games. The eponymous insertion team of Rogue One is one of the more significant references to the squad in the Disney era – a reference that became part of Rogue Squadron’s origin story in the new canon.
Suffice it to say, Rogue Squadron has always been a beloved piece of Star Wars lore, and it’s incredibly exciting to see the pilots of the Rebellion getting their highest-profile appearance yet in Jenkins’s film. The director has said that hers will be a wholly original story, but that doesn’t mean she can’t take inspiration from the past. As fans speculate about the movie leading up to its 2023 release, what’s come before could give some indication as to what’s to come.
Rogue Squadron X-Wing Team Explained
While Rogue Squadron was first introduced in The Empire Strikes Back, their narrative origins precede the Battle of Hoth. In both the Star Wars Legends timeline and canon, Rogue Squadron was formed soon after the destruction of the first Death Star. As Luke Skywalker and Wedge Antilles were the only surviving members of the Red Squadron and Gold Squadron – the two teams that led the assault on the Empire’s battle station – the two pilots and heroes of the Alliance reformed under the new name Rogue Squadron. As new ace pilots joined the cause and the Rebels rebuilt during the years following the Battle of Yavin 4, Rogue Squadron’s reputation and list of daring deeds grew to mythic levels.
Rogue Squadron In Star Wars Canon
As of yet, Rogue Squadron’s hasn’t claimed as large of a role in the canon as it once held in the old Extended Universe. That could be good news for Jenkins, as it leaves a lot of options open. Some details of the fighter team have already been nailed down, however, including their origins and a number of impressive escapades. In canon, Rogue Squadron was formed during an Imperial raid on the Mako-Ta Space Docks in 1 ABY. Luke and Wedge, still relatively fresh off their mission to destroy the first Death Star, declared a new name to fly under. In honor of Jyn Erso and the team of Rebels who sacrificed their lives to make the Death Star’s destruction possible, Luke named the team Rogue Squadron, and became the first Rogue Leader, with Wedge as his number two.
Rogue Squadron flew under Luke's leadership through the Battle of Hoth, after which he departed to undergo his Jedi Training. In his absence, Wedge was promoted to the new Rogue Leader, commanding the team through the remaining days of the war. Though Rogue Squadron occasionally flew under the name Red Squadron – such as during the Battle of Endor – the core group and Antilles’s leadership remained consistent. After the fall of the second Death Star and the rise of the New Republic, Rogue Squadron continued flying missions led by Antilles and under the command of General Hera Syndulla.
Rogue Squadron In Star Wars Legends
The Legends lore of Rogue Squadron is a bit more extensive and complex. As in the canon timeline, the team was formed in the wake of Red Squadron’s near-destruction during the Battle of Yavin 4. They flew a number of dangerous missions under Luke Skywalker between the Death Star’s destruction and the Battle of Hoth, often escorting small caravans of Rebel vessels from one base to another or engaging in hit-and-run tactical strikes on Imperial targets.
After Luke left for Dagobah to train as a Jedi under Master Yoda, Wedge Antilles was appointed the new Rogue Leader. Legends details a long list of the squadron’s accomplishments during the rest of the war, mainly through the comics and Rogue Squadron video games. Antilles himself led numerous daring operations for the Rebellion, including raids on secret bases to destroy experimental Imperial weapons, providing cover for evacuations, capturing enemy ships and technologies, and even going toe-to-toe with Star Destroyers. Through it all, Rogue Squadron flew a range of ships for the Alliance, though the X-wing Starfighter remained their symbol. During the Battle of Endor, Wedge renamed his team Red Squadron in honor of those who died defeating the original Death Star.
After the Empire’s defeat, Rogue Squadron remained a galactic icon for over a century, though its nature and allegiances constantly changed. They were a major force in the war against the invading Yuuzhan Vong, and against the Killiks in the Swarm War. Even more than a hundred years after the Battle of Endor, the name Rogue Squadron was still used – a rallying cry for those who would take arms against Darth Krayt’s new Sith Empire.
Everything We Know About The Rogue Squadron Movie's Story
Patty Jenkins has confirmed that her Rogue Squadron movie will be an original story, not a direct adaptation of past tales. Given the canon’s relative lack of content regarding the X-wing team, that still leaves a ton of territory on the table. In broad terms, there seem to be two likely settings for the movie – either between the end of A New Hope and the beginning of Return of the Jedi, or during the days directly following the second Death Star’s destruction.
An original trilogy setting is probably the most likely for a few reasons. First, Disney already has plenty of New Republic era content in the works, including the original series Rangers of the New Republic, which will likely also focus on X-wing pilots. Secondly, since Rogue One retconned the squadron’s origin story, it would make sense to pitch the new film as a spiritual follow-up, possibly showing the beginnings of the team in the days following the Battle of Yavin. And lastly, most fans want to see Rogue Squadron fighting during the Galactic Civil War. It would be a real bait-and-switch to use the iconic name and not set the story during the original trilogy. Does that mean viewers will get a recast Wedge Antilles or Luke Skywalker? Sebastian Stan perhaps, as the fan base has cried for? It remains to be seen. Rogue Squadron will reveal all when it hits theaters in 2023.