Thoughts on Biggs

I have just finished watching ANH for the last time
on VHS, having declared a moratorium on the OT until
the DVD's come out in September.

While watching the Death Star raid, I made some
observations of Biggs that I hadn't before (In well
over 100 times watching the film straight through,
and yes I need a girlfriend). Here they are.

1. Biggs is not a great pilot - The novelization, the
deleted scenes, the EU, all hint that Biggs was a
hot shot pilot, almost as good as Luke. When you
watch the movie though, not only does Biggs get a
fighter on his tail that he can't shake, when Luke
calls for his help "Blasted, Biggs where are you?!"
It's Wedge, not Biggs, who saves the day.

2. Biggs is a wimp? - When biggs gets said fighter on
his tail, notice the tone of his voice when he says
"I can't shake him!" he sounds scared. (I would be too
but I'm not a hot shot pilot) Then, when Vader and
the Tie fighters are closing in, notice how he panics
before they nail him. The others all react nervously,
but Biggs practically soils himself.

Having recently watched the deleted Biggs scene on the
CD-ROM 'Behind the magic', and noticing how cool Biggs
seemed in that scene, this new revelation was a real
disappointment. They seem like two different characters.

Any thoughts on 'The great Biggs Darklighter'. (Whew! sorry that was so long!)

 

I'd never really thought about Biggs's behavior in the Battle of Yavin being indicative of the moustached marvel being a wimp. Interesting...but I think the other pilots kind of freak out at certain points, too.

Gold Leader (Dutch?) is supposed to be focused on his targeting computer, but glances behind him in fear as Vader's group closes in. His own wingman (!) has to remind him repeatedly to "stay on target!"

Contrast that with Red Leader, who calmly soars down the trench, eyes on his targeting computer, intoning "Almost there...," filtering out the deadly TIES closing in, and his own wingman's panicked advice of, "You'd better let 'em loose! They're right behind me!"

Keep in mind that by the time Biggs, Luke, and Wedge are making their trench run, six of their fellow pilots have failed the same run and were all destroyed. I think that would make anyone have at least a little trepidation about what they're doing. Biggs might very well have been a "hot-shot pilot", but he was on what many could call a suicide mission, trying to race against a horrendous deadline (the Death Star was going to blow up the rebel base in what, two minutes?).

As for his line of "I can't see him!" it does sound funky, but I think it's more of how the actor delivers the line. Contrast that with his following line: "He's on me tight...I can't shake him." You hear that over someone's comlink, if I remember correctly, and Biggs sounds pretty composed there.

 

You make good points on the other men and their
contrasting reactions. It had just never occured to
me how much different the Biggs in the movie was from
the one you read about in his bio. I guess what sealed
it for me was just before he bites it. His reaction
just seems more paniced than the others. And being that
we know his bio, it just seemed not to jive.

You also make a good point on them having seen their
buddies bite it. Biggs knew he was French toast.

 

I watched ANH last night too (for the first time in many months, I might add--tried to put SW on moratorium until the DVDs, but I chose the quick and easy path instead), and the thought also occured to me that Biggs wasn't such a hot-shot pilot after all. This was Luke's first time fighting for the rebellion, his first time in an X-Wing, and he had more to prove on the battleground than anyone. I always loved that when he makes his first approach towards the surface he just comes in with guns blazing and nearly cooks himself in the process. Typical rookie move, but a mistake he learns from quickly. By the time they make their final run, Luke is completely focused and Biggs looks like the least experienced pilot out there, in my opinion.

 

Biggs might've been nervous due to the mission and the fact that 6 of his buddies had been dusted but what about Wedge? He never loses his composure. Heck, he even apologized that he had to leave the trench after he was hit.
I always saw Biggs as panicked during the fight.

 

but what about Wedge? He never loses his composure.

Yeah, but he contributes too much radio chatter

Seriously, though, I've always liked Wedge and I think he's definitely one of the better pilots in the rebellion--far surpassing Biggs.

 

Biggs only purpose was to forward Luke's arc. He went to the Academy, fueling Luke's desire to leave Tatooine. He defected to the Alliance, planting that seed in Luke's brain. He was killed by Vader, just to add another level of hate for the Empire and Vader personally. Biggs was toast from minute one. Does it matter if he was scared or composed during the battle of Yavin? He was dead anyway and he knew it!

L8r

 

He was like the football captain who peaked in high school. Out in the real world, the whiny farmboy was the one who had what it took.

 

but what about Wedge? He never loses his composure.

Yeah, but he does get the hilariously lame "Sorry!" when he has to break off from the trench run. Bit of a massive understatement

 

Cool topic. Biggs really did lose it. It actually makes me feel kind of bad for him, and it's pretty realistic too. Some of the pilots like Luke, Wedge and Red Leader are completely composed, while guys like Porkins, Biggs and Gold Leader are more shook by what happens.

All of that is what the Battle of Yavin my favorite battle of the series.

 

Well Biggs isn't really a great pilot, the only reason he made the final cut was coz he was a ood friend of Luke and had a long history with Luke and is in alot of the EU books.
I never noticed it but i do agree on Biggs being a wimp, he was scared %#$@less in the trench run and was all that great.

 

Biggs does seem to get a little panicked after he leads Porkins to his death. He is in battle and everyone reacts differently. Still, Biggs seems to keep his composure and do his job. He doesn't start laughing hysterically or burst into song or disengage. (Wouldn't it be great if an X-wing pilot lost it during one of the space battles?) Besides you gotta love that checkerboard helmet and porn star mustache.

Yeah, but he does get the hilariously lame "Sorry!" when he has to break off from the trench run. Bit of a massive understatement

I agree. There's nothing else Wedge can say but the "sorry" is so damn funny.

 

It would have been cooler for Biggs to get nicked the way Wedge was, but instead of leaving the trench because he was unable to continue, he instead would have slammed his "brakes" (or reverse thrusters, whatever) and knocked out one of the TIE fighters behind him in the process.

 

Porn star mustache. LOL! Maybe we should call him
'Dirk Biggsler'

 

Hah, never thought about this. Biggs is all talk!