From: bh7030307@ntuvax.ntu.ac.sg
Subject: Re: Was Wedge a Spy?
Organization: Nanyang Technological University - Singapore
Date: Sat, 5 Sep 1992 01:58:40 GMT

Jean Prior writes:
> First of all, I am not amused to hear that my favorite SW character (shy of
> Luke, of course) is being accused of being a spy.  However, in defense of
> Wedge, I'll try to answer the question of his loyalties.

Hey, take it easy.  I like Wedge as much as the next person.  All I'm doing is
engaging in a little speculation on Wedge's activities in the movies.  I've no
doubt that he WAS a good guy, but poor characterization made some of his
activities suspect.

>          1) Captain Antilles of the blockade runner...It's possible that he
> could be Wedge's dad, or perhaps a close relative.  If he was a traitor, then
> Wedge could be a spy...however, since I don't believe he was mentioned in the
> movie (it's been soooo long since I've seen it), it gets into the problem of
> canon, and I hate the problem of canon, being also a Trek follower.  Therefore,
> if Lucas says that the novel SW is NOT canon, then Capt. Antilles doesn't exist
> by name.

Captain Antilles was mentioned by C-3PO as the last owner of the Droids before
Luke.  Since it is not likely that the Droids will be on board the ship unless
their owner is on board, it follows that Captain Antilles was on board the
Blockade Runner.  Also, the Droids were seen in the company of Princess Leia,
who was a guest of honor of sorts.  I suppose that if Leia came on board the
ship without any Droids, the Captain of the vessel will be obliged to provide
her the use of his own -- C-3PO is a Protocol droid after all.  Therefore, if
the above two (not too unreasonable) assumptions are true, it means that
Captain Antilles was the commander of the Blockade Runner. 
   
>          2) How did Darth find the blockade runner?  Well if Darth's Leia's dad
> then he should be able to sense her with the Force (a wee bit of retconning
> from RotJ).  Or, even tho you can't find ships in hyperspace, TESB showed that
> you could make a pretty damned good guess of where they'd be by checking their
> movements right before the leap into hyperspace.

Firstly, Vader did NOT know that Leia was his daughter, nor had he any inkling
that Leia had any Force presence that he could detect, it is thus unlikely that
he found her using the Force.

Even though an educated guess can be made as to the destination of a ship
entering hyperspace, this is not true in this case because right at the start
of ANH, the Star Destroyer was hot on the heels of the 'Runner.  This means
that:

	1.	It was lying in wait for it to emerge from hyperspace.
	2.	It entered hyperspace right after the 'Runner did.

>          3) If Wedge was a spy, don't you think that a) he would've gotten
> caught in any of the movies,b) he would've had a bigger part,and c) he'd be
> dead by the time of the Zahn novels and Dark Empire?

Wedge wasn't supposed to be a spy.  He was a good guy all the way, and this can
be seen in the books.  In the movies, however, his bit part failed to develop
him sufficiently, and thus his motives and activities may be re-intepreted.
 
>          I think the "Captain Antilles" character might have been mentioned in
> SW, come to think of it.  However, I don't think Wedge's last name was ever
> mentioned until RotJ.  Maybe Lucas liked the name and conveniently forgot of
> the previous character. =)

To be perfectly honest, there is no indication that Captain Antilles is the
father or even a relative of Wedge.  It's just a little bending of the facts to
fit the theory.

> 
>                           Cheers,
>                           Jean aka Chainsaw

There have been several more points brought to my attention about Wedge's
loyalty.

1.	Wedge saves Luke from TIE in ANH.
	Since Wedge at the time had no inkling that Luke will be the one who
will blow the Death Star to kingdom come, he was probably just maintaining his
cover.  Besides, even if you WERE an Imperial spy, aren't those TIEs just
begging to be shot?  It has no shields, and it's forward profile looks like a
bulls-eye target.  Also, when the X-wings were approaching the Death Star,
Wedge was the one who broke radio silence by saying, "Look at the size of that
thing" and then by engaging Luke in conversation.  Why did he do that?  
Probably trying to alert the Impies to their position. 

2.	Wedge smokes AT-AT in TESB
	Ah, but Wedge was acting under directions of Luke.  If would seem
mighty suspicious if a workable plan for bringing down an AT-AT was rejected.

3.	Wedge takes out north regulator tower in RoTJ.
	On this point I must concede.  Its a point in Wedge's favour, although
I can fashion some sort of comic-book explanation;  Wedge was in fact a pawn of
the Emperor, who was controlling him, by the time they got to the Death Star
core, the Emperor was dead, therefore Wedge was free of his control and could
do anything he Damned Well Pleased.  I know, I know.  Its a rotten explanation.

And Now for Something Completely Different:

Does anybody know what exactly the Clone Wars were about?  Thanks in advance.

Cerebus