Star Wars: X-Wing (film)

Star Wars: X-Wing (film)
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Gus Van Sant
Screenplay by	Ben Affleck Matt Damon
Produced by	Gary Kurtz Tsui Bou Sing Brandon Chow
Starring	David Stone Matt Damon Dennis Lawson
Production company	Lucasfilm Lucasfilm Feature Animation Golden Harvest Animation TVE Animación
Distributed by	20th Century Fox
Release date	February 15, 1993 (Hong Kong) February 16, 1993 (Grauman's Egyptian Theatre) February 19, 1993 (United States)
Running time	135 minutes
Country	United States Hong Kong Spain
Language	English
Budget	$22 million
Box office	$540 million

Star Wars: X-Wing is a 1993 animated epic space opera film directed by Gus Van Sant, produced by Lucasfilm and its animation division Lucasfilm Feature Animation in association with Golden Harvest Animation and TVE Animación and distributed by 20th Century Fox. Based on the video game series of the same name, it is the second fully animated film in the Star Wars franchise and precedes and parallels the events of the original Star Wars film. The film stars David Stone as Keyan Farlander of Red Squadron, a Rebel pilot who served in Independence and fought in a number of key battles before, during and after the Battle of Yavin.

The film premiered in Hong Kong on February 15, 1993 and in Grauman's Egyptian Theatre on February 16, and was released theatrically by 20th Century Fox four days later. It received positive reviews from critics and was a box office success, grossing $540 million against a $22 million. At the 66th Academy Awards, it won Academy Awards for Best Original Score, Best Film Editing and Best Sound Effects Editing.

Plot

“	It is a period of Civil War. Using fear and intimidation, the Empire seeks to impose a New Order on the galaxy. Only the Rebel Alliance stands in the way of their evil plans. Not yet willing to confront the Empire directly, the Rebels are marshalling their forces in secrecy. Even now a group of their prized Calamari Cruisers is being intercepted by a squadron of Imperial Star Destroyers. The Rebel Fleet is outnumbered but, they have a surprise… the X-Wing Starfighter!	„
	~ The film's opening lines

Alliance Intelligence agents notice that the Galactic Empire is taking precautions to make Talon look unimportant and that it actually contains important cargo, though whether this is information or a passenger was unclear. However, Darth Vader himself is known to be on the move and it is believed that he may, possibly, have been onboard. They also learn that it would be traveling to Celanon City with a skeleton crew and would have minimal escort. It is scheduled to be making a brief stop near Turkana.

The Rebel Alliance puts together a strike force to attack the ship. The attack is led by the Nebulon-B frigate Liberator, supported by X-wings from Red and Blue Squadrons and Y-wings from Gold Squadron. Involved in the attack is Captain Charger and Cadet Keyan Farlander, flying his first mission as wingman to Lieutenant Hamo Blastwell in Red Squadron.

While Blue Squadron's X-wings assist Liberator in engaging defending TIE Fighters, the Y-wings use their ion cannons to disable Talon. The ship is then boarded by Storm Unit with Red Squadron protecting their transport from any TIEs that made it past Blue Squadron. Needing an extra R2 unit, Storm Unit asks if any pilots had one to spare. While Storm Unit fights against defending stormtroopers, Farlander and his R2 unit work their way to the bridge where they deactivate any remaining turbolaser batteries and began downloading data from the ship's computer. He also relieves the Imperial commanding officer of some disks which he was attempting to destroy, killing the officer in the process, before leaving the ship.

In order to make a quick escape before Imperial reinforcements could arrive, the Rebels leave Talon where it is. Although Vader has not been aboard, the documents recover proved to contain important information. These documents include a copy of their top secret Imperial document, detailing specifications of both Imperial and Rebel spacecraft and providing the Rebels with insight into the enemy's strengths and weaknesses. After the mission, Keyan Farlander meets Admiral Gial Ackbar and Mon Mothma who made him a lieutenant for his heroism during the mission which happened only thirteen days after he had joined the Rebellion.

Blue Squadron's Y-wings attack the Bixby and Red Squadron's X-wings are scrambled to destroy the transports. The Dagger is charged to eventually board the corvette. The strike turns up an unexpected bonus when Blue Squadron reports that the crew of the Corvette wanted to defect. While Blue Squadron's Y-wings cover the defection of the Bixby, Blastwell and Farlander destroy the entire convoy. The Imperial EF76 Nebulon-B escort frigate Gorgon arrives too late to prevent the now captured ship from returning with the Alliance team.

Bixby's' commander, Captain Nogdra, reveals that the Empire is planning a major offensive called Operation Strike Fear, beginning in the Dellalt system. Farlander is selected to conduct a reconnaissance flight in that system. Shortly after the capture of the Bixby, Blastwell is promoted to captain.

During a raid to destroy, the Imperial corvette Bixby is secured for the Alliance. Captain Nogdra of the Bixby brings intelligence of an Imperial rendezvous point near Dellalt for a major offensive known as Operation Strike Fear. Farlander is selected to conduct a reconnaissance flight in a lone R-22 Spearhead. The pilot passes through the star system and confirmed the presence of a large Imperial force led by the Imperial-class Star Destroyer Invincible. Thanks to the speed of this new starfighter, he manages to identify the ID profiles of all of the starships without being intercepted. Aware of the presence of the Imperial fleet in the sector, the Alliance High Command orders the evacuation of the Rebel base on Brigia.

The Rebel Alliance has learned of a new Imperial operation codenamed "Strike Fear", that will hit their base on Brigia as its first target. Knowing that the Rebel fleet stationed there is no match for the Imperial forces, the Alliance High Command organizes an extensive evacuation of Rebel personnel stationed on the planet.

All available transports are used to load up equipment and personnel, with the most important personnel boarding the shuttle group Arroyo. During the battle, X-wings from Red Squadron, assisted by Y-wings from Gold Squadron, are charged with protecting the shuttles. The Y-wings will provide close escort while the X-wings move to engage any enemy fighters. Meanwhile, the Blue Squadron are responsible for protecting base equipment transports. Shortly after the EF76 Nebulon-B escort frigate Fugazi escaped into hyperspace, the evacuation is interrupted by the arrival of the Imperial-class Star Destroyer Invincible, which immediately begins launching TIE Series starfighters. In the immediate volley, the corvette Mahan and transport group Rhoon are immediately overwhelmed and destroyed by the guns on the Invincible.

The Rebels engage the Imperial TIEs holding them off long enough for Arroyo and the remainder of the fleet to escape. However, Rebel losses were large. Wounded from the evacuation operation would later be transferred to the medical frigate Redemption by the corvette Korolev. Though losses had been substantial, the Rebel Alliance still maintained the capacity to strike, and their most senior personnel on Brigia are saved.

Following the evacuation of Brigia, several shuttles, along with the CR90 corvette Korolev are transferring wounded personnel to the medical frigate Redemption. The Imperial Nebulon-B frigate Warspite drops out of hyperspace and launches TIE Series fighters. It then jumps to hyperspace again, emerging on the other side of the transfer and launching more fighters.

The defending Rebel X-wings have moved to intercept the first wave and are out of position for the second wave. The pilots of Red Squadron, particularly Keyan Farlander, are able to evade the TIE/LN starfighters long enough to destroy both waves of TIE/sa bombers and all Rebel ships escape successfully. Key to their success is Farlander's decision to use his proton torpedoes to destroy the first wave of TIE Bombers quickly, along with ignoring the threat of the TIE Fighters, which were attacking the X-wings themselves, until all TIE Bombers had been destroyed.

Alliance to Restore the Republic's Ordnance and Supply Command puts out an alert that the reserve of R2 units are dangerously low. In response the Rebels start a priority search for R2 units. A previous scout mission located a freighter carrying R2 units had broken down with a failed hyperdrive system in the Rudrig system.

The Rebels send 3 R-22 Spearheads from Red Squadron and a Lambda-class T-4a shuttle, Rescue Riker. The shuttle contains a boarding party to capture the freighter. During the raid, an unknown group of pirates also made an attempt at the freighter and it's R2 units. The Rebels obtain their much needed R2 units, however they turn out to be a plant by the Empire in an effort to capture personnel belonging to the Rebellion.

Following the Raid in the Rudrig system, three X-wings are hijacked by their R2 units. The Rebels mount an effort to recover the X-Wings and their pilots. Imperial stormtroopers kidnap a Sullustan technical staff, in what appears to have been part of Operation Strike Fear, possible planned invasion of Sullust. The Rebel Alliance mounts a rescue mission to both return the staff and convince the Sullustans of the intentions of the Empire. Alliance has also hoped that this rescue will cause Sullustans to join the Rebel Alliance.

Keyan Farlander successfully identifies and disables the transports carrying the tech staff personnel. Next, to protect Delta-class DX-9 stormtrooper transports Rescue Farlander goes after TIE interceptor Zeta. Staying close to the Transports to be able to provide cover. Once Alpha and Beta squadrons closed, he takes out the leaders with torpedoes at range, then proceeds on to the wingmen with lasers.

Once Rescue finished rescuing the prisoners, all ships jump to hyperspace. In the aftermath of the operation, Sullustans have become sympathetic towards the Rebel Alliance and started their negotiations to join the Rebel Alliance.

Two weeks after the rescue of a Sullustan tech staff by the Alliance to Restore the Republic, leaders of the Sullustan resistance movement agree to open diplomatic talks on the planet Sullust to discuss entrance into the Alliance. However, the summit is attacked by the Imperial Star Destroyer Invincible, as part of Operation Strike Fear. Blastwell and Farlander, flying R-22 Spearheads, hold off the Imperial starfighters until the meeting is concluded and all ships fly into hyperspace.

After Sullustan leader Sian Tevv and Sullustan officers get kidnapped by Imperial stormtroopers during the Diplomatic Summit at Sullust, Rebel pilots, including Farlander, attack the Kappa shuttles that transferred the Sullustans to the Imperial-class Star Destroyer Invincible. After rescuing Sian Tevv, the Alliance and the Sullustans begin to formulate a plan to destroy the Imperial-class Star Destroyer Invincible and end Operation Strike Fear permanently.

The first step is to capture some staff belonging to the Cygnus corporation so that they can acquire codes to masquerade as a supply ship on a Lambda-class T-4a shuttle. They find the opportunity at a test site where they were conducting tests on their latest fighter, the Alpha-class Xg-1 Star Wing.

Farlander in a R-22 Spearhead, along with a wingman, are launched first. They clear the small fighter defences that are only in the way and Farlander scans the transports Kappa and Lambda 1 and 2 to find the staff in Kappa with the defences cleared a Rebel transport. Lightning arrived and boarded the transport Kappa, while Farlander destroys any remaining TIE Fighters and Interceptors and destroyed the two freighters Dock to stop any more fighters and the Lambda transports. The Lightning captures the staff and jumps to Hyperspace with the two fighters following suit.

The Imperial-class Star Destroyer Invincible has been tasked with the destruction of the Alliance to Restore the Republic as the flagship of Operation Strike Fear, and during this operation the Invincible and her forces have taken the offensive in laying waste the growing Rebel presence in the Tion Hegemony. The campaign sees the destruction of many Alliance forces and several of their key planetary bases on worlds such as Briggia and Orion IV, forcing the fledgling Alliance on the run. Although the bulk of the Alliance's forces evaded capture or death, the mounting losses necessitated a major strike against the Invincible in the hopes of crippling Operation Strike Fear, and so Rebel leaders and their allies made plans to destroy the Invincible.

After having captured several senior personnel from the Imperial-aligned Cygnus Corp, the Rebels learn of a BFF-1 bulk freighter known as the Gafra that are transporting a powerful superweapon to the Empire that would possess enough power to destroy the Invincible. Imperial defector Crix Madine aids his newfound Rebel allies in planning the attack on the flagship and in a daring strike the Rebels seized the Gafra and its powerful cargo, and prepared it for transport to the Imperial flagship.

After the completion of the first Death Star, the MC80 Home One-type Star Cruiser Independence is carrying members of the Alliance High Command, including Mon Mothma, to the Rebel base on Yavin 4 to coordinate the Alliance's defense against the major Imperial offensive that was expected to begin. While in the Bestine system, it comes under attack from the Imperial-class Star Destroyer Immortal.

Voice cast

• David Stone as Keyan Farlander
• Matt Damon as Hamo Blastwell
• Denis Lawson as Wedge Antilles
• Richard Newman as Captain Nogdra
• Carrie Fisher as Princess Leia Organa
• Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker
• Bill Kipsang Rotich as Sian Tevv
• Dermot Crowley as Crix Madine
• Peter Cushing as Grand Moff Tarkin
• James Earl Jones as Darth Vader
• Clive Revill as General Jan Dodonna
• Peter Geddis as Captain Raymus Antilles
• Brandon Chow, Crispin Valenzuela, Isla Wood and Dave Mallow as Rebel Pilots and Imperial Officers

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