The Battle of Yavin

A New Hope

If I was able to rent a time travelling DeLorean for a day and had just enough fuel to jump to one point in history, May 25, 1977 would be a strong contender for the date of choice – just so that I could watch A New Hope Star Wars in theatres for the first time on day one.

And as much as I love the cantina scene, trash compactor desperation and Obi-Wan’s duel with Vader, it’s the Battle of Yavin that would compel me to sit with that day one audience. Because I don’t care who you are or from what era you were born – watching X-Wings set S-Foils to attack position as they approach the Death Star is one of the coolest images in Star Wars.

The anticipation for what comes next in this unprecedented marvel of science fiction must have been electric.

Star Wars has had plenty of space battles since the Battle of Yavin. I love the Battle of Endor and The Last Jedi‘s Battle of D’Qar was the closest we’ve got to matching the intensity and spectacle of Yavin. But the climax of A New Hope still remains the benchmark.

We can feel the camaraderie between these desperate X-Wing pilots, fighting against impossible odds as the Rebels had gotten used to doing. They may be flying solo fighters but they are one unit with one mission – dive into the trench and fire two proton torpedos into a thermal exhaust port that’s two meters wide.

Sounds difficult – Galen Erso really did give those pilots a challenge. He basically said try and blow the candles out on this birthday cake that’s 50 yards away.

Red Leader Garven Dreis missed his shot and with X-Wing and Y-Wing pilots dropping like flies, it was down to Luke Skywalker – Red Five – flanked by his friend for the old days on Tatooine Biggs Darklighter and the soon-to-be-Endor hero Wedge Antilles.

With Vader in pursuit in his effortlessly cool TIE Advanced, Wedge takes a hit and bails out of the trench. Biggs isn’t so lucky, as his X-Wing is obliterated. Luke is left alone in the trench flying towards the objective as he disengages his targeting computer and opts to let the force guide the Rebels’ last attempt at destroying the station, as the Death Star prepares to fire on the heroes’ Yavin base.

With Vader preparing to fire on Red Five, his TIE support is shot down by Rebel reinforcements. The explosion bounces Vader out of the trench and into open space. It’s none other than Han Solo and Chewbacca, flying the Falcon into the picture.

“You’re all clear kid now lets blow this thing and go home.”

Luke fires to sink the torpedoes and destroy the station. Cheers erupt in theatres around the world. 42 years on and I’m cheering from my sofa. Every time.