Top Starfighters In 'Star Wars'

As discussed in a previous article, one of the main elements of the Star Wars franchise are the exciting dogfights and the various types of starfighters involved in these aerial battles. Although there are some mainstays, nearly all the Star Wars movies and series have continued to develop and feature new and more visually interesting starfighters. This article will discuss some of what I consider to be the best starfighters in the Star Wars movies and series.

1. Blade Wing (B-Wing):

Although X-Wings are one of the most prominently featured starfighters in the Star Wars series and an obvious fan-favorite, after seeing the Battle of Endor in Return of the Jedi as a child, I actually became more interested in the unique B-Wing fighters, and it has been great to see them get more love and an official backstory in both Legends and, more recently, in Canon in Star Wars Rebels. Its initial appearance in Star Wars Rebels led to some of the best scenes in the episode, featuring this unique-looking craft. Also, it was great to see them featured one last time in the Skywalker Saga during the Battle of Exegol at the culmination of The Rise of Skywalker. I am hoping that we will get more appearances from this awesome looking star fighter in future Star Wars projects.

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2. X-Wing:

If it can be said that Star Wars has a "signature" starfighter, it is most definitely the X-Wing, which is introduced in A New Hope. It is the starfighter that the hero, Luke Skywalker, pilots to victory against the Death Star and becomes closely associated with (aka Red Five) throughout the rest of the saga. His T-65B-class X-Wing follows Luke all the way through his exile on Ahch-To until his death. He then passes it on to Rey, so that she can travel to Exegol and lead the Resistance there. Since A New Hope, the X-Wing fighter has become an integral presence in the original and sequel trilogy-era stories, being used exclusively by the Rebel Alliance, New Republic, and the Resistance. While I prefer the original T-65B X-Wing designs featured in the original trilogy, the craft featured in the sequel stories, the T-70, are just as exciting to watch on screen.

3. Agressive ReConnaissace (ARC)-170:

This one is a more obscure Galactic Republic starfighter, however, it is featured briefly during the Battle of Coruscant, flown by clone pilots escorting Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin, as well as throughout The Clone Wars. It is most noteworthy for being a predecessor to the T-65B X-Wing Fighter, which is evident in its appearance.

4. TIE Silencer:

Lest I be accused of being too much of a Rebel sympathizer when it comes to admiring starfighters, I want to give a shout-out to some awesome Imperial starfighters as well. The Empire and First Order's starfighters were limited to TIE Fighters. However, throughout the original trilogy and sequel trilogy, some interesting variants emerge, usually customized for certain missions or for pilots like Darth Vader. During the sequel trilogy, the main First Order antagonist, Kylo Ren, was seen piloting some specialized TIEs, the more unique design of which was his TIE Silencer, which he skillfully piloted against the Resistance fleet in The Last Jedi. He pilots another unique craft, the TIE Whisperer, in The Rise of Skywalker, although Rey's lightsaber and acrobatics make short work of it.

5. Y-Wing:

Like the X-Wing fighters, the Y-Wings are ubiquitous throughout the original trilogy and their predecessors were featured in The Clone Wars. They were designed to primarily be bombers, but they also sport an ion cannon, which can be used to disable other ships. The best use of this unique capability was in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, which featured a Y-Wing fighter wing disabling an Imperial Star Destroyer during the Battle of Scarif. Poe's old flame, Zori Bliss, shows up in a Y-Wing at the Battle of Exegol to help aid the Resistance in their battle against Palpatine's Final Order.

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Written by Mara Butler

Syndicated from Culture Slate

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