The Best Pilots In The ‘Star Wars’ Universe, Not Including Anakin
In the galaxy far, far away, many heroes and villains have showcased their skills in navigating the dangerous space, but only a few can really stand up to being one of the best in the Star Wars universe, outside of Anakin Skywalker. The Star Wars cinematic universe is not short on excellent pilots, but not every star makes the cut. Below are the best pilots in the Star Wars universe.
Luke Skywalker
The protagonist of the original trilogies was one of the fist ace pilots to come to mind. Although he was only eighteen in A New Hope, his experience in his T-16 Skyhopper shooting womp rats in Beggar’s Canyon shaped him to be the pilot who would take out the Death Star in his first flight in a X-Wing fighter. Luke had the Force, and genetics on his side. His experience in shooting the proton torpedo into the small thermal exhaust port to blow up the Death Star, taking down AT-ATs on Hoth, and leading Rogue Squadron has him as one of the best pilots in the Star Wars universe.
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Wedge Antilles
Wedge had always been the ace by Luke’s side. He led the Rogue Squadron after Luke stepped down, was also present for both the First and Second Death Star, and even the later Battle of Exegol. His piloting skills have some of the most longevity in Star Wars.
Han Solo
The famed smuggler and Rebel hero has some stunning piloting accolades to his name. He made the Kessel Run in 12 parsecs and hit the shot on Darth Vader’s TIE to give Luke a clean shot at destroying the Death Star. While the Millennium Falcon may not look like much, he had modified the ship to be the "fasted hunk of junk in the galaxy." While the ship may have its quirks and glitches, Han’s ability to dodge an Imperial fleet and navigate an asteroid filed in The Empire Strikes Back highlight his aptitude.
Poe Dameron
Finn said on Takodana in The Force Awakens, “That’s one hell of a pilot!” That exclamation indeed was an accurate description of Poe Dameron. While he had developed a slight cocky attitude from his skills and successes as a pilot, this “flyboy” made his mark as the premier ace of the Resistance in the sequel trilogy. Poe was able to pilot a TIE fairly competently (with Finn’s help) despite it being his first time inside the vehicle, and while under pressure of escaping capture above Jakku. He also managed to be an impressive component in the later Battle of Takodana. Poe further distinguished himself in the beginning of The Last Jedi when he single handedly destroyed an Imperial dreadnaught. While his personality may have left a bit to be desired, his piloting ability surely did not.
Rey Skywalker
Rey was a natural pilot. Her instincts in taking and flying the Millennium Falcon in The Force Awakens showed tremendous piloting acumen. Her stellar mechanical skills also allowed her to assist Han with repairs as she bypassed the compressor on their way to Takodana. While Rey’s time in space/air combat may be limited, do not sell her abilities short. She was excellent on Jakku and her skills as a gunner on Crait were invaluable.
Hera Syndulla
When making a list of best pilots, we cannot forget Hera Syndulla. She was an ace on the Ghost in Star Wars: Rebels. We got a glimpse at her developing flying abilities in The Bad Batch. Her piloting saved Kanan Jarrus and Ezra Bridger from many scraps, with help from her astromech droid Chopper.
Honorable mentions…
Din Djarin
The Mandalorian seemed like a great pilot, but we have not seen enough of him to qualify as one of the best pilots in the universe. We have seen him outrun a few ships and shoot down a few TIEs in the Razor Crest, which was barely held together with spit and what passed as baling wire in the Star Wars universe. He has not yet proven himself as an ace pilot as he currently does not have a ship under his command
Kylo Ren (Ben Solo)
In The Last Jedi, Kylo showed great skills when he incapacitated Vice-Admiral Holdo’s cruiser. But we have not seen enough of Kylo Ren in action in space to title him as one of the best pilots in the universe. Sure, he had the Force and good piloting genes, but we have not seen enough of his star flying ability.
Chewbacca
While Chewbacca was a key player in the Star Wars universe, he was in the co-pilot seat in majority of the movies. While he did pilot the Millennium Falcon during the chase scene at the end of The Last Jedi, it was not enough to put him on top. He was no doubt the best co-pilot in the galaxy, which helped boost Han Solo’s credentials as one of the top pilots.
Less-than-honorable mentions…
“Flying is for droids.”
“Right now, I feel like I can take on the whole Empire myself.”
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