Update: As of The Last Jedi, the Star Wars franchise has covered about 35 years of history after the Death Star went boom, and has delighted us with the violent deaths of literally tens of billions of living beings. The effects of a singular event continue to ripple across the Galaxy, wiping out entire planets (and probably entire species) in the process. It's impossible to know how many more will die before the franchise stops being profitable. So we thought that now would be a good time to revisit this article about the random, unnamed TIE fighter pilot who made it all happen, just by being shitty at his job.

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In the original Star Wars, the good guys almost didn't make it. Despite the fact that Han and Luke save Leia, they stupidly lead the Empire right to the Rebels' doorstep. But they save the day, right? Luke blows up the Death Star mere moments before it ends the rebellion in a single shot of sweet lasery explosiveness.

But if it wasn't for one random dipshit, evil would have won.

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The savior of the Rebellion. He's recognized only slightly less than Wedge Antilles.

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Wait, What?

Let's see how well you remember the climax: Luke has just turned off his targeting computer and is listening to the voice of Dead Kenobi, 90 percent of the Rebel attack squad has been blown up, and Darth Vader is one well-placed shot away from living every parent's dream of success at the expense of their kid. In fact, he's already shot R2-D2 through the head, and is lining up his next shot to take out Luke and any chance the Rebels have of destroying the Death Star.

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At that moment, Han Solo shows up shoots Vader's TIE fighter, sending it spinning out of control. So Han saves the day, right?

Nope. That's not what happens. See for yourself:

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Lucasfilm

What happens is that Han shoots another TIE fighter, one that isn't doing anything.

Lucasfilm

Vader's the one in the middle, not exploding.

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At that moment, Darth is still free to blast Luke from existence. And that's when our nameless TIE fighter pilot comes in. He's the one on the right up there. At the sight of another ship getting blown up (in a battle where that has happened dozens of times already), he panics ...