Is an old fan favorite returning to the Star Wars universe?
Oh, poor Biggs Darklighter, we hardly knew ye. Though you were one of the most notable pilots in the Battle of Yavin you couldn’t make it out alive. It was down to the wire there, but Darth Vader shot you down before you could see Luke blow up the Death Star.
While your cousin Gavin eventually led Rogue Squadron in the old Expanded Universe, it was a small comfort when couldn’t see more of you. Well, that may change thanks to a fan theory regarding the recently released cast photo of Rogue One.
So, what’s the fan theory?
You know Diego Luna’s character standing behind Felicity Jones? The Eleven-ThirtyEight twitter account seems to think he looks a whole lot like Mr. Biggs Darklighter.
Oh, wow. There is a resemblance there.
There is indeed.
Could this be true?
Well, it’s certainly possible. It’s true that Diego Luna, especially with his facial hair and hair cut, looks a great deal like Biggs in A New Hope. We also certainly wouldn’t mind seeing Biggs fleshed out in a narrative that doesn’t have Luke Skywalker or Han Solo so he can stand on his own. However, we’re not entirely sold that Luna is playing Biggs.
What’s the argument against him playing Biggs?
Well, the Star Wars universe during the time of A New Hope has a 70s style to it… which makes sense given when the movie came out. Bowl cuts and mustaches were in then. Seeing as how Rogue One takes place around the same time, it makes sense that Luna’s character would adhere to the fashion choices of the time.
Furthermore, there’s something to be said for having original characters in this film to help keep the drama alive. For example, we know Biggs is fated to die in the Battle of Yavin. With that in mind, there’s no way we’d fear for his character during Rogue One since we know he’ll make it out of the story alive. If he’s an original character, every second could be his last and thus the audience is feeling more tension in the story.
Also, having Biggs in the film makes the Star Wars universe a little smaller. The Rebellion at this point in time is certainly having manpower shortages, but having Biggs be involved in another mission central to the destruction of the Death Star feels a little convenient. It’s not necessarily a bad thing and if justified it could work quite well… but it is a legitimate concern.
What are the odds Diego Luna is playing Biggs?
We’re going to go with 50/50 on this one. It’s not a bad theory and the reasons for and against the character’s involvement in the film are equally persuasive. If we had to guess, we don’t think he’s Biggs… but we could very easily be proven wrong.
