Wedge Antilles, otherwise known as TIE SS-2-5 during his time at Skystrike Academy, is a true icon of the Rebel Alliance. So you can imagine our excitement when we glimpsed Denis Lawson’s X-wing pilot back behind the joystick in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.

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He’s fought off the Empire across Yavin and Endor, but by the time Episode IX rolls around, Wedge Antilles once again takes up arms against galactic tyranny. This time, it’s the so-called Final Order causing a ruckus, and below you’ll find an HD shot of Wedge back in the cockpit courtesy of Star Wars Underworld.

It’s undoubtedly another example of fan service from The Rise of Skywalker – itself a film that panders to the fans, arguably at its own expense – but even from the get-go, it was pretty clear J.J. Abrams and co-writer Chris Terrio wanted Episode IX to harken back to the Star Wars films of old. Denis Lawson’s cameo appearance as Wedge Antilles is Abrams and Terrio’s plan writ large. Ditto for the resurgence of Sheev Palpatine.

Truth be told, Lawson’s involvement in the sequel amounts to nothing more than a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it cameo, but it’s still enough time for Wedge Antilles to compliment Lando Calrissian – another Star Wars legend from a bygone era – on his flying skills, as the latter pilots the Falcon into the final battle.

At $1.028 billion worldwide, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker remains the lowest-grossing (and indeed lowest-rated) installment of Lucasfilm’s Sequel Trilogy. Be that as it may, the immediate future of the franchise is still bright, what with The Mandalorian season 2 on the way, along with a new wave of films that will presumably stand on their own two feet, independent from the Skywalker Saga.