Who will be in Rogue Squadron?

While the Disney Investor Day saw a plethora of new Star Wars series announced, fans were also treated to the announcement of the next Star Wars movie: Rogue Squadron, directed by Patty Jenkins and due for release Christmas 2023.

Rogue Squadron is a historic name, first heard in The Empire Strikes Back as the Rebel Squadron Luke led in the Battle of Hoth, and their story was fleshed out in Legends with games and books. Of course, Rogue Squadron will be getting a new story in Canon (their inception was shown in the main Star Wars comic line) and as a fan of the pilots and space battles, I’m very much looking forward to the movie. But who will we see in Rogue Squadron?

We know very little about the movie so far, but the description we have been given included the following quote:

The story will introduce a new generation of starfighter pilots as they earn their wings and risk their lives in a boundary-pushing, high-speed thrill-ride, and move the saga into the future era of the galaxy.

The mention of taking the saga into the future era of the galaxy says to me that this is going to be set after the Sequel Trilogy’ war with the First Order, though whether it follows closely after or is set decades later is still unclear. It’s no surprise to see that the majority of the pilots will likely be new to us, but if it is set relatively soon after the Sequel Trilogy, there are definitely some characters who could make an appearance, either as members of the squadron or in a quick cameo.

Poe Dameron

If Rogue Squadron is going to be one of the elite fighter squadrons, then who else would you expect to see than the best pilot in the Resistance. Unfortunately, I can’t imagine that Oscar Isaac will be too interested in returning following the Sequel Trilogy, but I’m going to hope that he could at least be convinced to have a cameo in the movie, perhaps as a high-ranking officer in whatever military we now have.

Wedge Antilles

Probably more likely following his return in The Rise of Skywalker is Wedge Antilles. The only pilot to be involved in the destruction of both Death Stars, Wedge was one of the founders of Rogue Squadron and took over command following the Battle of Hoth. We know from the Aftermath Trilogy that he became a flight instructor for the New Republic, so he could appear in that role or as a commanding officer due to the losses sustained against the First Order.

Zay Versio

I recently suggested that Iden Versio and Del Meeko could appear in Rangers of the New Republic and now I feel that Rogue Squadron would be a great chance to bring back their daughter, Zay. Star Wars Battlefront II shows that Zay has become an accomplished pilot and the novelisation of The Rise of Skywalker places her as part of the civilian fleet at the Battle of Exegol. As the daughter of 2 heroes of the Rebellion and someone who fought for the Resistance, Zay could easily be utilised as a character who is trying to live up to greater expectations due to her family name.

Shriv Suurgav

If we’re getting Zay, it makes perfect sense for Shriv to be with her. Not only would it add some variety to the cast by having a Duros among a group of humans, but his droll personality would bring a great comedic element, while he could also have the more tender moments helping Zay through her struggles.

Karé Kun

One of the more commonly featured pilots of the Sequel trilogy was Snap Wexley (played by Greg Grunberg), who we saw shot down in the Battle of Exegol just before the arrival of the Civilian Fleet. What those who haven’t read the books or comics may not know is that he had a wife, Karé Kun, who was also a Resistance pilot. As an experienced pilot, Kun could be one of the veterans of the squadron, but a return to hostilities could see her begin to question her decisions or play things too safe to protect her fellow pilots. As Wedge was Snap’s stepfather, having him as the commanding officer of the squadron could lead to some tender scenes as he helps her fight through her troubles.

Jessika Pava

One of the Black Squadron pilots to survive the Battle of Starkiller Base, could this be a chance for Jess Pava to return to the screen. Actress Jessica Henwick has risen in prominence since The Force Awakens, with roles in Game of Thrones, Godzilla v Kong, Matrix 4, the Netflix Marvel shows and a lead role in Love and Monsters, so it would feel right for her to have a more substantial role in a new movie. Pava’s childhood included her being captured by pirates and sold into slavery, which led to her needing to have control in her life and could lead to some great moments as the squadron are put under pressure, while on a more humorous note, her record of having her astromechs destroyed led to the Resistance droids being scared to fly with her and calling her “the great destroyer”.

Greer Sonnel

Readers of Bloodline will already know the potential subplot that we could have by bringing in Greer Sonnel. Greer was from the planet Pamarthe, which is famous for its elite pilots. A talented racer, she became part of Han Solo’s race crew, until the discovery that she suffered from bloodburn, a terminal illness that could be exacerbated by flying and had only 1 treatment, which itself could be poisonous. Greer’s medical history was kept largely secret and with her boss Leia now gone, could a significant threat cause her to try and get back in a fighter, putting her in a dangerous situation.

Kazuda Xiono

I may not have been the biggest fan of Resistance, but that doesn’t mean that I wouldn’t still love to see it connect to other stories, and bringing Kaz into live action would be a wonderful way to do this. It would be easy as well when you see just how much his voice actor Christopher Sean looks like a slightly older version of Kaz! This would work perfectly with the setting of being a few years after the Sequel Trilogy, an would allow for Kaz to have matured as a person to go along with his expert flying.

Hera & Jacen Syndulla

And finally, I had to pair these 2 together! Hera Syndulla went from Rebel spy to New Republic general during the Galactic Civil War and through we don’t know who was piloting it, her ship the Ghost was part of the Citizen’s Fleet and survived the Battle of Exegol. It’s simple enough to imagine that Hera would still be in the fight due to her love of flying, while her son Jacen would also be grown up by now. Having Hera in an overseeing role with Jacen as one of the pilots could provide a great dynamic between the pair, while it would be easy enough for Hera’s voice actress Vanessa Marshall to rerise her role as the character in a Twi’lek outfit. Oh and having the pair would allow a cameo from everybody’s favourite murderbot Chopper, so what’s not to love?!

 

So those are some of my predictions, who do you think could pop up and who would you like to see?

Thanks for reading. May the Force be with you….