Biggs Darklighter is Luke Skywalker’s childhood friend from Tatooine, a pilot whose decision to leave Imperial service and join the Rebel Alliance gives Luke an early glimpse of the larger fight waiting beyond the desert.
Like Luke, Biggs grows up wanting more than life on Tatooine can offer. He attends the Imperial Academy, but instead of building a career inside the Empire, he defects to the Rebellion. By the time Luke reaches the Rebel base on Yavin 4, Biggs is already flying an X-wing and preparing for the assault on the Death Star.
Their reunion is brief but important. Biggs is proof that someone from Luke’s old life has already made the leap Luke has been dreaming about. During the Battle of Yavin, Biggs flies as Red Three and helps protect Luke during the trench run before being shot down.
Expanded Star Wars stories have explored additional pieces of Biggs’ life and defection, but the durable Character identity does not require separating those presentations. He remains Luke’s friend from Tatooine, an Imperial-trained pilot who chooses the Rebellion, and one of the pilots who does not return from the Death Star attack.
Luke becomes the hero everyone remembers.
Biggs is one of the people who helped make sure he got home.