Raymus Antilles

Warning: This infobox has missing parameters: parents, pronouns, children, siblings, partners, families, feathers and unrecognized parameters: era

"We received an Imperial announcement that Princess Leia Organa's ship, the Tantive IV, was attacked by pirates. The Empire has promised an investigation, but we are certain that is merely a cover. Captain Antilles was piloting that ship, and I can only assume the worst. He was a true hero and will be missed."

―Mon Mothma^[src]

Raymus Antilles was a male Human and the captain of the corvette Sundered Heart at the time of the Clone Wars and the Galactic Civil War. He served the Royal Alderaan Civil Fleet under Senator Bail Prestor Organa. During the early stages of the Civil War, he served the Rebel Alliance in the fight against the Galactic Empire. He captained the Alderaan Diplomatic Cruiser Tantive IV before his death in 0 BBY at the hands of Darth Vader.

Biography

Early life

"Nice work, Captain, I owe you one."

―Bail Organa, to Raymus Antilles^[src]

Raymus Antilles was a male Human from the peaceful planet of Alderaan,^[6] one of the so-called Core Worlds of the Galactic Republic.^[7] He was a member of the prominent House of Antilles and the uncle of Corla Metonae.^[8] Although he belonged to the same family as Breha, Queen of Alderaan, he himself held no title. During his formative years, Antilles learned how to pilot under the guidance of his mentor, Captain Jeremoch Colton.^[6]

Rise of the Empire

"I'm placing these droids in your care. Treat them well. Clean them up. Have the protocol droid's mind wiped."

―Bail Organa, to Raymus Antilles^[src]

File:Raymus Bail.JPG

Bail Organa and Raymus Antilles during the Clone Wars

At the time of the Clone Wars, Raymus Antilles had reached the rank of captain and was entrusted with piloting the Sundered Heart, the consular vessel for Senator Bail Prestor Organa.^[9]

Following the transmission of Order 66, Captain Antilles recovered a Jedi homing beacon, encountering no opposition from clone troopers as they were still confused by the ordeal. The beacon helped Bail Organa locate Jedi Masters Yoda and Obi-Wan Kenobi. Antilles transported the Jedi back to Coruscant, and later ferried the weary Masters to the medical center of Polis Massa.^[10]

When Bail Organa returned to Alderaan aboard the Sundered Heart, it was in the company of the droids R2-D2 and C-3PO, as well as his newly-adopted child, Leia. To preserve the secret of the girl's true parentage, Bail Organa ordered Antilles to have C-3PO's memory wiped,^[10] though R2-D2 managed to avoid this fate.^[11]

Over the next nineteen years, Captain Antilles continued to command the Tantive IV, but was separated from C-3PO and R2-D2 until almost immediately before 0 BBY.

Galactic Civil War

Antilles: "We intercepted no transmissions. This is a consular ship… We're on a diplomatic mission…"

Darth Vader: "If this is a consular ship, where is the ambassador?"

―Raymus Antilles and Darth Vader^[src]

Raymus Antilles Tantive IV — Leia Organa and Raymus Antilles aboard the *Tantive IV*

Early during the Galactic Civil War, Raymus Antilles, now a member of the Rebel Alliance, was granted property of the Sundered Heart as a gift for running aid and medical supplies past several Imperial blockades. He took that ship for some of his most dangerous missions instead of the Tantive IV.^[12] In 1 BBY, he gave his support to the Star Tours travel agency, which was being re–launched under new management. To assist in the preparations for the first flight from the brand new Spaceport THX1138, Captain Antilles assigned C-3PO and R2-D2 to temporarily work for the company. However, after the first flight was ambushed by Imperial forces conducting a raid on THX1138 and the escorting of a Rebel agent to the Rebels, he quietly had C-3PO and R2-D2 returned to him from Star Tours.^[13]

While on Dantooine, Antilles lost R2-D2 in a game of sabacc against the Lorrdian Pike Angeles. Angeles, a technician who wanted to be deployed in the field, agreed to return the astromech in exchange for a field commission. Antilles agreed. R2-D2 returned to his custody and Pike Angeles was free to begin a career stealing starships for the Alliance.^[14]

In the battle of Kuat that same year, Antilles personally destroyed six Imperial shipyards in orbit of the planet, in order to begin the operation of stealing the X-wing prototypes. He also attacked a fleet of Imperial ships transporting Incom scientists to the spice mines of Kessel, saving them from certain death. He was involved in many other missions for the Rebel cause. Later, while back in command of the Tantive IV, he was part of the mission which intercepted plans for the Death Star.

During the Battle of Tatooine, he commanded Blue Squadron from the bridge of the Tantive IV. His passage through the system was interrupted when a nearby Interdictor cruiser activated its gravity well projector, preventing their escape and allowing the Imperial I-class Star Destroyer Devastator to capture his ship.^[15] As the ship was boarded, Antilles led his men into the main passageway, meeting Leia Organa. He ordered her into an escape pod, as she had the Death Star plans. The senator suggested they use a droid instead.^[16]

The 501st Legion stormed the ship, and he was captured and taken to Darth Vader. The Sith Lord strangled Antilles to death (without the Force) after he refused to give information on the location of the Death Star plans, and attempted to claim that the Tantive IV was a consular ship on a diplomatic mission. Angered by Antilles's refusal to give up the location of the plans, as well as Antilles's death just as Vader demanded to know where the "ambassador" of the ship was due to his crushing his neck, the Dark Lord threw his body against a wall.^[2]

Personality and traits

"Captain Antilles knows ship-to-ship combat—he's run his share of blockades. But he's never had to deploy ground troops."

―Leia Organa^[src]

Raymus Antilles Kattada — Raymus Antilles during the Galactic Civil War

Raymus Antilles was level-headed, schooled in diplomacy, and a capable pilot. He was a strong Rebel Alliance sympathizer and skilled at running Imperial blockades, but he lacked experience leading ground troops.^[12] Antilles demonstrated his loyalty to the Alliance by giving his life rather than giving up the Death Star plans.

When he served aboard the Sundered Heart, he wore the iconic gray uniform of an Alderaanian starship captain and carried a target blaster.^[5]

Behind the scenes

Raymus Antilles was played by Peter Geddis and Rohan Nichol in A New Hope and Revenge of the Sith, respectively. He was voiced by David Ackroyd in the Star Wars radio drama and by Stephen Stanton in Star Wars: Empire at War.

George Lucas proposed that Denis Lawson, the actor that played Wedge Antilles in the original trilogy, might make a cameo as Raymus Antilles (much as Jeremy Bulloch had a cameo as Captain Jeremoch Colton). However, Lawson turned down the offer, and Lucas returned to his original choice, Nichol.^[source?]

Rohan Nichol suffered an accidental shaving incident leaving a noticeable nick on his chin that would not stop bleeding prior to filming for Revenge of the Sith. After apologizing to George Lucas for the blemish, the latter jokingly responded that the character "must have gotten it in the Clone Wars."^[17]

Raymus vs. Colton

In the novelization of Episode IV, C-3PO tells Luke that he and R2-D2 were previously owned by a "Captain Colton." This may refer to Jeremoch Colton (who was perhaps introduced into continuity to explain this reference); however, the name Colton Antilles was also given in C-3PO: Tales of the Golden Droid.

Therefore, it was perhaps originally intended that the character seen in Revenge of the Sith was not the same "Captain Antilles" killed by Darth Vader. Colton was originally identified as possibly Raymus Antilles's son,^[source?] named in honor of the latter's colleague, Jeremoch Colton. However Leland Chee confirmed that the captains in both films are the same individual.^[18]