Porkins' Star Wars Death Features Episode IV's Dumbest Line - Here's Why

Even after all these years, the ending of "Star Wars: A New Hope" remains the most significant moment of the franchise. The brutal and climactic dogfighting between Rebel and Imperial pilots above the Death Star is "Star Wars" at its peak. However, even this epic cinematic achievement is not without its clunky missteps.

The Rebel Alliance suffers heavy losses during the battle and the first fighter pilot killed is Jek Tono Porkins (William Hootkins). The character's demise is gruesome; after struggling with his X-wing, the ship suddenly and unceremoniously explodes. Before this, Biggs Darklighter (Garrick Hagon) yells for his friend to "eject" and "pull up." The latter piece of advice is perfectly standard. The former, however, is the one that has made fans tilt their heads over the years. Telling a fighter pilot to eject during a real-life aerial conflict is completely understandable (though the process is nowhere near as simple as Hollywood makes it out to be). Imploring one who is flying through the cold vacuum of space, surrounded by countless enemy laser turrets, in the middle of a galaxy-defining battle ... is a bit awkward, to say the least. 

Of course, like combat aircraft in real life, many ships in the "Star Wars" franchise also have ejector seats. For X-wings specifically, this idea was explored heavily in multiple books and comics, many of which are now considered Legends (non-canon). In one instance, it is revealed that an X-wing pilot's suit has a pressure sensor that can activate a miniature magnetic shield; this would help them maintain a reliable air supply. While this is undoubtedly a downright necessity in a world where intense space battles are a constant, this may not have been much help for Porkins.

Had the Rebel pilot had such tech to rely on, he was still in the least favorable position possible. TIE fighters weren't far off from entering the battle, and it's unlikely any other Rebel pilot would have had the time to "pick up" their friend. So, had Porkins somehow succeeded in ejecting, he would have possibly found himself floating around and surrounded by enemy turrets and ships. And, as all fans know, the clock was ticking; that Death Star was going to go boom. Even in the hopeful world of "Star Wars," this is simply an awful and terrifying situation to be in. 

Personal mag shields or not, other chapters in the "Star Wars" franchise have shown just how horrifying it is to pilot a starship in space, especially during a dogfight. The prequels and "The Clone Wars" series is filled with clone fighter pilots letting out bone-chilling screams as they are sucked out into the cold void of space. So, Biggs telling Porkins to eject may not have been the soundest piece of advice. However, he deserves some slack. The pressure was on. They were fighting for the freedom of an entire galaxy, after all!