In 0 BBY, the Alliance to Restore the Republic attacked the DS-1 Orbital Battle Station during the Battle of Yavin. Black 4 was among the Black Squadron TIE/LN starfighters that attempted to defend the station from the Alliance starfighters. During the battle, Black 4 scored a direct hit on Rebel pilot Luke Skywalker, who flew the X-wing Red Five. Skywalker asked fellow Rebel pilot Wedge Antilles for assistance, and Antilles successfully destroyed Black 4 and killed DS-61-4.
Black 4 first appeared in the 1976 novelization of the original trilogy film Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope, before appearing in the 1977 film itself, in scenes shot on Stage 8 at Elstree Studios between June 17 and June 28, 1976. The 1996 A New Hope Limited expansion set of the Star Wars Customizable Card Game would later name the starfighter.
A couple of inconsistencies exist relating to Black 4. 1998's Star Wars Encyclopedia and 2008's The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia claimed that DS-61-4 survived the Battle of Yavin, despite Black 4's onscreen destruction with DS-61-4 inside in A New Hope. Additionally, 2002's A New Hope expansion of the Star Wars Trading Card Game used a film still of Black 4 to represent TIE Fighter DS-3-12, while the 2003 Battle of Yavin set used film stills of Black 4 to represent TIE Fighters DS-55-2 and DS-73-5. This article, as well as other linking articles, treat DS-61-4 in Black 4 as the true identities of the TIE pilot and fighter from the A New Hope film, and treat the other designations as canon subjects separate from DS-61-4 and Black 4.
Black 4 first appeared in the 1976 novelization of the original trilogy film Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope, before appearing in the 1977 film itself, in scenes shot on Stage 8 at Elstree Studios between June 17 and June 28, 1976. The 1996 A New Hope Limited expansion set of the Star Wars Customizable Card Game would later name the starfighter.
A couple of inconsistencies exist relating to Black 4. 1998's Star Wars Encyclopedia and 2008's The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia claimed that DS-61-4 survived the Battle of Yavin, despite Black 4's onscreen destruction with DS-61-4 inside in A New Hope. Additionally, 2002's A New Hope expansion of the Star Wars Trading Card Game used a film still of Black 4 to represent TIE Fighter DS-3-12, while the 2003 Battle of Yavin set used film stills of Black 4 to represent TIE Fighters DS-55-2 and DS-73-5. This article, as well as other linking articles, treat DS-61-4 in Black 4 as the true identities of the TIE pilot and fighter from the A New Hope film, and treat the other designations as canon subjects separate from DS-61-4 and Black 4.