A human male named Col Takbright, originating from Uquine, served the Alliance to Restore the Republic as a pilot during the Galactic Civil War. Noted for his quick fuse and a striking similarity to Wedge Antilles, he earned the moniker Fake Wedge from his fellow aviators. As a member of Red Squadron, Takbright was stationed at Base One on Yavin 4 during the Battle of Yavin, but remained grounded due to the Rebellion's limited supply of starfighters.
The world of Uquine, a peaceful place located in the Colonies region of the galaxy, was the homeworld of Col Takbright. As a young man, Takbright grew increasingly disturbed by the Galactic Empire's expansion across the galaxy, as they ruthlessly exploited planets for resources like ore and fuel, and killed anyone who opposed them. Eventually, Takbright decided he could no longer idly stand by on his homeworld. One night, armed with only a few credits, a duffel bag, and a pledge to avenge the Empire's victims, he departed Uquine.
Takbright enlisted in the Alliance to Restore the Republic, and was assigned to Red Squadron at Base One on Yavin's fourth moon, where he piloted T-65B X-wing starfighters. During his time there, Takbright's volatile and outspoken nature frequently caused friction with his fellow pilots, especially Puck Naeco. The presence of Wedge Antilles, another Red Squadron pilot who bore a strong resemblance to Takbright in both voice and appearance, resulted in Takbright being mockingly called "Fake Wedge," a nickname he deeply resented.
By 0 BBY, Takbright had made a name for himself through various raids, earning praise from Red Leader Garven Dreis, as well as performing several patrols and reconnaissance missions. Due to the Rebellion's limited number of starfighters, he was excluded from the Battle of Scarif when Pedrin Gaul was given the last spot; however, he remained hopeful for a place in one of the squadron's flights for the imminent Battle of Yavin.
As the menacing Death Star drew closer, Takbright was present at the starfighter pilot briefing led by General Jan Dodonna. He sat beside Luke Skywalker, the farmboy from Tatooine instrumental in rescuing Princess Leia Organa and providing the battle station's schematics. True to form, Takbright questioned the viability of hitting the station's two-meter thermal exhaust port with proton torpedoes, even with a targeting computer. Skywalker reassured him, drawing on his experience targeting womp rats during his bush piloting days on Tatooine.
Following the briefing, Naeco chided Takbright for his outburst, after which Takbright shared Skywalker's optimistic remarks with John D. Branon. In the squadron's ready room, Dreis opted to give one of the squadron's twelve slots to Skywalker, who had achieved a remarkably high score in flight simulations, leaving Takbright out. Enraged, Takbright erupted in the ready room, only to be calmed by Antilles, who urged him to stop alienating his comrades.
From the Great Temple's war room, Takbright, alongside pilots Bren Quersey, Elyhek Rue, and Wenton Chan, anxiously watched as rebel pilots were systematically eliminated by TIE fighters and turbolasers. Eventually, only Antilles, Skywalker, and Biggs Darklighter remained to carry out their trench run. When Antilles' micro-maneuvering controls failed, Takbright implored Kelemah to extract him; however, Antilles withdrew from the trench.
The death of Darklighter heightened Takbright's anxiety as Antilles, despite losing fine control, moved to re-enter the trench, a move that would likely result in his death, buying Skywalker time to make his shot. However, before that could occur, Skywalker launched his torpedoes into the Death Star, obliterating it and saving the rebel base from destruction. Upon the survivors' return to Yavin, Takbright, having gained a newfound respect for his fellow pilot's selflessness, chose not to join the jubilant celebration surrounding Skywalker's landed starfighter. Instead, he approached Antilles and congratulated him on his courageous efforts.
Col Takbright was a human male characterized by brown hair, brown eyes, and a light complexion. He was notorious within the Alliance for his hair-trigger temper, a trait that sometimes led to his exclusion from team missions, further exacerbating his anger. Despite this, he remained loyal to the Alliance and maintained good relationships with his fellow pilots. As the Battle of Yavin drew to a close, Takbright began to recognize that he had underestimated his friends and their values, and started to treat them with kindness and encouragement, commending them for their actions.
Col Takbright made his debut in Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope, portrayed by actor Colin Higgins. He was officially named in "Duty Roster," a short story by Star Wars veteran Jason Fry featured in the From a Certain Point of View collection, commemorating the 40th anniversary of A New Hope. In Star Wars Legends materials, the character was identified as Wedge Antilles (played by Denis Lawson in the rest of the film), with both actors' lines voiced by David Ankrum.
Higgins was originally cast as Wedge Antilles. However, he had not memorized his lines for the Yavin 4 scene, expecting a production style similar to television, where rehearsals were common. Higgins struggled during the filming and became increasingly anxious and discouraged. He was dismissed after one day and replaced by Lawson. However, Higgins' scene remained in the final cut of the film.
The discrepancy in Wedge's appearance in the briefing room scene, compared to the rest of the film, led to the fan nickname "Fake Wedge." Lucasfilm Story Group member and author Pablo Hidalgo identified the actor's name and backstory in 2004. The unofficial fan nickname for Higgins' portrayal was acknowledged and integrated into canon by Jason Fry in "Duty Roster."