As a pilot for the Rebel Alliance, Luke Skywalker fought in many of the battles of the Galactic Civil War. His most important appearance, however, may have been his role in the one of the war's earliest battles – the Battle of Yavin – and in the destruction of the Galactic Empire's ultimate weapon: the Death Star. In this battle, Skywalker (flying as Red Five) unexpectedly assumed leadership of Red Squadron and led the attack on the moon-sized battle station. Using the Force and two expertly fired proton torpedoes, Skywalker adeptly navigated his versatile X-wing starfighter through the battle station's trench to its thermal exhaust port and struck the Death Star's main reactor, causing the entire structure to explode. Though the battle was over, this was not the last that Luke would see of a Death Star...