Red Leader Standing By (1977)

About

Red Leader, Standing By is an online forum game that involves relay-posting images that are explicitly red (ex: red_cross_symbol.jpg) or more ambiguous items associated with the word “red” (ex: red_foreman.jpg). It is an especially popular pastime on 4chan’s /b/ board.

Origin

The phrase “Red Leader Standing By” comes from a memobrable scene in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope where the rebel alliance is launching their assault on the Death Star. Approaching the enemy trench zones, the Red Squadron leader performs a roll call over the radio:

Red Leader: “All wings check in.”
Red 3: “Red 3 standing by.”
Red 6: “Red 6 standing by.”
Luke Skywalker: “Red 5 standing by”
Red Buttons: “Red Buttons standing by.”
Redd Foxx: “Redd Foxx standing by.”
Big Red: “Big Red standing by.”

The earliest instance of “Red Leader Standing by” roll-call thread can be found in a Jedi Council Forums thread created in May 2001. “Red Leader” style roll-calling has been extensively used in imageboards and discussion forums.

Usage

Each round begins when the OP starts a new thread with an image of a Red Squadron pilot and a caption reading “Red Leader, Standing By”. Sometimes “All Wings Checked In” can be used interchangeably. But it is necessary that at the end of each reply post, the submitted character, thing, place, object, etc. must be followed by an affirmative: “standing by”.

Thread Examples

• Facepunch forums, Standing By.
• EU Playstation forums, Standing By.
• NASIOC forums, Standing By.
• PB forums, Standing By.
• 4chan archives, Standing By. (NSFW)
• Rock Band forums, Standing By.
• Dungeon Fighter forums Standing By.

Family Guy Parody of “Red Leader Standing by”

Red Leader: All wings check in.
Red 3: Red 3 standing by.
Red 6: Red 6 standing by.
Luke Skywalker (Chris): Red 5 standing by
Red Buttons: Red Buttons standing by.
Redd Foxx: Redd Foxx standing by.
Big Red: Big Red standing by.

[camera zooms out to show a Russian submarine floating with the squad of X-Wings]

Red October: [in Sean Connery’s voice] Red October standing by.
Helen Reddy: Helen Reddy standing by.
Simply Red (Mick Hucknall): [Entire band is in one X-Wing cockpit] Simply Red standing by.