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  1. In Memory of LAJ_FETT: Please share your remembrances and condolences HERE

CT Jedi Luke Skywalker at Jabba's Palace

Discussion in 'Classic Trilogy' started by DRush76, May 20, 2013.

  1. DRush76

    DRush76 Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Jan 25, 2008
    I don't know about the rest of you, but I wasn't particularly impressed by Luke's actions at Jabba's palace in ROTJ. He was a tad too arrogant in his assumptions, reminding me of Palpatine. And there were times when he could have used the Force and forgot to do so. Only on Jabba's palace did he start to resemble a semi-competent Jedi Knight.
     
  2. Ahsoka_Tano_11

    Ahsoka_Tano_11 Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Mar 30, 2013
    Hmmmm.......I agree an disagree with you.
    Agree: He was a bit arrogant, but he is a boy, so forgive him. ;)
    Disagree: He was only beginning to understand how to use the Force and what it can do. He is still learning.
     
  3. SlashMan

    SlashMan Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Feb 5, 2012
    I like to think that he was in control the whole time, but due to the horrible planning, it all was too coincidential. But that wasn't Luke's fault, since he was the one who saved everyone once their plans failed. Either way, he kept his cool throughout it all, and that's important for a Jedi.
     
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  4. Kenneth Morgan

    Kenneth Morgan Chosen One star 5

    Registered:
    May 27, 1999
    How many times have I posted the following?
    *****
    Okay, I’ve posted this several times over the years, but I may as well post it again. I must note that much of it is based on speculation and extrapolation from what is seen in the movies themselves. Anyway, on to Luke’s plan.

    Using the Alliance to get Han out was not an option. Han, after all, is just one man, and the Rebels can’t spare an attack team with air cover to rescue one man, no matter who he is. Besides, Han was encased in a carbonite block in the middle of the palace. By the time the strike team gets to him, it’s a safe bet Boba Fett would’ve blasted him to pieces on Jabba’s order. So, Luke has to resort to what is essentially a con game. He’s got to get Jabba to basically hand Han over to him, rather than try to take him. So, he devises an operation, with multiple fail-safe points, to accomplish this. Here’s how it goes:

    Luke puts together his own version of the IMF, consisting of himself, Leia, Lando, Chewie, Artoo and Threepio. They all rendezvous on Tatooine and get to work (though he keeps certain parts of the operation from Threepio, given the droid’s talkative nature). Lando goes in first, as Luke’s inside man. He’s a former con artist, so he knows how to put together a passable fake identity and slip in. He checks out the area and sends word back to Luke, then sticks around to help.

    Next, the droids go in with a legitimate offer to buy Han’s freedom. (Remember, Leia’s rich; she can afford it.) Luke offers the droids as a gift just to sweeten the deal, and, in Artoo’s case, provide a weapon he might need later. If this works, an exchange is arranged and Han is freed, with Lando getting the droids out when he leaves. But, it doesn’t work. So…

    Leia goes in, disguised as Boussh, to infiltrate the palace, with Chewie along to provide her with a legitimate reason for being there, along with street cred and needed muscle if the situation comes to it. She’ll sneak into the audience chamber to free Han and get him clear. Meanwhile, Lando will free Chewie to help out, and then get himself and the droids out. If it works, they all escape before Jabba catches on. But, it doesn’t work. So…

    Luke goes in, unarmed, to try to mind trick Jabba into releasing Han. Sure, it might look odd for Jabba to suddenly go along with Luke’s wishes. But, hey, he’s the guy in charge; who’s going to argue with him? If it works, Luke takes the prisoners with him and Lando & the droids sneak out the back. But, it doesn’t work. So…

    Luke tries a mild threat on Jabba. Yes, he says he could destroy Jabba, but Luke also still gives the impression that they could still strike a deal. He also warns Jabba of what he could expect if he decides to fight it out. If it works, Luke and the prisoners leave and Lando & the droids get clear. But, it doesn’t work. So…

    Luke tries to kill Jabba, an attempt that is purposely meant to fail. Luke’s not an idiot. He knows that even if he gets lucky and takes Jabba’s head off, Boba and the guards will cut him down on the spot. In any case, the purpose isn’t killing Jabba. The purpose is getting dropped into the Rancor’s nest, and killing the beast. This is important; there’s no Plan B. This is a crisis point, and if it fails, the rest of the plan falls apart. But, it doesn’t fail; Luke kills the Rancor, greatly angering Jabba. So…

    Jabba finds Luke’s actions so insulting that he doesn’t just have everybody zapped at once. He sentences them to get tossed to the Sarlaac, which is exactly what Luke wanted. Check the scene; when sentence is passed, Luke has a little smile and is nodding. He may as well be saying, “Got you, you son of a bantha!” So, it’s off to the Sarlaac.

    There, Luke tries to avoid conflict one last time. He’s plain on the subject: “Free us, or die.” If it works, the good guys head for the hills and Jabba goes home. But, it doesn’t work. And here we are.

    Luke’s hands are free, and he’s all set. Han is awake and ambulatory. Chewie and Lando are nearby, ready to move. Leia’s inside, waiting for her chance. Artoo is on deck, with Luke’s lightsaber. And Jabba is outside of his palace and away from the bulk of his guards, and he has no idea of what’s about to happen. The dominoes are in place, and Luke just has to knock down the first one.

    That, people, is one well-made plan. It’s flexible, it accurately measures Jabba’s weaknesses (pride and overconfidence), it has several points where it can smoothly switch tracks, and it gives Jabba several chances to just walk away without the need for violence. And, when it gets to the big finish, it takes Jabba and his cronies down but good. As far as I’m concerned, Jim Phelps and his team couldn’t have done any better.

    Over to you…



     
  5. SlashMan

    SlashMan Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Feb 5, 2012
    I'll buy that. I guess they just severely underestimated Jabba, and had to resort to extremes to save Han.

    I still can't believe that Luke predicted they would be fed to the Sarlaac. I mean, he probably was aware of the Rancor (I assume Lando was communicating with him), but who knew what additional measure Jabba would take? It seemed like a risk storing his lightsaber in R2, but it all worked out so long as R2 can be in direct contact with Luke.
     
  6. Granger

    Granger Jedi Knight star 2

    Registered:
    Nov 1, 2012
    I'm glad someone brought this up. I used to feel that he was a bit arrogant in the confrontation with Jabba but my position has changed. When I attended the recent screening at the Egyptian, one of the things that jumped out at me was how many Jedi skills Luke displays in the opening confrontation at Jabba's palace. He chokes the guards when they try to muscle him, he mind tricks Bib Fortuna, he calls the blaster to his hand with ease, and then the big one...as he is bound and informed of his pending execution, a look of total confidence comes over him and he tells Jabba that he should have bargained and now he's going to die. In this moment Luke is not speaking out of false bravado, he is speaking with the knowing confidence of a Jedi who is seeing the future and knows exactly how the situation is going to play out.
     
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  7. Rachel_In_Red

    Rachel_In_Red Jedi Master star 3

    Registered:
    May 12, 2013
    Haven't really thought about all the details and Luke's exact plans, but I do like the Jabba's palace and Sarlaac scenes.
     
  8. rumsmuggler

    rumsmuggler Chosen One star 7

    Registered:
    Aug 31, 2000
    Sounds good to me.
     
  9. Aaronaman

    Aaronaman Jedi Knight star 4

    Registered:
    Mar 12, 2013
    Luke had confidence when entering Jabba's Palace because as a Jedi he knew he had the powers and teachings to not only look after himself but rescue his friends. If Luke had any doubt in his mind about what he could do he would only have put his friends in more danger.

    It reminds me of Ben in ANH using the mind trick on the Stormtroopers....he had no doubt in his mind that he could fool them, he was after a Jedi Knight just as Luke is in ROTJ.

    Luke Skywalker, Jedi Knight, would have foreseen a successful outcome.
     
  10. StarWars2015

    StarWars2015 Jedi Knight star 2

    Registered:
    Dec 5, 2012
    It would have been perfect if they had done Boba Fett Justice in that Fight on the Sail Barge...........they really rushed and short changed that. I hope that a Stand Alone Fett Film will fix that.
     
  11. Rachel_In_Red

    Rachel_In_Red Jedi Master star 3

    Registered:
    May 12, 2013
    Nah, Fett's a wuss. Nothing will fix that. ;)
     
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  12. Jedi Merkurian

    Jedi Merkurian Future Films Rumor Naysayer star 7 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    May 25, 2000
    You're forgetting one very important detail: Luke can see the future.
     
  13. Jedi Merkurian

    Jedi Merkurian Future Films Rumor Naysayer star 7 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    May 25, 2000
    Because I cannot “like” this post enough. =D=

    In addition to the above, where Luke uses a massive contingency plan in coordination with…y’know…being able to see the future, the Tatooine sequence is my favorite way to contrast the utter badassery of Luke with the utter ineptitude of Boba Fett, particularly in light of the PT.

    As noted above, Luke going in person to see Jabba was a backup plan. However, he basically walked –unarmed, no less- into the stronghold of the worst gangster in the galaxy and said “Look, dude; either you give me Han Solo, and I pay you a crap-ton of money for your trouble, or I will kill everybody up in this place and take him anyway.” One dead giant mutant nightmare beast later, Luke says “You should’ve taken the money. Now, I’m gonna kill everybody up in this place.”

    Upon being forced to walk the plank, Luke says “Alright, the money is off the table, but here’s a last-chance offer: either you let us walk outta here, or I will kill everybody up in this place and we walk anyway.” A few seconds later, his lightsaber literally falls from the sky, and he starts killing everybody up in that place. Just like he said he would.

    This is where Boba Fett’s ineptitude becomes clear.

    He has eyewitness experience as to what tactics do and don’t work against Jedi. He knows for a fact that getting within arm’s reach of a Jedi with a lightsaber is a quick way to get the Highlander treatment. He knows that the best way to take down a Jedi is from far far away. Preferably with explosives. Ideally while they’re distracted. Additionally, he has seen what a holy terror a Skywalker can be with a lightsaber. Also, he just witnessed a Skywalker take down a giant mutant nightmare beast using little more than the remains of one of its victims, and the speed with which he is making good on his promise to kill everybody up in the place indicates that he’s definitely not a slouch with a glowstick of doom. Knowing all of this, what does Boba Fett do?

    Yeah…

    A few seconds later, after having miraculously kept his head attached to his neck, Boba has the ideal scenario. Having cleared everybody on one skiff, Luke has continued on to the next one in order to make good on his promise to kill everybody up in the place. Boba now has a distracted Jedi in his sights. He takes slow…careful…aim…aaaaaaand…

    Misses. By a lot.


    After that, he gets taken out by a wild swing by a blind man. He goes out screaming like a little girl who just saw a spider. The scene is played for laughs.
     
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  14. Kez-Iban

    Kez-Iban Jedi Master star 2

    Registered:
    Sep 4, 2012
    Luke's actions are similar to Anakin's in Attack of the Clones when he goes to rescue Shmi. On a mission to rescue one person that is close to them, they probably both went in with the hope of having a quick and relatively easy rescue without violence. When thing didn't go right, both turned to plan B which was kill everyone. A big difference is that Luke didn't have anger while Anakin was enraged. What would have happened if Leia or Han had died during the rescue attempt? Luke probably would have went just as nuts as Anakin. Luke was showing a lot of dark side behaviour at Jabba's palace, from the choking of the guards to the attempted assassination of Jabba and finally the slaughter of everyone aboard the skiffs and sail barge. Maybe after seeing how strong Vader was and finding out that Darth Vader was his father he was trying to model himself after his father. Too bad Yoda didn't have time to discuss Luke's actions since their last meeting. He probably would have be appalled!
     
  15. Jarren_Lee-Saber

    Jarren_Lee-Saber Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Apr 16, 2008
    The whole rancor fight I always spend going "use your lightsaber or the darn Force bro!"
     
  16. Jedi Merkurian

    Jedi Merkurian Future Films Rumor Naysayer star 7 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    May 25, 2000
    Nope.

    As has been noted more eloquently than myself, Luke used violence as a very last resort. What was he supposed to do, pause to politely ask for the surrender of each and every goon that was already shooting at him? They're called Jedi Knights, not Jedi Pacifists. And if you think Luke's actions were so horrible (making guards pass out and attempted assassination), then what do you think of Yoda's on Coruscant?

    Contrasting Luke with Anakin though, while Luke had a multi-track plan that was (and I cannot stress this enough) anger-free, Anakin was seat-of-the-pants, and even though he had the option of sneaking out like he snuck in, he instead went on a rage-fueled murder frenzy when things didn't go as envisioned.