"Slick Manoeuvres" - The Lando Calrissian discussion thread. Index Updated 6/1

He?s a card player, gambler, scoundrel. You?ll like him.

[image=http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a290/JadeLotus_01/lando1.jpg]

Welcome to the characterisation and discussion thread for Lando Calrissian, rake, smuggler, cad and on the other side of the credit, Baron Administrator, General and all-around nice guy.

This will also be an index of all Lando-centric fic, so please PM your story information to this sock or alternatively, to myself, JadeLotus. Please include the following information:

Title:
Author:
Link (no hyperlinks, please):
Genre:
Timeframe:
Summary:
Notes:


Lando does not have to be the focus of the story, but I would prefer if he played a major part in it if it is to be included in the Index. Thank you!

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Now, to kick-start the discussion, how do the Star Wars themes of love and redemption apply to Lando? Is he a mere background player, or does he have specific and reaching influence in the Saga as a whole? In short, what does Lando mean to you?

 

Authors A-H


Alaneia

Title: The Con of a Lifetime
Genre: Romance/Drama
Timeframe: OT
Summary: A possible cause of why Lando might have turned Han over to Vader in TESB.



ginchy

Title: Double-Speak
Genre: Challenge Response, humor
Rating: PG
Timeframe: Post Corellian Trilogy, post Union time-frame somewhere.
Summary: Tendra listens in on one of Lando's private conversations: Lando fic Challenge.


Title: Little Goodbyes
Genre: AU, romance, humor
Timeframe: New Republic
Summary: Mara and Lando's assingment is finally over. They decide to let "the public" know that their "relationship" is over.
Notes: Well, here is a "bunny" I adopted from the SJRS. I enjoyed writing this story so much, and Lando just took over! He was a riot to write. I know that the press conference probably is stretching it a bit (especially for Mara) but what news that would make in the GFFA! I'd like to thank Jedi-Liz for looking over this for me!


HanSoloIsSo Cute

Title: Lando's First Kiss
Genre: Romance, humor
Timeframe: 10 years before ANH
Summary: Summary: Ok, we all know the dark, tall and wickedly handsome charmer/gambler widely known as Lando Calrissian, but do we how he got so irresistible? Who was his first love? Who made him realize just how impeccably cute he is? Every charmer has to have a first kiss, would you care to read the tale of Lando's?
Notes: I do own Moris Jace and Mookit Vanderaz, though my sister MoeTharen came up with her last name. I don't own Star wars, but I shall own Lando!!! Do you hear?!?! I shall not be thwarted so easily with the mere threat of imprisonment, inpoverishion, or even being liquidated!!! Come on, it's not like I'm asking for Han Solo or anything!! Be reasonable, how much can ya deny a girl??

 

Authors I-R


JadeLotus

Title: Another Time, Another Place...
Genre: Romance
Timeframe: New Republic
Summary: A spin on the concept of the 'L/M' fic
Note: This was originally intended as a one-shot, but I may be expanding on it sometime in the future.

Title: Auxiliary
Genre: Challenge Response, Vignette
Timeframe: ROTJ
Characters: Lando Calrissian, Han Solo, Leia Organa
Summary: A brief missing moment between Lando and Han on the Millennium Falcon. Response to the Feb/March Challenge


Jade_Pilot

Title: The Rogue and the Ladies Man
Timeframe: Post ROTJ
Genre: Romance
Summary: Written for the crack!ship challenge roulette. Lujayne Forge/Lando Calrissian.
Notes: Of course I would get the guy who wears a cape for Pete's sake!


Kudzu

Title: Gambling is Very Similar to War
Genre: Philosophy/Comedy
Timeframe: New Jedi Order, between Enemy Lines I: Rebel Dream and Enemy Lines II: Rebel Stand
Summary: Lando explains to Wedge the similarities between his favorite occupation and his least favorite occupation at his party.
Notes: Somewhat of a missing scene written between Lando and Wedge during the base party in Enemy Lines. Enjoy!


RedGold

Title: First Date
Genre: Vig - Action/Humor
Timeframe: New Republic
Summary: Karrde has just sent Mara and Lando on their mission to find Jori Car'das. On their first stop Lando ends up in a pretty precarious position.
Note: Prequel to "One Last Date".

Title: Late-Night Date
Genre: Vig, Humor
Timeframe: New Republic
Summary: Talon Karrde has sent Mara and Lando to find Jori Car'das and their cover is that they are dating. During a late night 'date', Mara finds herself in a very humiliating situation when she gets an unexpected call.
Note: 2nd Vig (3rd in order of when written) of the Mara & Lando 'Date' Series. Based off of situation in Barbara Hambly's Children of the Jedi. Some dialouge belongs to her. Overall concept by Timothy Zahn. Story by me. Special thanks to Thrawn McEwok.

Title: Make A Date
Genre: Vig, Humor/Romance
Timeframe: New Republic
Summary: Mara and Lando have their 'relationship' on hold when she delivers a package to the Solos. While there she gets a call from Lando to set up another 'date', but who overhears their conversation?
Note: 3rd Vig (4th in order of when written) of the Mara & Lando 'Date' Series. Concept by Timothy Zahn. Story by me.

Title: One Last Date
Genre: Vig, Humor/Action
Timeframe: New Republic
Summary: Mara and Lando find the final piece to the puzzle and will be able to end their 'relationship'.
Note: This vig was written first, and the rest came as prequels.


RX_Sith

Title: Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious
Timeframe: Beyond the Saga
Summary: Response to the Dare Challenge. You must write a songfic. The song must be from a Disney movie. The only characters you may use are Luke, Ghent, Lando, and Threepio. All must be featured in some way.
Someone must exclaim, "Oh no! Werewolves!"
The fic must take place on Naboo or Chandrila, during winter.
The following words must be included:
Flummox
Cotillion
Epaulettes
Dichotomy
Cynosure

 

Authors S-Z


Thrawn McEwok

Title: Trophy
Genre: AU
Timeframe: Beyond the Saga
Summary: Response to the crack ship roulette challenge. Lando/Mara

wendynat

Title: A Scoundrel's Wisdom
Genre: Gen
Timeframe: Post Episode V
Summary: After his rescue from the bottom of Cloud City, Luke Skywalker learns there is more to Lando Calrissian than meets the eye.
Notes: I'm not Lucas, just playing with his toys!

 

To me, Lando is someone who has responsibilities. He's responsible to the people of Cloud City when Vader's Star Destroyer turns up.

He didn't go to Han and Leia; they came to him.

And in my opinion, the Cloud Car that fired upon the 'Falcon was an attempt to warn our heroes away.

 

how do the Star Wars themes of love and redemption apply to Lando

I don?t know about love but Lando did redeem himself by turning against the Empire and helping Leia, Chewie and Luke to escape. You can argue he only did that because Vader kept ?changing the terms of the deal? but Lando also helped to find and rescue Han when he could have just taken off with the Falcon and abandoned our heroes. He would have had Chewbacca to deal with, but that?s a whole other story! He also stuck around to help destroy the Empire when he could have left after rescuing Han.

Is he a mere background player, or does he have specific and reaching influence in the Saga as a whole?

That one is a little tougher. I think Lando played a significant role in destroying the Empire but I don?t know if that would qualify as having ?influence? in the Saga. There are several minor characters who had significant roles in destroying the Empire but would they be considered to have a specific and reaching influence in the Saga? Depends on your point of view, I guess. They are background characters who, in the movies at least, weren?t developed enough to have much of an impact on the Saga as a whole.

 

That's an interesting observation - i've never thought about that before! Lando might have made a last-ditch effort just to warn the Falcon away and save them all the trouble.

That's true. I think, for me at least, Lando was one of those minor characters who really enriched and deepened the Saga. Like Han, he wasn't black and white, he did have a checkered past and isn't an archetypal hero like Luke. In many ways, he has to content with many of the same forces that Anakin did - the balance between helping himself and helping others - just on a much smaller scale.

We can identify with Anakin and Luke's main struggles - but it is the characters like Lando that the majority of us are more likely to relate to.

 

I don?t know about love but Lando did redeem himself by turning against the Empire and helping Leia, Chewie and Luke to escape.

What's to redeem?
The moment he warns his people - "The Empire is taking over the city; I suggest you leave before more troops arrive" - his responsibilities to them are discharged, and he can finally get on with helping our heroes.

I may be the only person to think this, but I don't go along with the Lando betraying anyone guano.
If the Rebel Alliance Sourcebook is to be believed, the Alliance tries to operate away from population centers to avoid the Empire taking retribution against them, yet Han and Leia essentially, if unwittingly, led the Empire to Cloud City.

The Empire arrived "right before you did" according to Lando, in the film.
Now if they had arrived after, and he had failed to warn the Rebels, I would be agreeing with you that Lando betrayed them, but as it is, the people of Bespin took priority.

 

I have to admit, I never really liked Lando. At least in the movies. In the novels, despite all his wild business ideas (and he wouldn't be Lando without them!), he'd really pull through in the end.

The interesting thing about Lando is that he often seems to have his hands tied, and that's why his original intentions go awry. But being Lando, he has the ability to haggle his way out somehow.

how do the Star Wars themes of love and redemption apply to Lando

The more I think about it, the more I feel that Lando's "redemption" was more like what Han had to go through - put others before himself. And he certainly did that. Vader comes and offers him a deal. Lando knows it's a fight he can't win, so he goes for the best deal possible for everyone. Vader changes it, Lando starts worrying. He tries - he really does!

Is he a mere background player, or does he have specific and reaching influence in the Saga as a whole?

I don't consider him a background player. After all, someone had to help blow up the second Death Star. Lando's influences are pretty far-reaching, I think. He has the ideas that seem ridiculous but are later implemented and help save a lot of lives (like those YVH droids in the NJO - or I could be off, it's been a while since I read them). It's not immediately obvious what he's done, but he's been a big part.

 

Yay! A place for Lando! I'm so excited! I've always loved Lando, and felt that he's glossed over for just being a ladies man, when he's really so much more. I wouldn't mind seeing more fanfic for our guy...I haven't read much except with him as a foil for Luke and Mara. I'd like to see stories that branch out more...just Lando, or Lando and Tendra.

Is there a fanfic challenge yet?

 

I do agree with you. In ESB we're predisposed to dislike Lando because he's hurt out heroes - but he really had no other choice. If he hadn't agreed to play along Vader would have just captured Leia, Han and co the moment they landed.

I think i'm with Jade here in that his redemption was very similar to Han's - in learning to care about a cause and an ideal rather than his own aims and money. Once he was able, he immediately jumped into the fray - with rather less persuasion than it took Han to, actually... Arguably he didn't have debts to pay off and Bespin was all but lost to him, but still. We never see him hesistate to go up and save Luke, or to lead the attack against the Death Star.



Would anyone else like to see a Lando fic challenge sometime in the near-ish future?

 

Index updated. Have added stories by RedGold, ginchy, wendynat, Kudzu and JadeLotus.

 

Would anyone else like to see a Lando fic challenge sometime in the near-ish future?
*waves hand* I'd like to see one! He's my favorite secondary character in the OT.

 

Good to have you onboard, wendynat! I'll probably post the challenge on Feb 1st. I was thinking of having a Lando Challenge every two or three months, if that works with everyone.


I found this pic the other day (click to get the full effect):

[image=http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a290/JadeLotus_01/landocape.jpg]

I realise I'm going off-topic, so....I think Lando's stylish dress sense is very important to his character . It takes a certain type of man to pull of a cape and Lando does it wonderfully. I wouldn't call him vain, but he surely has certain personal standards to which he feels he must adhere.

 

I am working on a fic that will feature Lando, but I need some help on his background and characterization. It will be very AU, but I'm trying to work it so it's believable.

 

I know there is a trilogy of profic novels that deal with Lando's backstory. I haven't read them, unfortunately. But the SW wiki has an entry on Lando, if that helps.

 

Who's up for a little challenge?


Lando Calrissian Challenge #1


Write a fic about Lando and the Millennium Falcon. It can be set during any era, but must remain within the contexts of canon.

The following words must also be included, but here?s the trick, they cannot be used to describe Lando, in either the narrative or the dialogue:

Debonair
Suave
Gallant
Allure
Cavalier

I think it would be easier for everyone to post their fics in a individual thread with "Lando Challenge" in the title and a link to this thread.

Once your fic is posted, you can either post a link here or PM me the relevent information (don't forget to include the title/author/summary, etc info stipulated in the first post) and I will add it to the index.

Good luck!

 

I'm really, really, REALLY hoping to be able to put something together for this! I can't wait to see what everyone comes up with!

 

*Finally pokes head in.*

Great thread JL! I've always enjoyed Lando's character and I think he gets relegated to the background too often in the eyes of the fans as well as profic.

But really, who else could have pulled off that dashing cape like he did? LOL.

I hope I'll get a chance to try this challenge, but I don't know much about the canon version of what happened to Lando before the movies (or really afterwards, except that he has a wife apparently). Anyone care to enlighten me?

 

I don't know why I haven't peeked in before, but I'll do so now. It's great to see him finally being recognized for the individual he is.

On to the discussion.

Now, to kick-start the discussion, how do the Star Wars themes of love and redemption apply to Lando?

I don't think they really apply to him; at least, not in the way they do to characters like Vader, Mara or Kyp. I don't know much about the way Lando and Tendra got together, but their relationship just seemed to fall into place without much fight, unlike Han or Leia, or Luke and Mara.

As for redemption - he never was really "redeamed" again, like in terms of Vader, Mara or Kyp. In fact, it seemed that his involvment with the New Republic just gave him more room to continue with his less than legit activities. And besides, he was already on his way to being "respectible" when we first meet him.

Is he a mere background player, or does he have specific and reaching influence in the Saga as a whole? In short, what does Lando mean to you?

To me, Lando's real influence ended the moment the celebratory fireworks were set at Endor. In the EU, if he's ever in a novel he seems to be thrown in as an afterthought, as if to reassure people that he hasn't died. The only thing he's good for is assisting our main heroes in their many rescues.

 

Lando (imo) is sorely underused in canon. I had a small part in TTT, although I must say I loved the Lando/Luke interaction there. You really saw their friendship that was on a different level from Luke and Han's, and Han and Lando's.

He went into business with Mara Jade and pursued her romantically for while, but nothing ever came of it. Their company didn't work out, IIRC.

Some people don't like the Corellian Trilogy, but it has some of the best Lando development where he sets off (with Luke in tow) to find a rich wife. It leads to disaster (of course!) and then they run smack bang into the Corellian Crisis. He meets Tendra and actually falls in love with her, despite her having to leave her rich father and homeworld in order to be with him. It's very sweet. They're a pretty good match.

Then in NJO, he goes back to having a bit part *sigh*

That's a very good point. They were one of the few SW couples to meet, fall in love and marry with a minimum (!) of fuss.

That's true - I guess a better discussion point might be that Lando is still portrayed as a hero despite his shonky business dealings. It seems in the EU he is always the one with the crackpot scheme, or a way to make money (often less than honestly). Although he does seem pepetually unlucky in business.

Despite this, he is still a hero who fought with the Rebellion, risked his life to help blow up the Death Star II, and who always seems ready to abandon his business prospects to help out his friends. Ah, shades of grey.

 

He went into business with Mara Jade and pursued her romantically for while, but nothing ever came of it. Their company didn't work out, IIRC.

Oh sweet Force I can see it now. Lando and Mara Jade - loving couple and epitome of what a husband and wife should be. Oh no. *runs away from the plot bunnies* Dude, a couple bit me. But thank heavens I cant use it for the fic I'm working on.

That's true - I guess a better discussion point might be that Lando is still portrayed as a hero despite his shonky business dealings. It seems in the EU he is always the one with the crackpot scheme, or a way to make money (often less than honestly). Although he does seem pepetually unlucky in business.

Despite this, he is still a hero who fought with the Rebellion, risked his life to help blow up the Death Star II, and who always seems ready to abandon his business prospects to help out his friends. Ah, shades of grey.

I do have to agree with you though, that it was heroic of him to fight with the Rebellion at Endor. It wasn't necessary for him to go that far, yet he did it anyway.

And the shades of grey are what makes Star Wars Star Wars. Yes, there would still be plenty of conflict if everything were as black and white as the Jedi of old, and even Luke would have us believe, but the Vaders, Landos and Vergere's are the characters that make things interesting.

*blinks* And I do believe I contradicted myself. I guess our favorite stradling the lines of legitimacy guy has more influence than I previousely believed.

 

Ups this thread.

*squeals* The guy who played Lando guest starred on Scrubs tonight! It was really cool!