You know, Han Solo really is a jerk

Ok, Return of The Jedi, Han Solo tells Lando good luck after giving him the Falcon for the raid on the second Death Star. Ok, good.

So, he climbs aboard the shuttle and sits down and what is it he is worried about? "I just have this feeling like I'm not gonna see her again." Meaning the hip of course. Yeah, never mind your friend! Just be all concerned for your fast hunk of metal.

 

No, he meant Lando. Lando used to be a girl; Landra.

 

Landra = Pam Grier

She was hot.

 

I get where Han is coming from. I don't think he is necessarily meaning that he wouldn't care if Lando died, because that couldn't happen, he would just miss his ship. If have had cars that I formed an intense bond to, such as my '66 Mustang that is no longer with us, and it seriously tore me apart to let that baby go. I mean, it is just a ship to most people but it had been with Han for a long time. It isn't just a ship to him, it's a friend. It's a friend that can give him something more than transportation, it can give him freedom. If the Falcon hadn't come back, he could've afforded any other ship he wanted at that point, but nothing would've replaced his freedom. It isn't just speed, it's the connection he felt to her. I know all too well that your ride can get into your heart like that. Of course, the speed didn't hurt that connection; that is the only way that connection can be manifested. In the real world, I couldn't feel any sort of connection to any of the cars I had until I started getting into modifications and big block V8's. What is under the hood matters, but what it can bring to your heart is more than tangible things like sheet metal and standard transmissions.

I think this scene really spoke to a lot of gearheads because most of us know what he means. It is obvious Han meant the Falcon, not Lando; otherwise he wouldn't have said "she". At that point, I don't think he needed to further express his care for Lando. He had already furthered our knowledge of that earlier in the hangar.

 

A person who is alternately Pam Grier and Billy Dee would be perhaps the sexiest human to ever live.

 

He's probably still peed off about that whole betrayal/freezing thing.

 

Or perhaps Han is just the kind of guy, who does not talk about feelings.

Ofcourse he would miss Lando and is afraid to loose his friend, but it is easier to hide how much he cares about Lando by saying he is afraid he will never see his ship again.

 

I bet this song plays in Han's head.





Lando
by the Max Rebo band

Lando is travelling tonight on a plane
I can see the red tail lights heading for Endor
Oh and I can see Lando waving goodbye
God it looks like Lando, must be the clouds in my eyes

They say Endor is pretty though I've never been
Well Lando says it's the best place that he's ever seen
Oh and he should know, he's been there enough
Lord I miss Lando, oh I miss him so much

Lando my brother you are older than me
Do you still feel the pain of the scars that won't heal
Your eyes have died but you see more than I
Lando you're a star in the face of the sky

Lando is travelling tonight on a plane
I can see the red tail lights heading for Endor
Oh and I can see Lando waving goodbye
God it looks like Lando, must be the clouds in my eyes
Oh God it looks like Lando, must be the clouds in my eyes

 

This. Setting aside the whole issue with Lando's betrayal at Bespin - I'm not sure if at this point, Han still feels betrayed or understands that there was nothing Lando could have done in that situation - he probably can't acknowledge the complexity of his feelings out loud. Just look at the way he interacts with Leia. He's someone who only shows his feelings through behavior, not words.

 

I'll agree that Han really isn't the type to show his feelings through words but there is really no doubt in my mind that he was over Lando's betrayal by now. He may be foolhardy but he is a smart man and I'm sure he realized that Lando had no choice. If he wasn't over it, I highly doubt he'd be acting all buddy-buddy with him just before that in the film. Besides, he does understand that it was Vader who encased him in carbonite and he probably knows that Lando tampered with the settings so that he wouldn't die so, in some cultures, he would actually owe Lando a life debt (but, of course, he's Corellian so that wouldn't apply here). Really, the bad actions don't matter that much if a person makes it right and I think Han would agree.

 

I've always assumed Han was talking about The Falcon but meaning Lando. And that when Leia gives him that reassuring pat on the shoulder she understands this too.

 

I've never thought that line was really about Lando OR the Falcon. It's about Han thinking he himself is going to die.

 

Thats an interesting way of looking at the scene. You may well be right. Ford and Kasdan did want to kill Han off and this scene may have been setting up Han's death, which of course never actually made it into the script or final movie?

 

Eh, possibly, but I still think that he was directly talking about his ship. He's boasted about it a million times so I think it's quite clear that he would miss it. It wouldn't be a very good setup if you were right.

 

at this thread title.

And this:

 

I thought it to be such a fitting song.

 

It still serves as a harbinger and/or foreshadowing. When the flames are enveloping the Falcon, you begin to wonder if they are going to make it (unlike the Tie fighter behind them that didn't)

 

Yeah he was a jerk. So what? That's part of his charm. Luke was humble.

 

Yeah he was a jerk. So what? That's part of his charm. Luke was humble


I didn't mind Han being an occasional jerk. I did get tired of his infantile behavior.

 

This. I thought Han being a jerk was part of the point.

 

indeed..

 

Which is why I will always prefer Luke over Han.

 

I always saw Han as a (prepare for corny simile!) tootsie pop. He was sensitive and caring on the inside, but had a cocky, self-centered coating over him. Part of the fun of his character is laughing at his overconfidence, but still knowing that there was a good character in there.

Also, about the Falson thing, he won it from Lando, so maybe there could be some sentimental motivation for his fear of losing it. So maybe he cared for Lando all along...

 

Eh, Luke was all oogly and blah. Han was much more badass.

 

Han Solo is a rogue, a loner. But you can really see how his character changed from ANH to ROTJ. I never thought of it like that though. He said that about the Falcon and not about his friend.