Couldn't Obi-Wan have flown a ship off Tatooine?

This is probably an old question, but new to me:

It seems there must have been a week willed ship merchant who would have taken 2000 credits for a ship.

Just sayin'.

Then again we wouldn't have Han Solo if Kenobi used mind tricks!

 

If the prequels are anything to go by, I'd guess that Obi-Wan really really wanted to avoid flying the ship himself... even if it meant paying extra for a pilot.

 

The PT shows us that Obi-Wan was a great pilot, but also that he hated flying. By the time of ANH, his skills have no doubt gotten rusty, and he would probably rather get someone else to fly him, Luke, and the droids to Alderaan. Plus, we also see that he values speed in whatever ride they find: "yes indeed, if it's a fast ship". So just any old ship wouldn't necessarily do.

 

Obi-Wan & Luke didn't just need to fly away from Tatooine, they needed to get past an Imperial blockade which was looking for them & the droids specifically. Obi-Wan was, by his own admission, getting too old for that sort of thing, & Luke simply didn't have anything like that sort of experience.

What they needed was someone with a fast ship & experience in "avoiding Imperial entanglements", who was happy to take money without asking any questions, i.e. a smuggler, not just a skilled pilot.

 

Agreed. I always thought a smuggler, or someone experienced in escaping the Empire was specifically what they were looking for.

Not to mention, It seems they didn't HAVE a ship of their own to begin with. "10,000? We could almost buy our OWN ship for that!" So they also needed a SHIP as well, in order to get off planet.

Also, I never remember seeing Obi-Wan piloting any large freighter-style ships. Only his Jedi Starfighter, which yes-he didn't even like flying that one anyways.

 

I would think Obi Wan would have tried that if it were the only option he had after having left the cantina without a passage off world.

 

Quite simply Obi-Wan and Luke didn't have the money or the time to buy their own ship. Obi-Wan had to promise more money with low upfront cash just to convince Han to accept the charter.

 

Obi-Wan's not the type to swindle someone out of their ship for way less than its worth (and remember that 10,000 is "almost" enough to buy their own ship, and probably not a good one) with a mind trick. Use it to convince stormtroopers to leave them alone? Sure. Cheat someone? That's something else. Even Qui-Gon wasn't trying to cheat Watto, just accept a different form of payment, which Watto likely could have converted to something more useful on Tatooine - he's a ship parts dealer, it shouldn't be too hard to deal with people who could use Republic credits.

And Obi-Wan probably also didn't want to pilot, due to his age and being out of practice.

 

Since the prequels, introducing a long relationship between Chewbacca and Yoda, I felt Obi-Wan running into Han and Chewie on Tatooine was all part of some plan, that Han may not been aware of but Chewbacca and Obi-Wan were. Obi-Wan could've met Chewbacca long ago because of his association with Yoda. If you notice, "Ben" and Chewie are talking quietly to each other at the bar in the cantina before introductions are made to Han and Luke, as if this meeting was preordained, perhaps soon before, perhaps long before. Like this was the plan all along... think about it.

 

I doubt it. Chewie and Yoda had that connection, but there's nothing to tie Obi-Wan and Chewie (directly). Plus, even if they did know each other before I think it strains the bonds of credulity for them to have arranged that meeting as such. At best, it would be a "hey, fancy meeting you here!"... but even that doesn't hold well with Obi-Wan's talking to Bo Shek before Chewie (and it looks like Bo Shek refers Obi-Wan to Chewie), nor does it really fit the nature of Obi-Wan's discussion with Han.

 

Yeah, as much as a grand master plan between Yoda, Obi-Wan and Chewbacca would be cool, I just don't see it.

Although I do think the inclusion of Chewbacca in ROTS adds all sorts of cool to Chewie's "raaarf!" of approval when Luke catches his sabre off the skiff plank in ROTJ.

 

Obi knew that if the Empire ever found out his location, it would require the services of a smuggler rather than him piloting his own ship to make his escape. A smuggler would be a lot more knowledgeable about evading Imperial patrols and ships and discreetly transporting either illegal goods (or people in this case). Also, he figured that selling a nearly obsolete speeder would not get them enough money to purchase a ship capable of evading those patrols.

Therefore, I think while on Tatooine he researched the various smugglers who visited the planet to discover who could successfully get him off-planet. During that research he might have discovered the various exploits of one Han Solo and Chewbacca and their excellence as smugglers. He could have played possum by asking about various smugglers in the cantina while knowing exactly whom to approach to hire.

Notice that when Han asks him "you've never heard of the Millennium Falcon", he doesn't answer "no", but rather more cryptically "should I have".

 

There's nothing to say they hadn't met either. It's clear there's more then just a wartime history with the Wookies and the Jedi, and Yoda and Chewie were tight. There's a friendship there, so it's not a big leap to think more of the Jedi, like Obi-Wan, may have interacted with Chewbacca, even worked with him several times. Is it any more unlikley than Anakin building c3-p0 as a kid? Anything's probable in Star Wars.

The Death Star was at full power, the Galactic Senate was officially dissolved, the DS plans were stolen by rebels. When Leia is sent to find Obi-Wan on Tatooine, things are in motion, and who's to say part of the plan was for Bail Organa to contact certain "sleepers" in the Rebellion to help the mission succeed, Chewie could have been such an agent, and convinced Han to be on Tatooine when all the parts fell into place... or back-up when they didn't. (and yes; Bail's still alive since his planet ain't gone "boom" yet) Possibly a risky move by Chewie, since Han is wanted by Jabba, which begs the question; why would Han be on Tatooine and so visible in Mos Eisley if he has a bounty on his head by the Hutts. Chewie made it happen at great peril but keeping Han in the dark, that's intrigue, friends! Chewbacca is loyal to his friend Han, but Chewie may have worked for the Rebellion all along. Partnering with a smuggler like Han is a great way to hide in the underworld while still keeping tabs and observing the movements of the Empire.

Possible unheard conversation: Obi-Wan goes to Bo and asks, "Is Chewbacca here" Bo replies, "Yep, he's over there, and he's waiting for you, do you have the boy?"... As far as conversing with Han, Kenobi talks a lot of bull to a lot of people, including Luke, to get stuff done.

Is it any crazier than anything else?

 

Obi-Wan had promised he would "watch over the boy." He was a man of his word.

 

Okay, he didn't have a "bounty" on his head, does that negate everything else?... He was clearly at odds with Jabba, so much so that Greedo seemed to think bringing Han to Jabba at gunpoint would be worth some credits, then Han killed 'em... so Han must not really wanna deal with Jabba much at all it would seem. Does it matter that he didn't officially have a bounty on him? It was clearly dangerous for Han to be in Mos Eisley at the time, don't ya 'spose, Nitpick McGee?

 

Considering Han obviously isn't too worried about shooting Greedo, and even lectures Jabba in front of a dozen or so hired goons about "not sending one of these hired twerps, come see me yourself", yes, the Han-Jabba relationship isn't as bad as it's going to be by the time of TESB. Han's not too worried about Jabba just yet in ANH; that's changed by TESB.

 

Not necessarily but it does show you dont pay attention to details, thus making your thesis flawed at best.

 

Ok, good point.

It does? How does that "detail" make my "thesis" flawed? I call it playful speculation, but that's just me. And does that really mean I don't pay attention? How so?

In fact, take the whole Han/Jabba thing out of it since it's not even intrinsic to the point, how else is it a flawed concept?

Other flaws from that scene: IG-88's head is a beer tap, a parsec is a measurement of distance not time, and I coulda sworn Han shot first when I originally saw the movie. All explainable, but not explained. I guess the whole movie is "flawed" then, eh? As is every movie EVER made, cuz they're movies, and open to our own individual interpretation as to explain why things are as they are, y'know, for fun!!!

So, tell me how else my interpretation is flawed...

Help me DarthJohnKenobi, you're my only hope.

 

The detail you all missed is that this 'no fear of Jabba' business makes flappy's contrivance slightly more plausible. Pay attention.

 

Some more "details" to pay attention to...
I found this on the internet, it connects R2 and Chewie as operatives of the Rebellion all along,
and pulling a lot of strings. See, I'm not the only one:

A New Sith, or Revenge of the Hope
Reconsidering Star Wars IV in the light of I-III

If we accept all the Star Wars films as the same canon, then a lot that happens in the original films has to be reinterpreted in the light of the prequels. As we now know, the rebel Alliance was founded by Yoda, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Bail Organa. What can readily be deduced is that their first recruit, who soon became their top field agent, was R2-D2.

Consider: at the end of RotS, Bail Organan orders 3PO?s memory wiped but not R2?s. He wouldn?t make the distinction casually. Both droids know that Yoda and Obi-Wan are alive and are plotting sedition with the Senator from Alderaan. They know that Amidala survived long enough to have twins and could easily deduce where they went. However, R2 must make an impassioned speech to the effect that he is far more use to them with his mind intact: he has observed Palpatine and Anakin at close quarters for many years, knows much that is useful and is one of the galaxy?s top experts at hacking into other people?s systems. Also he can lie through his teeth with a straight face. Organa, in immediate need of espionage resources, agrees.

For the next 20 years, as far as 3PO knows, he is the property of Captain Antilles, doing protocol duties on a diplomatic transport. He is vaguely aware of the existence of the princess but doesn?t know much about her. Wherever 3PO goes, being as loud and obvious as he always is, his unobtrusive little counterpart goes with him. 3PO is R2?s front man. Wherever they land, R2 is passing messages between rebel sympathisers and sizing up governments as potential rebel recruits ? both by personal contact and by hacking into their networks. He passes his recommendations on to Organa.

Yoda is out of the picture by this stage, using the Force-infused swamps of Dagobah to hide himself from Vader and the Emperor. Or something. He is meditating on the future and keeping in touch with Obi-Wan via the ghost of Qui-Gon Jin, which as comm systems go has the virtue of being untappable. Obi-Wan, on Tattoine, keeps in touch with Bail Organa and the other Rebel leaders by courier, of which more later.

As Star Wars opens, R2 is rushing the Death Star plans to the Rebellion. R2, not Leia. The plans are always in R2. What Leia puts into him in the early scene is only her own holographic message to Kenobi. Leia?s own mission, as she says in the holographic message, is to pick up Obi-Wan and take him to Alderaan ? or so she thinks. Actually, her father just wants her to meet Kenobi, which up to this point she never has. There?s a reason for that.
Obi-Wan has spent the last 20 years in the Tattoine desert, keeping watch over Luke Skywalker and trying to decide on one of the three available options:
A) If Luke shows no significant access to the Force, then leave him alone in obscurity
B) If Luke shows real Force ability, then consider recruiting him as a Jedi. The rebellion needs Jedi. Now.
But, if Luke shows any signs of turning out like his father, then C) sneak into his house one fine night and chop his head off. With great regret but it?ll save a lot of trouble later on.
Knowing this to be the case, Bail Organa (perhaps at the insistence of his wife) has found excuses not to send Leia to Ben for assessment of Jedi potential, largely for fear of option C.

To be fair to all concerned, Leia has shown no overt signs of a link to the Force. Luke on the other hand has. In his home-built hotrod aircraft, with no formal fighter pilot training and no decent instrumentation, Luke can regularly score centre-hits on 2-metre targets in complicated zero-altitude maneouvres. Until he attends the briefing on Yavin, Luke has no way of knowing that hardened combat pilots would consider that nearly impossible. To him it?s easy. Obi-Wan, who saw Anakin?s performance in the Pod Race, is nervous.

Much of Ob

 

Oh, on the internet. Well then. Of course it's absolutely true.

 

Obi-Wan can have my ****box car for 100 credits if he wants

 

You have missed the point entirely. No, of course it's not true, it's simply a theory fueled by speculation... You challenged my attention to detail to make all the parts fit, what I've found is others have come before me with the same concept. And it's just for kicks. Is this all lost on you?

Why are you having so much trouble with this?
None of this is real, you understand that, right?

You crack me up