Did Lando warn Han about the empire?

Then why did 3po trust Lando??? If you remember, he keeps saying "Trust Him!" (if you don't beleive me, watch the scene again). There's no other explanation besises that becasue 3po is programmed for protocall, he picked up on Han and Lando's non-verbal communication.

He even says "I knew it all along"!!! This fits perfect.

 

Lando was warning Han before the falcon even landed. Why'd you think it took them so long to get permission to land in Bespin? The Bespin guard were trying to tell Han without actually telling him that he shouldn't be there. Perhaps they thought if they fired a few warning shots Han would take the hint and leave Bespin, but he didn't. And we know what happens next. Of course the Falcon was in bad shape and they had no where else to go, but I'd definately say Lando tried to warn them beforehand.

Lando is a really interesting character. He is seen as a traitor when really all he was trying to do was protect the people in cloud city.

 

Then why did 3po trust Lando??? If you remember, he keeps saying "Trust Him!" (if you don't beleive me, watch the scene again). There's no other explanation besises that becasue 3po is programmed for protocall, he picked up on Han and Lando's non-verbal communication.

He even says "I knew it all along"!!! This fits perfect.

You mean it fits perfectly with your made up theory.

Maybe I'm just sensitive to this stuff because I'm studying film, but you guys who are proponents of this theory do realize that there has to be SOME way to convey information like this to the audience, right? ESB is one of the most beloved films of all time: don't you think that if Lando was REALLY trying to warn Han with a secret smuggler code and 3P0 picked up on this SOMEONE, SOMEWHERE would have made the connection in the last 25 years? Wouldn't it have made it's way into the novelization or comic, the perfect place for such a non-verbal action to be explained? Wouldn't Lucas, Kirshner, Billy Dee Williams, Harrison Ford, or Anthony Daniels have mentioned such a thing in an interview? Wouldn't it have been included in the annoted screenplay? Wouldn't some effort have been made to make sure the audience understood Lando's intention?

Orrrrrr, you are the absolute first to truly understand Lucas' intention with this scene. YOu have cut through the surface and seen the hidden subtext underneath. Only you can see the brilliance of this scene, and will enjoy it so much more for your efforts, while us doubters will never know what we've been missing for the last 25 years.


Which one of the above paragraphs seems more likely?

 

I think a better (verbal) indication would be "You've got a lot of guts coming here, after what you pulled."

While it fits in with the history of Han/Lando, it's also out of context for a greeting there. Han's "I had no choice" sort of body language, in REACTION to the spoken word would be more of a tip off.

The conversation where he says "They arrived right before you did," also seems a little stiff, as if Han is aware of the general idea, and is just trying to ascertain more specifics.

 

Isn't Lando's entire character arc based on his redemption after being a traitor? This is a strange theory indeed.

 

3PO wasn't clued into anything, he was reacting purely from panic. At that point, it is clear that Lando is there to save them. Leia and Chewie are furious because of lando's betrayal. At that moment, they don't trust him and they'd rather kill him then work with him. It's only when he says there is a chance to save Han that Chewie releases his choke hold.

This hardly indicates that C3PO caught onto any supposed "non-verbal signal." he simply saw that lando had changed his mind and was going to save them.

 

Why bother asking? It's not overt in the film, and there's no indication that such a thing happened.

When has that ever stopped us before?

 

...no, Lando wasn't trying to warn anyone. Even if he was, Han was just too thick to notice, as this deleted scene clearly illustrates: HAN: "Aren't you afraid the Empire's going to find out about this little operation, and shut you down?" LANDO: "It's always been a danger and it looms like a...BESPIN GUARD: (runs up, hands Lando a clipboard) "Sir, we need your signature on these forms, so we can accept that shipment of imperial grade ARMOR-ALL" LANDO: (eyes darting between Han and the guard, sweat beading on his forehead) "I...uh...don't...um...know what you're talking about" BESPIN GUARD: "You know sir, the 500 cases of stormtrooper polishing solution for Lord Vad..." LANDO: (making shushing motions)"Ix-nay on the Ader-Vay", (grabs clipboard and signs forms-smiling at Han and company). HANstanding there with a blank look on his face), "So, when's dinner, I'm starving".

 

And when exactly did Threepio become the smart one? I think I'd trust Artoo's or Chewie's judge of character over Threepio anyday. Threepio just saw that Lando freed Chewie and Leia so he must be a good guy now. I'd be wary of trusting him like Chewie and Leia were, too.

Wow. That last sentence was clunky.

L8r

 

I think the whole landing problem was them making sure it was Han and not some other ship that can't find out the Empire has taken over Cloud City. Of course Lando DIDN'T signal Han, the look he gave him was "Sorry, I didn't have a choice, I need this city" and Han's look was "Sorry I came you !#%@ing prick"

 

I never saw any evidence of any "secret smuggler" code going on. Lando just sold them out and then later tried to make amends partially when Vader started messing with the "deal" and partially out of remorse for screwing his old friend. Threepio was just freaking out as always and was screaming "trust him! trust him!" because he was just wanting to get away as fast as possible.

 

Can someone explain something to me about Lando et al. on the platform?

If the empire isn't there it kinda makes sense, he's just screwing around with his old buddy.


but why did he bring all the guards knowing he was going to give han to the empire?

 

He wanted things to seem normal. The Empire didn't want Han to know they were there.

 

?

Vader would have considered visting his friend with a group of armed guards and threatening to throw him in the brig 'normal'?

And why didn't Vader just swoop in and take them as soon as they were in the city? Why would he wait?

 

Because had to give Luke more time to train with Yoda! DUH!!!

L8r

 

Vader would have considered visting his friend with a group of armed guards and threatening to throw him in the brig 'normal'?

Apparently it was normal enough to work.

 

Just after they are greeted by Lando on the landing pad:

Leia: I don't trust him [Lando].

Han: Well, I don't trust him either. But, he is my friend.

Han didn't see anything odd about Lando traveling around with that big a security entourage. Probably because he thought it was part of Lando's "you've got a lot of nerve coming here" routine. It could have also been that it was not uncommon that a scoundrel who made it big kept his security muscle around to dissuade any attempts from someone to "get even." (However, I think the point was to work with Lando's "lot of nerve:" joke).

 

I still misdoubt that Vader would have wanted it.

 

It was a trap. Vader needed the group that had thus far avoided being captured against great odds to feel that they were safe from the Empire. Vader may not have given Lando specific directions as to how to act. Just a simple threat to Lando to make sure that Han and co. didn't suspect anything "or else." Based on Han's reaction that I listed in the scene above, it would appear that Lando's strategy worked.

 

I do remember hearing that part of the reason Lucas cast Billy dee Williams was for his ability to convey intentions/emotion through Facial/eye language alone. The same way Samuel Jackson can.

While Williams did audition for Han Solo, according to some accounts; I do believe it was Kirshner who cast him as Lando.

 

People are missing the point here
Lando has NO REASON to warn Han. He was told Vader only wanted Luke. He wasn't told that Han would be given to Boba Fett. Lando even says this.
Han is a old friend he probally hasn't seen in years. Lando isn't going to risk being killed or his people being killed to help someone (Luke) that he doesn't even know.
Lando plan was to do as told. The ruler of the land was TELLING him to do this. So he wanted to play it safe. Get Han and crew there, set the bate for Luke. Luke is given to Vader, Han and others are let go.

Then no harm to Lando, his Friend Han, or the people of the city.
But he did give a little hint. "I've just made a deal that will keep the Empire out of here forever"

So Lando was getting something out of the deal also for helping Vader. He was told that the Empire would "over look" things going on there. So Lando could get away with things. Again Lando did not know Luke or care if the Empire had him.