I know it's a famous scene. Lando showing our heroes around Cloud City, a room door opens, Vader stands up at the head of a table, Chewie roars, Han shoots, blaster goes flying through the air, Lando admits he's a traitor cause they showed up just before y'all did, Vader invites them inside the room, doors shut. The more I think about this scene though, does it make sense? IIRC the gist was for Vader to cause pain to Luke's friends so he could feel that through the Force and thus be drawn to Bespin and into Vader's trap. But you start all that off with dinner (supposedly)? What, are we trying to be civilized before all the torture? Did they even eat dinner? Was this tied into the Empire's efforts to stay low in Cloud City for whatever reason? Lando had them at a disadvantage. Why not simply let them retire to their rooms and then over night, zap them, poison them, gas them, whatever then wake up the next morning in cells with Vader leering over them going, "Muahahaha". Based on his behaviour during the rest of the Bespin scenes, I don't think Vader expected Lando to betray the deal so springing the trap early via dinner in case Lando pulls a double-cross doesn't seem to be an issue. I may be in the minority here but I think this dinner scene is slightly off-kilter. There are other ways to ensnare our heroes in a trap that wouldn't raise suspicions other than a pretense of a civilized dinner. Thoughts?
Vader hasn't changed from his days as Ani. He's still a show-off, and loves dramatic flourishes. Having them taken while asleep is no challenge at all. Seeing the looks on their faces as the door opens, then snatching Han's blaster right out of his hand? Priceless.
Could also be a set up so as not raise any suspicion or alarm throughout Cloud City, especially among those in the upper echelon of Cloud City, about something going on. An Imperial dignitary as high ranking as Vader arriving to Cloud City, who would never visit otherwise unless some really serious **** was going down, would probably be noticed in a similar way that a high ranking US official arriving to your local city hall would be noticed. Maybe the details of that visit, and even who was visiting, could be kept quiet. But there would have to be some kind of formal arrival process. To the point where not doing so would create quite a bit of suspicion and alarm. And could potentially tip off Han and Leia that something is going on, resulting in Luke sensing the disturbance. Or something. So just as a matter of keeping the day to day operations running as smoothly as possible, the dinner set up was agreed upon by both Lando and whoever handles Vader's administrative details.
Lando even hints at this when he says that he doesn't have to worry about the Empire cracking down on his business as he had made a deal with them. Vader went in as a dignitary/ambassador to negotiate with Lando, a cover so no one would think any different.
I love Star Wars fans, lol "so I was watching ESB and I realised what was the point of having a scene that showed people actually eat in this universe? couldn't Vader have just I dunno, just....I dunno stand over their beds as they slept and poke them 'wakey wakey' instead? I just don't see the point I suppose"
Plus, maybe the Force is telling him he must intimidate Han for being around Leia for reasons he’s not entirely clear on. “So… what are your intentions with my other prisoner?” “…Chewbacca?” “No, the Princess… who, for some reason, the Force is telling me… hates… sand…?”
It’s also possible that even in the armor and decades older, Anakin’s enough of a goober to still commit some awkward social faux-pas while trying to be cool - as seen in the excellent in-universe documentary, Robot Chicken Star Wars.
I think the dinner takes place soon after the rebels’ arrival at the Cloud City, with perhaps some allowance given to Han and Leia to freshen up and change for the occasion. The concern of Vader, given the rebels’ penchant for escaping the Empire’s tightest dragnets, was that their presence could be discovered given time, which if you’ll recall was what nearly happened when C-3PO ran into some stormtroopers. Fortunately for them, the mangled remains of the droid did not unduly alarm the rebels (who may have put off investigating the matter for after dinner). My guess is that the captives were immediately sent off to their jail cell, so Solo was tortured on an empty stomach.
Vader looks like a soup guy. Hopefully Cloud City had an extensive soup menu, and not just soup-of-the-day.
Like Bert Lahr in the Cowardly Lion costume. You've got to get nutrition somehow when you've got a mask. As for the general topic at hand, I agree with some others that Vader is extra. He wanted to strike fear into his enemies and mock them. Also, waiting at a dinner table gives the fake air of diplomacy Vader was going for when he arrived in the city and reduce some of the panic potentially to the security inner circle. Beating up the rebels or drugging them while they sleep isn't as easy to overlook.
The movie would not be as cool if that scene wasn't there. That is the reason. The in-universe reason is probably a flawed plan by someone. Perhaps Lando suggested the method of capture to Vader, as an easier way to trap the Rebels, but also have it done in public, to hopefully prevent bloodshed of any kind.
Lando taking them to the dining hall was all part of the ruse. They didn't sit and eat dinner, nor were they every going to. If Lando starts to lead them into some dark out of the way area of Bespin, Han is going to get suspicious and be tipped off that Lando is betraying him. Leading him through the main, well traveled corridors to the dining hall keeps the appearance that everything is on the level.
In the Leigh Brackett script, they actually do sit down to dinner with Vader and have a whole conversation with Lando, about Lando's backstory as a clone. Go figure.
