Not a scratch on the Falcon, Yeah Right.

Do you remember the hangar scene in ROTJ, where Han wanted Lando to use the Millenium Falcon in the Death Star Attack and Lando promised Han that his ship would not get a scratch. But sure enough, the ship did get a scratch but not the way Lando had planned, as the deflector antenna got smashed off the Falcons hull, while flying inside the narrowing tunnels of the Death Star. I always wondered how Han reacted to Lando when he saw his ship damaged, probably didn't get all that upset, for the Death Star had been destroyed and he had Leia all to himself.

 

Solo was probably happy that the Falcon survived the fight. I don't think his remark "not a scratch on her" had to deal with the Falcon, but rather for his friend.

IMO it was his way of saying "Come home alive Lando."

 

Remember when Han was looking at the Falcon before taking off.

Leia asked him: "What's wrong?"

Han replied: "Nothing! I just get the feeling that I'm never going to see her again."




So losing an Antennae Array is nothing compared to losing the whole ship.

 

yeah, IIRC he was still a little miffed in Truce at Bakura about it, though I admit it's been a while since I read it.

 

One of the scenes I particularly liked in the ROTJ radio drama was the conversation between Han and Lando on this very subject.

Han: "Hey, Lando. You did it, right? You kept your word?
Lando: "What?"
Han: "'Not a scratch', you said! You said you'd bring the Falcon back without a scratch on it!"
Lando: Well, nothing that's left on her is scratched. All the scratched parts got knocked off along the way."
Han: "'Knocked off?!'"

I don't think Han was pretty happy about it.

 

Hey how can I hear the radio drama?

 

The radio dramas can be found in books on tape or cd's in most large bookstores. Or try Amazon.

 

Considering the fact that Lando was originally slated to DIE in the Death Star's explosion and Han really WAS never going to see her again, I think they'd all be happy that everybody made it out all right, safe and sound.

Besides, now that the Empire has been toppled and the New Republic is in control, how hard do you think it would be for one of the central heroes of the war to get a new antennae array for his ship (the same ship that played a central role in defeating the Empire)?

 

That is not a fact. I have some reading for you.

 

I think the Empire of Dreams documentary made it more or less clear that Lucas wanted everyone to survive at the end of ROTJ, save for obvious casualties like Vader and Palpatine. It was everyone *else,* especially guys like Ford, who thought someone to die.

But regarding the topic at hand...

There is a little EU pick up on this later on in The Last Command:

LANDO: [sarcastically] "Nice Landing."
HAN: "At least the sensor-dish is still in place."
LANDO: "You're never gonna let me live that one down, are you?"