The Falcon Destroyed

Hey all. One thing I thought was going to happen in ROTJ was the destruction of the Falcon. There was that conversation between Lando and Han where Han comments that he will never see her again (or something like that). Then in the end in the film, Lando just gets out alive, with the Falcon almost getting eaten up in the flames.

Not that I don't love that ship but I always thought that the main charactors could have suffered alittle more loss that they did. I always thought it could have been a very intense scene if the Falcon suffered some major damage in the DS II and couldn't out run the explosion. Perhaps Lando and crew could have escaped in the cockpit (I always assumed that it could be detached in such emergencies) but the Falcon as a whole would have been lost.

Where Han worries about loosing her it made me think that the script called for the loss of the Falcon but GL later changed his mind.

Any thoughts or does anyone have any info about this that I don't know about?

 

I've heard that the Falcon was going to be destroyed at the Battle of Endor. Don't know if that was really going to happen or not though.

And I also heard that Harrison wanted Han to die at the end of ROTJ, but George said he wanted to keep the saga happy.

 

I think I read somewhere that the original ending of ROTJ (during the early drafts of the script) had Lando and the Millenium Falcon getting destroyed as the Death Star II blew up, meaning that they couldn't escape in time.

I think Lucas chose to scratch that idea since it would be too dramatic when it should be a happy time. I ultimately agree with Lucas' final decision. On top of Anakin/Vader dying shortly after returning to the light side, and the death of Corpsy the Ewok ( ), I think there was enough drama at the end of ROTJ. No need to feature the deaths of Lando and the Falcon. It'd be too dramatic for a happy time, especially considering it's the end of the saga.

 

It would make sense if the original plan was for the Falcon to be destroyed, especially in light of Han's comment about feeling like it was the last time he was gonna see it shortly before he and the gang left on the shuttle to Endor.

 

Yes, the Falcon getting destroyed was part of the original plan.
I think I read they even test-screened it to some of the staff...?

 

This is an urban legend. The Falcon and Lando were never meant to be destroyed. The OS covers this topic in one of their Q & A sessions.

 

Yes indeed to did film the alcon getting destroyed as it was leaving the 2nd Death Star, but it proved highly un-popular with the selected test audience that Lucas changed it and hence it survived. Good job too imo.

 

From the Official Site...

Urban Legend: Footage exists of the Millennium Falcon being destroyed at the end of Return of the Jedi.

One of Return of the Jedi's most exciting sequences is the Millennium Falcon's escape from the exploding Death Star, just meters ahead of a burning wall of fire. It's a very close call for Lando, and for a moment, it seems that Han's bleak prophecy -- that he'll never see the Falcon again -- will come true. But the freighter blasts through the flames triumphantly.

It's hard to pin down where the rumor of the Falcon's demise started. Perhaps Harrison Ford's suggestion to George Lucas that Han Solo die at the end of Jedi fueled it spread.

One definite culprit in this legend's longevity is a revised plot synopsis treatment entitled "The Revenge and Return of the Jedi". Dated July 6 1980, (though undoubtedly printed at a later date), this concise retelling of the basic story -- with notable changes -- is a fake. It describes Luke taking over the Death Star (re-christening it the Life Star), Vader being the "other" Yoda spoke of, and Leia and Han marrying at the film's end, with Wicket one of the attendants at the wedding. It also contains the following passage:
"Meanwhile, the Death Star ray begins destroying Rebel ships. Lando and the Rebel Forces unsuccessfully attempt to penetrate the force field, and the efforts on Endor have failed. Lando sees many of his comrades dying for the Alliance. He feels that the Alliance might die itself if something is not done soon. Lando makes a final decision to plow the Millennium Falcon through the force field in a self-sacrificing gesture for the Rebel Alliance. Lando and the Falcon explode in a beautiful burst of energy and color."

The first giveaway that the treatment is bogus is that its 1980 date pre-dates Lucas' hand-written first draft of Jedi by over six months. Not only that, but this supposedly older treatment more closely matches the finished film than the first draft screenplay, which has such differing elements as two Death Stars, the Imperial capital world, and tribes of "Ewaks."
Lucas' very first hand-written draft screenplay of Jedi, dated February 24, 1981, has Lando surviving. "Chewie slaps Lando on the back, almost knocking him over," Lucas writes of the end celebration. Different versions of this survive to the final screenplay. Lando is alive and well in every version.

An excerpt from the screenplay that has Lando and the Falcon destroyed and Han looking up, quietly voicing his loss, has shown up on the Internet, but it too is a fake. Also untrue are tales that footage of the Falcon made its way into test screenings of Return of the Jedi, but was ultimately left out of the movie because it didn't score well with the audience.
Given the weight of this evidence, it appears there is no truth behind the rumor that the Falcon and Lando were originally to have perished. It is possible the idea may have been thrown around during undocumented brainstorming sessions, but the legend that it actually was committed to film is false.

The way the Falcon was surrounded by fire and shot through the fireball is known as "dramatic effect".

 

I get upset every time I finish watching ROTJ anyway, because the saga has ended. Then I remember that I can watch it again. So I do. I also cry when Corpsey dies.

 

Leia. Leia sold the Falcon. Not destroyed it. It's true, I read it on the internet. She felt that Han was spending too much time with his drinking buddies. She was also very jealous of how deeply Han cared for the Falcon, y'know- always working on it instead of working on their relationship, and calling it "baby" instead of her. So one day, she decided to ground Han, so she sold the Falcon to Teemto.

 

I've always felt that Lando and the Falcon should have gone down in a nice blaze of glory. Here's how it should have gone:

The Death Star II wasn't finished yet, but it was finished enough so that the main reactor was inaccessible. As the Rebels don't have enough time to batter their way through to it, Lando rams the Death Star to clear a path for Wedge's torpedoes. DSII goes up as a result of Lando's sacrifice.

But then, if I'd been in charge, the Ewoks would have been replaced by escaped Wookie slaves...

 

Can you just imagine the racial back-lash that the 'idiots' of the world would have thrown on GL if he would have killed Lando?

Good lord, I shudder at the thought.

Sure George, kill Lando ... the only brother in the trilogy. Except for that crappy rebel pilot whose only line is "Aaarrgghhhh!" before being blasted to smiterines ...

GL you racist bastard!!!

dm

 

I always thought it was funny that Solo was more concerned for his ship than he was for his long time friend who helped save his life.

I agree that it would be a little too much drama if Lando and the Falcon died too. It's ultimatly Anakin's story and that would steal his thunder a little.

It'd be cool if the internet was around back then and false info was released that Lando was to be be killed. That would have brought the house down when they made it out.