Keep your distance
It took a few screenings of Return of the Jedi for this rather subtle joke to hit me. I’ve never heard an audience laugh at the last two shots (see screenshot further down this blog), so I think most people overlook it. But when you watch the scene in the context of what Han Solo is telling Chewbacca to do, it’s actually really funny!
Luke: I’ve got a bad feeling about this.
Han Solo: Keep your distance… but don’t look like you’re keeping your distance.
Chewbacca: Growl.
Han Solo: I don’t know… fly casual!
Han Solo: Did you listen to anything I just said?
Chewbacca: Growl!
So, there you go. Maybe, next time you watch Return of the Jedi, you might find an additional reason to laugh at the humor buried in this scene. Another reason why Return of the Jedi, for all its flaws, is still a fun film.
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You would have thought that flying past the flagship of the Empire would have tipped them off that they were heading into a trap and the Emperor was letting this happen.
Why?
Even if you discard all the EU, the Executor still had some of the most thorough sensor packages of any Imperial warship of the day and the Tyderium is flying nearly 90º perpendicular past her. Even if the sensor operators were really dismissive of their duties, they’d notice that the shuttle had no supplies on board, too many people, and four of those people did not have lifesigns like Humans (Chewbacca and the three Dresselians).
If they were flying past other Imperial capital ships, or the Executor at a much greater distance to fore or aft, this would be less of a tell that something was amiss. But since everybody and their burnt uncle’s corpse has “a bad feeling about this” all the time, concerns get dismissed.
They could well have had supplies on board (They were preparing for an assault after all and would have needed a basecamp and supplies for the attack). Droids would not be an issue, even the Empire used droids (reference Episode IV on the Death Star) and for a massive project such as the Death Star it is not unreasonable to assume that the Empire is using slave Labor, which is what the Wookies often were used for. And since we never see another Imperial Shuttle except for the one bringing the Emperor we do not know how many people are standard crew on one. Several Royal Guards and the Emperor’s Advisers got off the one carrying the Emperor and we never saw the pilot(s). Oh, there was also the one with Vader that I almost forgot. But again, we have no idea how many were on board other then Vader. Even with his awesome Dark Side powers I cannot imagine the Emperor sending only Vader to motivate the Moff into getting back on Schedule.
Vader could tell it was Luke. That’s why he told Piett to let them through, and said the line “leave them to me.”
I wonder how they scrape dead bugs and stuff off the front of Star Destroyers?
I’m surprised you didn’t have anyone mooning the Imperial ship when they flew close.
“Not THAT casual, Chewie!”
Priceless 😀
That makes me laugh every time I watch RotJ!
Siskel and Ebert showed this scene in their movie preview. I remember watching it and thinking, well, I guess they rescued Han, and looks like Vader really is Luke’s father (after years of intense speculation), and why are they flying so close to that star destroyer?