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It's funny how after having seen it a hundred times, all these years later, I keep finding new things in the Star Wars Trilogy. It never occurred to me until the other day why the Millenium Falcon received such a chilly welcome to Cloud City - because Lando was hoping that they would turn back, perhaps?

Or am I overthinking this? I read the novelization around the time that the movie came out, but I've since reclaimed those sectors...does anyone have any secondary information on this?

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    Yes, I've thought this too, but maybe instead it was frustration showing after just being surprised/interviewed by Vader.
    – Canadian Girl Scout
    Oct 11, 2012 at 1:17
  • It could just have been a tell that Han didn't pick up on.
    – Spencer
    Apr 20, 2020 at 16:05

3 Answers 3

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He was delaying so Vader could get everything in order in Cloud City. Lando says, "They arrived just before you did." (emphasis mine). Vader wanted them in the air as long as possible.

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Not that I'm aware of from EU.

The reason he was chilly towards Han was because a wee bit earlier (2.5BBY) Han won Millenium Falcon from him in Sabbac. (Source: Han Solo trilogy, "Rebel Dawn")

More specifically:

  • They were in a high stakes Cloud City Sabacc Tournament. Yes, the same Cloud City featured in ESB.

  • Lando was a professional gambler, Solo was a scoundrel smuggler who just lost his ship and a bunch of money.

  • They ended up in the final round

  • Lando ran out of money so he added a marker for "any ship on my lot" - IIRC, he owned a used ship outfit?

  • When Han won with Pure Sabacc, he told Lando he was taking Millenium Falcon - Lando's personal ship and his pride and joy. Lando tried to argue that he didn't mean Falcon, but Solo said "Well, it's in your lot isn't it?" (since Lando took a cruise ship to the tournament, instead of low-lifing it and flying the Falcon).

So THAT's how Solo ended up owning Falcon, and how Lando ended up hating his guts for a while.

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  • From what I recall, Lando had hired Han to teach him how to pilot a ship, which was how Han encountered the MF.
    – Grant Palin
    Oct 11, 2012 at 1:28
  • Is Sabbac any relation to Pazaak?
    – Gabe Willard
    Oct 11, 2012 at 3:43
  • @GabeWillard - according to Wookiepedia Sabacc article, it was a successor game to Pazaak. Both are blackjack like. and do sound similar
    – DVK-on-Ahch-To
    Oct 11, 2012 at 5:59
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    That's how Solo ended up owning the Falcon, sure, but when I read Rebel Dawn the more significant portion (in relation to Lando being chilly towards Solo) is that Solo recruited Lando (and other smugglers) for the Rebel raid on Ylesia promising a share of the spoils. The Rebels double-crossed them all, Han included, and Lando blamed Solo for this, suggesting, IIRC, that as Han was sleeping with the Rebel leader Bria Tharen he must have known in advance that that was the plan.
    – PhilPursglove
    Oct 11, 2012 at 12:34
  • @PhilPursglove - Great point, I blanked out on that one. Add as an answer
    – DVK-on-Ahch-To
    Oct 11, 2012 at 14:17
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No he was ordered by Vader to admit him. He probably was chilly so Han and the others wouldn't be suspicous.

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