Empire Minute 81: Wall of Sad Lobots

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Date

May 5th, 2014

Summary

Chewie growls a reserved greeting. Lando suddenly notices the princess and smiles.

Guests

Joseph Scrimshaw

Notes

Film

• A smooth minute.
• Starts with Lobot dismissing the Bespin Guards; ends with Lando saying how great the Falcon is - the fastest hunk of junk in the galaxy.
• We learn that Lando used to own the Millennium Falcon.

Podcast

• Lando's chatter in the background of the first scene sounds like ad-libbed small talk.
• Lando seems to literally shift gears when he switches from talking to Han to talking to Leia.
• In the 90s Alex changed his email alert for AOL to Lando's "Hello, what have we here?" line.
• Lando sounds like a cult leader.
• He is the living embodiment of an 80's sax solo.
• Other Billy Dee <Williams> projects. Colt 45 commercials; Nighthawks (1981).
• Is Billy's full name William Dee Williams? (Note - see The Empire Strikes Back 121 for the answer to this question)
• Billy Dee should have worn the Lando costume everywhere.
• Lando has a different, more subdued attitude in ROTJ (e.g. he doesn't try and seduce Nien Nunb, Mon Mothma or any Ewoks).
• How long ago did Lando own the Falcon? (Note - this has been addressed in Canon). More than 3 years ago.
• Scoundrels in the Star Wars universe trading spaceships on a regular basis.
• This "coincidence" (i.e. Bespin / Cloud City being nearby and Lando once owning the Falcon) is an example of a good coincidence in Star Wars. It adds flavor to the movies.
• Lando can be seen as the grown up Han that's got a real job.
• Han and Chewie flying around in a different spaceship - maybe a hatchback.
• Lando calls Han a "loser" when talking to Chewbacca. Chewbacca probably just says "life debt" in response.
  • The term "loser" is like the term "girlfriend" in Star Wars - very un-epic.
• The Falcon plays a part in this minute by emitting jets of steam. A great detail. The Falcon as the Love Bug interacting with people.
• C-3PO forces his way in and introduces himself to Lando. Is he expecting a kiss from Lando as well?
  • C-3PO has a real arc in this minute - he goes from liking Lando to being totally snubbed by him.
  • Everyone seems to hate C-3PO.
• Lobot was the saddest of all action figures.
  • He was always available in stores - there was always a wall of sad lobots.
  • Every character should have some interesting "bit of business" to make their action figure worthwhile.
  • Lobot should have been able to emit sound effects from his headpiece at key moments in the movie.

Meta Minute

• 15:45 podcast episode length.
• Cold-open: 8-DAY-GREEDO call from Tom Taylor - Why do I love Lobot? He's awesome.
• Joseph is a human being.
• Support the Show.

Quotes

• Alex: I did; I felt like I truly did belong among the emails in the clouds.
• Joseph: This is perhaps over-analytical but it seems like the right place...

Link

http://www.starwarsminute.com/2014/05/05/empire-minute-81-wall-of-sad-lobots/

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