Jedi Minute 19: Carbonite Dream

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Date

January 29th, 2015

Summary

The bounty hunter watches as Han's body is freed of its metallic coat and his forearms and hands, previously raised in reflexive protest, drop slackly to his side.

Guests

Dave Itzkoff

Notes

Film

• Starts with Boushh pressing some buttons on Han Solo's carbonite case.

Ends with Han Solo weak and limp in the arms of Boushh.

Podcast

• How Boushh knew what buttons to press on Han's case.
  • The process should have been more complicated to avoid it from being done inadvertently by a tipsy alien.
  • Lando knew the password (given that the freezing was done on Cloud City) and gave it to Boushh.
• The carbonite case booms, and Boushh half hides, as it hits the ground. More evidence that this is a terrible plan.
• Did Jabba plan on ever unfreezing Han Solo? He must have, given that
  • He didn't stop Boushh from doing it.
  • There was no security around "Han in carbonite" even though it was his most beloved piece of property.
• Different methods that Jabba could have used to secure "Han in carbonite".
• The theory that the Indiana Jones movies are just Han Solo's carbonite dream. This explains all of the Star Wars elements in Indiana Jones movies.
  • Disney owns all of this now - after buying Lucasfilm - so they can make this happen if they want to.
  • Disney has a track record of doing this (e.g. with certain Marvel comics and characters).
  • Where does the Harrison Ford movie Regarding Henry fit into all of this?
• The unfreezing process makes even more noise and light but everyone keeps pretending to be asleep.
• The glowing light as the carbonite thaws is a great effect but where, or what, is the light coming from? The chemical reaction of the carbonite thawing?
• Is Han's whole body glowing during the process?
• Han moves his mouth first and is still wearing the same clothes as he was on Bespin. This is good continuity by the movie makers.
  • Han must have had carbonite in his mouth and probably has terrible breath.
  • Does he smell or were all of these particles frozen as well?
  • What does it smell like? Han Solo after being released from the carbonite - Carbonite (obviously) and the last meal that he ate on Cloud City.
• Is Han aware of how much time has passed or is this just an instant for him?
  • It's probably like waking up from a groggy nap.
• Harrison Ford does some great acting in this sequence.
  • He seems slightly beefier than he did in The Empire Strikes Back.
• Boushh doesn't try to stop Han from falling to the ground.
  • This is so that Boushh's motivations remain a mystery to the audience.
• Han being thawed, given a thermal detonator and then refrozen until it explodes.
• What is the material behind Han as he falls out of the carbonite? It's like memory foam.

ExpandDave's memory of Star Wars:

 He was dazzled by the movies and was right in the sweet spot when he saw them.
 He was four years old when he saw The Empire Strikes Back.
 He wasn't told anything about A New Hope before seeing Empire but never questioned the characters or what was going on.
 The reveal of Vader as Luke's father was still just as impactful.
 Dave saw A New Hope a year or two later in a Times Square theater.
 He also ate McDonalds in the theater which made it even more exciting.
 During A New Hope, just as the Death Star assault  was starting something happened in the projection room and the audience started booing.
 Dave was 7 years old, and very hyped, when he went to see Return of the Jedi.
 Dave's favorite toy was the Luke Skywalker at Jabba's Palace figure. He cried when he got it because he was so happy.
 Also, it was a somewhat rare figure at the time.
 He took the figure to camp with him and was very careful with the lightsaber.
 He also liked the Boba Fett and Lando figurines.
 Pete mentions that the Boushh figure was also a great toy.
 The toys were very important to Dave.
 He would also sing/hum the John Williams score all the time.
 Alex mentions that the small action figures were the perfect size - good job Kenner!
 There was also an action figure for almost every character in the movies.
 Dave was teased at school for not knowing a scene from A New Hope before he had seen the movie.
 Now look where he is!

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Meta Minute

• 25:13 podcast episode length.
• Cold-open: Ad-read - audible.com.
• Although Han is wearing the same outfit, he is no longer wearing handcuffs. This is a carryover from ESB, where Han is frozen with his hands up, even though the hand (and arm) cuffs should prevent him from doing this.
• The "Carbonite dream" hypothesis has been greatly expanded upon by the Indiana Jones Minute podcast.

Quotes

• Pete: <In regards to the composition inside the carbonite> Princess layer <Leia>, the chewy <Chewie> center... Alex: And then the Nien Nunb nougat.

Links

• Episode: http://www.starwarsminute.com/2015/01/29/jedi-minute-19-carbonite-dream/
• Carbonite dream theory by the Indiana Jones Minute: http://www.indianajonesminute.com/han-solos-dream/

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