History
13 Jun 2018 -
The Millennium Falcon, like any old hot-rod, has a history.
The early history of this YT-1300 is a mystery. Even its true age isn't known. We do know it is considered as an old model by Luke Skywalker, Leia Organa and Dash Rendar (who flies a newer YT-2400).
The early history of this YT-1300 is a mystery. Even its true age isn't known. We do know it is considered as an old model by Luke Skywalker, Leia Organa and Dash Rendar (who flies a newer YT-2400).
It is quite possible that the vessel originally went by one or more other names in the past. Pirate vessels with 'stolen plates' wouldn't keep original names I suspect.
One thing we DO know, it once belonged to Lando Calrissian, who lost it to Han Solo in some sort of gamble. The late Brian Daley (an excellent author of StarWars material including the superb radio dramatisations) sketched some of the history for the Millennium Falcon in his Han Solo trilogy. It is also the star of Neil L Smith's Lando Calrissian trilogy. Smith portrays Lando winning the ship in a game of sabacc - and it was already at least partially modified THEN!
Now, the Millennium Falcon is no longer anywhere near 'stock'. Solo claims to have made ''a few special modifications'' to the ship, but Lando fondly remembers his ownership of the "fastest hunk'o'junk in the galaxy". The ship was clearly modified, at least partially, BEFORE Solo got his piratical mits on it.
We know that Solo claims to have won the ship from the gambler Lando Calrissian ''fair and square''. Kevin J Anderson (the man with the golden dictaphone) gets great mileage from claiming it was won in a game of sabacc. Anderson, in typical form, hunting for 'plot', portrays Solo and Calrissian re-playing the sabacc match time and time again. And again. And again....
In ROTJ, there were several shots planned which showed our heroes returning to their ships in the desert. We know that the 'sandstorm' shots were filmed and rejected. I have found an image of the matt painting of a wider shot, before the storm hits, of the Millennium Falcon and Luke's X-Wing sitting in a desert valley floor