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What is the symbolic nature behind the Han Solo/Lando Calrissean "It's Not My Fault!" line?

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This is definitely the weirdest topic I am posting and there is probably nothing behind a simple 3-word phrase uttered by Han and Lando, but of all the movies in the original trilogy, The Empire Strikes Back is chalked full of symbolism and foreshadowing as well as the “Luke, I am your Father” surprise ending, which is why ESB is my favorite one of the three.
As far as symbolism, what is most notable is:
When Luke is on Dagobah training with Yoda, he takes his weapons into the “dark side of the force” cave after Yoda tells him not to. In this scene, he fights a simulated Vader and decapitates him. When his mask hits the ground, it explodes and Luke’s face is inside. This is GREAT symbolism and foreshadowing combined! The symbolism is: if Luke turns to the dark side, this could be him, and the foreshadowing is the fact that an actual Skywalker is indeed behind the mask as revealed at the end of the film.
Another piece of symbolism which leads to the revelation of Princess Leia as Luke’s twin sister separated from him at birth is the scene where they are leaving Cloud City and Leia can sense Luke through the force even though she doesn’t have any Jedi powers. She therefore orders Lando to turn the Falcon back and go rescue him as he hangs half dead from the bar now handless.
Which leads me to one more piece of symbolism I question. Even though Han and Lando have no connection to the force or Jedi ways, is there any symbolism in the “It’s Not My Fault” line? If you don’t know what I am talking about: after Han, Leia, Chewey, and Threepio blast off from Hoth, they are forced to enter an asteroid field because the Falcon’s hyperdrive isn’t working. He annoyingly announces to Leia, “It’s Not My Fault!” Later, when Lando, Leia, Chewey, Threepio, and Artoo blast off from Bespin, Lando utters the same line. I may be thinking too much into it but is there meaning behind that as well? Are those 2 lines a coincidence? Or is there some symbolic connection between Han and Lando that I missed? I know that’s a weird question but I am curious. Any opinions or thoughts?

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I’ve got a bad feeling about this…

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More seriously, it is interesting that Han and Lando share that line. It helps to remind us of their history together.

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kellyliston2017 said:

I know that’s a weird question but I am curious. Any opinions or thoughts?

Kidding aside, though:

Or is there some symbolic connection between Han and Lando that I missed?

You mean something about butt-patting right? Maybe pinching.
Something about men touching each other’s butts?
Cuz I think you might be onto something there.

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I believe an early draft of Empire stated that Lando was a clone, so perhaps he was going to be a clone of Han, and that line’s just left over from earlier scripts.

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Leia hearing Luke call for help at Cloud City isn’t foreshadowing, because Leia was not meant to be his sister at the time. That came about during the script writing process for ROTJ.

“In the future it will become even easier for old negatives to become lost and be “replaced” by new altered negatives. This would be a great loss to our society. Our cultural history must not be allowed to be rewritten.” - George Lucas

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I think the Luke/Leia thing very obviously was foreshadowing, or at least a hint. Maybe they hadn’t decided definitively that was the road they were going down yet, but this more than conveniently left a strong opening for it. No one will convince me it wasn’t at least thought of at the time. The fact that she alone senses Luke in a very similar way to Vader in the same scene is too much to be a coincidence.

As for the Lando and Han line, pretty sure it’s only to emphasize how similar the characters are in terms of personality and background.

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 (Edited)

So someone has to be a blood relative in order to receive a telepathic broadcast deliberately aimed their way? Okay. . . .

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DuracellEnergizer said:

So someone has to be a blood relative in order to receive a telepathic broadcast deliberately aimed their way? Okay. . . .

Yes. Everyone knows the stormtrooper here is Obi-wan’s cousin.

obiwan

“In the future it will become even easier for old negatives to become lost and be “replaced” by new altered negatives. This would be a great loss to our society. Our cultural history must not be allowed to be rewritten.” - George Lucas

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kellyliston2017 said:
Another piece of symbolism which leads to the revelation of Princess Leia as Luke’s twin sister separated from him at birth is the scene where they are leaving Cloud City and

Density said:
I think the Luke/Leia thing very obviously was foreshadowing, or at least a hint. Maybe they hadn’t decided definitively that was the road they were going down yet, but…

They were never intended to be related. There are plenty of interviews and script drafts proving it was ham-fisted last minute ROTJ writing by Lucas after he realized he’d not thought out “there is another”. Well documented if you care to look for it. Same for the Vader/Father rewrite. Not part of the original story and also well documented.

In Brackett’s screenplay, Luke’s sister Was named Nellith and she wasn’t going to make an appearance until the after the third film.

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Density said:

I think the Luke/Leia thing very obviously was foreshadowing, or at least a hint. Maybe they hadn’t decided definitively that was the road they were going down yet, but this more than conveniently left a strong opening for it. No one will convince me it wasn’t at least thought of at the time. The fact that she alone senses Luke in a very similar way to Vader in the same scene is too much to be a coincidence.

As for the Lando and Han line, pretty sure it’s only to emphasize how similar the characters are in terms of personality and background.

I think you’re right. Your answer makes the most sense. I think it’s because Han and Lando are so much alike. I thought maybe that scene was trying to tell us something initially but it’s hard to know what.
I will say that since it was sort of Lando’s fault that Han was frozen in carbonite…obviously it was still Darth Vader who did it…but since it was sort of Lando’s fault, Leia and Luke were awfully forgiving toward him. But I guess Lando did help them escape after all.

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 (Edited)

That’s not symbolism. Lando totally raided Han’s wardrobe at the end of ESB though. So you could say, cut from the same cloth.

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It’s a recurring gag. Played for a laugh. No symbolism.

Early in the movie the hyperdrive fails: "It’s not my fault!"
Later in the movie the hyperdrive fails: “It’s not my fault!”

I think it’s funny at least.

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pleasehello said:

It’s a recurring gag. Played for a laugh. No symbolism.

Early in the movie the hyperdrive fails: "It’s not my fault!"
Later in the movie the hyperdrive fails: “It’s not my fault!”

I think it’s funny at least.

yep