Han Solo & the 12-parsec Kessel Run

[knapplc]

There's a bit of a kerfluffle over this in the Football forum so I figured an explanation would be in order.

A parsec is a measurement of distance derived from a right triangle projected out from the solar system, with the smallest axis equivalent to the Earth's distance from the Sun (~93 million miles), or, one Astronomical Unit. Based on that number, a parsec is about 3.26 light years. A parsec is an Earthly measurement, but sounded futuristic enough that George Lucas used it in his 1977 space drama.

The Kessel mines were the source of a profitable drug, found only on Kessel, the sale of which was closely guarded by the Empire with heavy ships, Imperial cruisers (Star Destroyers). Smugglers would take the spice through a nearby field of Black Holes where Imperial cruisers wouldn't patrol. The faster the ship, the closer the smuggler could skirt the edges of the black holes without being drawn to their death.

In Solo's boast, he claims the Millennium Falcon is so fast it could fly closer to the edges of these black holes than any other ship, thus shortening the distance he had to travel (12 parsecs instead of the X parsecs other, slower ships had to take) and getting through to the other side, and freedom.

Tying this together a bit more, just before the events of Star Wars, Solo bought some spice with capitol from a gangster, Jabba the Hutt. Solo made the run in the Falcon, but as he emerged from the field of black holes on the other side of the Kessel Run, a Star Destroyer just happened to be there. The Falcon was caught, was going to be boarded and searched, so Solo dumped his shipment, losing the spice but getting away from the Imperials. Hence Greedo's line in Star Wars, "Jabba's through with you. He has no use for smugglers who drop their shipments at the first sign of an Imperial cruiser." The disastrous loss of his shipment meant Solo was not only still broke, but had to pay Jabba back the money he'd loaned Solo for the venture.

 

Han shot first.

[strigori]

Han absolutely shot first. He was also not a hero by any stretch of the imagination when he joined up with Skywalker and Kenobi. For most of Episode IV he was motivated by money.

[NUpolo8]

Han may have shot first, but Hayden Christensen was totally the original image in the last scene in Jedi

 

(Ducks)

[teachercd]

I thought that they edited the movie so that it looked like he didn't shoot first...because it was considered bad form

[walksalone]

Greeedo's so slow, took him 20 years to shoot back...

[huKSer]

Nerds!

[EbylHusker]

[NUpolo8]

[Redux]

Greedo was a bitch, lets face it.

 

Seriously, if therez no Solo v Fett epic showdown laser blaster and fist fight, I will riot.

[I AM FOOT FOOT]

being a drug smuggler was cool in those days. then came woman voters.

[Hooked on Huskers]

Imperial Stormtroopers was awarded marksmanship medal. NOT !!!! Laser guns can't hit the broad side of a barn !

[Redux]

Solo was a complete and utter badass. Then a chick got into his head. By Jedi he was warm cuddly and a bad pun machine.

[suh_fan93]

[Junior]

I thought that they edited the movie so that it looked like he didn't shoot first...because it was considered bad form

 

They did on the re-release in the late 90s. They also made Jabba in episode IV look like Jabba from The Empire Strikes Back. In the original episode IV, Jabba was just a fat white dude.

 

Original:

 

Re-release:

[suh_fan93]

^

Cool.