Millennium Falcon
the fastest ship in the galaxy
The Millennium Falcon was a heavily modified Corellian light freighter, famous as the ship that made the Kessel Run in under twelve parsecs. Won by Han Solo from Lando Calrissian, it became a symbol of resistance across two galactic wars.
The Millennium Falcon was a YT-1300 light freighter built by the Corellian Engineering Corporation and heavily modified over its long career into one of the most renowned starships in the galaxy. Reputed to be the fastest ship in the galaxy thanks to its souped-up hyperdrive, it carried weaponry better suited to a far larger warship and was repeatedly customized by a string of owners. Won by the smuggler Han Solo from the gambler Lando Calrissian, it became famous for making the Kessel Run in under twelve parsecs, and its battered hull came to stand as a symbol of the fight against tyranny across both the Galactic Civil War and the later war between the First Order and the Resistance.
Design and modifications#
The Millennium Falcon was a YT-1300f light freighter, one of a mass-produced line, transformed by extensive modification into a uniquely capable ship. Its renowned hyperdrive supposedly made it the fastest ship in the galaxy, and it carried a much slower backup hyperdrive that could take weeks or months to reach the nearest star system. Its weaponry was normally suited to a far larger warship. The freighter passed through a number of modifiers over its life, including Lando Calrissian and Han Solo, each of whom added customizations of their own.
Early career#
The Falcon began as a stock YT-1300 freighter built at a Corellian shipyard more than ninety years before the Battle of Starkiller Base. Inconsistent records from the Bureau of Ships and Services indicate that the vessel, registered as the YT 492727ZED, changed ownership more than once through unregistered transactions. At some point the gambler Lando Calrissian won it in a game of sabacc and registered it under the name Millennium Falcon.
The Kessel Run#
When Calrissian was injured during a raid on Kessel, the smuggler Han Solo and the Wookiee Chewbacca were left in command of the ship. During the escape from Kessel, Calrissian uploaded the droid L3 to the Falcon as its navigational system, helping the crew make the Kessel Run in under twelve parsecs. The ship was badly damaged in the attempt: TIE fighters blasted a hole in its front, Solo lost two landing gears sliding the ship over an asteroid, and the vessel lost an escape pod and its sensor dish while escaping a Summa-verminoth in the Maw. Calrissian later took the heavily damaged ship after landing on Savareen, but eventually lost it again to Solo in a game of sabacc on Numidian Prime, after which the Falcon was further customized under Solo's command.
The Galactic Civil War#
The Falcon carried Luke Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and the Death Star plans away from Tatooine, emerging from hyperspace into the remains of Alderaan. Pursuing a lone TIE fighter, the ship was caught by one of the first Death Star's tractor beams and pulled aboard the station. Quick thinking made the ship appear abandoned: stormtroopers who searched it reported no passengers and jettisoned escape pods, missing the crew hidden in the Falcon's smuggling holds. Its battered hull became a symbol of the Rebel cause and a bane to the Empire as it flew against the regime. After Han Solo was rescued from captivity, the Falcon rendezvoused with the Alliance Fleet to assault the second Death Star, with Solo lending the ship to Lando Calrissian, who flew it at the Battle of Endor, calling it the fastest ship in the fleet.
Between the wars#
In the years after Endor, Solo and Chewbacca continued to use the Falcon. On one occasion an apparent trap set by the Empire led to Chewbacca's capture, though Solo escaped aboard the ship. A year later, while Solo was at the edge of Wild Space, the Falcon came under attack and lost contact with Leia Organa, prompting her to dispatch the New Republic pilot Norra Wexley and her companions to rescue him.
The Resistance era#
As it had against the Empire, the Falcon became a bane to the First Order and a flying symbol of relentless resistance. Rey, Finn, BB-8, and Chewbacca flew the ship during the war against the First Order, contending with its many mechanical quirks, including a burned-out static charge dissipator that forced an emergency stop on the planet Choss. Across both conflicts the freighter's well-worn hull remained an enduring emblem of those who opposed tyranny.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the Millennium Falcon?
- The Millennium Falcon was a YT-1300 light freighter built by the Corellian Engineering Corporation and heavily modified over its long career into one of the most renowned starships in the galaxy. It was reputed to be the fastest ship in the galaxy thanks to its souped-up hyperdrive and carried weaponry better suited to a far larger warship.
- Why is the Millennium Falcon famous for the Kessel Run?
- During an escape from Kessel, Lando Calrissian uploaded the droid L3 to the Falcon as its navigational system, helping the crew make the Kessel Run in under twelve parsecs. The ship was badly damaged in the attempt, including a hole blasted in its front by TIE fighters and the loss of two landing gears, an escape pod, and its sensor dish.
- How did Han Solo get the Millennium Falcon?
- The gambler Lando Calrissian had won the ship in a game of sabacc and registered it under the name Millennium Falcon. He eventually lost it to Han Solo in a game of sabacc on Numidian Prime, after which the Falcon was further customized under Solo's command.
- What did the Millennium Falcon do during the Galactic Civil War?
- The Falcon carried Luke Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and the Death Star plans away from Tatooine, was caught by the first Death Star's tractor beam, and escaped by making the ship appear abandoned. It later flew at the Battle of Endor, where Han Solo lent it to Lando Calrissian, who called it the fastest ship in the fleet.
- Who flew the Millennium Falcon during the Resistance era?
- Rey, Finn, BB-8, and Chewbacca flew the ship during the war against the First Order, contending with its many mechanical quirks, including a burned-out static charge dissipator that forced an emergency stop on the planet Choss. Across both conflicts the freighter's well-worn hull remained an emblem of those who opposed tyranny.
Gallery
Images via Wookieepedia
Sources
- WikiMillennium Falcon — Wookieepedia entry
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