Arguably , the Millennium Falcon is as much a character in theStar Warssaga as Luke or Leia or Darth Vader . Han ’s trustworthy shipmight be a piece of detritus , but it ’s been there for all the most importantStar Warsmoments . It has even outlived Han and continued to get in on the risky venture after his death . Last year’sSolo : A Star Wars Storywas primarily an origin write up for Han , but it also gave usa sort of origin history for the Millennium Falcon – or , at the very least , the origin story of Han ’s land tenure with the Falcon . So , Star Warsfans , here are The Millennium Falcon ’s 10 Finest Moments .

Disguising the Rebels from the Empire as garbage

Darth Vader unrelentingly pursue Han , Leia , Chewie , and C-3PO in the Millennium Falcon throughoutThe Empire Strikes Back . His program is to capture them and hold up them to redeem , swap them for Luke , who heplans to wrench to the Dark Side as his co - rule of the Empire . What Vader does n’t count on is Han ’s impressive skills as a pilot . He make out to avoid detection by the Empire by disguising the Falcon among their food waste as they jettison trash from an Imperial Star Destroyer into the depth of space . outsmart Darth Vader and the Empire is a pretty   impressive move .

Landing on Starkiller Base at lightspeed

Although the First Order is accuse of being a rip - off of the Empire andStarkiller Base is accused of being a rip - off of the Death Star , both led to a pretty awesome Millennium Falcon moment inThe Force Awakens . to slip past the First Order ’s shields and land on Starkiller Base , Han decided to gun the Falcon past the shields at lightspeed . This result the ship hurtling through a forest at a much ready pace than it would usually be go away for a landing , and it very almost flew off a cliff and ended the movie flop there . gratefully , it all worked out .

Making the Kessel Run in less than twelve parsecs

There was a quite a little incorrect withSolo : A Star Wars Story – namely , fundamental things like casting someone besides Harrison Ford to flirt Han Solo – but it was a fun summation to theStar Warscanon . As an intergalactic risky venture , it made for a rollicking trip to the movies .

A cameo appearance inRevenge of the Sith

George Lucas to begin with plan to feature a teenage Han Solo inRevenge of the Sith . He would be living on Kashyyyk with the Wookiees , having been orphaned at a young age and then raised by Chewbacca . It waswise to cut this , since it would alter Han and Chewie ’s family relationship , changing their sidekick dynamic to a father - son one . However , Lucas did throw in a little Easter eggwith the Millennium Falcon appearing at a spaceport . It showed us that the Falcon had a life long before it was own by Han ( and before it was own by Lando , even ) , but it would n’t be desirable of essence stageuntil Han won it in a biz of Sabaccand take it on some unbelievable intergalactic adventure .

Escaping from a cave that turned out to be a giant space worm

InA New Hope , the Rebels approached a moonshine that turn out to be “ no moon , ” and inThe Empire Strikes Back , they hid out in a cave that turned out to be “ no cave . ” In fact , Han had just put down the Millennium Falcon in the mouth of a giant space worm . They scantily managed to escape , scraping the Falcon out of the worm ’s dentition as they closed down at the very last second . The Falcon was given a caboodle of chance to beam inThe Empire Strikes Back , because the whole 2nd number saw Han and the Rebels take flight the Empire in it .

Rescuing Luke Skywalker on Cloud City

At the end ofThe Empire Strikes Back , after being bested in a lightsaber battle by Darth Vader and back up onto a shelf , Luke Skywalker has two options . He can either join his male parent in rein the Galactic Empire with an branding iron fist or he can shed into the Cloud City atmosphere putz system to sure end of the world . Since he ca n’t bear the thinking of turning to the Dark Side , he takes the 2nd optionand stop up tumbling through an aura shaft and getting spit out the bottom of the drift urban center . Leia sense that Luke is in peril and separate Lando to move around the Falcon around so they can save him .

Flying through the wreckage of an Imperial Star Destroyer

One of the nice design touches inThe Force Awakensis the debris from the Battle of Endor dotted around everywhere . In the ground of desert landscapes on Jakku , crashed Imperial Star Destroyers covered in grease and junk can be seen . And in one breathless action chronological sequence , Rey and Finn fly the Millennium Falcon through the wreckage of one . The First Order has tracked them down and they ’re being chased by TIE scrapper as the camera swoops through the pour down ship to track them . The spectacle of the chronological succession offsets any inconsistencies – why was the Falcon on Jakku in the first office ? – as we just go along for the drive .

Turning up at the last second to help the Rebels blow up the Death Star

Han Solo has an interesting character arc circumscribe only toA New Hope . His electric discharge extends throughout the residue of the original trilogy and a little into the sequel trilogy . But if George Lucas had madeA New Hopeand stopped there , we ’d be happy with where Han ’s character development ended up .

All throughout the movie , he insisted he did n’t care about political ideologies or the Force or , really , anyone besides himself ( and maybe Chewbacca ) . But then he testify up in the Millennium Falcon during the Death Star trench streak   and get the TIE belligerent off Luke ’s lead , which allows him to ruin the Empire ’s superweapon . “ Wahoo ! ”

Successfully navigating an asteroid field against 3,720-to-1 odds

When Han is being pursued by Darth Vader ’s fleet inThe Empire Strikes Back , he decides to evade them by turn the Millennium Falcon into an asteroid subject field . A panicky C-3PO tells Han , “ Sir , the opening of successfully navigating an asteroid field is approximately 3,720 to one , ” and then Han , cool as a Caterpillar , replies , “ Never tell me the betting odds ! ” The great thing about this is that it not onlybuilds on Han as a characterand the Falcon as a ship with more to it than meets the middle ; it ’s also a good spectacular tool . Han does n’t want to be told the betting odds , but we , as an audience , get laid the betting odds and how slim they are , so we ’re instantly hooked .

“What a piece of junk!”

The brilliant thing about the world - building inStar Warsis that the world feels know - in . Even though droids and blasters and space cruisers count telling to us , they ’re just a part of the world in theStar Warsmovies . Droids are a trade good , like refrigerator or iPhones , and ship are like car , withonly a choice few that are really telling . When Luke first gaze upon the Millennium Falcon and everyone ’s favourite fictional starship ( except formaybe the U.S.S. Enterprise ) makes its launching , he ’s not in fear like us – he says , “ What a piece of junk ! ” Han says , “ She may not look like much , but she ’s got it where it depend , Kyd . ” The Falcon would spend the rest of the saga proving that .

NEXT : How and Why The Millennium Falcon Keeps Changing So Much

Sidious, Tyranus, Maul, and Vader.

Din Djarin and Ahsoka-1

George Lucas with A New Hope imagery v3

Millennium Falcon flying away from the Death Star explosion

Millennium Falcon on a Star Destroyer in The Empire Strikes Back

Millennium Falcon lands on Starkiller Base in The Force Awakens

Solo A Star Wars Story Millennium Falcon Kessel Run Through Clouds Storm

The Millennium Falcon arrives on Coruscant in Revenge of the Sith

Millennium Falcon escapes the exogorth in The Empire Strikes Back

Millennium Falcon saves Luke in The Empire Strikes Back

TIE Fighters attacking the Millennium Falcon in Star Wars Episode VII The Force Awakens

The Falcon escapes the explosion of the second Death Star

Millennium Falcon in Asteroid Field in The Empire Strikes Back

Millennium Falcon Docked New Hope

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