Support crew on the Falcon in RotJ

[Kam Solusar]

So, HBO has been nice the past few days and have played all of the original trilogy (out of order, though, started on Saturday with ESB, yesterday was ANH, and today is RotJ), and I have a quick question that someone may, or may not, be able to answer.

The Alliance soldiers on the Falcon for the Death Star assault are wearing forest fatigues, like the team Han is leading on Endor. Anyone know why, beyond "they needed extras and just took them where they could get them"? It seems kind of of weird, is all. Guy is even wearing the helmet.

[bruciarsi]

Well the only explanation that i could think of is that the falcon and other ships are carry a back up squad of some sort. If things didnt go well on the ground they could attempt a second assault. That kinda explains the forest cammo.

[Jedi Master 2k5]

It does appear that the falcon does have a crew in rotj.

[Kam Solusar]

Oh, without a doubt. You can even hear them working on ship functions in the background during the fight (I remember at least someone reporting "pressure steady" at one point).

I was just wondering why they were wearing the forest gear.

[Solo]

It's a long guess, but do you remember the meeting where they talked about the death star and Lando was to lead the attack to the death star, while Han was to attack the shield generator. When asked, Han said, he had the assault team rady, but shuttle crew wasn't clear yet. Than Leia and Luke volunteered. Leia didn't even know who was going to lead the attack to the shield generator until than.

Maybe those soldiers in forest camo because they were meant to be the shuttle crew and than go with the assault team, but Han sent them to the Falcon at last minute, when Leia and Luke volunteered to join the shuttle crew. How about this idea?

[T-bone]

http://www.starwarz.com/tbone/index.php?categoryid=11&p2_articleid=446

[Master Magnus]

Soldiers in camouflage uniforms can be seen during the briefing as well.

Great article, T!

[Braden Dar]

So far, I fail to see a satisfactory answer for the question posted. Why would a ships crew, in space combat, not intended to land and act in a ground assualt, be wearing camo's instead of more likely ships coveralls or space survival gear?
I would expect to see them in typical Alliance fighter pilot suits. This is a most intriguing question if it were only about a real event. This however is likely a Lucas situation where he did indeed need some extras. Maybe one of the fatigued beings is actually seen on the ground, too. Double check the film and see if any of them are present in both locations. That would be a major boon for us seekers of filming goofs.

[Kam Solusar]

Yeah, I never meant to question their presence there. Only stands to reason that in a situation like that, with plenty of personnel to spare, they'd outfit the Falcon with a full crew. I just wondered why at least one of them were in forest fatigues.

[Rabid Whiphid]

This however is likely a Lucas situation where he did indeed need some extras. Maybe one of the fatigued beings is actually seen on the ground, too. Double check the film and see if any of them are present in both locations. That would be a major boon for us seekers of filming goofs.


Technically, yes. But you know how us SW apologists are - we have a snappy answer for everything! We will just say, well, the guy flying with Lando in the rear of the Millenium Falcon cockpit was the twin brother of the guy fighting alongside Han Solo on Endor! Certainly you can't argue that in SW, stranger coincidences have happened!

[thepepgal]

Yeah, I never meant to question their presence there. Only stands to reason that in a situation like that, with plenty of personnel to spare, they'd outfit the Falcon with a full crew. I just wondered why at least one of them were in forest fatigues.

Three choices:

1. The Alliance was short of uniforms so gave him that one.
2. He spilt something on his other uniforms so grabbed it in the rush into battle
3. This was the only uniform he fiited into.

:wink: :giveup:

[Cassus Fett]

I'd think he was probably going down to the surface but at the last minute his orders changed.

[Sluggo]

They are military troops, they wear uniforms. Problem solved.

[Kam Solusar]

They are military troops, they wear uniforms. Problem solved.

That's fine. Except that other people seen on the Falcon are wearing a uniform similar to what General Madine is wearing during the briefing.

It's not the presence of any uniform that confuses me, it's that it's the forest fatigue.

[Sluggo]

Maybe they had forest camo on incase the battle went south and they had to hide on Endor. If the fleet was lost and the Falcon was damaged, Endor (or the forest moon of Endor, more accurately) is the only place to go.

[Kam Solusar]

Kay, so how about the rest of the crew?

[Cassus Fett]

prob had some in storage.

[Alpha-17]

Rebellion. Low on supplies. What do you want them to wear? They were sending every thing they had at the Death Star, so they could have been low on supplies of flight suits. Also, the forest camouflage pattern could have been the standard duty uniform of the rebellion, just like the woodland pattern Battle Dress Uniforms were for the US military until recently. The other people could have been from a different branch, a different rank, or a different job.

[Kam Solusar]

This is an explanation I can get on board with! Though I do balk at the SDU explanation though, they didn't seem to really have those. But low on supplies I can get with.

[Alpha-17]

Glad one theory suits you!!:happydance:
Really, the low on supplies one is the most logical choice. The others are just conjecture.

[RollaFett]

Yeah, low on supplies sounds good to me too. Remember, these are rebels, not the fully funded Imperial armed forces. Hell, they were willing to allow some random farmboy with no military training to join in on the first Death Star attack. ;)

[Cassus Fett]

Dont forget with no training on how to fly an X-Wing and then allow him to lead the last trench run.

[Sam Kenobi]

Well, he did have an Incom T-16 Skyhopper. Same company as the X-Wing. :nahnah:

[bruciarsi]

Yeah, low on supplies sounds good to me too. Remember, these are rebels, not the fully funded Imperial armed forces. Hell, they were willing to allow some random farmboy with no military training to join in on the first Death Star attack. ;)

i think it was more any pilot will do to take advantage of the situation at hand plus luke had friends there that no doubt vouched for his ability.

[RollaFett]

Well, sure. I was being facetious.

[blacksaber]

Well whenever Han operates the Falcon it is run skeleton. Pilot and co-pilot. However, when outfitted for war there has to be more people so that each person can specialize their field. I.E. Gunners, Lando as Pilot, Nien Numb as Co-Pilot. They would want more people so it would be an efficiant fighting machine

Blacksaber

[Kam Solusar]

Oh, that I never questioned. It's just the uniforms of those people I wondered about. ;)

[blacksaber]

...and suddenly the light clicks on :scratchchin:

[Somerandomjedi]

At this certain point I don't think Alliance officals cared what the soldiers wore, as long as they completed their mission.

[Thrawnlord]

I don't knowwhy there would be forest camo guys in the falcon, but I know who the gunner is *up top*...if you play X-Wing Alliance, the gunners (Top or bottom unknown) is Ace Azameen, the main character of the game, as in the Final Battle of the Game (Battle of Endor), you fly the falcon (though Lando is flying it as you can tell by the voice)... at least that is what I like to think :yoda: