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"The damage doesn't look as bad..."

Discussion in 'Original Trilogy' started by Get In Gear, Oct 3, 2020.

  1. Get In Gear

    Get In Gear Force Sensitive

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    Threepio's observation as the escape pod spirals away from the Tantive in ANH...

    "That's funny, the damage doesn't look as bad from out here"

    I've never really given it a second thought. I've always taken that line to be a bit of a gag - C3PO is so self-absorbed he doesn't even realise that he is looking at the Star Destroyer; he thinks that is the ship he has just blasted away from.

    It's just a little characterisation thing - Artoo knows exactly what he is doing, and is the one instigating their escape and subsequent mission. He's smart, but he doesn't appear to be the smart one on the surface, he's just this little trash can that bleeps and whistles.
    Threepio, by contrast, appears more sophisticated - he has knowledge of all these languages in his databanks... he does all the talking, but ultimately he is not "smart".

    As I say, it never occurred to me to read this line any other way, but I've noticed a load of fan theory articles cropping up lately with loads of convoluted explanations about why Threepio says this line.

    Just wondered if I'm in a minority here. To me Threepio just dumb, and thinks when he sees the Star Destroyer he is looking at the Tantive and that's always made perfect sense.
    Is that how everyone else always read that line...?
     
    #1 Get In Gear, Oct 3, 2020
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  2. Kraven Head

    Kraven Head Rebelscum

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    The opening scene showed the Star Destroyer damaging the top of the Tantive IV whereas, when C3PO and RD jettisoned, they were looking at the bottom of the corvette which remained untouched.

    My 2 cents.

    Cheers, KH

    PS- everything looks good when your speeding away at 1000meters per second
     
    #2 Kraven Head, Oct 3, 2020
    Last edited: Oct 3, 2020
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  3. SegNerd

    SegNerd Rebel Official

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    I never thought 3PO was looking at the Star Destroyer. I think it is mainly just a reference to the fact that things look less flawed from a distance.

    I didn’t think this line was a joke at all. If anything, I think it subtly emphasizes the dire danger Leia is in - “it doesn’t look so bad from out here [but from up close, it is horrible].”
     
    #3 SegNerd, Oct 4, 2020
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  4. Messi

    Messi G.O.A.T.

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    I always thought like this.

    And for me C3P0 was always a smart droid. A one with comic relif.
     
    #4 Messi, Oct 5, 2020
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  5. Kraven Head

    Kraven Head Rebelscum

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    Even my ex looks good speeding away from her...
     
    #5 Kraven Head, Oct 6, 2020
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  6. Lock_S_Foils

    Lock_S_Foils Red Leader

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    Yes one of the more “head scratcher” lines in the GFFA
     
    #6 Lock_S_Foils, Oct 6, 2020
  7. Kraven Head

    Kraven Head Rebelscum

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    This one always made me chuckle because it sounds like they pulled it from an adult movie, "Get in there you big furry oaf. I don't care what you smell"
     
    #7 Kraven Head, Oct 6, 2020
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  8. Lock_S_Foils

    Lock_S_Foils Red Leader

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    Alrighty then.....never thought of the adult movie angle to this quote....LOL
     
    #8 Lock_S_Foils, Oct 6, 2020
  9. Jayson

    Jayson Resident Lucasian

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    It's a philosophically reflective thought by the filmmaker through the mouth of the Greek Chorus (the droids) that when you distance yourself from the horrible events, it tends to look like much less of a big deal.

    It's part of the variety of little comments that are a part of the suite of "tyranny through passivity" topic that are just thrown around in the film.
    Han's line about avoiding the empire is yet another one. So is Uncle Lars' comments about Luke's foolish interest in running off and getting himself killed.

    There's little bits all through the film about the idea of people allowing tyranny to exist by putting up rosy glasses that excuse their involvement in some way and pretends if they aren't directly part of it, it just won't be so bad. And a variety of excuses are made. It's not so bad, it's too dangerous, what good would I - a single person - do?, etc.

    3PO is sort of the opening bell to that theme that runs throughout.

    Cheers,
    Jayson
     
    #9 Jayson, Oct 8, 2020
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