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SPECULATION Why wasn't the Battle of Endor aborted?

Discussion in 'Original Trilogy' started by Angelman, Jul 11, 2017.

  1. Angelman

    Angelman Servant of the Whills -- Slave to the Muses
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    Hey all,

    I'm rewatching Return of the Jedi for the billionth time, and had to stop the movie to come here and ask this question. I don't know why I didn't consider this before, but... after Lando call's the Emperor's bluff and deduces that the Second Death Star's shields are still up, why don't the Rebels just Hyperspace their fleet away from there? Especially after the Imperial Fleet arrives on the scene. Are Han, Luke, & Leia really THAT important to the Rebellion? Are they (i.e. the Rebellion) really willing to go all in, to sacrifice their entire assault fleet on the off chance that the heroes and their ground team might find a way to turn off the DSII shields DESPITE the Empire obviously awaiting the Rebel campaign? I mean, the Rebels walks straight into a trap but continues to fight, keeping going even after the frigging DSII demonstrate its operational status! How the hell are these guys still fighting after that, and why?

    Now, I do not mean this as a critique against RotJ; I love this film. I just wonder if anyone has any theories on this? :)

    PS: From a meta perspective, the Rebels of course keep fighting because the fleet only serves to add tension, drama, and context for the heroes, and I perfectly understand why they don't hightail it out of there because of this, heh heh.
     
    #1 Angelman, Jul 11, 2017
    Last edited: Jul 11, 2017
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  2. Finn_McCool

    Finn_McCool Jedi Commander

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    I think knocking out the shield generator was supposed to be fairly easy. They almost did it, in the timeframe they were supposed to, until they were surrounded. Ackbar wanted to turn around, when they realized the DS2 was operational, however Lando had faith in his friends. He made a comment we won't get another shot at this. Once the DS2 was fully constructed there would be no stopping it. So they had to take a chance, destroying the DS2, and the Emperor at the same time is a great benefit. Besides the Alliance still had a fleet on Sullust.
     
    #2 Finn_McCool, Jul 11, 2017
    Last edited: Jul 12, 2017
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  3. NunbNuts

    NunbNuts Rebel Official

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    The Star Destroyers set up a picket to keep the Rebels from escaping. While they realized it was a trap I don't think they realized how hopeless their situation was until the Death Star fired and they realized it was operational. At that point Ackbar does suggest a retreat but Lando points out they'll never have another shot like that one. Either option would have been very costly and Lando was gambling on Han and keeping his eye on the prize.
     
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  4. Grand Master Galen Marek

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    Because like Lando said, they only had one shot & the galaxy was depending on them, if they aborted more worlds would have sided with the empire one more time.
     
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  5. NunbNuts

    NunbNuts Rebel Official

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    Also Billy Dee Williams was leading the assault, and when he does it works every time.
     
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  6. Rogues1138

    Rogues1138 Jedi Sentinel - Army of Light
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    I'm going to watch ROTJ for the zillionth time... I'll be back.
     
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  7. Ruralfarmboy

    Ruralfarmboy Jedi General

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    Yup. As I understand it. They Had to take the chance, as Lando (& GMG & NN-see above) said.
    Somewheres on some Old TFN site, someone did a bunch of stats on the Battle of Endor, and they came up with there being something like 25 Imperial Star Destroyers in that Imperial fleet at that battle.
    Now even though we're not ever told, one could imagine that at least a couple of them were Interdictors.
    That was the Rebel Fleet. The same one that had been amassing near Sullust, as DV mentioned in the film.
     
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  8. Angelman

    Angelman Servant of the Whills -- Slave to the Muses
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    Thanks guys; I'm feeling like raising some complications or argue some counterpoints, but I can't find anything... I think you guys are right :)
    Lando IS the leader of the Battle of Endor -- for whatever great deed it was he pulled off during the Battle of Tanaab -- and what Lando says goes. The Rebel Fleet is putting enormous faith in Lando, which raises the question of just what happened during the Battle of Tanaab (I don't think there's canon information on this anymore?). This realisation for me also increases my frustration manifold that Lando was not in The Force Awakens (and won't be in The Last Jedi, unless LFL/Disney is pulling a trick).

    Well, thanks guys. I think you're all right. :)
     
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  9. Rogues1138

    Rogues1138 Jedi Sentinel - Army of Light
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    Battle of Tanaab, Donald Glover spin-off-standalone film.
     
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  10. SegNerd

    SegNerd Rebel Official

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    The officers on the Star Destroyers explicitly stated that their reason for being there was to keep the rebels from escaping.

    I don't know how much space it takes to go from zero to hyperspace (and it probably varies from ship to ship), but there may have just not been enough room to enter hyperspace. It's also possible that, even in hyperspace, it may be impossible to pass through some types of barriers. They have made references to how important it is to calculate hyperspace coordinates carefully to go on the correct path.
     
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  11. NunbNuts

    NunbNuts Rebel Official

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    I just said Lando was in charge for the sake of a Colt 45 joke. I think Ackbar was leading the assault as a whole and Lando was leading the fighter assault on the Death Star. Or maybe Ackbar was just in charge of the capital ships and Lando the fighters, but Ackbar seemed to be giving orders to fighter groups when it came to protecting the ships. And he was the one who ordered a retreat, but he's a good leader and took input from Lando.
     
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  12. JarJar

    JarJar Guest

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    I think one quote should answer your question : "never tell me the odds !!"
     
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  13. NunbNuts

    NunbNuts Rebel Official

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    And if things go wrong: "It's not my fault!"
     
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  14. Angelman

    Angelman Servant of the Whills -- Slave to the Muses
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    I don't get the joke; sorry man. But I think RotJ paints the oposite picture; it is Lando who leads the crazy attack and Admiral Ackbar is more of the strategist who helped plan it and the leader of his flotilla of Mon Calamari ships. That said, there is not much information to go on here, although Lando does seem to call the shots for some reason.
     
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  15. Finn_McCool

    Finn_McCool Jedi Commander

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    It's like, which has more rank, a General or an Admiral? Why is a General in a naval battle? But yeah Akbar was the leader of Home One, the Flagship of the fleet. Lando was the leader of Gold group, the lead group of the whole fighter squadron. Lando's job ultimately was to destroy the Death Star. The job of the fleet was to protect the fighters, from naval ships and TIE fighters. They were basically equal in rank, and command.
     
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  16. NunbNuts

    NunbNuts Rebel Official

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    "It works every time" was Billy Dee's catchphrase for the Colt 45 ad campaign. During the briefing they say that Lando is leading the fighter attack on the Death Star. But that's just one (but very important) component of the battle as a whole. Ackbar was one of the big three at the briefing and gave a lot of the orders during the battle, to the fleet and fighters alike. And he ordered the retreat, albeit in a knee-jerk reaction and he listened to Lando's reason and suggestions. By that point I always thought he was technically in charge but depending on Lando for ideas. There was some division of power and Lando certainly had some of it, but if I had to guess I'd say that if Ackbar had disagreed with Lando he could have had his own way.
     
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  17. Rogues1138

    Rogues1138 Jedi Sentinel - Army of Light
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    Lando had a couple of sips of 45 b4 the battle. YEEEHAHHH. Akbar the strategist said, move the ship away from the DS.
     
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  18. NotQyteNeo

    NotQyteNeo Force Sensitive

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    They already had Endor booked for the gig. They would have lost their deposit if they left.
    --- Double Post Merged, Jul 12, 2017, Original Post Date: Jul 12, 2017 ---
    I have to side with @NunbNuts: Ackbar was in charge of the overall mission. Lando was leading one part of the mission - the attack on the DS. He told Ackbar they should give Han more time, and Ackbar agreed and made that call.
     
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  19. NunbNuts

    NunbNuts Rebel Official

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    Well, we all know who was REALLY in charge...

    [​IMG]
     
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  20. Grand Master Galen Marek

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    Since he lost his job as the baron administrator of Cloud City. Time for a new career. Good choice Lando.
     
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