| Lando Calrissian | |
|---|---|
| Star Wars character | |
 Billy Dee Williams as Lando Calrissian[a] | |
| First appearance | The Empire Strikes Back |
| Created by | George Lucas |
| Portrayed by | |
| Voiced by | |
| In-universe information | |
| Title | Baron Administrator [2] |
| Occupation |
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| Affiliation |
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| Children | Kadara Calrissian |
Lando Calrissian (/kælˈrɪsiən/;kal-RISS-ee-ən) is a fictional character in theStar Wars franchise. He is introduced inThe Empire Strikes Back (1980) as a friend ofHan Solo and the administrator of Cloud City on the planetBespin. Prior to the events of the film, Lando made a career as a gambler, con artist, playboy, mining engineer, and businessman, and was the owner of theMillennium Falcon until losing the ship to Han in a bet. In the film, when Cloud City is threatened by theGalactic Empire, Lando reluctantly betrays Han toDarth Vader, but later helps Han's friends escape from the Empire. InReturn of the Jedi (1983), after becoming a general in theRebel Alliance, Lando helps rescue Han fromJabba the Hutt and leads the attack on the secondDeath Star.
Lando is portrayed byBilly Dee Williams in the original trilogy, as well as the sequel filmThe Rise of Skywalker (2019).Donald Glover portrays a younger Lando in the standalone filmSolo: A Star Wars Story (2018), which depicts the beginning of his relationship with Han.[3] Lando also appears in novels, comics and video games.
Williams was nominated for theSaturn Award for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of Lando inThe Empire Strikes Back andReturn of the Jedi.[4][5] Glover's performance inSolo was also well received, being hailed as one of the film's highlights. A further film starring Glover as the character, tentatively titledLando, is currently in development.
When writingThe Empire Strikes Back, George Lucas planned to introduce a gambler-type character, which developed into Lando Calrissian. Wanting the character to be afoil to the "rough" swashbuckler Han Solo (possibly an old friend), Lucas envisioned Lando as a coolcon man with the elegance ofJames Bond and wit ofStar Trek'sSpock. He would support theEmpire, thinking that he could outsmart the Imperials before coming to see theRebellion as a more worthy cause.[6]
Lucas thought Lando could superficially look like a normal human but—drawing from theClone Wars mentioned in theoriginalStar Wars film—be aclone from a ruling clan of others just like him (causingPrincess Leia to distrust him). His faction, from one of many planets of clone countries, was probably "partly responsible for the war".[6][7][8] Lucas saw the character as aRudolph Valentino character, "almost too perfect looking" due to his genes being manipulated in the cloning process.[6]
ActorYaphet Kotto was an early choice for the role, but he chose to appear in the prison dramaBrubaker instead.[9]Billy Dee Williams later stated that he built the character around two features he found interesting; the cape and theArmenian name "Calrissian".[10] The original teaser trailer forThe Empire Strikes Back introduced the character asLandau Calrissian.
Lando's cane inThe Rise of Skywalker (2019) was designed to resembleCloud City. ThoughThe Art of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker says theAurebesh text on it reads "Baron Lando Calrissian",[11] the cane was shown at a press junket forThe Rise of Skywalker, and fans translated its text as "Landonis Balthazar Calrissian III".[12]
In 2018,The Verge noted that despite Han Solo's first name being written as "Han" and Lucas also pronouncing the name as "Han" (/hæn/) off-screen, within the films most characters, includingLuke Skywalker, pronounce it as "Hahn" (/hɑːn/).The Verge also noted how Williams's Lando seems to be the only character to pronounce it as "Han" like Lucas, and that when, inThe Empire Strikes Back, Lando is choked byChewbacca for betraying Han, Lando causes most other characters to shift to "Han". InSolo: A Star Wars Story, Glover decided to deliberately use "Han" instead of "Hahn" in order to honor the character's trait.[13]
Ahead of the release ofSolo: A Star Wars Story, co-writerJonathan Kasdan suggested that Lando ispansexual and stated, "There's a fluidity to [Donald Glover] and Billy Dee's [portrayal of Lando's] sexuality ... I would have loved to have gotten a more explicitlyLGBT character into this movie. I think it's time, certainly, for that, and I love the fluidity ― sort of the spectrum of sexuality that Donald appeals to and that droids are a part of. He doesn't make any hard and fast rules."[14] When asked about a scene where L3-37 jokes about Lando's being flirtatious towards Han, writerLawrence Kasdan said, "That is her personality. Maybe it means something, maybe it doesn't." When asked about Lando's pansexuality, Donald Glover stated, "How can you not be pansexual in space? There's so many things to have sex with."[14][15] In recent years, MarvelLGBT pride-themed series of comic covers have featured Lando, canonizing the character's LGBT status.[15]
Lando is portrayed by Billy Dee Williams inThe Empire Strikes Back (1980),Return of the Jedi (1983), andThe Rise of Skywalker (2019), and by Donald Glover inSolo: A Star Wars Story (2018).
Lando Calrissian first appears inThe Empire Strikes Back as the administrator of Cloud City, an old friend of Han Solo (Harrison Ford), and the previous owner of Han's ship, theMillennium Falcon. When Han, Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher), Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew), andC-3PO (Anthony Daniels) arrive at Cloud City, Lando welcomes them as guests of honor – only to betray them toDarth Vader (portrayed byDavid Prowse, voiced byJames Earl Jones), who plans to use them as bait to ensnareLuke Skywalker (Mark Hamill). Lando had reluctantly agreed to betray Han and company after Vader threatened the city if he refused. Lando allows Vader to freeze Han incarbonite and give him to bounty hunterBoba Fett (Jeremy Bulloch); when Vader takes Leia and Chewbacca prisoner, however, Lando's conscience gets the better of him in light of Vader's capriciousness altering his agreement at will. In the ensuing evacuation of Cloud City, he helps them escape in theFalcon. He later assists in rescuing Luke from the underside of Cloud City. Afterwards, he promises to help find Han.
InReturn of the Jedi, Lando goes undercover to help Luke rescue Han from crime lordJabba the Hutt. During a battle with Jabba's thugs, Han saves Lando from being devoured by thesarlacc; Lando then helps Han and the others destroy Jabba's barge. He is made a general in theRebel Alliance for his heroics. Lando then takes the pilot chair in his old ship, theMillennium Falcon, and leads the attack on the secondDeath Star. He leads the Rebel strike on the battle station, and personally destroys its power core, causing the station to explode. He then joins the other Rebels onEndor in celebrating their victory and the end of the Empire.
Lando did not appear in the first film of the sequel trilogy,The Force Awakens (2015). According to Williams, the reason Lando did not return may have been that he did not fit into the storyline.[16] His absence from the casting announcement caused the displeasure of some fans.[17]
Lando was also absent fromThe Last Jedi (2017).[18] During the early development of the film, directorRian Johnson briefly considered bringing back Lando as the codebreaker thatResistance membersFinn (John Boyega) andRose Tico (Kelly Marie Tran) seek in the coastal city of Canto Bight, but Lando was finally written out of the film's script, with the codebreaker role ultimately going toBenicio del Toro's characterDJ.[19]
Lando finally reappeared in 2019'sThe Rise of Skywalker, marking one of the longest intervals between portrayals of a character by the same actor in American film history.[20] In the backstory to the film, in the years of peace after the Galactic Civil War, Lando attempted to start a family, and had a daughter, who was kidnapped by unknown culprits when she was two years old. In time, it became clear that theFirst Order was behind both her abduction and those of other children of former Rebel leaders, who had becomestormtroopers, thereby leaving them reluctant to order any action against the fledgling organisation, lest they unwittingly kill their own children. After the tragedy of losing his daughter and his failure in a quest with Luke Skywalker to find answers about the growing darkness in the Force, Lando left his wife and settled on the desert planet of Pasaana, adopting a life of solitude.
Lando returns inThe Rise of Skywalker on Pasaana, appearing jovial and guidingRey (Daisy Ridley),Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac), Finn, and Chewbacca toward a clue for the whereabouts of theSith wayfinder. Poe asks Lando to aid the Resistance, but Lando refuses, saying he does not fly anymore, but sends his regards to Leia. Lando reappears much later in the film, upon Leia's death, and he tells a grieving Poe that he, Luke, Leia, and Han were similarly unprepared when they were fighting the Empire, but that they were able to succeed because they had each other. This inspires Poe to launch an offensive against theSith Eternal forces, including the Final Order, with Lando traveling the galaxy to recruit Rebel veterans and other supporters of the Resistance's cause to help in the final battle. Just as the Resistance appears most overwhelmed in the battle, Lando, Chewbacca, andWedge Antilles (Denis Lawson) arrive in theMillennium Falcon alongside a massive fleet of Resistance sympathizers, allies, and veterans, and they help to win the battle and the war. At the end of the film, as the galaxy is celebrating the Resistance's victory againstEmperor Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid) and the Sith Eternal,Jannah (Naomi Ackie), a former stormtrooper, approaches Lando and says she does not know where she is from; he tells her that they will find out together.
Donald Glover portrays a younger Lando in the 2018 standalone filmSolo: A Star Wars Story, which takes place roughly thirteen years beforeThe Empire Strikes Back.[3][21][22] Glover had the opportunity to speak with Billy Dee Williams and seek his input. "He said, 'Just be charming'. Which is the best advice."[23][24]
In the film, Lando is introduced as a gambler and semi-retired smuggler who owns a ship fast enough for Han and his associates to use in stealing a load of raw starship fuel. Han tries to win the ship (theMillennium Falcon) from him in a game ofsabacc, but Lando cheats and cleans Han out. However, Lando agrees to join the team in exchange for a percentage of the profits from the mission. During the heist and subsequent escape, Lando is injured and his droid co-pilot L3-37 is irreparably damaged, but Han brings theFalcon to safety with help from L3's navigational database after he hotwires it into the ship's computer. Lando later takes theFalcon and abandons the team, but Han tracks him down and wins it from him in another game of sabacc, having stolen the card Lando had up his sleeve to let him cheat.
In December 2020, Disney announced aLando streaming series forDisney+, withJustin Simien as showrunner.[25] In July 2023, it was reported that Donald Glover was attached to reprise his role fromSolo and wouldco-write the project with his brotherStephen,[26] who that September announced that the project was now planned as a feature film.[27]
Billy Dee Williams returned to the role in theStar Wars Rebels episodes "Idiot's Array" and "The Siege of Lothal".[28]
In "Idiot's Array", Lando wins Chopper (voiced byDave Filoni), the repair droid of the crew of theGhost, in a game of sabacc, forcing the crew to assist him with a dangerous smuggling run to get their droid back. The crew become Lando's reluctant business partners following the ordeal, leading to their first encounter with the crime boss Azmorigan (voiced byJames Hong). In "The Siege of Lothal", the crew of theGhost approach Lando for help in getting off of Lothal, which is under Imperial occupation. He is also mentioned on occasion in various other episodes, becoming one of a couple of aliases employed byEzra Bridger (voiced byTaylor Gray).
Billy Dee Williams reprises his role as Lando Calrissian in various games, including as a playable character inStar Wars Battlefront andBattlefront II.[29]
Lando Calrissian, portrayed by Billy Dee Williams in the original Star Wars trilogy, makes a notable appearance inStar Wars: Outlaws, an open-world action-adventure video game developed by Massive Entertainment and published by Ubisoft. Released in 2024, Outlaws is set between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, during a time when Lando is navigating his new role after the events of the former film. In Star Wars: Outlaws, Lando is shown as a charismatic, smooth-talking gambler and entrepreneur, true to his classic character traits. He interacts with the game's protagonist, Kay Vess, providing assistance and engaging in several missions that align with the underworld of the galaxy. His involvement in the game adds a nostalgic touch for longtime Star Wars fans, bringing an iconic character into the expansive universe of Outlaws.Lando's appearance in the game has been widely praised for its faithful recreation of his persona, with voice acting by Lindsay Owen Pierre.
Lando Calrissian appears inMarvel Comics'Lando (2015),[29] a five-issue miniseries set shortly before the original trilogy. Lando has a brief appearance in the miniseriesShattered Empire (2015), which takes place afterReturn of the Jedi. Lando is also featured in the comicLando: Double or Nothing (2018), a five-issue miniseries set just beforeSolo: A Star Wars Story.
The 2020 relaunch of Marvel'sStar Wars series, picking up at the tail end ofThe Empire Strikes Back, reveals that Lando returns to Cloud City to retrieve Lobot and help Luke look for his lightsaber.
The novelStar Wars: Last Shot reveals that betweenReturn of the Jedi andThe Force Awakens, Lando is considering settling down with a Twi'lek girlfriend.[30]
Following the acquisition ofLucasfilm byThe Walt Disney Company in 2012, most of the licensedStar Wars novels and comics produced between 1977 and 2014 were rebranded asStar Wars Legends and declared non-canon to the franchise.[k] TheLegends works comprise a separate narrative universe.
Lando is featured in theStar Wars comic book series released by Marvel Comics. In the series, he has a crime lord nemesis named Drebble, and Lando frequently made use of his foil's name as a cover identity so that any animosity he generates while using the alias will be brought against the real Drebble, not Lando himself.[35] This eventually backfires when "Drebble's" exploits are recognized by the Rebellion and Lando—being the only person who knows of him—has to present the real Drebble with an award for his own activities.
Lando is a supporting character inLegends novels that took place afterReturn of the Jedi commonly depicted Lando as getting involved in a variety of entrepreneurial schemes, including Nomad City inTimothy Zahn'sThrawn trilogy and the Kessel Spice Mines in the works ofKevin J. Anderson. DuringThe Corellian Trilogy, Lando goes on agalaxy-wide hunt for a rich wife, ultimately marrying Tendra Risant. With his in-laws' money and his entrepreneurial abilities, he opens a mining facility on the Outer Rim planet of Dubrillion. InThe New Jedi Order and beyond, Lando continues being a valuable ally and friend to the Skywalker/Solo family. InFury, the seventh novel of theLegacy of the Force series, Lando announces to Han and Leia that he and Tendra are having a child.
Kevin J. Anderson stated that Lucasfilm toyed with the idea of killing off Lando, noting the character had run his course for Expanded Universe authors in the 1990s.[36]
 The collected trilogy | |
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| Author | L. Neil Smith |
|---|---|
| Genre | Science fiction |
| Publisher | Del Rey |
The Lando Calrissian Adventures is a 1983 trilogy ofscience fiction novels byL. Neil Smith. Set in theStar Wars Expanded Universe, the novels chronicle Lando's smuggling days before the events of the originalStar Wars trilogy.The series has been described as "spacepulp", and highlights the differences between Lando and Han Solo.[37] The books were released in July, October, and December 1983, and were the firstStar Wars books released sinceThe Han Solo Adventures (1979–1980); both trilogies were originally published byDel Rey, a division ofBallantine Books. They were also among the last novels in the franchise untilTimothy Zahn'sThrawn trilogy was released in the early 1990s.[38]The series is set 3–2 years before theoriginalStar Wars film,[39] and is brought into chronological context with the rest of the Expanded Universe inRebel Dawn (1998), the final book ofA. C. Crispin'sHan Solo Trilogy.
For the duration of the trilogy, Lando is accompanied by a droid named Vuffi Raa.[40] The novelization ofSolo: A Star Wars Story makes reference to the events of the first book as a previous adventure of Lando's, which he recounts while composing his autobiographical "Calrissian Chronicles". He further estimates that it will be the first in a trilogy of his adventures.[41]
Lando Calrissian and the Mindharp of Sharu is the first novel in Smith'sLando Calrissian trilogy, published by Del Rey on 1 July 1983. It is noted as being more of apsychedelic fantasy novel than hard science fiction.[42]The book begins shortly after Lando wins theMillennium Falcon in a game of sabacc,[43] as well as a robot which must be picked up in the Rafa system. Upon the planet of Rafa IV, convicts are made to harvest mind-draining "life-crystals" which prolong the life of elite citizens. Lando is arrested and brought before the colony's corrupt governor and the sorcerer Rokur Gepta, who will let him keep his life and liberty if he can locate the legendary Mindharp of the ancient and long-lost Sharu civilization. The Mindharp is revealed to be kept inside a multidimensionalpyramid with mind-altering properties, which provides a strange adventure for the daring Lando.[42]
Lando Calrissian and the Flamewind of Oseon is the second novel in the trilogy, published on 1 October 1983. After selling a load of life-crystals, and accompanied by his droid Vuffi Raa, Lando attempts a career as an honest freighter captain. After some bad luck, he is soon nostalgic for his old trade. Fortunately, he is invited to a sabacc game on Oseon celebrating an event called Flamewind, but is followed by Rokur Gepta. After an explosion rocks the hull of theFalcon, they safely land. During the sabacc game, Lando is distracted by the apparent sabotage of his ship, and is assaulted. He comes under trial for having a weapon, illegal on the planet. He is offered a smuggling deal as an alternative to execution.
Lando Calrissian and the Starcave of ThonBoka is the third novel, published on 1 December 1983. Nearly a year after Lando and Vuffi Raa have left the Oseon system, while traveling in deep space they encounter Lehesu, a vacuum-breathing creature. Able to establish communication, they find out he is also on an adventure away from his home, the ThonBoka nebula. A month later, Lando and Raa receive word that ThonBoka is under attack from the Imperial Centrality Navy. Lehesu's exploration of the Centrality apparently provoked the attack on his species. Lando and Raa rush to assist their friend.The Imperial blockade makes Lando nervous, but he cons his way through the fleet. When theMillennium Falcon strays from its course and is ordered to return, they dump explosives and go into hyperspace to fake theFalcon's destruction. Meanwhile, Rokur Gepta forms an alliance with a confederate squadron. Lando and Raa reunite with Lehesu, and hear of a negotiation attempt which only results in an outbreak of battle. The vacuum-breathing creatures use their projection and hyperspace abilities to fool the Imperial Navy, which fires on its allied ships. As Vuffi Raa pilots theFalcon, Lando engages the enemy in battle from the quad-gun in one of their last adventures before Raa is resummoned to his original programming.
Williams reprised his role as Lando inLegends videogameStar Wars: Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast, where he assistsKyle Katarn through the second half of the Nar Shaadaa levels and helps him reach Bespin.InLego Star Wars: The Complete Saga, Calrissian is an unlockable playable character, having the characteristic of being able to kiss Leia's hand if she is nearby. Lando is also a playable character as a hero character for the Rebels in the video gamesStar Wars Battlefront andStar Wars: Battlefront II.
Author Adilufu Nama wrote in 2008 that Lando "offered a new benchmark in the status of black representation in science fiction cinema".[44] According to Alyssa Rosenberg ofThe Washington Post, Lando is a "fascinating and fraught part of the'Star Wars' legacy and the conversation around race in science fiction". She added that "Lando's the only character in'Star Wars' with a truly comfortable sense of style." On his portrayal, she wrote, "One of Williams's accomplishments in'Empire' and'Return of the Jedi' is how much he [feels] like an old-fashioned movie star in a futuristic setting without making the performance seem incongruous."[45]
In 2015, Billy Dee Williams publicly admitted that he received backlash from children who were angered by Lando's betrayal of Han inThe Empire Strikes Back.[46] Williams felt that the situation would have been different if Lando had been played by a white actor.[46] Williams wrote that "Lando is not black or white, he's just Lando. Above and beyond the arguments or discussions of bygone eras, he is of the future."[47] He further stated,
The one thing I always find myself explaining is that Lando didn't betray Han and his friends. He was dealing, as best he could, with a situation that was presented to him by the Empire upon their arrival. One of the most amusing moments for me was that Lando decided to challenge Darth Vader (for about three seconds) until he realized that maybe he'd better back down and figure out another way to save his friends.[47]
Writing forThe Verge, Megan Farokhmanesh criticized Jonathan Kasdan's assertion that Lando is pansexual as "a piss-poor shot at representation", and argued that Kasdan was conflating pansexuality withpromiscuity.[48] Farokhmanesh compared the assertion toJ. K. Rowling's statement that her characterAlbus Dumbledore is gay, despite noHarry Potter media depicting this.[48] In 2019, Billy Dee Williams criticized the decision as well, blamingSolo's underperformance at the box office on its focus on this "topical" issue.[49]
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