Millennium Falcon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Millennium Falcon |
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| Star Wars vehicle | |
The Millennium Falcon as seen in Star Wars
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| First appearance | Star Wars: A New Hope (1977) |
| Last appearance | Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019) |
| Created by | George Lucas |
| Designed by | Joe Johnston |
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| Affiliation |
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| Made by | Corellian Engineering Corporation |
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| General characteristics | |
| Class | YT-1300F light freighter / smuggling ship |
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| Length | 34.75 metres (114.0 ft) |
| Height | 7.8 metres (26 ft) |
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The Millennium Falcon is a famous fictional starship from the Star Wars movies. It was first seen in the movie Star Wars in 1977. This ship is known for being super fast, even though it looks old and worn out.
The Falcon is a YT-1300 Corellian light freighter. It is usually flown by the smuggler Han Solo and his loyal Wookiee friend, Chewbacca. Before them, it belonged to Lando Calrissian. This ship has played a huge part in many big victories for the Rebel Alliance and the New Republic in the Star Wars universe.
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How the Millennium Falcon Was Designed
The Millennium Falcon didn't always look the way it does now. Its first design was long and thin. But this looked too much like ships from another TV show called Space: 1999. So, George Lucas, the creator of Star Wars, decided to change it.
Creating the New Look
Joe Johnston, a model maker, had only about four weeks to redesign the Falcon. George Lucas told him to "think of a flying saucer." Joe Johnston didn't want to make a simple flying saucer. He added the cockpit on the side, the two front cargo arms, and the engine slot at the back. Some people say the ship's shape looks like a hamburger with an olive on the side for the cockpit. This design was simple enough to create quickly.
The Sounds of the Ship
The unique sound of the Falcon traveling through hyperspace comes from two recordings of a McDonnell Douglas DC-9 airplane engine. One recording was played slightly out of sync to create a special effect. The sound designer, Ben Burtt, also added the hum of cooling fans from the special effects studio. The cockpit's window design might have been inspired by the American B-29 Superfortress airplane.
Models and Sets Used in Movies
For the movies, the Millennium Falcon was shown using several models and life-sized sets. For the first Star Wars movie, a part of the ship's outside was built. This set was used for scenes in Mos Eisley's Docking Bay 94 and the Death Star hangar. The inside of the ship was also built as a set. This included the main hallway, the ramp to get on board, and the cockpit tunnel. The cockpit itself was a separate set that could shake to make it look like the ship was moving.
For The Empire Strikes Back (1980), a new, full-sized outside set was made. A company built a huge, movable model that weighed over 25 tons. It was 65 feet wide and 20 feet high. This model could hover a little bit using compressed air. It was then taken apart and moved to the filming studios.
A smaller, more detailed model was also made for The Empire Strikes Back. This allowed filmmakers to show the ship doing amazing rolls and turns. This smaller model was used for many toys and promotional items. It was also used again for Return of the Jedi (1983). After that movie, this model was unfortunately destroyed.
The full-sized sets for the Falcon were taken apart after Return of the Jedi. However, the smaller effects models were kept by Lucasfilm. A digital version of the Falcon even appeared briefly in Revenge of the Sith (2005).
The Falcon made a big return in Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015). A full-sized version was built for the movie, and a digital version was also created. A noticeable change was the rectangular sensor dish on top, replacing the round one from the first three films. In 2021, it was revealed that Judi Dench was considered to play the original designer of the Millennium Falcon in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.
The Millennium Falcon in the Movies
What a piece of junk!
—Luke Skywalker, A New Hope
You came in that thing? You’re braver than I thought.
—Leia Organa, A New Hope
Han Solo won the Millennium Falcon from Lando Calrissian in a card game called 'sabacc'. This happened years before the first Star Wars movie.
A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back
In A New Hope, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Luke Skywalker hire Han Solo and the Falcon to take them to Alderaan. They need to deliver C-3PO, R2-D2, and the stolen Death Star plans. When the Falcon is captured by the Death Star, the group hides in secret compartments. They escape after rescuing Princess Leia. Han Solo later returns to help Luke destroy the Death Star.
In The Empire Strikes Back, Han Solo, Chewbacca, Leia, and C-3PO use the Falcon to escape the Imperial fleet. The ship's hyperdrive is damaged, making their escape difficult. They go to Cloud City, where Darth Vader captures Han. Lando Calrissian helps the others escape, and R2-D2 fixes the hyperdrive. Lando then uses the Falcon to find Han, who was taken by Jabba the Hutt.
Return of the Jedi and Beyond
Lando Calrissian pilots the Falcon again in Return of the Jedi. With Nien Nunb as co-pilot, they help destroy the second Death Star. During the battle, Lando accidentally damages the ship's sensor dish.
In Star Wars: The Force Awakens, the Falcon is owned by a scrap dealer named Unkar Plutt on the planet Jakku. It was stolen from Han and Chewbacca years earlier. Rey and Finn steal the Falcon to escape the First Order. They are then found by Han Solo and Chewbacca, who take their ship back. Han agrees to help Rey and Finn get BB-8 to the Resistance. After Han Solo's death, Rey becomes the pilot of the Falcon, with Chewbacca as her co-pilot.
The Falcon also appears in Star Wars: The Last Jedi and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. In The Last Jedi, the Falcon helps the Resistance escape the First Order. In The Rise of Skywalker, Lando Calrissian, Chewbacca, and Wedge Antilles pilot the Falcon in the final battle against the Sith Eternal forces.
The Kessel Run Explained
In the first Star Wars movie, Han Solo famously boasts that the Falcon "made the Kessel Run in less than twelve parsecs." A parsec is a unit of distance, not time. This line confused many people!
George Lucas later explained that in the Star Wars universe, traveling through hyperspace isn't always a straight line. You have to avoid stars, planets, and other dangers. So, the "fastest" ship is the one that can find the "most direct course," meaning it travels the shortest distance.
In Solo: A Star Wars Story, the Kessel Run is shown in detail. Han Solo has to make many risky jumps to avoid danger. After adding Lando's droid L3-37's memory to the ship's navigation, Han finds a "shortcut" very close to a black hole. Chewbacca says the real distance was closer to 13 parsecs. But Han insists, "Not if you round down," showing he might have exaggerated a little!
Who Has Owned the Millennium Falcon?
The Falcon has had several owners throughout the Star Wars story:
- Lando Calrissian: He owned it before Han Solo. Han won it from him in a card game, as shown in Solo: A Star Wars Story.
- Han Solo and Chewbacca: They were the main pilots and owners for a long time.
- Lando Calrissian, Chewbacca, and Leia: They took control after Han was captured in The Empire Strikes Back.
- Unkar Plutt: A scrap dealer on Jakku who owned the ship after it was stolen from Han.
- Rey and Finn: They commandeered the ship to escape Jakku.
- Rey and Chewbacca: After Han Solo's death, Rey became the main pilot.
- The Resistance: The ship became their base of operations after The Last Jedi.
- Lando Calrissian and Chewbacca: They piloted the ship again in The Rise of Skywalker.
Cultural Impact of the Millennium Falcon
The Millennium Falcon is a very famous ship. It has inspired many other things in pop culture.
Influence in Other Works
Joss Whedon, the creator of the TV show Firefly, said the Millennium Falcon was one of his main inspirations. The Falcon has also appeared or been referenced in movies like Star Trek: First Contact, Blade Runner, and Spaceballs. The manga series Berserk even has a story arc named after the Millennium Falcon.
Real-World Connections
SpaceX, a real-life space company, named their launch vehicles (except Starship) after the Millennium Falcon. The United States Air Force even named one of their software factories "Kessel Run". They did this because they wanted to develop software quickly, like Han Solo's fast Kessel Run.
Biology Connection
A real-life ancient sea creature, Cambroraster falcatus, was named after the Millennium Falcon. This shows how far the ship's fame reaches!
Millennium Falcon Toys and Collectibles
Many companies have made Millennium Falcon toys and puzzles. These include Kenner, Hasbro, Steel Tec, Master Replicas, Code 3 Collectibles, and Micro Machines. There's even a Transformers version of the ship!
Hot Wheels has created models of the Falcon for their Star Wars starship line. They also made a version of it as a car and a playset.
Lego has released many different versions of the Millennium Falcon. One Lego model from 2007 had 5,195 pieces. In 2017, Lego released an even bigger and more detailed version with 7,541 pieces. This is one of the most expensive Lego sets ever made! Lego also made a "Kessel Run Millennium Falcon" to go with the Solo: A Star Wars Story movie.
Theme Park Attractions
On May 31, 2019, a full-sized replica of the Falcon opened to the public at Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge in Disneyland Resort in California. There's also a ride called Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run. On this ride, you get to control the Falcon from inside its cockpit! An identical ride opened at Disney's Hollywood Studios in Florida on August 29, 2019.
See also
In Spanish: Halcón Milenario para niños
- List of Star Wars spacecraft
