Goody’s Guide To The Galaxy! – The Millennium Falcon!
Oh yeah Constant Collectors!! It’s time for another episode of Goody’s Guide to the Galaxy and I can’t think of any better topic right now than the most famous (or infamous) ship in the entire galaxy, the Millennium Falcon!! If you don’t know what the Millennium Falcon is, well you’ve led a sad and lonely life, and need to get out. But, for those of you who do know this beloved freighter, you might not know her true history or origin. So, strap in collectors, we’re going on a ride…. PUNCH IT CHEWIE!!
Her History…..
Notice the title above? I said.. “Her”.. that’s right folks, the Falcon is a sweet lady! Beloved by her owners.
The Millennium Falcon is a heavily modified Corellian Engineering Corporation (CEC) YT-1300 light freighter and was assembled approximately 60 years before the battle of Yavin (BBY). If you’ll recall other posts that I’ve written, the battle of Yavin took place in Episode 4 – A New Hope (the destruction of the Death Star).
Her original designation from the factory was YT 492727zed. From her first inception into the know galaxy, or better yet, from her birth YT 492727zed was different from all the other YT-1300’s. While on the production line, a droid that had been filling her fuel cells malfunctioned and began to overfill the fuel cells past their maximum capacity. This in turn caused the ship to rocket off of the manufacturing line sending it flying through the production facility (which is in space) at dangerous speeds and also caused other YT freighters to crash into one another. The new YT-1300 seemed to have a mind of its own as it bucked and jinked throughout the assembly facility. It appeared to the naked eye that this freighter was almost alive as it seemed to try to avoid all attempts of trying to catch and stabilize it. After several long minutes, a maintenance crew was able to match speeds with it and climb aboard her bringing her to a gradual quiet stand still.
It seems the Millennium Falcon was born a wild stallion and meant for true greatness.
Not too much of interest happened regarding YT 492727zed during her initial “flight off of the lot” until 19 BBY (41 years later).
In 19 BBY, YT 492727zed now named the Stellar Envoy, entered the Coruscant system right during the Battle of Coruscant. Now, for all of you Star Wars Noobs, the Battle of Coruscant is the battle that took place over Coruscant between the Separatists forces and the Galactic Republic. This battle was depicted at the very beginning of Episode 3 – Revenge of the Sith.
During it’s daring and crazy flight, while weaving in and out of the fight through the battle the pilots actually got to witness Anakin Skywalker bring General Grievous’ ship the Invisible Hand to a smooth crash landing.
Funny enough, YT 492727zed was used here to transport information for what was the start of the future rebellion. Unfortunately, during her mission to Coruscant, the crew had to leave the planet to avoid being arrested (sound familiar) and right before she jumped to hyperspace the ship suffered damage to her power core. Upon exiting hyperspace over the planet Nar Shaddaa, the freighter lost all power and crashed into a much larger ship.
YT 492727zed was a wreck, but not completely destroyed. She spent the next month in orbit circling the planet with no one wanting or willing to snatch her up for salvage.
It was during this time that a small time mechanic convinced a local crime lord on Nar Shaddaa to invest his credits into salvaging, than rebuilding it to the crime lords needs and specifications. This is when YT 492727zed was reborn and where she began to look and function like the Falcon we know of today. The new specifications and upgrades included; a large couch for entertaining, comfortable cabin spaces, secret compartments for smuggling illegal goods, and a request by its new owner to keep the outside of the ship looking as dilapidated as possible (to avoid any Imperial entanglements).
YT 492727zed was rebuilt from various other parts from a YT-1300P and YT-1300F giving it more of a spacious main hold. It was a daunting task, but she had been rebuilt structurally sound and with various other modified parts like the ships droid brain for instance, that had been a re-purposed military targeting computer. One of the mechanics who had done some of the work was a young Shug Ninx. Shug went on to become a very well-known mechanic among smugglers and would work on the Millennium Falcon several more times.
Well, as many of you know. When you do the crime you sometimes do the time. So, our crime lord was later busted for smuggling by the Empire and the “Second Chance” or YT 492727zed was impounded.
It was from this impound yard that YT 492727zed was stolen from and the gentleman who stole it was the one who gave her the name we all know her today as….. The Millennium Falcon. As he put it, she was fast as a bat-falcon and resilient enough to last a millennium. Hence forth, the Millennium Falcon.
But our story doesn’t stop there folks, no way. The Millennium Falcon will pass hands a few more times before our infamous smuggler and rebellion hero Han Solo comes to acquire it.
A doctor acquired the Falcon and she used it as a mobile medical facility. Flying to remote worlds giving free treatments and helping those in need. Kinda like the real world version of Doctors without Borders today. To think, this heavily modified and armed light freighter once helped transport wounded, the sick, and allowed a medical team to give proper care.
Well, the mobile medical freighter was getting too expensive to maintain so our lady Doc sold the Falcon to The Molpol Circus. WHAT?! A CIRCUS?! Yup, that’s right collectors, our Falcon became the flagship of a traveling circus hauling exotic animals all over the galaxy. maybe that’s why Chewbacca loved the ship so much, HAHA! And just like some of her previous owners, the Falcon became too much expenditure for the circus so they had to sell her.
This is where it gets really funny. A fellow by the name of Cix Trouvee bought the falcon from the circus. Cix was a professional gambler, he lost the Falcon in a Sabacc Tournament to Lando Calrissian. He lost it exactly how Lando then lost it to Han Solo. How funny is that?
So we’ve come to that point in our history where we all know the rest right? Well, if you don’t then maybe you haven’t seen Star Wars yet.
Notable facts…
The Millennium Falcon is the ship that holds the record for doing the Kessel Run in less than 12 Parsecs. A Parsec being a measurement of length, NOT time.
Some very famous Jedi have either been passengers or piloted the ship. These include Jedi Knights Plo Koon, Que-Gon Jinn, Adi Gallia, and of course Obi-Wan Kenobi.
Names…
The Millennium Falcon has gone by many names from her “birth”, those include; Meetyl’s Misery, Correll’s Pride, Fickle Flyer, Stellar Envoy, Second Chance, Hardwired, and Wayword Son.
Personality…
Yes, I said personality. Haven’t you read anything I’ve written so far?
Throughout the Millennium Falcons history, all of her pilots have praised and loved her for her speed and maneuverability all the while condemning her for her unreliability and quirkiness.
Conclusion…
As you can see, this is one hell of a ship! She’s been through so much and has been used for so many different applications. And in all applications, she has succeeded. But, I still get the feeling that she never truly found that perfect use until the day Han Solo acquired her.
I know we haven’t seen the last of her. I think she’ll be very active within the next couple of movies with Rey at the helm and Chewbacca still in the copilots seat. So, with that, I look forward to seeing more maneuvers like this…..
As always, I’d love to hear from any and all of you. Let’s hear what you all think. And please remember, this is a brief summary about the ship itself, not its owners. Thanks and cheers to you all!
Goody
Constant Collectible 
I love this ship!
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