Star Words: Episode V, Part 20

Back on the Falcon, we're offered a glimpse at the aftereffects of Han and Leia's kiss, as we see Leia sitting alone in the cockpit in brooding contemplation. In keeping with the brisk pacing of these films, however, the scene doesn't linger too long on her introspection. Events escalate in rapid succession, from the jump-scare of the mynock to the excursion into the cave to Han's realization that they've got to get out of there before being digested. I will, of course, take note of the exchange No time to discuss this in committee I am not a committee! which is marvelously paralleled with Queen Amidala's line in Episode I, but then there's this.

"The cave is collapsing!"
"This is no cave."

An obvious similarity between this and That's no moon. It's a space station. More than that, it draws out a theme of deceptive appearances. A cave in an asteroid is actually the digestive tract of a massive space-worm. An undersized moon is actually an armored battle station. A backwards-talking little frog-man is actually a wise and venerated Jedi Master. A callow farmboy is the best hope to bring down the Empire. A delicate-featured princess is a tough-talking, fearless leader. A swaggering scoundrel is a nice man. The terrifying villain was once a hero.

It's a tricky business, playing with our expectations. If it's done sloppily, it feels cheap and gimmicky. But if you never subvert tropes, then the story is predictable and says nothing new. The Star Wars films walk a delicate balance along the line, presenting us with familiar storytelling features clothed in strange new trappings. Encouraging us to shift our paradigms and challenge our assumptions. Keeping us on our toes.

Next time, another shocking paradigm shift on Dagobah...