Chefelf.com Night Life: Leadership - Chefelf.com Night Life

Hi. I loved the "78 Reasons to Hate Episode I" article but I found a glaring in-accuracy in it:

"Luke, Lando and Han never showed any leadership skills prior to receiving the rank."

Luke shows his leadership when he plans and carries out his rescue of the princess on the Death Star. Han has a long career of being a smuggler and presumbeably has been the leader of many people (not just Chewbacca) during this time. He also helps with the rescue.

As for Lando... the author of the article must've forgotten that when we first met the character, he was a GOVERNOR, and of a city that was THRIVING due to his leadership skills. Thus there's really no cause to say "he never shows leadership prior to recieving the rank" because we never SEE him prior to his having the rank (Expanded Universe novels don't count, since I've never read them and they were written after-the-fact).

While it's true that leading large armies is questionable (particularly in Luke's case, since he abandons his duty entirely for a personal reason, something which I'm surprised nobody brought up) I personally think they ARE capable leaders.

Now, Jar Jar, on the other hand... He got the rank only because Lucas played favorites with him, pure and simple.

Thanks for writing, JamesEightBitStar.

I have to stick by my guns though. Luke and Han, I don't believe, showed much leadership skill through their rescue of Princess Leia. Sure, they showed a lot of bravery but bravery does not equal leadership.

Lando was probably the best suited for leadership, however, his leadership experience was from the administration (not governership) of a gas mine. While some skills were undoubtedly transferable to leading an army I don't think that makes him an ideal candidate. I'm pretty sure that the CEO of Exxon would be very unlikely to get a job as a General in the army without any previous army experience... even in a rag tag rebellion.

I think that Admiral Akbar and General Nadine should have been left to do their duties while Han, Luke and Lando were left to the heroics of battle.

There are a couple of things that need to be noted about Lando.

1: He didn't get the job as an administrator/mayor/owner/whatever on the gas mine planet because of his leadership qualities. According to the offical Star Wars trivia, Lando got his job after winning a high stakes gambling game with the former owner of the gas mine. This happened a short while after he lost the Falcon to Han.

2: The gas mine had some illegal operations, as mentioned by their conversation before they met up with Darth Vader. I think that someone who deals in something seriously illegal needs to be able to skirt past the authorities and that'll might need a little dirty work, which requires a little more than simple aministration skills.

3: When Lando got the rank of General, he mentions that 'someone must have told them about my little menuver in the battle of Tanab.' What this battle is, we don't know. But apperenty, Lando did have some past military experiance... unlike Jar Jar Binks, who seems to have nothing other than a past history of screwing things up and getting into trouble.

Han I still think is a capable leader, given that he, like Lando, more than likely has past military/combat experience. I will agree though that Luke is a pretty questionable leader, especially considering his actions after being made a general.

Still, I bet Luke's army would beat Jar Jar's army easily.

Oh, and about Lando: James Kahn's novelization of Return of the Jedi dubbed him
the former Governor of Cloud City. Am I to assume this is a mistake on Kahn's part, then?

I presume Kahn was doing as told, and at that, the best he could. If is becomes an issue, we'll probably see the novel Return of the Jedi, Special Edition.

kind of brings a new meaning the the SNL's church lady phrase, doesn't it?


btw, how many beings were on the side of the rebellion? dozens? thousands? Folks who've lived and died are just ready to step aside (well, the living ones anyway) for the flavor of the month to take over? "well, General _______ (insert your favorite action figure here)?" All that mugging and little inside nuance at the Jedi briefing scene is something else. It's fine for us, the silent shadow and observer but to, err, alienate the prior leadership and/or everybody else in the room by pretending it's your private party is shameless and not true leadership, imho.

Lol that's a good point despondent. However, I do think that Han and Lando (especially Han) both showed considerable ability and strategy in what they did (and like you said, we didn't see Lando at Tanaab, where he probably did very well). They deserved a high rank. Maybe not general but high. And for all we know general in the rebellion doesn't mean as much. I mean Ackbar was an Admiral and seemed like he had more power and authority than the generals, and it seemed like he gave most of the orders. But Han and Lando did some great things, and probably deserved the rank over many of the other inexperienced people in the rebellion. Except Wedge.

First, I want to say, Chef, thanks for having a place for of us who think portions of ROTJ, and all of the PT thus are less than stellar. Yes, this is the place for me.

Next, I want to say, excellent, excellent articles! It rates up there with the 50 Reasons to hate ROTJ! Thank you for a truthful laugh! It was about time someone put it all together.

Now, as for the topic: I agree, too. Giving Luke, Leia and Lando titles of military is ridiculous. One just can't circumvent military ranking. It's too insulting to those were in longer than them and probably saw a lot more action! Anyway, I felt the characters should've been called "agents" or something similiar. It was doubly insulting to graduate Jar Jar in the PT's as you had pointed out in your article.

I'd say in this situation Admiral is conceivably higher ranking in the space battles as they are all on ships. General is a rank within the army so technially it's not really an appropriate rank for either Han or Lando unless their battles were ground based in which case a General would be in charge. I know that Generals are also in the Air Force, but they seem to combine the Air Force and Navy into one group as the "aircraft" used in Star Wars are all ships of one sort or another.

I'd say that Admiral is the equivalent rank of General, but Ackbar would be a Fleet Admiral which is a higher rank than a General, as he is leading the fleet into battle.

God I hope that makes sense, I seem to be rambling again.

could i get mon calamari from the admiral snackbar?

AdAck is more of a field marshal, he seems to be orchistrating too much for an admiral.

damn rebellion (terrorists by todays standarts), can't get anything right.

the Hothess will seat you now.

Han preferred a Tauntaun Freeze
to a Lukewarm Wrap

that princess is hot, mind if i lay her.

"Whut chu Tarkin about, Whill's?"

that princess is hot, mind if i lay her.

that princess is hot, mind if i lay her.

princess lay her.

elifino!!!

Fine. You're invited to the open pit Boba-que.

I am? Good!!! I will be there at 8 past 8!

we'll cook up a storm for the troopers!!!