Original artwork, not a still
And I thought they smelled bad...on the outside!
Behind the line
What it means
Our interpretation.
It is the film's gross-out joke at its warmest: Han, who has spent the film insisting he looks after only himself, sticks his hand into a freezing animal to keep Luke alive and cracks wise about it. The line is a gift for quoters because the setup is so vivid. The tauntaun's grisly sleeping bag has been referenced by Star Wars parodies ever since, and the grumble about smelling bad on the outside stands in for any unpleasant rescue.
Context reviewed
In context
Spoilers for Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes BackShow the scene
On the ice planet Hoth in The Empire Strikes Back (1980), Luke Skywalker is lost in a blizzard after his encounter with the wampa and the voice of Obi-Wan. Han Solo finds him as night closes in, but Han's tauntaun collapses and dies on the snow. With no time to build a shelter, Han ignites Luke's lightsaber, slits the beast open, and wedges the unconscious Luke inside the warm carcass. Reeling from the smell, he makes this wry remark, then pitches the emergency shelter. The rebels' snowspeeders find the pair at dawn.
Sources (2)
- Script: The Empire Strikes Back (IMSDb)Hoth scene: Han cuts open the dead tauntaunReference checked
- Wikiquote: Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes BackHan Solo sectionReference checked
Context reviewed
