The infamous Cloud City betrayal of Han Solo by his friend Lando Calrissian has officially been changed forever with one major Star Wars revelation. One of the most iconic moments in The Empire Strikes Back is the reveal that Lando Calrissian, a supposed ally of Han and his friends, has actually betrayed them by giving them up to Darth Vader to protect his people. It is a shocking stab in the back that put sthe character on the enemy list of many Star Wars fans...until he proves himself to be trustworthy by helping Leia and the others escape following Han being frozen in carbonite. From that point forward, Lando has been a fan-favorite among the cast of characters. However, a stunning revelation has shown that he never intended to betray Han and Leia from the beginning.
In 2019's Star Wars: Age of Rebellion: Princess Leia by Greg Pak, Chris Sprouse and Karl Story; Leia is understandably upset about what went down on Bespin. She blames Lando for everything from the betrayal on Cloud City to Han's carbonite freezing, a fate she would later experience herself after Empire. However, Lando reveals to her that she doesn't know the whole truth. What he stated about betraying them to protect his people was true, but he had more in mind from the beginning. He states that he "had a beautiful double cross all planned out" that would have ensured that Han and everyone else would get away. Things got sticky, though, because Lando "didn't see that whole carbonite thing coming," muddying up his plans and making him look worse than he actually was. This is a huge revelation that proves he never intended a true betrayal and was always going to help his buddy out despite how things appeared to be on the surface.
Lando's Secret Plan Shows How Clever He Is
What's fascinating about this reveal is what Lando tells Leia after he gives her the truth. He mentions to her that she may not be used to double crosses as a princess, but "us scoundrels have to make it work however we can." This is an important character moment for him because it shows he's a quick thinker who knows how to work his way out of a tricky situation. Even after being misled by Vader not once but twice with the carbonite freezing and the reveal that Vader intended to take Leia and the others, he found new ways to make sure that his original plan worked out and got Han's friends safely off Cloud City. Lando has been shown throughout various Star Wars stories to be quick on his feet, and this one moment lays it out for the reader that his mind is always working and secretly devising plans that they never knew of in the films.
Star Wars Could Have Gone Differently If Lando's Plan Succeeded
Of course, the main takeaway most fans will have from this shocking revelation is how the events of Empire might have been altered had Lando's plan succeeded. In the film, Luke feels his friends' pain when they are tortured by Vader, so it's entirely possible that he would have still come to save them. However, if they were able to escape, there's a strong possibility that they could have left Bespin by the time Luke arrived. This would mean that he would have likely been left stranded on the underside of Cloud City with Vader possibly being the one to pick him up instead of Leia, forever altering the course of Star Wars forever with Luke as his apprentice.
So in a way, Lando's plan to double-cross Vader before the carbonite freezing probably worked out for the best by failing. The Empire could possibly have never crumbled had Luke been captured by Vader. Still, it's a huge reveal that shows that Lando Calrissian never intended to betray Han Solo and Leia but rather help them escape. This ultimately changes the Cloud City betrayal and how Star Wars fans will view the legendary scoundrel forever.