An old Star Wars legend from The Empire Strikes Back is finally being explained in canon thanks to forthcoming TV series, The Mandalorian. As the popularity of the original Star Wars trilogy blossomed, fans dug deeper into George Lucas' detailed lore and several minor characters became cult favorites, despite a distinct lack of screen time. Several strange and hilarious moments from the trilogy also made their way into cinematic legend, such as the scene in Star Wars where a Stormtrooper visibly bumps his head on a doorway.
One of the most enduring legends from The Empire Strikes Back is the story of Willrow Hood. Appearing for only a brief moment, Hood can be seen during The Empire Strikes Back's evacuation of Cloud City, and he became famous within the Star Wars fandom for running whilst carrying what can best be described as an ice cream maker. The image of one man running away from the Empire, but stopping to save this beloved kitchen appliance, has stuck with fans throughout the years. However, Jon Favreau (creator of The Mandalorian) posted a picture on his Instagram account in October last year that seemed to indicate an explanation to this scene was incoming.
Finally, the Willrow Hood mystery has been solved, as i09 have revealed the truth behind Hood's addiction to frozen treats. The report states that the item Hood is holding is not, in fact, an ice cream maker but a special safe called a Camtono. This item was referenced, though not explained, in a clip from The Mandalorian shown at this year's Star Wars Celebration event. Citing a source close to production, the report explains that a Camtono is a kind of lock box within the Star Wars world, and that the item Hood is holding in The Empire Strikes Back is one such item.
It's quite fitting that The Mandalorian should solve this cult, obscure mystery from Star Wars history. Jon Favreau's series is a direct result of the widespread popularity enjoyed by bounty hunter Boba Fett, who is perhaps the franchise's best known cult figure. Fett attained immense popularity with fans despite very few actual scenes and, like Willrow Hood's ice cream maker, Fett's story has endured through the ages.
While the explanation provided by The Mandalorian is canon, it's also retrospective, and while it may make more sense for Hood to be carrying a safe instead of an ice cream maker (depending on one's priorities) this isn't necessarily what was intended when the scene was originally filmed. Who can say exactly what was going through the minds of George Lucas and Irvin Kershner when they filmed Hood's escape from Cloud City? It's also a well-known fact that Star Wars utilized a variety of everyday objects as part of its prop and set design and even though the item in question may not be an ice cream maker in canon anymore, that still might have been exactly what the extra was carrying during his scene.
The Mandalorian is set to premiere November 12th on Disney+
Source: i09
