Star Wars Snowspeeder question...

Ford W Maverick

Well-Known Member
Most of the vehicles in Star Wars (Original Trilogy) were seen in more than one movie/environment, but I don't recall seeing the Snowspeeders anywhere but Hoth. I know they weren't designed specifically for Hoth because the Deck Officer says they had to be adapted to the cold. So am I missing something? Were they used anywhere else in film or novels?
 
I'll start by saying I haven't read any of the novels, however my take on it is that it is a line to-

-Explain why they didn't use Snowspeeders to go after Luke

-Hint that Hoth is dangerously cold

-And possibly give a sense that the speeders have been around a while, are old, used, beat up etc.


Kevin
 
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Good points. I suppose it could be that they were designed for cold, just not THAT cold. Being beat-up is possible too, but when it comes to the Rebels wasn't pretty much EVERYTHING beat up?
 
I'm no scientist but isn't the cold vacuum of space worse/colder than any planetary climate? To state a snowspeeder is "adapted to the cold" is interesting, seeing that regular starships are zooming through the cold dark reaches of outer space already. Were snowspeeders mainly land based vehicles or could they be used for space travel? Just a thought (and I know it's just a movie). ;)
 
Well, it is called a "snow" speeder, and Hoth is the only environment that has snow, so that's why they are only seen on Hoth. The fact of them adapting them to the cold, is that most mechanical stuff will fault after reaching a certain degree.
 
The Speeders weren't ment to be used in Space, they were planetary vehicles. No reason to seal them for the vacume of space and not many places are as cold as hoth so why over engineer a speeder for those extremes.
 
I'll start by saying I haven't read any of the novels, however my take on it is that it is a line to-

-Explain why they didn't use Snowspeeders to go after Luke

-Hint that Hoth is dangerously cold

-And possible give a sense that the speeders have been around a while, are old, used, beat up etc.


Kevin

Interesting points, and would explain alot (I particularly like the last point). However, they're SNOW Speeders. They really shouldn't need adapting, right? ;) :)

I'm no scientist but isn't the cold vacuum of space worse/colder than any planetary climate? To state a snowspeeder is "adapted to the cold" is interesting, seeing that regular starships are zooming through the cold dark reaches of outer space already. Were snowspeeders mainly land based vehicles or could they be used for space travel? Just a thought (and I know it's just a movie). ;)

Good points as well. However, when the Rebels escape Hoth, they use X-wings as fighter escorts for the transports...not Snow Speeders. Perhaps the lack of an R2 unit is a hinderance in interstellar travel in single or 2 man fighter craft?

The Snow Speeder always struck me as combination of (in a sense) Luke's landspeeder and a military attack helicopter. That seems to be how they were used, to me, anyway.

Can't wait to hear other takes on this! :thumbsup
 
Actually, Kenner named them SNOW speeders when they released the toy in 1980. No where in the movie do they say that. They are called "Speeders" only.

My take on it, is that they were just speeders, or air speeders, or maybe even like Luke's landspeeder, so I always took it that they were adapted for the extreme cold of Hoth, as they were old, beat up, and used in much more normal conditions previous. I wonder if any survived the Hoth battle? I assume Wedge's did?

I think yodaman makes a great point though. Why didn't they use X-Wings to look for Luke? Was it too bad outside? Were they afraid of getting identified by the Empire? Is this a 30 year old plot hole? :confused
 
Are they officially called snow speeders? I don't recall them saying that in the film, just "speeders".

Maybe they DID have to change some things to make them adapt to cold weather. Also, it would be cool to see them used in other EU environments, since they've always been a favorite of mine.
Mike
 
I'm no scientist but isn't the cold vacuum of space worse/colder than any planetary climate? To state a snowspeeder is "adapted to the cold" is interesting, seeing that regular starships are zooming through the cold dark reaches of outer space already. Were snowspeeders mainly land based vehicles or could they be used for space travel? Just a thought (and I know it's just a movie). ;)

Used for space travel? YOU COULD SEE THROUGH THE SIDES! :lol
 
The Wookieepedia article covers it, really. Civilian craft modified for combat use, used in multiple environments.


In the films, though, we only ever saw them in ESB. Unless, of course, Lucas inserts them into some other sequence at a later date, which is certainly possible.
 
If you're looking for EU usage, in the Marvel comic, they could be seen (alongside earlier "snow"speeder designs) in the base the Rebels used in an issue or three just prior to ESB. It was on a forest planet. When it came to ESB, Marvel dovetailed into the movie plot and designs nicely.
 
I wonder if any survived the Hoth battle? I assume Wedge's did?

If any did survive aside from Wedge's, I would assume they left all of them behind in order to high-tail it off Hoth.

What kills me about that last scene on Hoth...

The Rebels have been routed. They are frantically scurrying, running from the Imperial Walkers. Everyone is making their escape as the Empire closes in and overruns the base...

And Luke nonchalantly asks R2 to get his X-Wing ready for takeoff as he strolls up. Somebody (was it Wedge? Or Hobbie?) casually wishes him good luck. These people are walking around as if it is moving day.

Weren't they just getting their asses kicked? Shouldn't they be in a little more of a hurry? It's such a contradiction to the previous battle sequence. :lol


Kevin
 
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Ahh, I should have known to check Wookiepedia first! Good catch! I just asked because I always liked the ship design and the comment about adapting them to the cold. I think it would have been cool to see them on Endor or something, which, thanks to Lucas' constant computerized revisionism we may yet see...
 
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