Another entry with little to no effort on my part! But maybe it'll be interesting to those of you who haven't bothered to read the scripts.

The script referanced can be found here: and was verified through several other locations.

So anyway, here's the famous "Sandstorm" cutscene in bold. Context is non-bolded.
________________________________________________________________________
41 EXT SKIFF 41

Han leans panting against the rail as Chewie helps Lando onto the
deck. Luke and Leia land on the skiff with flair.

LUKE
Let's go! And don't forget the droids.

LANDO
We're on our way.

The Sail Barge is exploding in stages in the distance. Half of
the huge craft is on fire.

42 EXT SAND DUNE 42

Threepio's legs stick straight up from the dune where he landed.
Next to it, Artoo's periscope is the only thing above the sand.
The skiff floats above them and two large electromagnets dangle
down on a wire. With a loud CLANG, both droids are pulled from
the sand.

43 EXT DUNE SEA 43

The little skiff skips around the burning Sail Barge, which
continues its chain of explosions. As the skiff sails off across
the desert, the barge settles to the sand and disappears in one
final conflagration.

44 EXT DUNE SEA - LANDING AREA 44

A ferocious sandstorm blocks our view. Then, through the ROAR, we
HEAR THE VOICES of our heroes. They emerge slowly from the veil
of sand, pressing on against the wind. First come Artoo and
Threepio, followed by Leia guiding Han, then Luke and Lando come
into view, each supporting one side of the towering Chewbacca,
who hobbles from his wound.

Soon, they can make out some large vague shapes in the blowing
sand. It is the Millennium Falcon and, parked beside it, Luke's
trusty X-wing and a two-seated Y-wing. They must shout to be
heard.

HAN
I don't know. All I can see is a lot of
blowing sand!

LEIA
That's all any of us can see.

HAN (blinking)
Then I guess I'm getting better.

As soon as the group huddles under the bulk of the Falcon, the
wind dies down to something more describable as a severe weather
condition. Threepio hits a switch, and the gang-plank lowers with
a HUM.

HAN (turning to Luke)
I've got to hand it to you, kid, you were
pretty good out there.

LUKE (shrugging it off)
I had a lot of help. Think nothing of it.

HAN
No, I'm thinking a lot about it. That carbon
freeze was the closest thing to dead there
is. And it wasn't just sleepin'. It was a big
wide awake nothing!

Luke nods, as Chewie growls affectionately at the young Jedi
warrior, mussing his hair like a proud uncle. And Leia warmly
hugs him.

LUKE (moving to his ship)
I'll see you back at the fleet.

HAN
Why don't you leave that crate and come with
us?

LUKE
I have a promise I have to keep first... to
an old friend.

Luke and Artoo take off in their spacecraft.

HAN
(looking dubiously at Lando, obviously
remembering his friend's betrayal and
subsequent aide)
Guess I owe you some thanks, too, Lando.

LANDO
Figured if I left you frozen like that you'd
just give me bad luck the rest of my life, so
I might as well get you unfrozen sooner or
later.

LEIA
He means "You're welcome."

LANDO
Come on, let's get off this miserable dust
ball.

44A EXT SPACE ABOVE TATOOINE 44A

The desolate yellow planet fills the screen, Luke's X-wing
appears and peels off to the left. A moment later, the FALCON
appears as a dot and grows huge, to roar directly over the
CAMERA.
________________________________________________________________________
So what do we get out of this scene? Han was aware while in the carbonite, Leia came in a Y-Wing, and we get to hear Luke talk about his promise to an old friend twice (him mentioning it to R2 is also in the script).

It would have been nice to have some resolution between Han and Lando before the scene with the Death Star battleplans though...

And I suppose for some of you one last fleeting moment of Leia in the metal bikini would have been reason enough to put the scene in.
________________________________________________________________________
-=Rive Caedo=-
-Blog Index-
-Star Wars TV Show Guide-