StarDestroyer.Net BBS

Just an interesting observation from TESB. Not sure if anyone's noticed this before, but it is a widely held belief that AT-AT underbelly armour is extremely weak because Luke cut through it so easily.

One small problem: he didn't. If you carefully watch that scene, he does not cut through anything; he hits some kind of control device and you can see the hatch slide open on its own. Watch that scene carefully.

Just something to keep in mind the next time somebody talks about feeble AT-AT underbelly armour. The principal evidence used in support of this claim is being misrepresented.

Not that it matters even if he did cut through it. Lightsabers seem to have the ability to cut through just about any SW-tech armor--witness the blast door melting scene in TPM or Luke's plan to use his lightsaber to disable the captured capital ships at Sluis Van in Heir to the Empire.

I'd always seen this sequence in the manner you described; Luke slices at the belly of the AT-AT, and the hatch opens momentarily later. I didn't think anyone had argued that he saber had cut a perfectly square hole

I actually imagine this is either a maintanance hatch (since it leads to something explosive) or an escape hatch for emergencies. Strange place for it, though, right next to the drive train.

Stark wrote:I'd always seen this sequence in the manner you described; Luke slices at the belly of the AT-AT, and the hatch opens momentarily later. I didn't think anyone had argued that he saber had cut a perfectly square hole

Some people have been pretending that the lightsabre vapourized part of the hatch which then basically blew up.

I actually imagine this is either a maintanance hatch (since it leads to something explosive) or an escape hatch for emergencies. Strange place for it, though, right next to the drive train.

Maybe it's some kind of overpressure release port.

Darth Wong wrote:

Stark wrote:I'd always seen this sequence in the manner you described; Luke slices at the belly of the AT-AT, and the hatch opens momentarily later. I didn't think anyone had argued that he saber had cut a perfectly square hole

Some people have been pretending that the lightsabre vapourized part of the hatch which then basically blew up.

Oh yeah, like all those *other* times that happens.

Darth Wong wrote:

I actually imagine this is either a maintanance hatch (since it leads to something explosive) or an escape hatch for emergencies. Strange place for it, though, right next to the drive train.

Maybe it's some kind of overpressure release port.

That would explain the chain of explosions, since it'd blast into either the engine or the crew compartment. That makes the whole scene a bit less George Lucas PG; thinking about everyone aboard being suddenly cooked alive by an exposion.

I had always assumed that Luke had destroyed a latch that forced open a service vent. Anyone who thinks he cut a hole in the armor is on drugs.

Incidentally, does anyone know what the thickness of the AT-AT armor is?

I first noticed it way back in 1997 when I saw the Special Edition ESB in the theatre. Before that I never noticed it and was one of the people who thought he actually just cut a small chunk in a weak spot of the underbelly.

Darth Wong wrote:Just an interesting observation from TESB. Not sure if anyone's noticed this before, but it is a widely held belief that AT-AT underbelly armour is extremely weak because Luke cut through it so easily.

One small problem: he didn't. If you carefully watch that scene, he does not cut through anything; he hits some kind of control device and you can see the hatch slide open on its own. Watch that scene carefully.

Just something to keep in mind the next time somebody talks about feeble AT-AT underbelly armour. The principal evidence used in support of this claim is being misrepresented.

You mean people had failed to notice this? I noticed when I first watched the movie at ten years old.

But you fail to not assume that the entire AT-AT structure is made of explosive latches that once hit in the proper location explode and fly open. This obviously means that hitting the right spot on an AT-AT would cause a domino-effect of latches exploding and opening all over the AT-AT's hull, eventually resulting in the entire machine coming apart into a pile of loose playing cards.

PS - Sarcasm.

Rogue 9 wrote:You mean people had failed to notice this? I noticed when I first watched the movie at ten years old.

I noticed it the first time I saw it, too. I guess people aren't that observant when they watch films.

Looking back on the scene from my old 1987 ESB tape, I find it hard NOT to notice the hatch now. For whatever reason though I just never picked up on it as a kid till I saw the Special Edition in the theatre.

The only reason I can think is that it might be because the hatch slides open pretty fast and its not very big. The most noticeable things in the scene are Luke dangling there and the lightsabre causing the explosion, the hatch is small and just sorta slides open quickly without any noise.

I'm pretty sure I brought this up in one of The Great Hoth Battle Debates of yore. He cuts a lock on a hatch, that's all.

............ Interesting............................

I always thought it was just a hatch he cut through.

I can't believe people actually think he cut through the belly of the AT-AT. That is just astonishing to me.

Indeed. I would have said something had I known people had missed that fairly obvious fact.

I've always seen it as him cutting a lock on a latch.

Not that it matters even if he did cut through it. Lightsabers seem to have the ability to cut through just about any SW-tech armor--witness the blast door melting scene in TPM

He was stood there for a good two minutes without really getting all that far though.

Zac Naloen wrote: He was stood there for a good two minutes without really getting all that far though.

Qui-Gon vapourpised the locking mechanism of the 1st door, they where still getting through and the Nemodians had to close the emergancy blast doors. thats a lot to metal to be cutting through.

Lord Pounder wrote:

Zac Naloen wrote: He was stood there for a good two minutes without really getting all that far though.

Qui-Gon vapourpised the locking mechanism of the 1st door, they where still getting through and the Nemodians had to close the emergancy blast doors. thats a lot to metal to be cutting through.

yeh, AT-AT armour must be atleast as thick though.

Yeah and if Luke wasn't hanging from the belly in such an awkward position i'm sure he might have taken a shoot at the, however as luck would have it the service hatch was there providing an easier opportunity.

Lord Pounder wrote:

Zac Naloen wrote: He was stood there for a good two minutes without really getting all that far though.

Qui-Gon vapourpised the locking mechanism of the 1st door, they where still getting through and the Nemodians had to close the emergancy blast doors. thats a lot to metal to be cutting through.

iirc Qui-Gon was just cuting himself a hole when the blast doors closed not trying to cut any locks.

Just before Gunray orders the blast doors closed we definately see a large chunk of molten metal fall off, also in a circular door where would you put the locking mechanism?

Darth Wong wrote: Maybe it's some kind of overpressure release port.

More likely it's an escape hatch in case the walker is knocked out of action, as i remember it the hatch was big enough for that. For a long time tanks had them in the bottom for just such purposes, though more recently they've been discarded because they increase vulnerability to mines and because no one really wanted to crawl out under a tank that's probably burning. With an AT-AT however you'd want to be able to reach the ground if its disabled standing up, or falls over on its side.

No, I think it's too small. Maybe a person can slip through, but they'd risk getting stuck, especially in armour.

If I remember correctly, it was probably three feet by two. Quite large enough to squeeze out of.

More than likely that door a simple maintanance hatch. Given its location, next to the engine, that seems to be the best option. Also given the results, it is good evidence for it being such a hatch. The cascading explosions tends to confirm that it is a hatch for some type of access to the engine/reactor.. Since an AT-At seems to generallty be designed to fall onto its belly this would be a bad place to put a escape hatch anyway.