Star Wars: 14 Crazy Rumours Lucasfilm Started About The Empire Strikes Back In 1980

5. Luke Melts Down C-3PO To Kill A Monster

What's important to remember with these rumours is that all fans previously had to go on was official released materials, which basically amounted to a trailer and a couple of stills. As such, the plot was up in the air, allowing Miller quite a bit of freedom.

Even Starlog said "Admittedly this next story doesn't sound too likely," but they still ran it:

Luke and C-3PO are captured by a horrendous alien (stop-motion animated, the story goes) who dumps them into a tank-like prison filled with a breathable liquid. The only way the alien can be killed (shades of Dracula) is to drive a metal stake through his heart. The only metal around, unfortunately, is C-3PO; and Luke melts the 'droid down to fabricate the weapon.

That's dark even for The Empire Strikes Back, although it does play into what fans knew - the trailers showed a prison and C-3PO in bits. Smart.