Han Solo’s first appearance in the Star Wars franchise is iconic. Luke Skywalker and Ben Kenobi are on Tatooine and need a way off the planet, so they head to a cantina in Mos Eisley that’s full of “scum and villainy.” Han is one of the patrons, and he’s not really in the mood to make friends, shooting Greedo when the Rodian tries to bring him to Jabba the Hutt. Despite being apprehensive about Han’s attitude, Luke and Ben agree to get on board the Millennium Falcon so they can rescue Princess Leia Organa, who the Empire is holding prisoner. Of course, the rest is history, with Han helping the Rebellion blow up two Death Stars and free the galaxy.
At the end of Star Wars: Return of the Jedi, as the Ewoks sing and dance, it really seems like Han has fully turned over a new leaf. He’s embracing his feelings for Leia and looks ready to find a new purpose. However, by the time Star Wars: The Force Awakens rolls around, Han is back to his old ways, smuggling and making deals with shady characters.
Star Wars Fans Can’t Wrap Their Heads Around Han Solo’s Regression in The Force Awakens
The Force Awakens begins by introducing a new threat: The First Order. Built by the remaining members of the Empire in the Unknown Regions, the organization is amassing power quickly, even finding a portion of a map that leads to Luke Skywalker, the last Jedi. That’s not enough for Kylo Ren and his allies, though, so they set their sights on the New Republic, which has been the governing body in the galaxy since the Empire’s destruction.
When the New Republic is first mentioned in The Force Awakens, it feels like a foregone conclusion that Leia will be at the center of it, which means Han will be involved as well. After all, Leia was one of the Rebellion’s most important leaders and one of the few with experience in the Senate. That doesn’t end up coming to fruition, with Leia leaving the New Republic behind to help build the Resistance after her colleagues don’t take the threat of the First Order seriously, while Han returns to his smuggling ways.
The final product is so different from what fans expected that they’re still coming up with alternative scenarios. An AI image has been making the rounds that shows Han in a New Republic uniform, meeting his old friend Luke on a platform on Coruscant. It’s a hopeful sight because the image features a meeting between two characters who never got to reunite in the sequels, but the premise fundamentally misunderstands Han’s character.
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Han Solo Ends Up Exactly Where He’s Supposed to Be in The Force Awakens
While Han may seem ready to settle down at the end of Return of the Jedi, there’s no way he’s prepared for the life of a bureaucrat. His partner, Leia, takes on a nearly impossible task, uniting a galaxy that’s been oppressed for over two decades. That leaves little time for adventures with the family, leaving Han yearning for a time when he and Chewbacca ran around the galaxy on the Falcon without a care in the world. And he got the push he needed to go back to his old ways when his son, Ben Solo, turned to the dark side.
Losing a child is too much for any parent to handle, so naturally, it drives a wedge between Leia and Han. They go their separate ways, and while it only seems right for Han to return when The First Order starts to become a real problem, it’s too much for him. He’s no longer fighting faceless stormtroopers; his own son is in charge of the enemy’s forces. Han blames himself for creating Kylo Ren, which means he believes he’s responsible for putting the galaxy in danger again.
It’s only natural for someone who fails to go back to doing what they do best. That’s why Han finds himself smuggling items across the galaxy at the start of The Force Awakens. However, he never loses his softer side, which is why he does the right thing and confronts his son on Starkiller Base. Han’s words don’t do any good at the time, but he plants the seeds for Ben Solo’s redemption in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, making him every bit as important in the sequels as Leia and Luke.
Star Wars: The Force Awakens is streaming on Disney+.
How do you feel about Han Solo’s character in Star Wars: The Force Awakens? Do you feel like his place in the movie makes sense? Let us know in the comments below!
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