Han Solo

Background:

Han Solo is a smuggler and great pilot known for having one of the fastest ships in the galaxy, the Millennium Falcon. Along with his Wookie partner, Chewbacca, Han is hired by criminals to smuggle goods through Imperial forces for a quick profit. Despite his criminal ties Han is very courageous, almost to a fault. He also tends to shoot first.

Major Plots:

Han Solo takes a job from the Jedi Knight, Obi-Wan Kenobi, transporting him and a few other passengers (including Luke Skywalker) to the planet Alderaan during the events of A New Hope. While this seemed like it would be a simple transport, it quickly became complicated thanks to the Empire. Captured by the Death Star, Han used the Falcon's smuggling compartments to hide from a stormtrooper search party. While Ben Kenobi sabotaged the tractor beam generators holding the Falcon captive, Chewbacca, Han and Luke rescued Princess Leia. They fled the Death Star as Obi Wan faced his former apprentice, Darth Vader, and was struck down by him. Arriving at the rebel base on Yavin 4, Han had every intention of taking his reward and returning to Tattooine to pay off Jabba. Something changed his mind though, and he returned just in time to save Luke's life, shooting down Darth Vader's wingman and sending Lord Vader spinning away, severally damaged. During his attack he uttered one of his most famous phrases, "You're all clear kid, now let's blow this thing and go home!". Back on Yavin 4, Han, Luke and Chewbacca received a heroes welcome and were awarded medals by the Alliance high command.

After the victory against the Death Star, Han continues to help his friends and the rebel Alliance. On Hoth, the new Rebel base Han attempts to settle the rebels in which includes scouting out the ice planet and in his off time repairing the Falcon. But soon the Empire locates and prepares an assault on the rebel base and Han and the rebels are forced to escape.

Han, Chewie, Leia, and C-3PO get off of Hoth just in time but are still being chased by Imperial Star Destroyers. Using his piloting skills Solo is able to navigate his way through an asteroid field hiding inside one of the larger rocks. Despite the Empire's efforts to locate the Falcon, Han and his friends are able to hide until they realize they are inside a giant worm. Having to make another escape Han flies back into the face of the Empire but once again has a plan. Han attaches the Falcon to the back of one of the Star Destroyers shield generators which appears to the Empire as a disappearing act.

When the Imperial fleet prepares to leave the area, letting bounty hunters do the Solo hunting, they dump their trash and with it the Falcon floats away with it. With the Empire gone, Han is able to locate a nearby system, Bespin, where an old friend, Lando Calrissian, runs a gas mining operations. On Bespin everyone is treated friendly and they offer to repair the Falcon but it all turns out to be a trap. After a dinner with Darth Vader and the bounty hunter Boba Fett, Han and his friends are locked away with Han being tortured in order to tempt Luke to quit his Jedi training to risk saving his friends.

Frozen in Carbonite

Han becomes a practice run for carbonite freezing and is given away to Boba Fett to deliver to Jabba the Hutt, who has a bounty on Han's life. Han is recused though during Return of the Jedi. Luke and his friends even manage to kill Jabba the Hutt and a few bounty hunters freeing Solo of that burden. They meet back up with the Rebel Alliance and prepare one last assault against the new Death Star in hopes of killing the Emperor with it.

Han volunteers to go down to the forest moon of Endor in order to destroy a shield generator for the Death Star that would allow the rebels to attack the Death Star head on. The assault on Endor doesn't go well though, the Emperor expected this plan and sent an entire division of stormtroopers to stop them. Han and his friends are restrained after being caught but the nearby native Ewoks they had made friends with are able to overpower the Imperial troops and free Han and his friends. Finally able to finish the job of destroying the generator the rebels are able to attack and destroy the Death Star.

Personality and Traits:

Solo is known for his swagger, piloting skills, and quick wit. A lot of the charm of the character came from the casting of Harrison Ford to play him. Even infamous lines from the movie were ab-libbed by Ford at the encouragement of Lucas. Han spends a lot of time with maintenance of the Millennium Falcon, a ship he won on a bet from Lando, it is one of the fastest ships in the galaxy.

Who Shot First?:

Proof

One infamous change made in A New Hope was a scene with Han Solo being confronted by the bounty hunter Greedo. Han uses his charm to out talk Greedo into convincing him to have more time but Greedo wants nothing to do with it, fully intent on killing Solo. In the original version Han shoots Greedo underneath the table before Greedo is able to react. But in later versions Greedo's own blaster shot was added in, inferring that Han was able to shoot a split second before Greedo could. But in the 1997 special edition releases in which George Lucas made many changes to all three original films, Greedo was now the one shooting first and Han was digitally changed to dodge Greedo's shot and firing back himself.

George Lucas himself has repeatedly said over and over that Greedo shot first. Originally he copped to the fact that Han had shot and Greedo's shot was added in later, but more recently he has said Greedo had "always shot first". Lucas' opinions have drawn ire and anger from fans since its the antithesis of Lucas changes his beloved films.