Han Solo/Legends

"Never tell me the odds!"

- Han Solo

Han Solo was a cocky Corellian with a wry wit, dry humor, a reckless disposition, and technological savvy, who began his career as a smuggler circa 10 BBY. He went through several employers, had a short military career, met and befriended Chewbacca. He was the captain of the Millennium Falcon and upset enough sentients to have several bounties placed on his head before being swept up into the Galactic Civil War against his wishes. He later became a general in the Rebel Alliance and eventually married Leia Organa, who became the mother of his three children, Jaina, Jacen and Anakin.

Later in his life Han became a hero of the New Republic and participated in the offensives against the Yuuzhan Vong. After the deaths of his longtime friend and youngest son, his desire to protect his family grew causing him to be in the frontline of battle against the Dark Nest. Around the beginning of the Swarm War, Han became the grandfather of Allana, the illegitimate daughter of Jacen and Tenel Ka. By the time of the Second Corellian Insurrection in 40 ABY Han's trust in the Galactic Alliance was completely dissolved.

Childhood
"Oh, Han's no mystery man. What you see is absolutely what you get. His past is a mystery, yes. He's never said much and I doubt he ever will."

- Leia Organa Solo

There were many rumors and speculation as to what happened to Han Solo in his earlier years. He was the subject of several holofilms, documentaries, and autobiographies that were completely false. For example, one contested account said that Solo was raised by Wookiees from age seven to twelve.



In reality, Han Solo was abandoned by his parents at an early age, and his earliest memories were of being found in a Corellian spaceport by Garris Shrike. Shrike took Solo in as a member of his band of vagabonds, training and using him as a beggar and later as a pickpocket and burglar. First, Han was sent out as a beggar, using his young appearance to get handouts. When he was older, Han learned how to pickpocket by first practicing on a droid of Shrike's, then was sent out in the streets. During this time, Solo was befriended by Dewlanna, a Wookiee who was serving as a cook aboard Trader's Luck, Shrike's ship. Dewlanna raised Solo as her own son, teaching him Shyriiwook and taking care of him when he became ill. Han would go on to participate in numerous scams and illegal activities under Shrike's direction, including participating in an asteroid mining scam and swoop racing.

Though Solo wanted to learn more about his family, especially his parents, Shrike kept all that information from him in order to better keep him under his control. For years, he did not even know his family name. At one point, soon after learning from Dewlanna that he was part of the famous Solo line, he ran away from Shrike on Corellia. There, he tracked down his long lost aunt Tiion Solo and his cousin, Thrackan Sal-Solo. The reunion with his family went badly, however—his aunt was a housebound madwoman, while his cousin was a sadistic bully who eventually sold him out to Shrike. Han didn't learn about his parents, Jonash and Jaina Solo, until he reached adulthood.

Han Solo visited many planets on the behest of Shrike. During a mission on Corellia, Han befriended the half-breed Bey, an individual he would later encounter during the Nagai Invasion, shortly after the Battle of Endor. There are also scattered reports that claim Han Solo was present on Kashyyyk during the battle there, near the tail-end of the Clone Wars. Why Shrike would have put young Solo in such dangerous circumstances remains unknown. Similar reports have been made about a brief run-in with bounty hunters searching for an escaped Jedi on the planet Socorro.



Solo's education was spotty, like those of the other children Shrike used as beggars and thieves. Though most of the children received only an elementary education from the ship's computer on Trader's Luck, he managed with Dewlanna's help to pick up some knowledge of mathematics, physics, and history by reading in his spare time. Intermittently, he would attend school while going undercover as part of a "respectable family" while Shrike was running a complicated con. At one point, Solo briefly attended a school where Garm Bel Iblis gave a speech. Afterwards, he asked the Senator two insightful questions, which impressed Bel Iblis. Years later, during the Thrawn campaign (9 ABY), the senator would still recall meeting Solo.

Solo earned his keep for Shrike doing a variety of unsavory jobs. He once joined a pirate group operated by cutthroats Lemo and Sanda. He made a name for himself racing repulsorlift swoops professionally and on the independent circuit. In these days, Solo made an enemy out of a Corellian swoop jockey named Dengar, who would later become a bounty hunter contracted to find him. There are rumors that, some time around 13 BBY, Han may have fathered a daughter, Danielle Kieran.

"I sentence you to death, Solo. May you rot in all the hells there ever were."

- Garris Shrike

In 10 BBY, Solo was ready to leave Trader's Luck in order to start his own career. He made plans to stowaway aboard Ylesian Dream, an automated freighter, and go to Ylesia, where he would apply for a job opening advertised by the Ylesian high priests. When Solo was about to leave, Shrike and a few of his cohorts caught him as he was saying goodbye to Dewlanna. The armed men tried to stop Solo, but Dewlanna sacrificed herself so that Solo could escape. Solo promised to himself that, if ever he had the chance, he would help one of Dewlanna's people to repay his debt.

Pre-military career
"Inspiration's a specialty!"

- Han Solo

Solo stowed away aboard Ylesian Dream and after a difficult flight arrived on Ylesia. He applied for the piloting job under the alias Vykk Draygo; he was to pilot the Ylesian Dream&mdash;being a drone ship, it had been falling victim to pirate attacks. A Togorian by the name of Muuurgh was assigned to be Solo's 'bodyguard', and, despite some initial tension due to the nature of the relationship, Solo and Muuurgh became fast friends. Solo also developed a relationship with one of the pilgrims who had come to Ylesia seeking religious sanctuary&mdash;a Human woman by the name of Bria Tharen. Solo remained in the High Priests' employ for a time, but after discovering the true nature of the operation- a complete scam designed to lure Pilgrims into becoming slaves-he fled the planet with Tharen, Muuurgh, and Mrrov, Muurgh's wife-to-be. Also key in his flight was that Bria, who had also learned the truth about the Ylesian fraud, was to be married to Ganar Tos. In the process, Solo and Tharen stole a small cache of treasures from the High Priest Toroenza's treasure room and killed Zavval, the Hutt administrator of Ylesia. This would come back to haunt him later in his life as many bounty hunters would be after him due to the bounty placed on his head by Zavval's relatives.

Solo and Tharen eventually made their way to Coruscant so that Solo could fulfill his dream of becoming a pilot in the Imperial Navy. There, Han had his identity completely changed, including new retinal patterns by Nici the Specialist. They remained together for a short time, but in the end Tharen left Solo without warning because she felt that she was holding him back. She felt that her struggles with the addictive "Exultation" of the Ylesian t'landa Til would hinder Han's career.

Just after he was accepted into the Academy of Carida, he was attacked by Garris Shrike, who was one of the few people who knew that 'Vyyk Draygo' and Han Solo were the same person. Han was certain to have been doomed to Hutt retribution, but another bounty hunter killed Shrike and Han was able to escape that hunter.

Service in the Imperial Starfleet
"I think there was a time that Solo, who had bound his conception of honor to his service to the Empire, forgot that honor could exist outside Imperial service."

- Tycho Celchu



Solo was crushed at Tharen's departure, but he followed his dreams (and Tharen's wishes) and went to study at the Academy of Carida. There he would hone his skills as a pilot. Among his fellow students were future TIE fighter ace Soontir Fel and Solo's friend Mako Spince.

Solo graduated at the top of his class with the rank of lieutenant. However, his hard-earned military career was short lived. In 5 BBY, he was dispatched to aid Commander Nyklas in duties including slaving and construction work. In this capacity, Han boarded a derelict slaving craft to find its cargo (Wookiee children) escaped and a badly wounded Wookiee in the pilot's seat. Nyklas ordered Han to skin the helpless Chewbacca, but Han refused and Nyklas swore to punish the Corellian. Shortly afterwards, Han and Chewbacca were put to work on the construction of a new wing of the Imperial Hall of Heroes on Coruscant by Wookiee slaves. An enraged Chewbacca turned on Nyklas, who drew his blaster on the Wookiee. Solo refused to let Chewbacca die; he stunned his commanding officer and helped Chewie escape, with the assistance of the Rebel Alliance. Court-martialed and dishonorably discharged, Solo returned to smuggling with Chewbacca (who had sworn a life debt to the Corellian) at his side.

Solo later reflected that even without Chewbacca he probably would have left Imperial service anyway, due to the ridiculous regulations, incompetent officers and widespread anti-alien prejudice.

Solo earned the Corellian Bloodstripe at some point during his military career, though the reasons for this award are unknown. Because it was not Imperial, it was the sole decoration that was not stripped from his uniform during his court-martial.

Smuggling career
"I happen to like to shoot first, Rekkon. As opposed to shooting second."

- Han Solo



Initially, Han was not happy to have the big Wookiee around. He had saved Chewbacca out of remembrance of Dewlanna, but it had cost him his life's dreams. Han spent much time drinking and playing sabacc, until he was accused of cheating by an irritated Barabel named Shallamar. He probably would have been seriously injured if Chewbacca hadn't stepped in. After that, Han and Chewie grew much closer.

Solo's friend Mako Spince, who had been expelled from the Academy two years before graduation, helped Solo and Chewbacca get started as smugglers. Using Nar Shaddaa as their home base, the three of them enjoyed considerable success. Solo and Chewbacca also frequently worked for the Hutt Lords Jiliac and Jabba. They piloted many of their ships, including both Hutts' personal yachts. Solo also befriended Lando Calrissian, a gambler who saved him from the notorious bounty hunter Boba Fett, and Jarik "Solo", a street urchin who claimed to be a long-lost relative. Han knew that Jarik's claim was a lie, but he took the youth under his wing anyway. He also became romantically involved with the magician Xaverri and later fellow smuggler Salla Zend. During his time with Xaverri, Han became her stage assistant, and performed across the galaxies in her shows. He also served in the other part of her work- schemes designed to hurt the Empire and Imperial officials. At one point, Han even taught Lando how to fly in a ship that would be the center of much of Han's life- the Millennium Falcon.

Han also bought his own ship, the Bria, from Lando, and restored it to spaceworthy condition with the help of Shug Ninx. When the Empire sent a fleet to raze the Smuggler's Moon, Han and his friends rallied a force of smugglers and pirates to victory in the Battle of Nar Shaddaa. Shortly after the battle, as Han was paying the Imperial admiral that the Hutts had agreed to bribe in exchange for his battle plans, the Bria was destroyed by Imperial fighters. Han and Chewbacca worked again with Mako, until he was crippled during a smuggling run in the Ottega system. Solo and Chewbacca continued their career on their own.

Short on cash, Han pawned his last stolen treasure from Toroenza's cache and entered the Cloud City Sabacc Tournament. Against all odds he reached the tournament finals and beat his friend Lando, winning the Millennium Falcon with his earnings. For a time afterwards Han Solo and Chewbacca worked in the Corporate Sector, the Tion Hegemony, and other remote but potentially lucrative sectors of the Galaxy. Part of Solo's motivation for these travels was a desire to get away from Salla Zend and her wedding plans, as he was not ready for such a commitment. Solo would later boast that he had been "from one side of the Galaxy to the other".



While in the Corporate Sector, their ship was damaged while smuggling weapons to insurgents on Duroon. However, they did collect payment from the insurgents and went to pay off Ploovo Two-for-One, but in a rather creative manner. Given the prickly relationship and even outright disgust they had for each other, Han bought a foul, irritable, putrid dinko, attached the payment to it, and unleashed on the unfortunate employer. Although Corporate Sector Security arrived at the establishment where they were, Han and Chewie escaped their grasp relatively unscathed. Payment completed, they went off to find the outlaw tech "Doc" Vandangante's hideout, only to discover he had been taken to the Corporate Sector Authority prison at Stars' End. Doc's daughter Jessa offered upgrades and repairs to his ship, and a Corporate Sector waiver, in exchange for Han helping rescue Doc and other prisoners. Before he could take off, the outlaw techs were attacked by IRD-A Fighters. Piloting a Z-95 Headhunter, Han led the other techs and Jessa in defense of the base. Despite heavy losses, they were successful. To complete their rescue mission for Jessa, Solo and Chewbacca were given two droids, Bollux and Blue Max, and went to the agriworld Orron III to meet up with a group led by Rekkon planning the prison rescue. Though Solo was initially only interested in getting the repairs for his ship, his motives became personal when Chewbacca was captured. After dealing with a traitor in the group, Solo and the others arrived at Stars' End. In order to gain entry, Han, Atuarre, Pakka, Bollux and Blue Max posed as a troupe of entertainers. The rescue proved successful; freeing Chewbacca, Doc, and the other prisoners and destroying the Star's End in the process. After the Falcon was repaired, Solo and Chewbacca left the Corporate Sector for a time, taking Bollux and Blue Max with them.

After a disastrous incident on Kamar, where Solo and Chewbacca accidentally began a religion (the Cult of Varn) before having to flee with their lives, they returned to the Corporate Sector. There, they were contracted to transport cargo from Lur. When they discovered the cargo was a group of Lurrian slaves, Solo freed the slaves and killed the slaver Zlarb. Since they hadn't been paid for their cargo run, Solo and Chewbacca decided to track down Zlarb's partner on Bonadan and get the promised ten thousand credits as revenge. While on Bonadan, Han was jumped and nearly overcome by a mysterious figure and Chewbacca encountered a skip-tracer, Spray, trying to possess their ship for debts and regulation compliance. However, Han and Chewie became mixed up with a CSA Auditor, Hart-and-Parn Gorra-Fiolla, who was investigating the slavers also. Han went to meet an associate of hers, Magg, but he betrayed them. Forced to flee on a swoop bike, they made it off planet after a harrowing encounter and planned to meet up with Chewbacca on Ammuud. Chewie was also forced to make a somewhat hurried escape. While Han and Fiolla were on the transport that was taking them to meet Chewie, they were attacked by pirates, who were looking for them. They escaped in one of the pirate's craft and landed at the nearby estates of the Mor Glayyd. Han and Chewie were eventually reunited after Han saved the Mor Glayyd from a duel which would have gotten him killed. The Glayyd estate provided Han with a way to get back to the Falcon and Chewie. As Han was leaving the planet, he was pursued by the pirates/slavers. However, at that point a CSA Victory-class Star Destroyer intervened and tractor beamed both ships. Though they helped her break up the gang, they barely escaped being arrested by another CSA executive, Odumin, who had really been the tracer Spray, and earned the enmity of a hired gun named Gallandro. They did, however, manage to steal the money Solo felt the CSA owed them.



Giving up on the Corporate Sector, the Falcon's crew attempted clotheslegging in the Cron Drift and a currency exchange scam in the Lesser Plooriod Cluster before finding themselves short on cash and stuck in the Tion Hegemony. After several misadventures, they joined with Solo's old friend Badure, a young woman named Hasti, and a Ruurian historian named Skynx on a hunt for Xim the Despot's long-lost treasure ship, Queen of Ranroon. On Dellalt, they finally discovered the treasure vaults. After run-ins with the "Survivors" (the descendants of Xim's soldiers) and their ancient War-Robots, Solo finally discovered the vaults. Though Gallandro followed him to the vaults and challenged the smuggler to a duel, the automatic defense systems killed the gunfighter. Solo and his associates then recovered the treasure &mdash; unfortunately for them, after all those years it had become outdated war materiel. The two droids stayed with Skynx when Solo and Chewbacca left the Tion Hegemony.

During this period, Solo and Chewbacca worked for Jabba the Hutt on occasion. They also had several run-ins with the Rebel Alliance. After being saved from an Imperial fleet over Corellia, they helped plant an EMP charge on a shipment that was delivered to an Imperial facility over Corulag and helped steal Mon Calamari cruiser schematics on Carida.

Solo's heaviest involvement with the fledgling Rebel Alliance occurred when he and other smugglers, including Lando Calrissian and Jarik Solo aided Bria Tharen's Red Hand Squadron in raiding the Ylesian colonies and putting them out of business &mdash; a plan endorsed, aided, and supported by Jabba, a business rival of Ylesia. In the subsequent battle, the Alliance forces were victorious, but several smugglers, including Jarik Solo, were killed. Han and his smuggler friends were double-crossed by Tharen who seized all the spice and treasures that were to be the smugglers' reward for the Alliance.

Soon afterwards, he met with Tharen again during a Hutt-sponsored treasure hunt for the Yavin Vassilika. Once again, Tharen took the prize for the Rebellion, while Solo and his smuggling associates were left with nothing. Solo and Tharen left on poor terms on both occasions, since Solo refused to give up his independent ways and join Tharen in the Alliance. However, most of his fellow smugglers assumed that he had been working with Tharen from the beginning. Even one of his closest friends, Lando Calrissian, said that he never wanted to see him again.

Early Galactic Civil War
"Look, I ain't in this for your revolution, and I'm not in it for you, princess. I expect to be well paid. I'm in it for the money" "Your friend's quite the mercenary. I wonder if he really cares about anything or anyone."

- Han Solo and Leia Organa



Han continued to work for Jabba the Hutt as a smuggler, but once, while smuggling glitterstim, Han was boarded by an Imperial patrol and had to dump his load of spice. Han never did recover the spice. As a small consolation, Han and Chewie made the Kessel Run in less than twelve parsecs after an attempt to recover the dumped spice turned nasty. As a warning, Jabba hired Greedo the Younger, a novice bounty hunter, to let Solo know that he was serious about getting paid. However, the Hutt lord was not renowned for patience, and none of Solo's smuggler friends would help him. Solo was also dealt another personal blow at this time, when Boba Fett broke the news of Bria Tharen's death at the Battle of Toprawa to Solo.

Since Han Solo still had not paid Jabba the Hutt, the crimelord sent Greedo to collect the money from Solo, dead or alive. When Greedo found Solo in the Mos Eisley Cantina the next day, it became clear that he intended to kill Solo rather than give him a chance to pay Jabba. Han shot Greedo then paid the bartender for the mess. Later, Solo managed to convince Jabba to give him more time, promising to repay him what he owed plus fifteen percent after being paid for a charter flight he and Chewbacca had recently arranged in the cantina.

The passengers, of course, were Obi-Wan Kenobi and Luke Skywalker, who meant to escort the droids C-3PO and R2-D2 from Tatooine to Alderaan on behalf of the Rebel Alliance. When they arrived in the Alderaan system, the crew and passengers of the Millennium Falcon found that the planet had been destroyed by the Death Star. After they were dragged on board by the Death Star's tractor beams, Skywalker convinced Solo and Chewbacca to help him rescue Princess Leia Organa by promising a reward "richer than [he] could possibly imagine". After the rescue, Solo took Leia, Skywalker, and the droids to Yavin 4 to collect his reward. Though he was initially willing to abandon the Rebels, an attack of conscience, (brought on partly by Chewbacca's arguments) led him to join the Battle of Yavin. The Millennium Falcon joined in just in time for Solo to disable Darth Vader's TIE advanced, allowing Skywalker to destroy the Death Star.



Solo and Skywalker were both awarded medals of honor for their efforts, and Solo was handsomely rewarded with 20,000 Alliance credits and a stash of valuables. However, the chests of treasure the Rebels had given him were stolen from him almost immediately after leaving Yavin by the space pirate Crimson Jack (who, ironically, had ties to the Hutt crimelord), leaving Solo still unable to pay off Jabba. With the help of Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia, Solo managed to defeat the pirate. Following the debacle, Solo gave the recovered money back to the Alliance. Broke and fearing Jabba's retribution, Solo and Chewbacca discovered an ancient cache of treasure hidden in one of Yavin IV's temples. He took the treasure to an Ithorian named Sprool on Dennogra, who in turn delivered the money to Jabba. It was, however, too little and too late. Jabba kept the money and refused to call off the bounty. Han Solo found himself at square one again. Han used money earned from selling more of the treasure to purchase new T-65 X-Wings for the Rebellion. Following weeks of searching for Vader's Tie Fighter, Solo and Organa stopped over at Ord Mantell, where he hoped he might make some money on the sabacc tables and try to get Jabba his bounty. Before long, Solo found himself racing the Togorian Alfreda Goot to Tatooine, after the bounty hunter kidnapped Organa. Before long, Solo had inadvertently handed Vader back over the Empire, encountered a prototype Executor, and rescued the princess of Alderaan, all within the span of a short amount of time. After a misadventure on the massive gambling complex known as The Wheel, Solo hid out for repairs on Orleon and was soon besieged by an emissary of Jabba the Hutt. Within a week, Solo had rescued the emissary from stone mites and, by some miracle, had the bounty taken off of his head. He returned to Tatooine, and started to heal his relationship with the Hutt. He made Kessel Runs for the crimelord, even beating BoShek's most recent record-breaking time. Sadly, this was not to last. The remains of Crimson Jack's Star Destroyer were discovered by the Hutt's agents, and within days the bounty was back on Solo's head. An even higher reward was registered for anyone who could capture him alive so Jabba could kill Solo himself. While evading Jabba's organization, Solo and Chewbacca continued to work with the Rebel Alliance for the next three years. Solo became a good friend of Luke Skywalker, and developed a love-hate relationship with Princess Leia, cementing friendships after close encounters with bounty hunters like Skorr and Gribbet on Ord Mantell, Imperial violence on Kabal, and intrigue on Aquaris.



Nearly a year after the destruction of the Death Star, Chewbacca and Han left for the celebration of Life Day on Kashyyyk. It served as a short break between the periodical fighting. But peace didn't last long for the pair. Not long after they departed Tatooine for Kashyyyk, they found themselves once again being chased by the Empire. Fleeing to lightspeed, they went on their way. However, the Empire had apparently traced their route to Kashyyyk, which they rightfully suspected to be a harbor for rebels. Upon learning of this, Darth Vader ordered a blockade and search of the planet. A group of Imperial officers entered Chewbacca's home, terrorizing his family and wrecking the house. They looked for any sign of rebel activity. However, after a while, Chewie's son, who then went by the name Lumpawarrump, devised a plan. He used his mini-transmitter, which he had received as a Life Day present from Saun Dann, to send out a voice message through the Imperial airwaves &mdash; which changed the sound of Lumpy's voice. He gave the command of "return to base," which the officers in the home picked up on their receivers. They complied, with the exception of the stormtrooper known as B-4711, who was ordered by a superior to stay behind in order to temporarily watch the house for rebel activity. However, the trooper soon learned of Lumpy's trick, and pursued him through the house, out onto the balcony, where Han and Chewie had just arrived. Chewie roared as Han managed to kill the trooper. That night, the group, along with the other Wookiees on Kashyyyk, celebrated an uninterrupted Life Day.

Han provided support for Crix Madine and Rogue Squadron during the Battle of Corellia and evacuated the Coronet Capital Tower. Days before the Fifth Battle of Yavin IV, he was "accused" of being an Imperial Spy by Leia Organa. In truth, the accusation was just a ploy to draw out the real spy in their midst.

Crisis on Cloud City
"You like me because I'm a scoundrel."

- Han Solo to Leia Organa



After a run-in with a bounty hunter on Ord Mantell, Solo resolved to leave his friends in the Rebellion so that he could try and settle things with the Hutt. Before he could finish repairs on the Millennium Falcon and leave the Rebels' Echo Base, however, he was caught up in the Imperial attack on Hoth. When Princess Leia and C-3PO were cut off from their evacuation ship, Solo took them on board the Millennium Falcon, where they avoided Vader's Death Squadron by hiding in the Hoth Asteroid Field, and then by drifting off with the Star Destroyer Avenger's garbage. During their escape, Solo and Leia began to fall in love.

Since the Millennium Falcon's repairs were still not complete, Solo went to the nearest safe haven&mdash;Bespin, home to Solo's old friend Lando Calrissian's tibanna gas mining facility, Cloud City. Unfortunately for Solo, he had been beaten there by Darth Vader and Boba Fett. Lando had made a deal with the Dark Lord to betray the Rebels in exchange for continued autonomy. Lando invited them for "refreshments", and led them into a room where Darth Vader stood, waiting. Han, with one of the fastest draws of his life, pulled his blaster and fired several shots at Vader, who easily blocked them and snatched the blaster out of Han's hands using the Force. Then, Boba Fett and stormtroopers surrounded the Rebels and captured them. Solo was tortured by the Imperials. While in his cell, Lando came to talk to the agonized Han. Uncaring about the consequences and furious at Calrissian's betrayal, Han slugged Lando before being stopped by Bespin guards accompanying the administrator. Shortly afterwards, Han was taken by the Imperials and then frozen in carbonite as a test to ensure that Luke Skywalker would survive a similar freezing, and eventually taken by Boba Fett to Jabba's Palace. His last words before being frozen were in response to Leia saying "I love you." Solo responded, "I know." After escaping Bespin, Skywalker, Leia, Chewbacca, and a repentant Calrissian set about planning Solo's rescue.

Rescue


"Chewie... Chewie, is that you? Ch.. Chewie. Wait, I can't see pal.  What's goin' on.  Luke, Luke's crazy, he can't even take care of himself, much less rescue anybody.  A Jedi Knight? I'm out of it for a little while and everybody gets delusions of grandeur."

- Han to Chewbacca in their cell in Jabba's Palace

One year later, in 4 ABY, the group managed to locate Solo's whereabouts and set up a rescue operation. As a result of careful planning, Solo was brought out of carbon freeze by Leia disguised as Boushh, temporarily suffering from hibernation sickness. However Jabba was aware of Leia's real identity and sentenced Han Solo to death while Leia was to become his new slave. He tried to barter for his life but it was to no avail as he was failure to Jabba. Han reunited with Luke as the two were being carried off to the Sarlacc pit.

Soon after Luke turned the tables and a battle broke out. During the Battle  Calrissian redeemed himself by risking his life to save his old friend. During the battle Han accidentally set off Boba Fett's jetpack which sent him flying straight into the Sarlacc (he later survived). The battle with Leia killing Jabba and the rescue of Han.

Endor
"There's only a few guards. This shouldn't be too much trouble." "It only takes one to sound the alarm." "Then we'll do it real quiet like."

- Han and Leia before attacking the shield generator on Endor

With the death mark no longer on Solo's head, he felt free to devote his time to the Rebellion. After recovering from hibernation sickness, he accepted a general's commission in the Rebel military. General Solo led a commando team, which included Luke Skywalker, Leia Organa and Chewbacca, on a mission to Endor to destroy the Death Star II's shield generator.

On Endor Leia became separated from the group when she went after two stormtroopers. Worried, Han, Chewbacca, and Luke, accompanied by R2-D2 and C-3PO, searched through Endor's thick forest in order to locate her. However the group fell into a trap and was captured by Ewoks, natives of Endor. They were eventually freed with the help of Threepio and Luke. Following their initial encounter, Han and the others became part of the Ewok tribe, forming a close bond with them.

After their initiation into the tribe, Han led his strike force to the shield generator. However, it turned out to be a trap as the Empire knew of their attempt to destroy the generator. Fortunately, with the help of the Ewoks, Han and the other rebels were able to turn the tables and capture many Imperials. Han destroyed the shield generator in time, allowing General Calrissian to begin his attack on the Death Star. The Death Star was finally destroyed, taking the Emperor with it. As the explosion of the Death Star lit the skies Han and Leia shared a passionate kiss. It was during this time that Han learned that Leia and Luke were siblings.

Hero of the New Republic
"Kiss my Wookiee!"

- Han Solo to Warlord Zsinj

Though not always a formal member of its military, and never holding official political office, Han Solo played an important role as part of the New Republic. Following the Battle of Endor, he accompanied a task force to Bakura under Luke Skywalker to eliminate the Ssi-ruuvi attempt to subjugate Bakura. He also helped defeat the Nagai and Tofs which attempted to conquer the galaxy. Solo was instrumental in the Liberation of Kashyyyk, eliminating its oppressors such as the Trandoshan slaver Pekt and Moff Darcc. Solo went on to take part in the defeat of many warlords.

Solo was given command of a fleet group to hunt down and kill Warlord Zsinj. His flagship was the Mon Remonda, a Mon Calamari Cruiser. Under his command were several other Mon Calamari cruisers, a few Imperial Star Destroyers, smaller frigates, and several starfighter squadrons, including Rogue Squadron, Wraith Squadron, Polearm Squadron, and Nova Squadron. Han and Zsinj played a dogged game of each pursuing and trying to trap the other. In one effort, Han employed a fake Millennium Falcon, known as the Millennium Falsehood, and another time got the aid of an Imperial Immobilizer 418 interdictor cruiser under the command of Teren Rogriss, his Imperial anti-Zsinj counterpart. In his final fleet battle against Zsinj in late 7 ABY, Solo and his fleet were led to believe that they had destroyed Zsinj's flagship, the Iron Fist, however, they had been fooled by Zsinj, and while a reconstructed Super Star Destroyer had been destroyed, it was used as cover as the Iron Fist went into hyperspace.

Disastrous courtship
Following the hunt for Zsinj, Han returned to Coruscant and to Han's dismay Leia was asked for her hand in marriage by Prince Isolder of Hapes. At a formal reception the Hapes delegation presented the Chief of State with a number of gifts which included a Hapan gun of command and a special plant. Jealous and depressed, Han went into the undercity of Coruscant and won ownership of the planet Dathomir. Soon after he kidnapped Leia and took her to the planet. However they both the discovered that the planet was controled by Zsinj.



Solo eventually killed Zsinj by firing two concussion missiles into the bridge of his Star Destroyer during the Battle of Dathomir.



After the Zsinj crisis, he married Leia, which made him the husband of the New Republic's Minister of State and eventually Chief of State. Later that year, Han accompanied his wife to Tatooine to recover the Alderaanian moss-painting Killik Twilight which held an encrypted Shadowcast key which contained codes once in use by the Alliance. During their trip on Tatooine, the pair met many people who had known Anakin Skywalker when he had been a nine-year old slave and Podracer.

They included Kitster Banai, the Rodian Wald, and the younger sister of Beru Whitesun, the woman who had raised Luke as his "Aunty Beru" and had been present during the burial of his grandmother Shmi Skywalker. They also discovered Shmi's diary with the help of the Darklighters who now owned Luke's moisture farm. From this diary, Leia discovered that her father hadn't always been the evil monster she thought he was and learned to forgive him. This adventure on Tatooine gave his wife a new understanding of Anakin Skywalker. Soon, Leia made plans with Han to start a family. Later, it was learned that she was pregnant with twins.

Return of the Empire


During the Thrawn Crisis in 9 ABY, Solo helped foil several of Grand Admiral Thrawn's schemes. He also acted as a diplomat, helping to get Talon Karrde's Smuggler's Alliance on the New Republic's side during the Thrawn crisis. During this unstable time, his wife, and her unborn/newborn children Jaina and Jacen Solo were constantly in danger of being kidnapped.

Solo also played an important role in the defeat of the resurrected Emperor Palpatine in 10 ABY including infiltrating the Emperor's Citadel on Byss. It was also during this time that his wife learned that she was pregnant with a third child: Anakin Solo. In 11 ABY, during the Battle of Onderon, he shot the last clone of the Emperor in the back, killing it. However, the Emperor's spirit tried to enter the infant Anakin though he was stopped by the Jedi Knight Empatojayos Brand, who sacrificed his life for Anakin.

Following that, he and Chewbacca traveled to Kessel to persuade the planet to join the New Republic. Unfortunately for them, they only encountered hostility from the planet's Rybet governor Moruth Doole and were put to work in the spice mines of the planet. During their captivity, they met a young Force-sensitive boy named Kyp Durron who helped them escape from Kessel. While escaping from Kessel, they avoided Doole's ships by flying into the Maw Cluster, an unusual concentration of black holes.

In the Maw, they discovered the Imperial research center Maw Installation which was under the command of Admiral Daala, the only female Admiral in the Imperial Navy. It was there that they discovered the Death Star Prototype and the Sun Crusher. They eventually escaped Daala with the help of one of the researchers Qwi Xux and stole the Sun Crusher. Fleeing from the Maw installation, Han flew the Sun Crusher through one of Admiral Daala's four Imperial class Star Destroyers destroying it. Admiral Daala's three Star Destroyer pursued the Sun Crusher and fought Doole's ragtag navy in a space battle above Kessel. Han would later play a role in the Battle of the Maw Installation, which resulted in the destruction of the Death Star Prototype and the Sun Crusher.

Jedi Search


Soon after Han and Chewbacca are taken prisoner on the planet Kessel and forced to work in its spice mines. During their imprisonment, Han meets and befriends a young boy named Kyp. However Han, Chewbacca, Kyp escaped to the Maw Installation and discover the deadly weapon, Sun Crusher. After being captured by Admiral Daala's forces, Han along with Chewbacca, Kyp, and Qwi Xux stole the Sun Crusher and escaped the Maw Installation.

In 11 ABY, when Luke was disabled by Kyp Durron and the spirit of an ancient Sith Lord named Exar Kun, Han and the family went to visit the Jedi Praxeum on Yavin 4 and were baffled by his condition. During the dinner that followed, Leia, along with the twins and the students felt a great disturbance in the Force when the planet of Carida was destroyed by Kyp Durron. Han, who had befriended Kyp Durron, knew he was the only one with a chance of stopping him before he killed thousands more. Han and Lando took the Falcon in order find the errant Kyp. Once they found him, Han attempted to reason with Kyp and was making progress when Lando disabled the Sun Crusher with pre-existing command codes. However, Kyp bypassed the codes easily and was preparing to destroy the Falcon when Exar Kun was defeated by Luke's students. Free of the Dark Lord's influence, Kyp yielded and was taken back to Coruscant for sentencing.

As Luke began the process of restoring the Jedi Order, Han, along with Leia and Chewbacca set out on a mission of their own, vital to the survival of the fragile New Republic. They began searching for the long-lost children of the Jedi. The quest took them to the Jedi planet of Belsavis, a nearly forgotten frozen world. Having heard tales of a Jedi exodus from the dark crypts below the planet's surface, and also hearing that since the time of the exodus no one entering the crypts has returned alive, Han, Leia, and Chewbacca journeyed to Belsavis to start their search.

Darksaber incident
In 12 ABY Han accompanied Luke to Tatooine where he hoped to get in contact with Obi-Wan Kenobi. After they arrived, Han and Luke visited Jabba's palace and learned that the Hutts were planning to build another superweapon. Soon after the discovery Solo and Skywalker revealed it to the New Republic, however, Durga the Hutt's subordinates stole the plans from the Imperial Palace. In order to find out the location of the superweapon, the New Republic launches a covert operation to Nal Hutta, disguised as a diplomatic summit. After returning from the successful mission on Nal Hutta, Han and Luke rescued Leia and Callista near the Hoth asteroid belt.

Planet of twilight


Sometime after the Darksaber incident, Leia was taken captive by Seti Ashgad and Dzym, who took her to Nam Chorios. Han, Chewbacca, and Lando went to rescue her, but ended up delayed by the confusion caused by the outbreak of the Death Seed Plague and also know they did not where she was. Fortunately Leia was able to escape by defeating the Hutt Jedi, Beldorian. Soon after Han reunited with Leia and particpated in the Battle of Nam Chorios, as a commander. The battle ended when Luke Skywalker managed to convince the Chorian crystal mind of the threat that Ashgad posed to the galaxy if his plans succeeded. As a result Seti was killed though Getelles still survived.

Abduction
In 14 ABY, when his three children were kidnapped by the Imperial Procurator of Justice Hethrir, Han and Luke were on Crseih Station investigating rumors of a healing cult. Han had been increasingly worried about the change he had seen in Luke, in part due to his suspicions of Waru, the cult's leader. He was also warned by an old acquaintance, Xaverri, to be wary of Waru. Originally unbeknownst to Han, Hethrir kidnapped his children and intended to sacrifice the Force-strong Anakin to Waru, which came from another dimension known as Otherspace. However, Hethrir was foiled by Han, Leia, Luke and his former mate Rillao.

Black Fleet Crisis
"Commodore, eh? Does that come with a hat?"

- Han Solo, after his appointment to CO of the Fifth Battle Group in 16 ABY

During the Black Fleet Crisis from 16 to 17 ABY, while his wife was serving as Chief of State, Han was charged with the day-to-day responsibilities of raising their three young children. Because of his wife's role as Chief of State, there were many attempts on her life. It was then that the Yevetha struck. An alliance of Yevethan worlds known as the Dushkan League intended to cleanse the Koornacht Cluster of all non-Yevethan species. They were armed with the Black Fleet which consisted of the Super Star Destroyer Intimidator (which had been renamed Pride of Yevetha) and its smaller escort Star Destroyers which they procured during a revolt against their Imperial master eight months after the Battle of Endor.

During this time, Han was temporarily given the rank of commodore and was placed in charged of a massive New Republic fleet sent to patrol the borders of the Cluster. However, his shuttle was yanked out of hyperspace by a Yevethan Immobilizer 418 cruiser and he was brought before the Yevethan Viceroy Nil Spaar on the Yevethan homeworld of N'zoth. During his incarceration, Nil Spaar once transmitted a hologram to Leia in which he brutally assaulted Han for twenty minutes, saying only, "Leave Koornacht now".

However, this only gave the New Republic a reason to invade the Koornacht Cluster and deal with the Yevetha. Several Wookiees including Chewbacca and his son rescued Han Solo from his prison on the Pride of Yevetha through the use of the Millennium Falcon. The New Republic was aided by the enslaved Imperials who mutinied against their Yevethan masters despite having no love for the New Republic. The Yevetha were finally defeated at the Battle of N'zoth and were disarmed and placed under close watch.

First Corellian Insurrection
"He's not a nice man, to put it mildly."

- Han Solo on his cousin Thrackan Sal-Solo



In 18 ABY, Han and the family took a vacation to Corellia where they were hosting a trade summit in order to boost Corellia's economy. However the New Republic Intelligence remained wary of Corellia, maintaining that the situation at Corellia was unstable. En route to Corellia, Lieutenant Belindi Kalenda attempted to warn Han Solo and Chewbacca not to travel to Corellia—or at least not take his children, as Corellia was no longer safe. Distrustful, Solo refused to take her advice, seeing the trip as a family holiday. Once there, the Solo family decide to settle in with Governor-General Micamberlecto, and hired a Drall tutor, Ebrihim, as well as his droid, Q9-X2, to watch over their children while they were attending the trade summit. However Han soon discovered that the Sacorrian Triad and the Human League, headed by his cousin Thrackan Sal-Solo, was causing a political uprising that only went from bad to worse.

Thrackan declared himself Diktat of the Corellian System and declared the system's secession from the New Republic. He also used Centerpoint's power to jam all systemwide communications, and demanded that all non-human races are to leave the system within a month, or he would vaporize a wide variety of New Republic planets. Once Han realized that Lieutenant Kalenda was right and aided in her escape. However, Han was captured by Human League thugs in the process.



Imprisoned with the Selonian Dracmus, Han was forced to fight the female Selonian for his cousin Thrackan's amusement. However, communicating in Selonian, the two mostly staged the fight. Fortunately, the two were rescued by other Selonians, and, on a primitive coneship, managed to escape to Selonia. On Selonia, Han met up with Leia and Mara Jade and the three tried to convince Overuden to change their minds to the immense outrage of the Selonians. The Overden immediately released the three because of the grievous nature of Thrackan holding the Solo children hostage just as Luke Skywalker arrived, and the group planned a course of action. Enraged, the Sacorrian Triad waged war, and the Battle of Centerpoint Station began. Han participated in the war, and with the help of Luke, Leia, and Lando Calrissian, he was able to end the Insurrection and put Thrackan in jail. Han's children also played an important role in the battle as Anakin was able to use a planetary repulsor to stop the Starbuster beam from destroying Bovo Yagen.

Caamas Document Crisis
During the final days of the Galactic Civil War Solo acted as an unsuccessful mediator in the Diamala/Ishori dispute. Solo and Calrissian led a mission to Bastion to retrieve a copy of the Caamas Document. Soon afterwards, he was part of the final New Republic victory over the Imperial Remnant at the Second Battle of Bothawui. Soon after the Caamas Document crisis, Han and the family attended Luke's and Mara's wedding on Coruscant.

All three of his children were trained as Jedi at Luke Skywalker's Jedi Praxeum from 22 ABY, and would defend the galaxy from the Yuuzhan Vong War as part of the New Jedi Order.

Yuuzhan Vong War
"I k-knew from the s-s-start this wasn't my war."

- Han Solo



The Yuuzhan Vong invasion prompted a personal crisis for Solo, as it started with the death of his friend Chewbacca on Sernpidal after saving Anakin Solo. Han went into a period of grief and for a short time blamed his son for the death of his long time friend, this continued and was very painful for his son, Anakin, who heard his father's words echo in him, "You left him, you left Chewie!". Later though, Han reconciled with his son, understanding the reasons for his choice. For killing his long time friend, Han went into a fit to get revenge against the Vong.

A few months later, still dealing with grief, he left his family on Coruscant to go help his old friend, Roa. Roa was taken prisoner by the Yuuzhan Vong on Ord Mantell. Han then teamed up with his new friend, Droma to help save Roa.

The two eventually traced Droma's family to a ship piloted by members of the Peace Brigade that dropped off refugees at Vong targets. Han and Droma eventually found the ship at Fondor and rescued Droma's family while Kyp Durron and others rescued refugees from a nearby ship which included Roa. They then all witnessed the destruction of three-fourths of the Hapan fleet and half of the Yuuzhan Vong fleet by Centerpoint Station fired by his cousin, Thrackan Sal-Solo.



"You're a danger to yourself, and everyone around you, but I love you."

- Leia Organa Solo

Solo decided that he could be best used helping the New Republic, rather than moping around in grief. He was assigned to the terraforming project on Duro, and worked with Jacen and Jaina to try and maintain a small habitat on the surface. After his habitat was overrun by Yuuzhan Vong insects, he went to a nearby habitat which he was surprised to find was being run by Leia. The situation soon became very bad when Leia was captured and almost killed by Warmaster Tsavong Lah. Jacen and Jaina soon rescued their mother and the Falcon blasted into hyperspace from Duro.

After Duro was taken by the Yuuzhan Vong, Han and Leia fled to Corellia for Leia to recover but were chased away from his cousin now Governor of the planet. They then decided to take a short break to try and close the rift in their marriage that was formed by Han's grief over Chewbacca. While on vacation, Han and Leia ran into a previously unknown group of Jedi called the Wild Knights which was lead by Saba Sebatyne, and helped bring them to Luke's attention, and into the limelight of the war. When they returned to Coruscant, Han and Leia gained temporary custody of their nephew, Ben Skywalker, and the two formed a close bond.

Soon after, the Yuuzhan Vong created voxyn, Jedi hunting creatures that quickly killed many in the order. To Han's dismay, Anakin volunteered to lead a strike team to Myrkr to destroy the voxyn cloning project. Han was reluctant to let Anakin lead in fear of losing someone else close to him. Although the mission was successful, Han's worst fears were realized when Anakin was killed fighting the extragalactic invaders during the mission, and Jacen was captured and presumed dead. Han and Leia helped each other deal with the grief of a lost son, and ended up with a stronger relationship.



During the occupation of Borleias, Han, Leia and Jaina all played key roles in maintaining the New Republic's hold as long as possible. After his son's surprise return from Yuuzhan'tar, Han lead a small fleet of Smuggler's Alliance ships to help with the ambush over Ebaq 9. After that, Han, Leia, Jaina and Tahiri went from system to system trying to re-establish communications with the far flung reaches of the New Republic. During this time they saw the destruction of the Yevetha, the Ssi-ruuvi Imperium's newest attempt to take Bakura, and the Yuuzhan Vong's attempt to take out hyperspace channels with the Unknown Regions. During a ambush gone wrong over Bilbringi Han and Leia helped save Wedge Antilles from certain death, when they rescued Jaina aboard a hijacked Golan II Defense Platform. During the final days of the war, Han helped extract prisoners taken by the Yuuzhan Vong during the battle of Bilbringi. He and Leia took part in the battle of Yuuzhan'tar. With the help of the Yuuzhan Vong priest, Harrar and revolting Yuuzhan Vong heretics, they captured the Well of the World Brain. After the war ended, he allowed Chewbacca's son Lumpawaroo and nephew Lowbacca to carry on Chewbacca's life debt.

The Dark Nest
"Bugs! Why did it have to be bugs?"

- Han Solo, on first encounter with the Killiks



During the five years of reconstruction after the Yuuzhan Vong war, Han and Leia were often doing the Jedi one favor after another to help an order that was stretched too thin. Because of all the help he gave to the Jedi Order they considered him a member, leading him to joke that he wanted a lightsaber. They also helped the Ithorians find a new home after the devastation of their planet, Ithor, during the Yuuzhan Vong Invasion.

However, he and Leia finally refused to help the Jedi when they heard that Jaina and several other Jedi Knights had been drawn to the Unknown Regions by a mysterious calling in the Force. Han and Leia went to investigate, and found a civilization previously unknown to the Galactic Alliance, called The Colony, which comprised of many Killik nests. They found that many non-Killiks had become part of the nests&mdash;part of the hive mind&mdash;after being around the Killiks for too long. These were called Joiners, and Han was terribly afraid that Jaina would become a "bug hugger" like the Joiners. During the crisis, Han and Leia were captured by the Chiss so they would not stop the Swarm War. They escaped, and eventually stopped the Chiss from unleashing their bio-weapon on the Killiks. Around this time Han and Leia found out about the birth of Tenel Ka's daughter Allana unaware that she was their granddaughter through their son Jacen. Tenel Ka's and Jacen's reluctance to talk about Allana surprised them which caused Han to remark that the father must have been ugly if Tenel Ka refused to talk about her.

The entire crisis was a nightmare for Han, due to his traumatic experience years before with the Kamarians of the Cult of Varn. That experience had given him a deep-seated unease around sentient insects.

Second Corellian Insurrection


"On the one side, the fact that his own cousin is Chief of State of Corellia and is playing this slippery, deceptive political game bothers him a lot. On the other hand, Han doesn’t really trust any interplanetary government anymore, not since the Yuuzhan Vong war. Not that he ever did, but it’s worse now." "Ever since Anakin died Han has never really trusted the Jedi Order, either. Has he?"

- Leia Organa Solo and Luke Skywalker, 40 ABY

In 40 ABY, a Jedi mission to Adumar by his son Jacen and his nephew Ben Skywalker to uncover an illegal missile factory on the planet ended in a violent ambush, from which the Jedi narrowly escaped with their lives. The incident sparked political unrest that threatened to ignite into total rebellion that could shatter the young Galactic Alliance. In a desperate attempt to avoid such a fate, the Alliance readied a preemptive display of military might in a bid to bring the rogue worlds to heel. In a display of poor decision-making, Corellia, Solo's home planet, was chosen as target of this exercise.

Since Han Solo was a Corellian, this incident turned him against the Galactic Alliance. Worse, relations with his son Jacen and the Skywalkers were ruined after Jacen chose to stand with his uncle, Luke Skywalker, on the side of the Galactic Alliance. But when the Corellians launched a counterstrike, armed conflict was ignited and civil war broke out among those of the Galactic Alliance. As the Galactic Alliance began making more repressive laws, many began seeing it as a new Empire. Throughout the Galactic Alliance, families found themselves divided and old friendships were torn apart.

That year, alongside Wedge Antilles, Han led Corellian forces at the Battle of Tralus. Han's actions were vital as he led one of the bombers that led to the destruction of the Alliance's base and stronghold on Tralus. His daughter and wife were in the opposing Alliance fleet, although Leia was secretly aiding the Corellians, by instructing fighters not to attack Han's and Wedge's fighters.

And while all this was going on, his son Jacen Solo became what the Jedi feared most: a Sith.

"I don't know who you are, but you aren't my son anymore. My Jacen would never do the kind of stuff you do. Get out. I don't want to know you anymore."

- Han to Jacen after seeing Ailyn's body

Later, Han Solo and his old enemy, Boba Fett, were drawn together as they both learned some harsh truths about their own kin. Thrackan Sal-Solo put a bounty on Han and his family. Han finally decided to kill Thrackan, to forever end the threat. Fett agreed to help Han, in exchange for aid in finding his long-lost daughter, Ailyn Vel. Solo posed as a Mandalorian soldier working for Fett, and the two men gunned down Thrackan, but Boba Fett's granddaughter Mirta Gev actually made the killing shot. Sadly, Ailyn Vel had been killed by Jacen during an interrogation. Horrified and outraged, Han disowned Jacen, saying his son would never have done such a thing. Afterwards, Han questioned Leia upon Jacen's upbringing, wondering if they were at least partly to blame.

Han and Leia entered into the Corellian military. Han Solo was appointed as an admiral of the Corellian forces by Wedge Antilles, the Supreme Commander of the Corellian forces. Han commanded a Dreadnaught-class heavy cruiser in a battle to break the Blockade of Corellia. The Alliance accused them of being assassins, and Jacen led the Galactic Alliance Guard in an attempt to track them down and arrest them. Once they learned about Corellia's plot to assassinate Tenel Ka and her child Allana, Han and Leia broke off all contact with Corellia and sought to rescue the two.

[[Media:han.ogg|Hear Han Solo]] Hear Han talk in .wav format

Abilities and traits
"Bring 'em on! I prefer a straight fight to all this sneaking around!"

- Han Solo

Han Solo was known for his cockiness, dry wit, piloting skills, and his fast draw. He often boasted of his achievements he made in his ship the Millennium Falcon, such as making the Kessel Run in less than twelve parsecs, and being able to outrun Imperial Star Destroyers. He once said he preferred to shoot first as opposed to shooting second. Han Solo was also one of the only people to evade Boba Fett on multiple occasions. He had a particular distaste for "bugs", as he revealed during the Swarm War, probably due to the run-in with Kamarian religious fanatics early in his smuggling career. During the Second Corellian Insurrection, he began to distrust the New Jedi Order because of his beliefs that Corellia should be able to have independence, Leia often referred to him as the most dangerous man in the galaxy.

Primary weapon


"Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good blaster at your side, kid."

- Han to Luke Skywalker

Han Solo was usually seen carrying his blaster, a custom modified DL-44 Heavy Blaster Pistol. He retained use of the weapon even after it was declared an antique.

Behind the scenes


Han Solo was portrayed in the original trilogy and the The Star Wars Holiday Special by Harrison Ford. Ford was originally only going to stand in for the role in script readings before the part was cast. However, it was during these script readings that George Lucas realized Ford was perfect for playing Solo. In the Star Wars Radio Dramas, Perry King was the voice of Han Solo. Other voice actors include David Esch in Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds, Lex Lang in Star Wars Rogue Squadron III: Rebel Strike and Star Wars: Battlefront II and Neil Ross in Star Wars: Force Commander, Star Wars: Masters of Teräs Käsi and ''Star Wars: Rogue Squadron.

In early drafts of the script for A New Hope, the character which eventually become Han Solo was named "Jabba the Hutt". Early versions of the character were also alien, rather than human.

In early versions of Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, a young Han Solo was to appear helping the Wookiees on Kashyyyk during the Battle of Kashyyyk scenes. These scenes were never filmed, though production sketches do exist.

Han was killed in the non-canon story Into the Great Unknown, also featuring Indiana Jones, another of Harrison Ford's famous film roles.

Han's dislike for insect species due to a bad experience and the quote "Bugs? Why did it have to be Bugs?" are most definitely references to the Indiana Jones films. In the films, Indiana had a bad experience with snakes and had an identical quote about snakes. Likewise, an early alias Han used - Jenos Idanian - when rearranged spells "Indiana Jones."

Han is one of the few non Force-sensitives to wield a lightsaber in the Star Wars universe. Though he only does so briefly in  The Empire Strikes Back, he uses the weapon again in a few of his Expanded Universe appearances.

In the Italian version of the films, "Han Solo" had his name changed to "Ian Solo", as the letter "H" does not exist in Italian pronunciation.

In The Empire Strikes Back, in the scene where Han is being lowered into the carbon freezing chamber and Leia proclaims her love to him, Harrison Ford was supposed to say "I love you too," but Kershner was not happy with it and decided to change it during the shooting of the scene. After many attempts neither him or Ford were satisfied, and Kershner simply told him to say whatever he wanted as they had to move on. They shot it again and Ford simply said "I know", which was exactly what Kershner wanted for Han Solo.

Joss Whedon has repeatedly stated that Han Solo was a primary inspiration for Malcolm Reynolds, a main character in Whedon's show Firefly.

Appearances

 * Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope
 * The Star Wars Holiday Special
 * Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
 * Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi