Han Solo/Legends

Han Solo (born 29 BBY) is a Corellian who started out his career as a reckless, witty smuggler. However, after Luke Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi approached him and his co-pilot and friend, Chewbacca, in the Mos Eisley Cantina, he agreed to take them to Alderaan. He eventually wound up on the Death Star, helped rescue Princess Leia, and assisted in the destruction of the Death Star. He wound up serving the Rebel Alliance and New Republic, eventually becoming a respectable General, and ended up marrying Leia Organa, whom he eventually had three Force-gifted children with; Jacen, Jaina, and Anakin.

Smuggler Life
When he was an infant in Corellia's spaceport, Han Solo was abandoned by his parents, who were rogue travelers. However, he was rescued by Garris Shrike, the leader of a trading clan that used abandoned street urchins as beggars and petty thieves. The young Solo spent most of his childhood in the service of Garris Shrike. Han Solo grew up on Shrike's ship, the Trader's Luck, often returning to Corellia for stopovers. Solo was mostly raised by a kindly female Wookiee named Dewlanna, who taught Han compassion as well as the Wookiee language.

Solo longed to learn more about his parents, but Shrike kept all information from him. The only tie to his family Han found was an unscrupulous cousin named Thracken Sal-Solo, a thug that Solo wanted little to do with.

Young Solo earned his keep for Shrike doing a variety of unsavory jobs. He once joined a pirate group operated by the ruthless Lemo and Sanda. He earned a reputation for racing dangerous repulsorlift swoops professionally and on the independent circuit. In these days, Solo made an enemy out of a young Corellian swoop jockey named Dengar.

At 19, Solo ran away from Shrike's group of brigands and began working for the Hutts. At the Hutt spice-processing center on the paradise world of Ylesia, Han Solo fell in love with an enslaved worker named Bria Tharen. He rescued Tharen, and destroyed much of the Ylesian operation. The fact that Solo was using an alias at the time – Vyyk Drago – spared him the wrath of the enraged Hutts.

Solo eventually joined the Imperial Academy, to better himself and his piloting skills. Solo's mentor during his Academy days was Badure, or "Trooper" as he was known. During a training drill, Han performed a daring landing maneuver with an aged U-33 transport that earned him the nickname "Slick." Sometime during his military career Han Solo earned the right to wear the Corellian Bloodstripe.

Despite promising skills, Solo was dishonorably discharged after graduation when he defied orders and rescued a Wookiee slave, Chewbacca. Solo freed Chewbacca from his Imperial captors, and from that day on the Wookiee served as Han's protector and friend. At first, Han simply wanted to get rid of him, but grew attached to him over time. Chewbacca, or "Chewie" as he was known by Han, became his co-pilot and dedicated friend.

His military career in shambles, Solo returned to the fringe, joining a smuggling gang run by Roa. It was here that Solo experienced his first Kessel Run. He traveled with such notorious criminals as Shug Ninx, Mako Spince, Salla Zend, Katya M'Buele, Silver Fyre, Rik Duel, and Lando Calrissian.

After winning the Millennium Falcon from Lando Calrissian in a game of sabacc, Solo and Chewie worked in the Corporate Sector for some time for crime-bosses like Big Bunji and Ploovo Two-For-One. It was on these assignments that Han often tangled with the Corporate Sector Authority. Han was responsible for destroying the secret Authority prison installation, Star's End, as well as helping expose a slave trade ring that extended to some very prominent Authority executives. Han then joined Badure on an ill-fated search for the lost treasure of Xim the Despot. During this search, Han sustained a knife injury that resulted in the signature scar on his chin.

After a falling out with many of his fellow smugglers, Solo was left stuck on Tatooine with a hefty debt and hunters on his tail. It was then that he took on the charter to Alderaan that resulted in him being inextricably tangled with the Rebellion.

Though intent on repaying a large and mounting debt to Tatooine crime boss and former employer Jabba the Hutt (and having shot and killed Jabba's employee, Greedo), Solo is dragged into the Rebellion against the Galactic Empire after being hired to shuttle Luke Skywalker, C-3PO, R2-D2, and Obi-Wan Kenobi to Alderaan. When he arrived, he found Alderaan destroyed and the Death Star ended up reeling him in by a tractor beam. Han, Chewie, and Luke were able to fight their way to Detention Block AA 23 and rescue Princess Leia. Obi-Wan was able to lower the tractor beam and help them escape, but was discovered and killed by Darth Vader. Han was then able to escape from the Death Star in the Millennium Falcon and transport the others to Yavin IV.

After the Death Star crisis, Han and Chewbacca left the Rebel base at Yavin 4 to pay off his debt to Jabba the Hutt. En route to Tatooine, the Millennium Falcon was waylaid by a pirate force commanded by Crimson Jack. The pirate robbed Solo of his tribute, leaving the two spacers destitute. The pair returned to the Rebel fold, having few options left. He then distracted Darth Vader and his TIE Fighters, allowing Luke to fire the shot that destroyed the Death Star. He was awarded a medal by Leia after the battle. During the Alliance's evacuation of the Yavin Base, Solo and Chewbacca helped the Alliance obtain a power gem from the space pirate Raskar. This power gem was instrumental in getting past the Imperial blockade of Yavin.

In Cloud City on Bespin, Han is captured by the Empire and is frozen in carbonite for testing. The frozen Solo is given to Boba Fett to be taken to Jabba the Hutt. Later, Luke, Leia, Chewbacca, R2-D2 and C-3PO manage to rescue Han from Jabba's palace on Tatooine.

Although Solo has obscure origins, he becomes a central figure in the Galactic Civil War. He eventually receives a commission, becomes a General and leads the commando raid on the shield generator facility on the forest moon of Endor.

After the Battle of Endor
Solo played a central role in the turbulent years following the death of the Emperor. Solo was picked to command a New Republic task force to hunt down Warlord Zsinj. In 8 ABY, Solo resigned his commission in order to court Princess Leia, whom he eventually married on Coruscant.

Han and Leia had three children together: twins Jaina Solo and Jacen Solo, and Anakin Solo, the latter named after his grandfather Anakin Skywalker. Imperial agents frequently attempted to kidnap these children, with the intent of raising them as Dark Jedi.

Solo and Chewbacca later went on a diplomatic mission to Kessel. While there, they were shot down and imprisoned by the administrator Moruth Doole. While in the prison, Solo befriended a young man named Kyp Durron. Chewbacca, Solo, and Durron managed to escape in an Imperial shuttle. They went into the Maw, and were captured by Admiral Daala, who was guarding the secret Maw Installation. Solo was taken to Qwi Xux, who helped design the Death Star, and who had since designed an Imperial superweapon, the Sun Crusher. Solo convinced Dr. Xux that the Empire was evil, and together they free Chewbacca and Durron. The group then stole the Sun Crusher, and returned it to the New Republic.

Durron soon began training. During this training, he fell to the Dark Side. Solo took off to hunt down Durron after Durron found the Sun Crusher and took the vessel on a rampage. After Durron was found, the Sith Lord who was influencing Durron was destroyed. Durron surrendered to Solo, who then defended him before the New Republic council that tried him. Skywalker personally forgave Durron, and Durron continued his training, eventually becoming one of the first Jedi Masters of the new order.

Later Han Solo returned to Corellia for the first time in many years. Solo's cousin, Thracken Sal-Solo, was inciting a revolution to overthrow the existing government, and the entire system was on the edge of civil war. Solo helped defuse the situation before it degenerated into a full blown war.

During the Yuuzhan Vong invasion of the galaxy, many lives were lost to the depredations of these marauding aliens. Using bizarre organic gravity well projectors called Dovin Basals, the Yuuzhan Vong dragged the moon orbiting Sernpidal down to its surface. While Han and Chewbacca helped evacuate the populace, Solo was forced to leave his oldest friend behind. Chewbacca died when the moon collided with the planet, and Solo held his son, Anakin Solo, who was piloting the Falcon at the time, responsible.

When Chewbacca died, Han Solo sank into alcoholism and depression. He took his anger and grief out on his family, and returned to his loner lifestyle. He returned to his fringer ways, leaving his family life behind. With the help of a new friend and ally, the Ryn named Droma, Solo eventually discovered that he could not run away from his loss, or from his loved ones. Eventually, Solo managed to accept Chewbacca's death and move on, and repaired his relationship with his family. The next blow to the Solo family would be the loss of the youngest son, Anakin Solo, who had led a daring Jedi mission into the heart of enemy operations. Han watched helplessly as Leia collapsed in agony and grief as the sensation of Anakin's death echoed through the Force. Compounding this tragedy, Jacen Solo also vanished from that mission. Jaina Solo would return, but Han and Leia saw their once carefree daughter transformed into a hardened combat veteran of unsettlingly intense demeanor.

In the aftermath of Anakin's death, Han and Leia would operate together, running a number of crucial missions for the struggling Galactic Federation of Free Alliances. His underworld-honed skills of deception and her talents in diplomacy proved valuable many times. Han Solo would play a role during the Yuuzhan Vong Invasion, including thwarting a Ssi-Ruuvi invasion of Bakura. In the Dark Nest Trilogy, Solo would travel with Leia and Skywalker to the Unknown Regions after the disappearance of his children and several other Jedi.

Audio clips
[[Media:Han Solo ANH.ogg|Hear Han Solo]] (A New Hope)

Trivia
Han's debt to Jabba the Hutt and relationship with Luke Skywalker have led many to speculate that he is modeled after Lucas' friend Francis Ford Coppola.