Han Solo

From Freepedia

Star Wars character
Image:Hansolo.jpg
"Han Solo, I'm captain of the Millennium Falcon."
Han Solo
Position Captain of the Millennium Falcon, General in the Rebel Alliance
Homeworld Corellia
Species Human
Gender Male
Height 1.8 meters
Affiliation Rebel Alliance, New Republic, Galactic Alliance (former smuggler)
Portrayer Harrison Ford

Han Solo (born 29 BBY), a character in the fictional Star Wars universe, is played by actor Harrison Ford in the Star Wars movie series. Star Wars creator George Lucas describes him as "a loner who realizes the importance of being part of a group and helping for the common good."

Spoiler warning: Plot or ending details follow.

Han Solo is a smuggler who flies the Millennium Falcon. Prior to the events of Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope Solo was a beggar in the streets of Corellia. That is until he was discovered by one Garris Shrike, captain of the "Trader's Luck". Seduced by promises of a better life, Han followed the man to his space ship, a relic of the Clone Wars. Unbeknownst to the young Corellian, the Trader's Luck was little more than a slave ship , where the rule was "Everyone works." Spending most of his childhood pickpocketting and scamming at the whim of the abusive Shrike, Han came under the care of Dewlanna, a widowed Wookiee "indebted" to the ruthless captain. Solo earned his freedom at the age of 19, escaping the 'Luck on the droid controlled vessel Ylesian Dream. In the process, an enraged Garris killed Dewlanna, Han's surrogate mother.

In response to an ad for good pilots and the fortuitous cirumstances aboard Trader's Luck, circumstances which provided a free ride to Ylesia, Solo braved the storm-riddled atmosphere of the Hutt-controlled jungle planet Ylesia. There he discovered a religious conspiracy to attract slaves—slaves to process illegal glitterstim spice. With the help of his friends Muuurgh the Togorian (a feline humanoid) and Bria Tharen (Solo's first love, whom he discovered a mindless drone in the factories, and deprogrammed), Han stole a significant portion of Teroenza's, the Ylesian High Priest, private art collection, worth hundreds of thousands of credits. The trio also destroyed the spice factory, adding insult to injury by hijacking the T'landa Til's private yacht. On Coruscant, Bria Tharen disappeared from Solo's life, engendering in Solo a " Love 'em and leave 'em " philosophy towards women. Han then enlisted in the Imperial Navy to escape the pursuit of CorSec officer Hal Horn, and was nearly killed by Garris Shrike on the night of his induction ceremony. Shrike had intended to collect on the bounty placed on Han for his Ylesian sabotage. Hungry for vengeance after his murder of Dewlanna, Han turned the tables on the captain and nearly killed him. Amidst their savage battle, a second bounty hunter gunned down Shrike in order to claim Solo for himself, only to be destroyed himself by a desperate Han. Solo later lost his lieutenant's commission and was dishonorably discharged when he first met Chewbacca, then an Imperial slave, and helped him escape. Due to the sacrifice, Chewbacca swore a life-debt. Solo, down on his luck, won the Millennium Falcon from fellow scoundrel and friend Lando Calrissian,in an intense sabacc tournament on Bespin, whereupon he embarked on his famous smuggling career, based, at various times, in Corporate Sector Authority space, Smuggler's Run, and Nar Shaddaa.

Solo's bravery during the Battle of Nar Shaddaa earned him the attention of the Rebel Alliance, and Bria Tharen, now an agent in the Rebellion. Hardly considering himself the heroic type, he was reluctant in aiding his former love, who was planning an all out attack against the slaving colonies on Ylesia, now twice as strong. Promised appropriate compensation, Solo, Lando, and Chewie embarked on the mission. In the aftermath of the battle, Tharen's troopers turned their blasters on Lando and the rest of Han's friends, confiscating all valubles in the name of the Rebel Alliance. Angered, Solo threatened to kill Tharen if he ever saw her again. Defaced and branded a traitor back on Nar Shaddaa, Lando refused to believe Han was not involved in the swindle, punching the Corellian in the jaw. These are the events hinted at in Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back by Lando's statement: "You've got alotta guts comin' here, after what you pulled."

Together, Solo and Chewbacca continued with the smuggling trade and gained a reputation among the best in the business. However, their ship was intercepted and boarded by the Imperial Navy during one particular run off Kessel, forcing Solo to jettison his cargo to avoid arrest. This resulted in a large and mounting debt to Tatooine crime boss and former employer Jabba the Hutt who put a bounty on Solo that attracted all kinds of bounty hunters, like the amateurish Greedo, whom Solo eventually killed. The situation was desperate enough for the pair to accept a charter to take Luke Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi to Alderaan for 17,000 credits and no questions. As a result, Solo was dragged into the rebellion against the Empire.

Solo had unusual abilities for a human non-Jedi. Among them are his nearly prescient capability to detect danger, and first-rate piloting skills, which are so outstanding that it surprised the Empire's best pilot, Darth Vader, at the Battle of Yavin. He proved his skills again in Empire Strikes Back when he attempted to elude pursuit by Imperial ships by entering an asteroid field. Solo managed to survive and hide after an extremely dangerous gauntlet by executing maneuvers to avoid collisions while piloting a freighter that his pursuers in agile TIE fighters could not duplicate.

Solo plays a major role in the Star Wars saga, moving from a reluctant, selfish participant to a central figure over the course of the first three movies. He eventually received a commission, became a General and led the commando raid on the shield generator facility on the forest moon of Endor during the Battle of Endor.

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

Contents

Expanded Universe

Image:Han njo.jpg

In the novels that take place after Return of the Jedi, Solo plays 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 and capture or kill Warlord Zsinj. Four years after the Battle of Endor, Solo resigned his commission in order to court Princess Leia. After killing the warlord along the way, he marries Princess Leia on Coruscant.

Five years after Return of the Jedi, Solo played a key role getting Talon Karrde and other smugglers to support the New Republic through intelligence and mercenary work. He was frequently separated from Leia during this time, going on contact missions with friends such as Calrissian, Wedge Antilles and Lieutenant Page. He was also present at the battle on Wayland which resulted in the death of Joruus C'Baoth.

Han and Leia have three children together: twins Jaina Solo and Jacen Solo, and Anakin Solo who is named after Luke and Leia's father Anakin Skywalker. Imperial agents frequently attempt 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 just designed an Imperial Superweapon, the Sun Crusher. Solo convinced Dr. Xux that the Empire is evil, and Xux and Solo freed Chewbacca and Durron. The group then stole the Sun Crusher, destroying a Star Destroyer in the process, and returned it to the New Republic.

Durron soon began his training but under the influence of the undead spirit of Exar Kun fell to the Dark Side. Solo took off to hunt down Durron after Durron stole the Sun Crusher from its storage location in the heart of the gas planet Yavin and took the vessel on an anti-Imperial rampage. After Durron was found, the Sith Lord who was corrupting Durron was destroyed, and Durron surrendered to Solo. Solo stood at Durron's side when Durron went before the New Republic council, and took Durron back to Luke Skywalker. Skywalker forgave Durron, and Durron continued his training, eventually becoming one of the first Jedi Masters of the new order.

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

Chewbacca would die saving Anakin's life in "Vector Prime," the first in the New Jedi Order series of books. Han Solo took the death of his companion hard, sinking into alcoholism and depression. He took his anger and grief out on his family, alienating them and returning to his loner lifestyle. However, just as he begins to bring himself around, Anakin dies as well, compounding his despair. By the end of the New Jedi Order series, though, Solo finally manages to accept Chewbacca's death and move on, and repairs his relationship with his family.

Family

References

  • Star Wars: The Paradise Snare, (Book 1 of The Han Solo Trilogy), 1st paperback printing, 1997. A. C. Crispin, ISBN 0-553-57415-9
  • Star Wars, The Han Solo Adventures: Han Solo at Star's End, Del Rey omnibus of "Han Solo at Star's End", "Han Solo's Revenge", and "Han Solo and the Lost Legacy", 1979. Brian Daley, ISBN 0-345-37980-2
  • Star Wars: Rebel Dawn (Book 3 of "The Han Solo Trilogy"), by A. C. Crispin. 1998. ISBN 0-553-57417-5
  • Star Wars: The Annotated Screenplays, softcover, 1997. George Lucas, Leigh Brackett, Lawrence Kasdan, Laurent Bouzereau, ISBN 0-345-40981-7
  • Star Wars: The Truce at Bakura, 1st paperback printing, 1994. Kathy Tyers, ISBN 0-553-56872-8
  • Star Wars: The Courtship of Princess Leia, 1995. Dave Wolverton, ISBN 0-553-56937-6
  • Star Wars: Jedi Search, (Book 1 of the Jedi Academy Trilogy), 1994. Kevin J. Anderson, ISBN 0-553-297978-8
  • Star Wars: Dark Apprentice, (Book 2 of the Jedi Academy Trilogy), 1st edition paperback, 1994. Kevin J. Anderson, ISBN 0-553-29799-6
  • Star Wars: Champions of the Force, (Book 3 of the Jedi Academy Trilogy), 1st edition paperback, 1994. Kevin J. Anderson, 0-553-29799-6
  • Star Wars, Ambush at Corellia, (Book 1 of the Corellian Trilogy) 1st printing, 1995. Roger MacBride Allen, ISBN 0-553-29803-8
  • Star Wars, Assault at Selonia, (Book 2 of the Corellian Trilogy) 1st printing, 1995. Roger MacBride Allen, ISBN 0-553-29805-4
  • Star Wars, Showdown at Centerpoint, (Book 3 of the Corellian Trilogy) 1st printing, 1995. Roger MacBride Allen, ISBN 0-553-29806-2
  • Star Wars: Vector Prime, (Book 1 of the New Jedi Order), 1999. R. A. Salvatore, ISBN 0-345-42844-7
  • Star Wars, New Jedi Order: Agents of Chaos II: Jedi Eclipse, (Book 5 of the New Jedi Order) 1st paperback printing, 2000. James Luceno, ISBN 0-345-42859-5
  • A Guide to the Star Wars Universe, 2nd edition, 1994. Bill Slavicsek, ISBN 0-345-38625-6
  • New Jedi Order Sourcebook, Wizards of the Coast: 2002. J.D. Wiker and Steve Miller, ISBN 0-786-92777-1

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