Han Solois one of the most iconic characters in theStar Warsfranchise, but he was almost a completely different character altogether. George Lucas had been creating his story for years, carefully crafting the perfect characters for what the narrative needed. Though the early drafts ofStar Warsshow just how many changes Lucas made to his story between its beginning and its final product, the transformation Han Solo’s character goes through is definitely the most glaring difference.
Harrison Ford’s portrayal of Han Solo instantly made the character a fan-favorite. His rough exterior and snarky attitude created the perfect unlikely hero. The character became well known for Han’s charisma and devil-may-care attitude in the face of danger.Star Warswas revolutionary because it made space seem almost rural, separating it from the other science fiction movies at the time. Han’s Clint Eastwood-like character design really emphasized that point. Without the smooth-talking sharpshooter as we know him today, where would the series be?
George Lucas' Original Han Solo Was So Different To The One We Know & Love
Inside and Out!
In Lucas’ original plan for Star Wars, Han Solo was far from the smuggler that the audiences met in 1977. He was originally meant to be a hulking green-skinned alien with existing ties to the Jedi. This Ureallian version of Han Solo was a member of the Jedi-Bendu, a class of Force-sensitive bodyguards employed by the Emperor. This Han Solo would have been more similar to Obi-Wan Kenobi with his knowledge of the Force, not to mention his connection to theGalactic Empirewould make it hard for Han to embody the charming lowlife energy he brings to the movies.
Star Wars: 10 Things That Make No Sense About Han Solo
Han Solo is inarguably one of the best characters in Star Wars, but there are still a surprising amount of things about him that make no sense.
This would have changed Han Solo immensely, beginning with the fact that Han’s initial disbelief in the Force is what sets his character up to take a leap of faith and join the Rebels’ fight. Ultimately, the Jedi-Bendu concept was scrapped entirely and Han became an outlaw. As the renowned smuggler and pilot of theMillennium Falcon,Han is a much more interesting character when he comes with a bit of lawlessness.Luke Skywalker’s initial reluctance to join forces with him sweetens the movie’s end, when Han’s heart of gold finally wins out and he comes to the Rebels’ aid.
Lucas Definitely Created A Better Character With The Real Han Solo
He Balanced The Movie Perfectly
Han went through several transformations before he became the one brought to life by Harrison Ford. With eachStar Warsdraft, Lucas made changes to Han, trying to find the perfect third main character to carry his story along with Luke and Leia. The concern that Han might be sidelined as a side character if he remained an alien inspired Lucas to make all three main characters human, and from there, Han was only a few small edits away from his final version. Once Han was human, he was given an alien sidekick of his own, and Chewbacca was born.
Luckily, the finalized idea for the human Han Solo was Lucas’ best yet. Drawing inspiration from his good friend, Francis Ford Coppola, Lucas crafted the reckless, smooth-talking smuggler that providedStar Warswith some of its most iconic lines and scenes.Han Solo’s slow-burning romance with Princess Leiadiversified the genre, adding a love story without distracting Luke from his mission to redeem his father.Han Solo’s lasting impact onStar Warscan be felt in each installment, even earning a spin-off movie of his own.
Han Solo
Hailing from Corellia, Han Solo deserted the Empire to become a smuggler, and he spent years working for the Hutts as a spice runner. Han’s life changed forever when he agreed to transport Obi-Wan Kenobi and Luke Skywalker to Alderaan from Tatooine, and he soon became an important member of the Rebel Alliance. Han’s romance with Leia Organa became the stuff of legend, and they married shortly after the Battle of Endor. Sadly, their relationship ended in tragedy when their son Ben fell to the dark side - eventually killing Han. Still, memories of Han helped bring Ben back to the light.
