Who was Han Solo before he crossed paths with a Jedi and farm boy? Who was this man before he became one of the most respected commanders in the Rebel Alliance? Those are questions fans might be getting an answer* to as early as May 25, 2018.
*An official answer since none of the EU counts anymore.
Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy is producing a Han Solo spin-off film. Lawrence Kasdan – who wrote “The Empire Strikes Back,” “Return of the Jedi,” and “The Force Awakens” – has been tapped to spin this tale.
But what tale will he tell? “Before [Han Solo] linked up with Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia” is a pretty broad amount of time. There”s the iconic moments – Han winning the Faclon in a game of Sabacc, Han making the Kessel run in less than 12 parsecs – but that”s only the tip of the lore iceberg. While I”m sure Kasdan will put his own mark on Solo”s origin, here are a few relics of the Expanded Universe that could be polished up and/or tweaked for the new continuity.
#1: Han Solo, the Corellian Prince.
An inversion of the usual “Peasant-To-Princess” storyline, Han Solo discovered he was the descendent of the King of Corellia after almost losing Princess Leia to another man (as she could not marry a mere smuggler). While this new film takes place in the time before Leia (BL), there could still be hints dropped as to Solo”s mysterious past. Such as…
#2: #Han Solo, raised by Wookiees.
Or specifically, Wookiee. Singular. In the EU, an amnesiac (or very young) Han Solo is found wandering alone in a Corellia spaceport by a bounty hunter and his crew. Basically, take the plot of “Anastasia” and smoosh it together with the Star-Lord”s origin. One of those crew members was Dewlanna, the Wookiee chef. Taking the boy under her care, she raised him as her own while trying to shield him from the worst of the bounty hunter”s machinations. This explains why Han can understand Shyriiwook aka the Wookiee language even though he can”t speak it.
#3: Han Solo, tiny scam artist.
Of course, you don”t grow up with bounty hunters and come out with a clear conscience. As a child, Han served as everything from a beggar to a pickpocket to boosting ships to swoop racing. Once he became a young adult, it was easy enough for Solo to fall into the life of piracy…though he would yearn for more.
#4: Han Solo, the gifted Imperial officer.
Here”s a twist. Han Solo was a decorated lieutenant of the Empire in the EU. For a while at least. Changing his identity for a fresh start, Solo graduated from the Academy with flying colors. He was on the fast track to success, nimbly climbing the bureaucratic ladder when he hit a snag. The Empire”s xenophobia against aliens. When order to skin Chewbacca for rising up against his enslavement, Solo couldn”t bring himself to do it. Instead he helped the Wookiee escape and was court-martialed and dishonorably discharged for his effort.
#5: Han Solo, husband to Sana Solo*.
Okay, so this one isn”t part of the Expanded Universe but instead part of the established canon so new the ink is still wet. However, the introduction of Sana Solo in the STAR WARS comics makes it more likely she”ll pop up in other places. Like an origin story. Whatever went down between these two, it certainly wasn”t a straight forward romance. Plus, who doesn”t want to see the casino world of Nar Shaddaa in all its decadent glory?