Han Solo

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."

Related Topics:
BBY - Star Wars - Harrison Ford - Movie - George Lucas

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Han Solo is a smuggler who flies the Millennium Falcon. Prior to the events of 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.

Related Topics:
Millennium Falcon - Clone Wars - Wookiee

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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.

Related Topics:
Ylesia - Hutt - Glitterstim spice - Bria Tharen - Coruscant - Imperial Navy - CorSec - Hal Horn - Chewbacca - Millennium Falcon - Lando Calrissian - Sabacc - Bespin - Corporate Sector Authority - Nar Shaddaa

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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 by Lando's statement: "You've got alotta guts comin' here, after what you pulled."

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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.

Related Topics:
Kessel - Tatooine - Jabba the Hutt - Bounty hunter - Greedo - Luke Skywalker - Obi-Wan Kenobi - Alderaan

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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.

Related Topics:
Pilot - Darth Vader - Battle of Yavin - Empire Strikes Back - Asteroid - TIE fighter

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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.

Related Topics:
Forest moon of Endor - Battle of Endor

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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.

Related Topics:
Debt - Francis Ford Coppola

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