As one of the most iconic characters in the world of Star Wars, it’s strange that we don’t even get a mention of Han Solo in the prequels. But apparently, that wasn’t always the case.
George Lucas explored a lot of unsolved mysteries in the world of that galaxy far, far away through the Republic era. From a Force prodigy to the general of the Grand Army, the Prequel Trilogy not only detailed the history of Anakin Skywalker before his turn to the Dark Side but showed the life of characters like Obi-Wan Kenobi and Yoda before the Dark Times. We even got to see the sinister Emperor as a politician pushing towards his plans of unraveling the Galactic Republic. Lucas also made sure to give a nod to the Original Trilogy every now and again, too. The addition of Chewbacca in Revenge of the Sith, who fought alongside Yoda on Kashyyyk, was one such example.
But originally, the creator intended to include Han Solo in Episode III as well. The legendary smuggler-turned-hero would’ve been portrayed as an orphan whom Chewbacca raises. While the producers ultimately scrapped the idea, we can still piece together what happened to Solo in his formative years.
In the Star Wars canon, Han Solo was born in 32 BBY, around the same time The Phantom Menace takes place. So, by the time the Empire rose, he was 13 years old and still living on Corellia. In Solo, the scruffy-looking nerf herder reveals to Beckett that he’s been conning people on the streets since he was 10, so it’s safe to say that the captain of the Millennium Falcon had a rough childhood.
In Solo, Han is only 19 and the White Worms criminal syndicate even seems to suggest that he’s been working for them for quite a while. This could explain why he’s cynical and out for himself the first time we see him in A New Hope; he’s never known any other way, at least not one that’d ensure his survival. And Beckett made sure that he’d remember this lesson.
Meanwhile, there’s recently been talk of Alden Ehrenreich reprising his role as Han in a future Star Wars project, but we’ve yet to hear anything from Lucasfilm on the matter. Tell us, though, would you want to see the actor return for more stories as Captain Solo? As usual, let us know your thoughts below.
