‘Star Wars’ Is Set to Introduce a Crucial, Unexpected Character

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han solo

Credit: Lucasfilm

When it comes to the Star Wars story, there are certain characters who have played a critical role in a galaxy far, far away since George Lucas released Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope in 1977.

star wars a new hope luke leia and han (from left)
Credit: Lucasfilm

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Among these essential players are Jedi Knight Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), Princess Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher), and “scruffy nerfherder” Han Solo (Harrison Ford).

For over 40 years, the original trilogy’s core trio has been the foundation of the Skywalker Saga.

han solo (left) and chewbacca (right) in a new hope
Credit: Lucasfilm

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When The Walt Disney Company purchased Lucasfilm, Ltd. in 2012, in fact, one of the first things they did was delve into Solo’s backstory, exploring how he came to meet Lando Calrissian (Billy Dee Williams) — who was first introduced in Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back (1980) — and how he gained possession of the famous Millennium Falcon starship in the first place.

emilia clarke as qi'ra and alden ehrenreich as han solo
Credit: Lucasfilm

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Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018) starred Alden Ehrenreich as a young version of everyone’s favorite scoundrel, while Donald Glover took on the role of a pre-original trilogy Calrissian.

Solo is on his own, save for his first love Qi’ra (Emilia Clarke), when fans meet him in Ron Howard’s standalone Star Wars film, but Solo screenwriter Jon Kasdan has confirmed that at least one of the young man’s parents, his father, is still alive. Around the time of the movie’s release, he Tweeted a page of notes that included the line:

“[Han’s father is] still out there somewhere, drinking himself to death”

Related: ‘Star Wars’ Officially Replaces Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker, New Actor Weighs In

Now, thanks to details about Star Wars and Marvel Comics newest series, which is set to follow the adventures of Han Solo and Chewbacca, it is possible that the franchise could be introducing Han’s father for the very first time.

StarWars.com revealed a synopsis of the upcoming crossover series, including the fact that Greedo and Solo apparently joined forces (no pun intended) for a time before the infamous “Han shot first” scene that still divides the Star Wars fandom to this day:

Han Solo & Chewbacca, a new series from Marvel, will launch in March 2022, StarWars.com can exclusively reveal. Written by Marc Guggenheim and pencilled by David Messina, the monthly comic follows Han and Chewie a few years before the events of Star Wars: A New Hope, as the duo teams up with Greedo — in better times, apparently — on a heist for Jabba the Hutt.

(l-r) luke skywalker, chewbacca, han solo, and c-3po in the empire strikes back
Credit: Lucasfilm

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A description of the first issue notes that the story arc will include “a reunion with the last person Han expected to see.”

It is easy to immediately assume this line refers to Qi’ra, who has been heavily featured in Star Wars comics of late, but writer Marc Guggenheim has already confirmed that the Crimson Dawn associate doesn’t show up until Issue 3.

As one recent article noted:

The answer may lie in the cover [below] of the third issue…If this mysterious third character is the one alluded to in the description of Issue #1, it’s clear we’re going to see Han with some sort of mentor from his past. But could this character actually be none other than Han’s father?

han solo and chewbacca issue 3 cover
Credit: Lucasfilm/Marvel Comics

Related: ‘Star Wars’ Is Bizarrely Retconning ‘Return of the Jedi’

The article went on to note:

Probably the most convincing evidence for this bearded character being Han’s father is also the most meta: He bears a striking resemblance to Sean Connery, who played Indiana Jones’  [sic: Jones’s] father in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.

Sean Connery (left); Harrison Ford (right), 'Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade'
Credit: Lucasfilm

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Since both Indy and Han are played by Harrison Ford, it would serve to reason that their fathers would bear a resemblance to one another. And, if the purpose of this new Star Wars comic crossover with Marvel is to share details about Han and his Wookiee copilot’s life after Solo, but prior to A New Hope, who better to help bridge the gap than Han’s long lost dad?

han solo in empire strikes back
Credit: Lucasfilm

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Although the character has never been officially introduced into the Star Wars canon, the few details we do know about him indicate that Han gets some of his rogue ways from his old man. Plus, the fact that the younger Solo was on his own with no family name at a very young age indicates that his parents had a huge influence on how his life turned out, even if it wasn’t in a positive fashion — as a result Han’s father is a crucial character in the overall Star Wars story.

More on Solo: A Star Wars Story

han solo and chewbacca in solo a star wars story
Credit: Lucasfilm

Related: ‘Star Wars’ Just Gave Kylo Ren a New Origin Story

The official description of the Star Wars film reads:

Board the Millennium Falcon and journey to a galaxy far, far away in Solo: A Star Wars Story, an epic action-adventure with the most beloved scoundrel in the galaxy. Through a series of daring escapades within a dark and dangerous criminal underworld, Han Solo befriends his mighty future copilot Chewbacca and meets the notorious gambler Lando Calrissian, beginning a journey that will set the course of one of the Star Wars saga’s most unlikely heroes. 

Do you think we’re about to meet Han Solo’s father for the first time?

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