The Corellian Bloodstripe was a Corellian military award for conspicuous gallantry.
It was awarded most typically for courage demonstrated after deliberation; it was said that Corellians believed that anyone can be brave in the heat of the moment, but true heroism came when one knew that doing the right thing would hurt but did it anyway. Though they could be awarded for many reasons, the majority of the prestigious awards were awarded for courage under fire.
Usually, the Corellian bloodstripes were awarded by the Corellian government to members of the Corellian Armed Forces. However, the award could also be given to officers of the Corellian Security Force or to non-Corellian soldiers who fought for Corellia.
In everyday dress, the stripe marked by colored piping worn down the side of the trousers. There were two classes of Bloodstripes. The second class was represented by yellow piping; the first class was represented by red piping, and were almost always awarded posthumously. Though not formally recognized by the Empire, the Imperial Navy allowed its servicemen recipients to don the award with their uniforms.
According to some sources a Corellian was entitled to kill any other being caught wearing them without earning them without repercussions.
Han Solo wearing his first-class Bloodstripes.
During the Galactic War, first class stripes were awarded to the Galactic Republic heroes who defeated Darth Decimus and recaptured the Legislature Building from the Sith Empire during the Battle of Corellia.
Han Solo won both classes of bloodstripes. His second class stripes were rumored to have been earned for the events surrounding his rescue of Chewbacca; his first class stripes were earned during events that have never been disclosed. When Solo was cashiered from Imperial service, all the awards and decorations he'd earned were literally and systematically ripped off him. He expected to lose his bloodstripes as well, but was allowed to keep them, apparently because they were awarded by the Corellian military and not the Empire. However, Han Solo wore more often the yellow second class bloodstripes during his career as a smuggler since the first class stripes would draw too much attention to him.
Early in the Bacta War, Tycho Celchu suggested that Wedge Antilles paint his X Wing starfighter blue with red stripes in imitation of bloodstripes. Wedge was reluctant to do so as he had never served in the Corellian military and chose a more personal color scheme.
Wraith Squadron and Rogue Squadron pilot Myn Donos also won them during his time as a sniper with the Corellian armed forces.
The Corellian Bloodstripe first appeared as part of Han Solo's wardrobe in the 1977 film Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope. While preparing to portray a younger version of the character for the 2018 anthology film Solo: A Star Wars Story, actor Alden Ehrenreich used the fan website Wookieepedia to explore the Star Wars universe, encountering the article for the Corellian Bloodstripe. He described an audition taking place aboard the Millennium Falcon set, with the Bloodstripe as part of his costume, as a surreal moment of realizing his role in the Star Wars universe.