Biography

Early life

Childhood

The early life of Han Solo was shrouded in mystery, giving rise to numerous rumors and speculations. He was the subject of various holofilms, documentaries, and at least two purported "autobiographies" of questionable authenticity. One disputed account claimed that Solo was raised by Wookiees from the age of seven to twelve after being abandoned by his parents.

The truth is that Han Solo was orphaned at a young age, with his earliest memories being of his discovery in a Corellian spaceport by Garris Shrike, with no clear recollection of his life before that. Shrike took Solo in as a member of his band of vagrants, training and using him in his illicit activities. Initially, Han was sent out to beg, using his youthful appearance to elicit handouts. As he grew older, Han learned pickpocketing, first practicing on a droid belonging to Shrike, and then venturing out into the streets. During this period, Solo befriended Dewlanna, a Wookiee who worked as a cook on Trader's Luck, Shrike's ship.

Dewlanna acted as Solo's surrogate mother, teaching him Shyriiwook and caring for him when he fell ill. Han went on to participate in numerous scams and illegal ventures under Shrike's direction, including involvement in an asteroid mining scam and swoop racing.

Although Solo desired to learn more about his family, particularly his parents, Shrike withheld this information to maintain control over him. For years, he was unaware of his family name. On one occasion, shortly after Dewlanna informed him of his connection to the renowned Solo line, he ran away from Shrike on Corellia. There, he located his long-lost aunt Tiion Solo and his cousin, Thrackan Sal-Solo. However, the family reunion turned sour—his aunt was mentally unstable and confined to her home, while his cousin was a cruel bully who eventually betrayed him to Shrike.

Han did not discover the identities of his parents, Jonash and Jaina Solo, until he reached adulthood. Solo concealed his descent from Berethron e Solo, a Corellian king who introduced democracy to the system.

Adventures with Shrike

At Shrike's command, Han Solo visited numerous planets. During a mission on Corellia, Han formed a friendship with the half-breed Bey, whom he would later encounter during the Nagai Invasion, shortly after the Battle of Endor. There are also unconfirmed reports that Han Solo was present on Kashyyyk during the battle that occurred near the end of the Clone Wars. Similar reports mention a brief encounter with bounty hunters searching for a fugitive Jedi on the planet Socorro.

Solo's education was inconsistent, similar to that of the other children used by Shrike as beggars and thieves. While most of the children received only basic education from the ship's computer on Trader's Luck, he managed to acquire some knowledge of mathematics, physics, and history with Dewlanna's help by reading in his free time. Occasionally, he would attend school while posing as part of a "respectable family" during Shrike's elaborate cons. At one point, Solo briefly attended a school where Garm Bel Iblis delivered a speech. Afterward, he asked the Senator two insightful questions, which impressed Bel Iblis. Years later, during the Thrawn campaign (9 ABY), the senator still remembered meeting Solo.

Solo earned his keep for Shrike by performing various unsavory tasks. He once joined a pirate group led by the ruthless Lemo and Sanda. He gained recognition racing repulsorlift swoops both professionally and independently. During this time, Solo made an enemy of a Corellian swoop jockey named Dengar. In one highly publicized race through the crystal swamps of Agrilat, Solo caused Dengar to crash headfirst into a crystalline plant, severely injuring the other racer. Dengar, who harbored a lifelong grudge against Solo, later became a bounty hunter hired to find him.

In 12 BBY, Solo was sentenced to participate in the Regional Sector Number Four's All-Human Free-For-All on the penal colony world of Jubilar for card cheating, a felony there. Despite being matched against three larger opponents, Solo managed to defeat the other gladiators in unarmed combat, sustaining numerous broken bones. Just before the fight began, Solo caught a glimpse of a mysterious figure in Mandalorian armor, marking his first, albeit indirect, encounter with the notorious Boba Fett.

By 10 BBY, Solo was ready to leave Trader's Luck and start his own career. He planned to stow away on Ylesian Dream, an automated freighter, and travel to Ylesia, where he would apply for a job advertised by the Ylesian high priests. As Solo prepared to leave, Shrike and some of his associates caught him saying goodbye to Dewlanna. The armed men tried to stop Solo, but Dewlanna sacrificed herself to allow Solo to escape. Solo vowed to repay his debt to Dewlanna by helping one of her people if he ever had the chance.

Pre-military career

Solo stowed away aboard Ylesian Dream and, after a challenging journey, arrived on Ylesia. He applied for the piloting job under the alias Vykk Draygo; his task was to pilot the Ylesian Dream—a drone ship that had been targeted by pirates. A Togorian named Muuurgh was assigned as Solo's 'bodyguard', and despite initial tension, Solo and Muuurgh became close friends. Solo also became involved with one of the pilgrims seeking religious sanctuary on Ylesia—a Human woman named Bria Tharen. Solo worked for the High Priests for a while, but after uncovering the true nature of the operation—a fraudulent scheme to enslave Pilgrims—he fled the planet with Tharen, Muuurgh, and Mrrov, Muuurgh's fiancée. A key factor in his escape was that Bria, who had also discovered the truth about the Ylesian scam, was to be married to Ganar Tos. During their escape, Solo and Tharen stole a small cache of treasures from High Priest Toroenza's treasure room and indirectly caused the death of Zavval, the Hutt administrator of Ylesia. This would later haunt him as many bounty hunters sought him due to the bounty placed on his head by Zavval's relatives.

Solo and Tharen eventually made their way to Coruscant so that Solo could pursue his aspiration of becoming a pilot in the Imperial Navy. There, Han received a referral from Tharen's father, Renn, to the Imperial Academy, qualifying him for the entrance examinations without a credential from a Sector Naval Academy. Han also had his identity completely altered, including new retinal patterns, by Nici the Specialist. They remained together for a short time, but Tharen ultimately left Solo without warning, believing she was holding him back. She felt that her struggles with the addictive "Exultation" of the Ylesian t'landa Til would impede Han's career.

Solo took the entrance exams for the Imperial Academy on Coruscant, performing poorly on the cultural portions and advanced mathematics, but excelling in technical knowledge and the piloting tests. During the test, Solo flew through the Arch of Triumph instead of taking the parade route above it, achieving the fastest time for the assigned flight run. Despite his unconventional behavior, Solo was accepted into the Academy and assigned to a two-year flight instruction program on Carida.

Shortly after his acceptance into the Academy of Carida, Solo was attacked by Garris Shrike, one of the few who knew that 'Vyyk Draygo' and Han Solo were the same person. Han seemed destined for Hutt retribution, but another bounty hunter killed Shrike, and Han was able to kill that hunter. The next day, he departed for Carida.

Service in the Imperial Starfleet

Solo was devastated by Bria Tharen's departure, but he pursued his dreams (and Tharen's wishes) and studied at the Academy of Carida, honing his piloting skills. His classmates included future TIE Fighter ace Soontir Fel and Solo's friend Mako Spince. At flight school, Solo's record was mixed: he excelled in piloting but struggled academically and received numerous demerits and conduct reports. His flight instructor, Alexsandr Badure, approved of him, praising Solo's abilities in a report when he managed to land a malfunctioning U-33 orbital loadlifter by executing difficult maneuvers, saving the lives of numerous cadets and Academy Dean Horace Wyrmyr. Student Advisor Lucinta Cal-Meg noted Solo's innate intelligence and his efforts to improve his academic performance. However, many had reservations about Solo's judgment, conduct, and suitability for military service, as well as his friends at the Academy. In Solo's second year, he was investigated for his role in Mako Spince's prank that destroyed Carida's Mascot Moon with a gram of stolen antimatter, though Cadet Tedris Bjalin's testimony cleared Solo of any involvement.

Solo graduated at the top of his class with the rank of lieutenant. However, his military career was short-lived. In 5 BBY, he was dispatched to assist Commander Nyklas in tasks including slaving and construction work. In this role, Han boarded a derelict slaving craft and discovered that its cargo of Wookiee children had escaped and that a badly wounded Wookiee was in the pilot's seat. Nyklas ordered Han to skin the helpless Chewbacca, but Han refused, and Nyklas vowed to punish the Corellian. Shortly afterward, Han and Chewbacca were assigned to work on the construction of a new wing of the Imperial Hall of Heroes on Coruscant by Wookiee slaves. An enraged Chewbacca attacked Nyklas, who drew his blaster on the Wookiee. Solo refused to let Chewbacca die; he stunned his commanding officer and helped Chewbacca escape, aided by the Rebel Alliance. Court-martialed and dishonorably discharged, Solo returned to smuggling with Chewbacca (who had sworn a life debt to the Corellian) by his side.

Solo later reflected that he likely would have left Imperial service even without Chewbacca, due to the absurd regulations, incompetent officers, and widespread anti-alien prejudice. He later became wanted for treason, with the Empire placing a bounty on his head.

Solo earned both classes of the Corellian Bloodstripe during his military career, though the reasons for his first-class stripe are unknown. The events through which he earned them took place over several days. Because they were non-Imperial awards, they were the only decorations not stripped from his uniform after his court-martial. Alexsandr Badure later informed an interviewer that Solo's second-class bloodstripes came from an incident involving a Wookiee.

Smuggling career

Initially, Han was unhappy about having the large Wookiee around. He had saved Chewbacca out of remembrance of Dewlanna, but it had cost him his life's dreams. Han spent much time drinking and playing sabacc, until he was accused of cheating by an irritated Barabel named Shallamar. He likely would have been seriously injured if Chewbacca had not intervened. After that, Han and Chewbacca grew much closer.

Solo's friend Mako Spince, who had been expelled from the Academy two years before graduation, helped Solo and Chewbacca start their smuggling careers. Using Nar Shaddaa as their base of operations, the three enjoyed considerable success. Solo and Chewbacca also frequently worked for the Hutt Lords Jiliac and Jabba. They piloted many of their ships, including both Hutts' personal yachts. Solo also befriended Lando Calrissian, a gambler who saved him from the notorious bounty hunter Boba Fett, and Jarik "Solo", a street urchin who claimed to be a long-lost relative. Han knew that Jarik's claim was false, but he took the youth under his wing anyway. He also became romantically involved with the magician Xaverri and later fellow smuggler Salla Zend. During his time with Xaverri, Han became her stage assistant, performing across the galaxies in her shows. He also participated in the other aspect of her work—schemes designed to harm the Empire and Imperial officials. At one point, Han even taught Lando how to fly in a ship that would become central to much of Han's life—the Millennium Falcon. Han had been captivated by the ship from the moment he saw it and desired it above all else. During that test run, his dangerous flying frightened Calrissian. After that, he decided that Calrissian did not deserve a ship of that quality and contemplated having the Hutts buy it for him or even stealing it.

Han also bought his own ship, the Bria, from Lando, and restored it to spaceworthy condition with the help of Shug Ninx. Having the Bria only intensified his desire for the Millennium Falcon. When the Empire sent a fleet to raze the Smuggler's Moon, Han and his friends rallied a force of smugglers and pirates to victory in the Battle of Nar Shaddaa. Shortly after the battle, as Han was paying the Imperial admiral that the Hutts had agreed to bribe in exchange for his battle plans, the Bria was destroyed by Imperial fighters. Han and Chewbacca worked again with Mako, until he was crippled during a smuggling run in the Ottega system. Solo and Chewbacca continued their career on their own.

Short on cash, Han pawned his last stolen treasure from Toroenza's cache and entered the Cloud City Sabacc Tournament. Against all odds, he reached the tournament finals and defeated his friend Lando, winning the Millennium Falcon with his earnings. For a time afterward, Han Solo and Chewbacca worked in the Corporate Sector, the Tion Hegemony, and other remote but potentially lucrative sectors of the galaxy. Part of Solo's motivation for these travels was a desire to escape Salla Zend and her wedding plans, as he was not ready for such a commitment. Solo would later boast that he had been "from one side of the galaxy to the other."

Han and Chewbacca then met up with another of his former classmates from the academy, Jahan Cross, an Imperial Intelligence agent posing as an Imperial Diplo-serv Envoy on Etti IV. There, they fought against some old "friends" of Han who had lost a game of Sabacc to him. They managed to fight them off until the local security arrived and stopped the fight. Han and Chewbacca were then employed and granted diplomatic immunity by Cross. Han then asked Cross what it would cost, and Cross told him it would be at some point. When Cross was framed for the murder of Dah'lis Stark, Solo hid Stark in the secret compartments of the Falcon. Solo denied to Sergeant Myrsk that he had seen Cross since the fight. Han was then punched by Myrsk, and Chewbacca attacked him, but Han calmed him down. Myrsk was then forced to apologize to Han, or Chewbacca would hurt him. After Myrsk and his corporal left, Solo told Cross to leave. Cross then asked Han for a blaster, a change of clothes, and to be taken to an unfinished spa called Eclipse. Han initially refused, but Cross promised to pay him. After Cross discovered suspicious activity on Eclipse, he hired Solo to fly him and Ellie Stark to the satellite. Upon reaching Reltooine, the Falcon was attacked by modified Vulture-class starfighter. Solo dropped off Stark and Cross and flew off, being chased by the starfighters. Solo destroyed the pursuing starfighters and returned to pick up Cross and Stark from the falling space station. Solo transported Cross and Stark back to Etti IV and told Chewbacca how he was going to spend the credits he had earned on a new gambling system to cheat at Sabacc.

While they were operating in the Corporate Sector, the Falcon sustained damage following Solo and Chewbacca's attempt to smuggle weaponry to revolutionaries located on Duroon. Despite this setback, they successfully acquired payment from the insurgents and proceeded to settle their debt with Ploovo Two-For-One, employing a rather unconventional method. Displaying their mutual animosity, Han procured a repulsive and ill-tempered dinko, affixed the payment to it, and unleashed it upon their unfortunate creditor. Although Corporate Sector Security forces arrived at the scene, Han and Chewbacca managed to evade capture with minimal harm. With the payment fulfilled, they embarked on a quest to locate the clandestine hideout of the renegade tech expert known as "Doc" Vandangante, only to discover that he had been incarcerated within the Corporate Sector Authority prison on Stars' End. Doc's daughter, Jessa, offered to upgrade and repair his ship, as well as provide a Corporate Sector waiver, in exchange for Han's assistance in rescuing Doc and other inmates. Before their departure, the outlaw technicians found themselves under assault by IRD-A Fighters. Flying a Z-95 Headhunter, Han spearheaded the defense of the base, leading the other technicians and Jessa. Despite enduring significant casualties, their efforts proved successful. To accomplish their rescue mission for Jessa, Solo and Chewbacca received two droids, named Bollux and Blue Max, and journeyed to the agriworld of Orron III to rendezvous with a group led by Rekkon, who were planning the prison break. Although Solo's initial motivation was solely to obtain the repairs for his vessel, his priorities shifted when Chewbacca was captured. After dealing with a traitor within the group, Solo and the others made their way to Stars' End. To gain access, Han, Atuarre, Pakka, Bollux, and Blue Max disguised themselves as a troupe of entertainers. The rescue operation proved fruitful, resulting in the liberation of Chewbacca, Doc, and the remaining prisoners, as well as the destruction of Stars' End. Following the repairs to the Falcon, Solo and Chewbacca temporarily departed from the Corporate Sector, accompanied by Bollux and Blue Max.

Subsequent to a calamitous event on Kamar, where Solo and Chewbacca inadvertently sparked a religious movement (the Cult of Varn) before being compelled to flee for their lives, they made their way back to the Corporate Sector. Once there, they were engaged to transport a consignment from Lur. Upon discovering that the cargo consisted of a group of Lurrian slaves, Solo liberated them and eliminated the slaver Zlarb. As they had not been compensated for their cargo run, Solo and Chewbacca resolved to track down Zlarb's accomplice on Bonadan and obtain the promised ten thousand credits as retribution. While on Bonadan, Han was ambushed and nearly overpowered by a mysterious assailant, while Chewbacca encountered a skip tracer, named Spray, who was attempting to seize their ship due to debts and regulatory non-compliance. However, Han and Chewbacca became entangled with a CSA Auditor, Hart-and-Parn Gorra-Fiolla, who was also investigating the slavers. Han arranged to meet with one of her associates, Magg, who betrayed them. Forced to escape on a swoop bike, they managed to leave the planet after a perilous encounter and planned to meet up with Chewbacca on Ammuud. Chewbacca was similarly compelled to make a hasty departure. As Han and Fiolla were traveling on a transport to meet Chewbacca, they were attacked by pirates who were hunting for them. They escaped aboard one of the pirate's vessels and landed near the estates of the Mor Glayyd. Han and Chewbacca were eventually reunited after Han rescued the Mor Glayyd from a duel that would have resulted in his death. The Glayyd estate provided Han with a means to return to the Falcon and Chewbacca. As Han was departing the planet, he was pursued by the pirates/slavers. However, a CSA Victory-class Star Destroyer intervened and used a tractor beam to capture both ships. Although they assisted her in dismantling the gang, they narrowly avoided being arrested by another CSA executive, Odumin, who was actually the tracer Spray, and incurred the wrath of a hired gun named Gallandro. Nevertheless, they succeeded in stealing the money that Solo believed the CSA owed them.

Abandoning the Corporate Sector, the Falcon's crew ventured into clothes legging in the Cron Drift and a currency exchange scheme in the Lesser Plooriod Cluster before finding themselves short of funds and stranded in the Tion Hegemony. Following a series of misadventures, they joined forces with Solo's longtime friend Badure, a young woman named Hasti, and a Ruurian historian named S. V. Skynx in a quest to locate Xim the Despot's legendary lost treasure ship, the Queen of Ranroon. On Dellalt, they finally unearthed the treasure vaults. After encountering the "Survivors" (the descendants of Xim's soldiers) and their ancient war-robots, Solo ultimately discovered the vaults. Although Gallandro tracked him to the vaults and challenged the smuggler to a duel, the automatic defense systems eliminated the gunfighter. Solo and his companions then retrieved the treasure—unfortunately for them, it had become obsolete war matériel over the years. The two droids remained with Skynx when Solo and Chewbacca departed from the Tion Hegemony.

Shortly thereafter, Han and Chewie were apprehended by the Empire, the Millennium Falcon was impounded, and the two smugglers were placed in solitary confinement aboard the Imperial prison barge Purge. When the crew of the Purge fell victim to a devastating bioweapon created by the Empire, Han and Chewie were released from their cells by Zahara Cody, the ship's doctor, in an effort to escape the virus. Han and Chewbacca succeeded in assisting Cody and several others in evading the virus, subsequently reclaiming the Falcon and resuming their smuggling activities.

At some point between 2 BBY and 0 BBY, Han Solo became embroiled in a confrontation with multiple Stormtroopers on the Star Tours space station. He then exchanged gunfire with them before escaping aboard the Millennium Falcon, while also assisting a StarSpeeder 1000 carrying a Rebel agent in making their escape as well. Solo's actions also resulted in a Star Destroyer sustaining significant damage.

In 1 BBY, Solo was ensnared by Aleena gangster Sollima on the Outer Rim world of Simbarc due to an unpayable debt. In return for the debt, the gangster requested that Solo undertake a perilous mission on his behalf. Sollima's accounting droid was being held by the Galactic Empire, who intended to utilize the information stored within the droid's data core to seize control of Sollima's casino world, the Hollow Moon. As the Aleena was holding Chewbacca hostage, Solo had no choice but to comply. Solo's old friend, Billal Batross, with whom he had grown up on Trader's Luck, joined him on the mission, as Batross also owed Sollima money that he was unable to repay.

Together, Solo and Batross infiltrated the Imperial garrison on Moog Mot VI and recovered the droid, but Batross destroyed the droid with a blaster shot. He revealed that he had been embezzling money from Sollima's accounts, and the droid had discovered this, so Batross concealed his actions by selling the droid to the Empire. Shortly thereafter, both partners were captured by Imperial forces and interrogated. They were informed that if they betrayed Sollima, Captain Taavin would release them. With no alternative, the accomplices returned the remains of the droid to the crime lord. As Sollima required the droid to be intact, the Aleena ordered his bodyguards to shoot the scoundrels, but Batross managed to detonate a bomb concealed within the droid's head. Amidst the ensuing chaos, Solo utilized the security key provided by Taavin to override the Hollow Moon's defense system, granting the Imperial Fleet safe passage. Together, Batross, Solo, and Chewbacca departed from the Hollow Moon aboard the Millennium Falcon. Following their successful escape, Batross believed that he would become the third member of the team formed by Solo and Chewbacca, but they had grown weary of Batross's tendency to lead them into trouble and left him on Arbra among the Hoojibs.

During this era, Solo and Chewbacca occasionally worked for Jabba the Hutt. They also had multiple encounters with the Rebel Alliance. Senators Mon Mothma and Leia Organa became aware of Solo when he began spearheading efforts to liberate Wookiee slaves from Kashyyyk, as a favor to Chewbacca, who had begun to lose friends and family members to the slaving operation. Solo reluctantly permitted the Alliance to assist him in this endeavor, despite his aversion to political causes, and the Alliance soon became one of his frequent employers.

After being rescued from an Imperial fleet above Corellia, Han and Chewie assisted in planting an EMP charge on a shipment that was delivered to an Imperial facility over Corulag and helped steal Mon Calamari cruiser schematics on Carida. This final mission nearly resulted in their deaths, and subsequently, Han vowed to sever ties with the Alliance and distance himself from the Galactic Civil War, until he was once again thrust into the center of galactic politics following events on Tatooine.

At some juncture in his smuggling career, he partnered with Katya M'Buele as part of a Corellian rim-runner's crew. They were the only survivors among the crew when a smuggling operation on Skye was discovered by the planet's Imperial-appointed Majestrix, Kharys. Until they reunited in 2 ABY, Solo avoided Skye, fearing that Kharys would pursue him.

Solo's most significant involvement with the burgeoning Rebel Alliance transpired when he and other smugglers, including Lando Calrissian and Jarik Solo, aided Bria Tharen's Red Hand Squadron in raiding the Ylesian colonies and dismantling their operations—a plan endorsed, aided, and supported by Jabba, a business rival of Ylesia. In the ensuing battle, the Alliance forces emerged victorious, but several smugglers, including Jarik Solo, perished. Han and his smuggler comrades were betrayed by Tharen, who seized all the spice and treasures that were intended as the smugglers' reward from the Alliance.

Shortly thereafter, he encountered Tharen again during a Hutt-sponsored treasure hunt for the Yavin Vassilika. Once more, Tharen claimed the prize for the Rebellion, while Solo and his smuggling associates were left empty-handed. Solo and Tharen parted ways on unfavorable terms on both occasions, as Solo refused to relinquish his independent lifestyle and join Tharen in the Alliance. However, the majority of his fellow smugglers presumed that he had been collaborating with Tharen from the outset. Even one of his closest friends, Lando Calrissian, declared that he never wished to see him again.

Early Galactic Civil War

Working for Jabba

Han persisted in his work as a smuggler for Jabba the Hutt, but on one occasion, while smuggling glitterstim, Han was intercepted by an Imperial patrol and was compelled to jettison his load of spice–spice that he was unable to recover. Nevertheless, as a minor consolation, Han and Chewbacca completed the Kessel Run in less than twelve parsecs following a failed attempt to retrieve the dumped spice. As a warning, Jabba hired Greedo, an inexperienced bounty hunter, to inform Solo that he was serious about receiving payment. However, the Hutt lord was not known for his patience, and none of Solo's smuggler acquaintances were willing to assist him. Solo also suffered another personal setback at this time, when Boba Fett delivered the news of Bria Tharen's death at the Battle of Toprawa to Solo.

In an attempt to secure the funds necessary to repay Jabba, Han and Chewbacca were hired to transport an imprisoned crime lord, Tyber Zann, off the prison world of Kessel. Although the arrangement did not unfold precisely as planned, much to Solo's irritation, the duo transported Zann and his associate Urai Fen as agreed, albeit only after negotiating an increased fee.

As Han Solo had yet to settle his debt with Jabba the Hutt, the crime lord dispatched Greedo to collect the money from Solo, dead or alive. When Greedo located Solo in the Mos Eisley Cantina on Tatooine the following day, it became apparent that he intended to kill Solo rather than provide him with an opportunity to repay Jabba. Han shot Greedo from under the table, then compensated the bartender for 'the mess', as he described it. Subsequently, Solo encountered Jabba and a group of his thugs, including Boba Fett, in Docking Bay 94, where the Millennium Falcon was docked. Solo managed to persuade Jabba to grant him more time, promising to repay him what he owed plus fifteen percent after receiving payment for a routine charter flight that he and Chewbacca had recently arranged in the cantina with an old man, a young farmboy, and two droids, named R2-D2 and C-3PO.

Mercenary turned Rebel

The passengers were, of course, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Luke Skywalker, who intended to escort the droids C-3PO and R2-D2 from Tatooine to Alderaan on behalf of the Rebel Alliance. Solo was skeptical of the old man's purported past as a Jedi Knight and openly expressed his disbelief in the Force. At some point while searching for a small training device for the young Skywalker, Kenobi sat down and chose to narrate a story from his youth to Solo, recounting how he and his master once battled against Jedi Assassin Aurra Sing, which Solo again found difficult to believe, as although he thought the Jedi were a myth he also understood they wouldn't be easy to kill were they real.

Upon arriving in the Alderaan system, the crew and passengers of the Millennium Falcon discovered that the planet had been obliterated by the Death Star. After being drawn aboard by the Death Star's tractor beams, Skywalker convinced Solo and Chewbacca to assist him in rescuing Princess Leia Organa by promising "more wealth than you can imagine." Han assisted Luke in infiltrating the massive station while clad in stolen stormtrooper armor, and after a series of misadventures, they succeeded in rescuing the Princess and escaping, at the cost of Obi-Wan's life, taken by his former apprentice, Darth Vader during their duel aboard the Death Star.

Subsequently, Solo transported Leia, Skywalker, and the droids to Yavin 4 to collect his reward. Although he was initially inclined to abandon the Rebels and abscond with his fee, a pang of conscience (partially influenced by Chewbacca's arguments) prompted him to join the Battle of Yavin at the last moment. The Millennium Falcon arrived just in time for Solo to destroy Black 3, which caused Black 2 to collide with and disable Darth Vader's TIE advanced. This enabled Skywalker to destroy the Death Star, securing a significant victory for the Alliance and recognition for Solo. As a consequence of this battle, as well as his earlier involvement in rescuing Organa, Solo and Chewbacca had a bounty placed on their heads: Specifically, 300,000 credits alive, due to their crimes of the liberation of a known criminal, direct involvement in armed revolt against the Empire, high treason, espionage, conspiracy, and the destruction of Imperial property.

Hero of the Alliance

Solo and Skywalker were both presented with medals of honor in a lavish ceremony for their contributions. The day following the Battle of Yavin, he shot down an Imperial cruiser that was searching for the Death Star, much to the dismay of his superiors. The chests of treasure that the Rebels had given him were stolen from him almost immediately after departing Yavin by the space pirate Crimson Jack (who, ironically, had ties to the Hutt crime lord), leaving Solo still unable to settle his debt with Jabba. With the assistance of Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia, Solo managed to defeat the pirate. Following the debacle, Solo returned the recovered money to the Alliance.

Impoverished and fearing Jabba's retribution, Solo and Chewbacca discovered an ancient cache of treasure hidden within one of Yavin 4's temples. He transported the treasure to an Ithorian named Sprool on Dennogra, who in turn delivered the money to Jabba. However, it was too little and too late. Jabba retained the money and refused to rescind the bounty. Han Solo remained a hunted man with a price on his head. He, however, utilized funds earned from selling more of the treasure to procure new T-65 X-Wings for the Rebellion.

Following the destruction of Alderaan, Han still desired to leave the Rebellion, but for the time being, he traveled with Chewbacca, Luke, Leia, and the droids to Muunilinst. On the planet, Leia was scheduled to meet Mak Luunim, who possessed the codes for certain secret accounts belonging to the Rebellion. As they flew in the Millennium Falcon, a TIE fighter attacked them, and an unknown pilot came to their aid. Subsequently, the pilot crashed on a moon, and Han and the others searched for him, despite still being on their mission. On the moon, they were attacked by a reek as soon as they found the pilot who said that his name had been Tobin Elad. On seeing the reek Han had shot with his blaster so they were surrounded in a cave and only Luke could disburden them. Then the group traveled to Muunilinst where they discovered that Mak Luunim was dead and Nal Kenuun had the codes of the Rebellion. Therefore Luke had to win a podrace to get the codes back. While he and Leia made a plan, Han and Tobin Elad were involved into an affray with some other racers. Later Luke won the race but Kenuun now wanted to get the head money of Han and Tobin. Leia then threatened to hurt the krayt dragon Urgiluu if Kenuun would not let her companions go. For this reason Kenuun exchanged the safety of the krayt dragon for the liberty of the group.

At one juncture, Han Solo made his way to Phelarion to accomplish the rescue of Leia. She had met with disaster after a scouting mission went awry, resulting in a crash landing. Accompanying Leia were two servants, Sparv and Bikum Calus, who were former associates of Solo. Their intention was to pilfer the valuable megonite moss for personal financial gain.

Subsequently, Ramiz, a moisture farmer residing on Aduba-3, enlisted the services of Han and Chewbacca. Their task was to safeguard his village against a notorious gang of local thugs known as the Cloud-Riders, who were under the leadership of Serji-X Arrogantus. To bolster their efforts, Han and Chewbacca recruited six unconventional spacers, including Don-Wan Kihotay, a Human who fancied himself a Jedi Knight, Jaxxon, a Lepi known for his disagreeable nature, and Jimm Doshun along with his droid companion, FE-9Q. Han, Chewbacca, and the collective known as the Star-Hoppers of Aduba-3 arrived at Ramiz's village, Onacra, only to discover it was under siege by high-hounds. They succeeded in repelling the beasts, thereby saving the life of a young girl named Merri, much to the relief of her father, Oncho, who served as the village spokesman. However, their respite was short-lived as Serji-X Arrogantus and his gang initiated an attack. Han and the Star-Hoppers valiantly defended the village, but their efforts proved futile as FE-9Q met its demise, and Merri's grandfather, the Old One, dismissed the hired spacers' assistance. Instead of depending on Han and his team, the shaman invoked a colossal, mythical reptilian creature known as the Behemoth from the World Below to confront the invading Cloud-Riders. Numerous members of the Star-Hoppers perished in their attempts to vanquish the creature. Utilizing Kihotay's lightsaber, Han ultimately managed to slay the formidable beast. Soon after, Han Solo and Chewbacca departed from Aduba-3 aboard the Millennium Falcon, only to be captured once more by Crimson Jack and his band of pirates. Princess Leia Organa had also fallen into the pirate's clutches while en route to the Drexel system to ascertain the fate of Luke. Jack intended to demand a ransom for the Princess. However, Han and Leia secretly hatched a scheme to deceive the pirates into transporting them to the Drexel system by falsely claiming that the Rebels had amassed a treasure there. Accepting Solo's assertion, Jack journeyed to Drexel, where they encountered Luke and crossed paths with Quarg, the Governor of Drexel, and the Dragon Lords. Han successfully escaped aboard the Falcon, only to crash it near Quarg's ship. Joining forces with the Dragon Lords, Han and Luke managed to rescue Leia, the droids, and Chewbacca. Han then confronted Jack in space, ultimately shooting and killing the pirate.

Following an unfortunate incident at the expansive gambling establishment known as the Wheel, Solo sought refuge on Orleon to carry out repairs. He was soon approached by an emissary from Jabba the Hutt. Within a week, Solo had rescued the emissary from stone mites and, miraculously, had the bounty lifted from his head. He made his way back to Tatooine and began to mend his relationship with the Hutt. He undertook Kessel Runs for the crime lord, even surpassing BoShek's previously unmatched record time. Regrettably, this was not to endure. The remnants of Crimson Jack's Star Destroyer were discovered by the Hutt's agents, and within days, the bounty was reinstated on Solo's head. An even greater reward was offered for anyone who could capture him alive, so Jabba could personally execute Solo.

While evading Jabba's organization, Solo and Chewbacca continued their collaboration with the Rebel Alliance for the subsequent three years. Solo forged a strong friendship with Luke Skywalker and cultivated a love-hate dynamic with Princess Leia, solidifying these bonds through perilous encounters with bounty hunters.

Around this period, Han dispatched Col Serra to establish a new unit, which would remain clandestine for many years to come.

Mere days before the Evacuation of Yavin, during negotiations with the Aquaris Freeholders, Leia Organa "accused" Han of being an Imperial spy. In reality, this accusation was a ruse to expose the true spy, Kraaken, the deputy commander of the Aquaris Freeholders, who was among them. Furthermore, shortly after Luke Skywalker's discovery of the Super Star Destroyer Executor's development during a reconnaissance mission at Fondor, Leia tasked him with retrieving a power gem. Despite his personal skepticism regarding the gem's existence, he accepted the assignment upon realizing that the alternative was allowing Leia to send Luke to find the gem upon his return from his mission, as Luke was "unfamiliar with the Underworld." He initially sought information about the gem at Junkfort Station, but his efforts nearly resulted in his death when he discerned that some of the "criminals" who offered to "help" Solo were actually planning to lure him to Jabba the Hutt for the financial reward. Nevertheless, he learned from one of the other attendees about locating the pirate Raskar, who possessed the sole known remaining power gem. After locating Raskar and orchestrating a staged fight between Chewbacca and the reigning victor of the tournament outside the ring to gain proximity and determine the remaining power in the power gem, he acquired the gem. He also vowed to keep the true status of the shield properties of the power gem a secret after learning about its decrease in power, as he and the Rebel Alliance only intended to use the gem once anyway, although he secretly planned to plunder Raskar of all his ill-gotten gains as punishment for the scam. However, upon returning to Yavin base with the power gem, he learned from Leia that Luke had not returned to Yavin due to an ambush.

Following the evacuation of Yavin IV, the Rebellion was left without a base. Han and Chewbacca assisted Han's newly formed elite fighting force, Renegade Squadron, led by Col Serra, in acquiring a holocron created by Bail Prestor Organa before Alderaan's destruction. The holocron, encased in phrik, survived the planet's destruction and contained a list of potential bases for the Alliance. During the battle to obtain it, Han was contacted by Boba Fett, who demanded the Holocron. However, the bounty hunter was repelled by the squadron, and the holocron was successfully secured.

Following the damage sustained in the Alderaan system, Han, Chewbacca, and Renegade Squadron landed on Ord Mantell to undertake repairs. However, before the repairs could be completed, the droid bounty hunter IG-88 discovered their presence and alerted the Imperials. During a battle with them, a power converter and an energy cell were salvaged from the junkyards. Han repaired his ship, and he, Chewbacca, and Renegade Squadron departed from the planet, narrowly evading a Star Destroyer squadron. Shortly thereafter, they learned that Gial Ackbar had been captured by the Empire while on a reconnaissance mission to locate a new base. Han and Chewbacca played a role in rescuing Ackbar.

The squadron received information from Ackbar indicating that his crew had been captured by Boba Fett and sold into slavery on Tatooine. Han and Renegade Squadron landed on the planet and encountered Imperial resistance. During the skirmish there, they learned from a Rodian contact in a cantina that the slaves were being held in a shipyard. Han, employing a fusioncutter, breached the room where the slaves were being held and, together with Renegade Squadron, fought their way to the Millennium Falcon and escaped the planet. They returned to Boz Pity, the Alliance's new base. However, a tracker beacon had been planted in an R2 unit, enabling Boba Fett to track them and subsequently inform the Imperials of the Rebels' new base location on Boz Pity. An Imperial planetary assault force attacked the base. Han and Chewbacca assisted in preparing and piloting the evacuation craft that allowed Renegade Squadron and Ackbar to flee the planet.

Six months after the battle of Yavin, Han was scheduled to accompany Leia to a diplomatic meeting with Chivkyrie on Shelkonwa, but he was reassigned to pursue pirate groups threatening Alliance supply lines, alongside Luke. However, he harbored doubts about his allegiance to the Rebels and reluctantly accepted the assignment. During their mission, they encountered the Hand of Judgment and developed a tenuous relationship with them, even after both sides discovered the other's identity. Together, they vanquished a group of BloodScar pirates. Upon learning that Leia was being hunted on Shelkonwa by the Empire and that the pirates had inside assistance from the governor's office there, the ex-Imperials and Rebels infiltrated Shelkonwa, with the troopers posing as their escorts while they searched for Leia. Although the rogue stormtroopers departed to assist Mara Jade, Luke, Han, and Chewie located Leia and, returning to the Hand of Judgment's ship, escaped once the Hand returned. They were dropped off at the Falcon and returned to Alliance headquarters. Leia informed him that he could remain in the Alliance for the sake of one person, and while she meant Chewie, Han preferred to believe he was there for her and remained part of the Alliance.

After weeks of searching for Vader's TIE Fighter, Solo and Organa stopped over at Ord Mantell, where he hoped to earn some money at the Sabacc tables and attempt to settle his debt with Jabba. Before long, Solo found himself racing the Togorian Alfreda Goot to Tatooine, after the bounty hunter kidnapped Organa. In a short span of time, Solo inadvertently returned Vader to the Empire, encountered a prototype Executor, and rescued the princess of Alderaan.

Subsequently, Han, accompanied by Chewbacca, Leia, and Deena Shan, journeyed to the planet Aguarl 3. During an unplanned detour on the perilous planet, Han and his first mate, Chewbacca, were attacked by the planet's native creatures. Fortunately, Leia and Deena were able to protect them from the dangerous local wildlife.

Almost a year after the destruction of the Death Star, Chewbacca and Han set off for the Life Day celebration on Kashyyyk, providing a brief respite between periods of conflict. However, peace was short-lived for the duo. Shortly after departing Tatooine for Kashyyyk, they found themselves once again pursued by the Empire. They fled into lightspeed and continued on their way. However, the Empire had evidently traced their route to Kashyyyk, which they correctly suspected was a haven for rebels. Upon discovering this, Darth Vader ordered a blockade and search of the planet. A group of Imperial officers entered Chewbacca's home, terrorizing his family and ransacking the house, searching for any evidence of rebel activity. However, after some time, Chewbacca's son, then known as Lumpawarrump, devised a plan. He used his mini-transmitter, a Life Day gift from Saun Dann, to transmit a voice message through the Imperial airwaves, altering the sound of Lumpy's voice. He issued the command "return to base," which the officers in the home picked up on their receivers. They complied, with the exception of the stormtrooper known as B4711, who was ordered by a superior to remain behind temporarily to monitor the house for rebel activity. However, the trooper soon discovered Lumpy's trick and pursued him through the house, out onto the balcony, where Han and Chewbacca had just arrived. Chewbacca roared as Han managed to kill the trooper. That night, the group, along with the other Wookiees on Kashyyyk, celebrated an uninterrupted Life Day.

One year following the Battle of Yavin, Han provided support for Crix Madine and Rogue Squadron during the battle of Corellia and oversaw the evacuation of the Coronet Capitol Tower.

As a member of the Rebel Alliance, Solo undertook numerous missions while attempting to evade Jabba's organization. However, despite Han's efforts, he frequently encountered bounty hunters seeking to collect Jabba's bounty. On one such occasion, Han and Chewbacca returned to Ord Mantell, where he encountered another bounty hunter aiming to claim Jabba's reward, the cyborg Skorr. Skorr had devised a plan to use Luke Skywalker and Leia Organa to lure Solo into a trap. Solo and Chewbacca managed to evade the trap and rescue Skywalker and the Princess in the process. Skorr accidentally killed himself with his blaster during a duel with Solo.

When the Alliance lost a substantial shipment of ryll en route to a Rebel medical facility, Solo was tasked with utilizing his underworld connections to determine its whereabouts. After conversations with fellow smugglers yielded several leads, Solo arranged a meeting with Alliance Major Bhan in a cantina on Corellia. However, instead of Bhan, an ISB operative posing as a smuggler approached Solo and initiated a conversation. Their discussion was interrupted by the arrival of Solo's friend Col Serra, who informed him that Bhan had been bushwhacked on Tatooine, allegedly by the same individual Solo was speaking with. The undercover agent attempted to deny it, but Solo and Serra confronted him regardless. Following a brief altercation, they subdued him and departed, unaware that the operative had managed to attach a tracking device to Solo. Later, when the shipment was discovered to be located on the asteroid Skip 52 in the Smuggler's Run, Rebel agents traveled there and successfully defeated ISB personnel attempting to secure the ryll. Solo and Chewbacca took the Millennium Falcon to Skip 52 to assist in returning it to the Alliance, but they were tracked via the beacon placed on Solo. A second team of ISB agents arrived to secure the shipment, and this time they succeeded. Solo and Chewbacca managed to escape in the Millennium Falcon with a few crates of ryll, though the majority had fallen into the hands of the Empire.

On another occasion, Han and Chewbacca acquired some valuable glowing Tandgor gems, which he claimed would settle debts and contribute to modifying the Millennium Falcon. They landed on an unknown planet to refuel. Upon landing, Solo and Chewbacca were confronted by groaning skeletal figures: the undead. Chewbacca managed to fend them off and hastily retreated back to the Falcon, only to discover that the fuel line had been severed by someone. Arming themselves, the two-man crew of the Falcon ventured back and encountered a local and her baby, who explained that the crew of a "Great Interplanetary Ark" had perished after their ship crashed in the planet's fog. They were compelled to wander the planet as corpses, terrorizing the locals each night.

Utilizing the Tandgor Gems to create lines, Han fashioned a makeshift runway that dissolved the fog. A ghostly apparition of the long-crashed ship used it to land, easing the spirits of the perished crew. The living dead would no longer terrorize the planet's residents. Han and Chewbacca departed the planet without profit but were rewarded with enough fuel to last the remainder of their journey.

Crisis on Cloud City

Following encounters with bounty hunters such as Skorr and Cypher Bos on Ord Mantell, Solo resolved to abandon his friends in the Rebellion and finally resolve his issues with the Hutt. After Luke Skywalker disappeared while on patrol, Han embarked on a search for Luke on a tauntaun, but he became stranded alongside Luke in the blizzard. Consequently, he was compelled to use his recently deceased Tauntaun as a makeshift heat source, employing Luke's lightsaber to cut open its innards until morning, when Zev Senesca located him during a search operation. Similarly, during patrol, he discovered and destroyed a Viper probe droid, but not before it transmitted images of the Rebel shield generator, revealing their location. Before he could complete repairs on the Millennium Falcon and depart from the Rebels' Echo Base, he was caught in the Imperial attack on Hoth.

When Princess Leia and C-3PO were separated from their evacuation ship, Solo took them aboard the Millennium Falcon, which evaded Vader's Death Squadron by concealing itself in the Hoth asteroid field. When they were nearly trapped in the gullet of a space slug, Han piloted the Falcon back into the asteroid field, where they were almost immediately detected by the Star Destroyer Avenger. Han, disregarding a warning from C3PO, steered his ship into an attack approach, flying directly over Avenger's bridge. Subsequent tracking of the Falcon yielded no results; Han had outmaneuvered Avenger's command by attaching his ship to the rear of the Star Destroyer's conning tower using the Falcon's landing claws. Han and his passengers later escaped undetected by drifting off amongst Avenger's garbage dump before Avenger entered hyperspace. During their escape, Solo and Leia began to express their affection for each other, which would eventually lead to them falling in love.

Given that the Millennium Falcon's repairs were still incomplete, Solo traveled to the nearest safe haven: Bespin, home to Solo's old friend Lando Calrissian's tibanna mining facility, Cloud City. Unfortunately for Solo, Darth Vader and Boba Fett had arrived there before him. Under duress, Calrissian struck a deal with the Dark Lord to betray the Rebels in exchange for the continued autonomy of Cloud City. Calrissian invited them for "refreshments" and led them into a room where Darth Vader was waiting. Han, with remarkable speed, drew his blaster and fired a couple of shots at Vader, who effortlessly blocked them and seized the blaster from Han's hands using the Force. Subsequently, Boba Fett and stormtroopers surrounded the Rebels, capturing them. Solo endured severe torture on a scan grid by the Imperials, who, according to him afterward, never even posed any questions. While in his cell, Calrissian visited and informed the agonized Han about the custody of Leia and Chewbacca and Vader's plan to trap Luke Skywalker. Unconcerned about the consequences and enraged by his friend's betrayal, Han punched Calrissian before being subdued by the administrator's guard detail.

Shortly thereafter, the Imperials took Han to be frozen in carbonite as a test to ensure Luke Skywalker's survival in a similar freezing process. There, surrounded by Darth Vader and his personal guard, he spoke his last words before being frozen. In response to Leia's declaration of "I love you," Solo replied, "I know." (Listen (help·info)) After being frozen, Han Solo entered a state of hibernation.

Fett, labeling Vader's handiwork Man in Carbonite, loaded the slab containing Solo aboard the Slave I and departed for Jabba's Palace. After escaping Bespin, Skywalker, Leia, Chewbacca, and a repentant Calrissian began planning Solo's rescue.

Rescue

In 4 ABY, the group managed to locate Solo and initiate a rescue operation. As a result of meticulous planning, Leia, disguised as Boushh, brought Solo out of carbon freeze, causing him to temporarily suffer from blindness, a symptom of hibernation sickness. However, Jabba was aware of Leia's true identity and imprisoned Han Solo, while Leia was destined to become his new slave, replacing his previous favorite, Oola. In his cell in Jabba's Palace, Solo was reunited with his partner Chewbacca. During his brief period of captivity, a B'omarr Monk named Sai'da interviewed Solo, hoping to record the famous smuggler's history. With the arrival of Luke Skywalker, Han Solo was once again brought before Jabba. He attempted to bargain for his life, but to no avail, as Jabba deemed him a failure. Han reunited with Luke as the two were sentenced to death and led to the Sarlacc pit.

At the Sarlacc pit, Luke reversed the situation, and a battle ensued. During the fight, Calrissian redeemed himself by risking his life to save his old friend. Solo inadvertently triggered Boba Fett's jetpack, sending him flying into Jabba's sail barge and then into the Sarlacc (though the hunter escaped well after the skirmish had ended). Solo then managed to rescue Lando from one of the Sarlacc tentacles while hanging from one of the damaged skiffs, despite still suffering from hibernation sickness. The fighting concluded with Leia killing Jabba and Han being reunited with his friends. The heroes swiftly escaped Jabba's barge as it exploded due to a chain reaction initiated by Luke, who fired its cannon into its hull at point-blank range. They then departed Tatooine after a fierce sandstorm when Luke revealed that he needed to go to Dagobah.

Some time after this incident, Han volunteered to rescue Ithorians from the Empire. Han and Chewbacca located the Ithorians, destroyed several TIE Fighters, and evaded asteroids. They even encountered three more space slugs, narrowly avoiding them as they had during the Battle of Hoth.

Attack on Endor

With the bounty lifted, Solo could now dedicate his efforts to supporting the Rebellion.

After recovering from the adverse effects of long-term cryogenic stasis, he formally enlisted in the Alliance and received the rank of general. He commanded a special operations unit, including Luke Skywalker, Leia Organa, and Chewbacca, on a critical mission to Endor. Their objective was to disable the Death Star II's shield generator, paving the way for a fleet led by Admiral Ackbar and Calrissian, who had also achieved the rank of general, to engage and assault the space station, with the ultimate goal of capturing or eliminating the Emperor.

During their time on Endor, Leia became separated from the main group after pursuing a pair of scout troopers on a repulsorcraft. Concerned for her safety, Han, Chewbacca, and Luke, accompanied by R2-D2 and C-3PO, initiated a search through the dense forests of Endor to find her. However, the search party inadvertently stumbled into a trap designed to exploit Chewbacca's appetite, leading to their capture by the Ewoks, the indigenous inhabitants of Endor. They were eventually released with the intervention of Threepio, whom the Ewoks mistakenly identified as a divine being, and Luke. Following this initial encounter, Han and his companions were integrated into the Ewok tribe, establishing a strong connection with them.

Subsequent to their acceptance into the tribe, Han led his strike team toward the shield generator complex. Unbeknownst to Solo, their mission was compromised; Palpatine was fully aware of their intentions to destroy the generator. Consequently, Solo and his team were captured, while a significant battle unfolded in space between the Rebel and Imperial fleets. Fortunately, with the assistance of the Ewoks and the timely arrival of Renegade Squadron, Han and the other Rebels managed to reverse their fortunes, capturing numerous Imperial soldiers. After strategically placing several 7-PrG proton grenades, Han successfully destroyed the shield generator, eliminating Captain Sarkli during his escape (while also remarking that Sarkli had chosen the losing side). This action allowed General Calrissian to commence his assault on the Death Star. The Death Star was ultimately destroyed, along with the Emperor. As the Death Star exploded, illuminating the sky, Han expressed his confidence that Luke had escaped in time, and Leia concurred, stating, "I can feel it." Misinterpreting Leia's statement as affection for Luke, Han offered to step aside upon Luke's return. Leia clarified that Luke was her brother, shocking Han. They then shared a kiss as the celebration began, and Solo later participated in the evening's festivities.

A Celebrated Figure of the New Republic (4 ABY–19 ABY)

The Truce at Bakura and Its Consequences

In the aftermath of the Battle of Endor, Solo accompanied Princess Leia and Luke as part of a military contingent dispatched to Bakura, which was under assault by the Ssi-ruuk. The Imperial forces present were overwhelmed by the Ssi-Ruuk invaders. The intervention of Alliance forces resulted in a stalemate, leading to a temporary alliance between the Imperials and the Rebels. Han felt uneasy around the Imperials, and his bluntness irritated some of them. During his time on Bakura, Han attempted to strengthen his relationship with Leia, but circumstances prevented them from spending quality time together, and Leia was disturbed by a vision of Anakin Skywalker. After a successful engagement forced the Ssi-Ruuk to withdraw, Imperial governor Wilek Nereus betrayed the Rebels and ordered their capture. Leia was arrested for sedition but was rescued by Han. Aboard the Falcon, Han prepared to ram the Imperial fleet to allow the Alliance forces to escape. However, Luke convinced the Imperial fleet commander to surrender. Solo then assisted in the swift overthrow of the Bakuran government and witnessed Nereus's surrender. Soon after, the Alliance of Free Planets was established.

Solo later led Rebel forces in the Battle for the Eclipse aboard the Millennium Falcon, forming a temporary alliance with Tyber Zann's organization against Imperial forces to destroy the partially constructed Eclipse. Aware of Zann's reputation, Solo suspected that Zann had ulterior motives for aiding the Rebel Alliance. He warned Zann that he would eliminate him if he suspected any betrayal. Together, Zann's fleet and the Solo-led rebels destroyed three Cardan-class space stations. When Zann's boarding party seized control of the Eclipse, Solo recognized Zann's deception and launched an attack, but he and the rebels were quickly forced to retreat. Zann proceeded to destroy the remaining Imperial fleet and steal valuable information from the Eclipse before abandoning it.

A Fateful Encounter with Boba Fett

Despite his victory at the Battle of Endor, Solo found himself short on funds. Refusing to accept financial assistance from the House of Alderaan and the Rebel Alliance, Han, along with Princess Leia and R2-D2, traveled to Tatooine to access Han's bank account. However, his account was frozen due to his carbonite imprisonment. Shortly afterward, R2-D2 was captured by Jawas. Unbeknownst to Han, the Jawas had also captured Boba Fett, who was suffering from amnesia after escaping the Sarlacc. Han jumped from his moving landspeeder and entered the sandcrawler's cargo hold to find Artoo and Boba Fett; he was surprised the bounty hunter survived the Sarlacc too. Fett, temporarily amnesiac, assisted Solo in rescuing R2 from the sandcrawler and placing him on the racing landspeeder. Unfortunately for Solo, Fett regained his memory due to Leia's constant repetition of Solo's name. Fett attempted to shoot Solo, but missed. Solo and the others fled, leaving Boba Fett and the Jawas to be consumed by the Sarlacc. However, Fett was regurgitated by the Sarlacc, once again.

The Nagai-Tof Conflict

Following the establishment of the Alliance of Free Planets, Solo, along with Chewbacca and Lando Calrissian, were dispatched on several missions to secure attendees for the First Conference of Free Peoples. After these recruitment missions, the group decided to visit Chewbacca's family on Kashyyyk. Upon arriving on the planet, the group sensed an unsettling atmosphere around Rwookrrorro. With Chewbacca leading the way, they proceeded toward Chewbacca's home. However, they were ensnared in a trap set by Chewbacca's brother-in-law, Vargi, and his enigmatic companion, Knife. It turned out that Knife's true objective was to establish a slave operation on Kashyyyk, using Chewbacca's family as leverage to control the Wookiees. Fortunately, Han and Lando managed to escape.

While Lando contacted the Alliance, Solo attempted to prevent Chewbacca from being taken aboard a slaving vessel. He succeeded in freeing Chewbacca but was interrupted by Vargi. Vargi dragged Chewbacca aside and began to assault him for his attempted escape. Unable to bear witnessing Chewbacca's brutal beating, Han intervened and struck Vargi. Enraged, Vargi retaliated, striking Solo and rendering him unconscious. Shortly afterward, Lando returned with weapons and armed the Wookiees who remained loyal to the Alliance. The Wookiees overthrew their rogue counterparts just as Chewbacca managed to overpower Vargi, throwing him to the ground. Han regained consciousness just in time to see Knife fleeing the battlefield. Although Knife's slave ring had been dismantled, the skirmish on Kashyyyk marked the beginning of the Nagai–Tof War.

The situation deteriorated further as certain members of the Alliance began to voice their discontent with the Alliance's leadership, claiming it was overly authoritarian. The leaders of these dissenting factions convened on Kabray to share their concerns. Most of those attending the gathering were non-military members of the Alliance who had contributed little to the Rebellion's fight against the Empire. To demonstrate that their leadership was not detached, Admiral Ackbar dispatched Han and Princess Leia, accompanied by four Zeltrons as escorts, to the meeting on Kabray. Unfortunately, Han and Leia unwittingly walked into a trap and were captured by the Nagai. While Han and Leia attempted to devise a plan involving Leia feigning unconsciousness, the Zeltrons initiated their own plan, eliminating the guards. Eventually, the Nagai were subdued and captured by Solo and the others, thwarting the Nagai's strategic advantage on Kabray.

Shortly after the skirmish on Kabray, the Nagai forces and their Imperial allies launched an attack on the forest moon of Endor, officially initiating the Nagai-Tof War. While Ackbar commanded forces in space, Han and Luke set out to investigate a disturbance in the forest reported by the Ewok Tippet. They discovered a squad of Nagai and Maccabree preparing to attack the Alliance base, concealed by the diversion in space. While Luke departed to warn the base, Han encountered the traitor Bey.

Although Bey initially gained the upper hand in hand-to-hand combat, the Nagai commander, Knife, intervened and attempted to shoot Han. Bey, unwilling to kill Han, tackled Ozrei, causing the shot to miss. This provided Solo with an opportunity to retrieve his blaster and shoot Ozrei, which he did with precision. A distraught Bey revealed that Ozrei was his half-brother and allowed Han to proceed to the listening post. By the time he arrived, the Maccabree had been driven off, fleeing in their flight suits.

The war escalated when the Nagai's sworn enemies, the Tofs, joined the conflict. The final battle of the war took place at the Battle of Saijo after the Alliance allied with the Nagai and Empire against the Tofs and their leader Prince Sereno. Upon learning of Sereno's and Lumiya's plans on Saijo, a strike team consisting of Han, Princess Leia, Luke, Dani, Knife, Den Shiva, and one stormtrooper were dispatched to Saijo to neutralize the threat. Han and the others successfully defeated the Tof and Lumiya, leading to Prince Sereno's surrender. The Nagai-Tof War finally came to an end.

The Hunt for Zsinj

While not a formal member of the military and never holding political office, Han Solo played a crucial role in the New Republic. Solo was instrumental in the Liberation of Kashyyyk, eliminating its oppressors such as the Trandoshan slaver Pekt and Moff Hindane Darcc. Solo continued to participate in the defeat of numerous warlords.

In 7 ABY, Warlord Zsinj's attacks on the New Republic caused widespread fear and discontent. Due to his reputation and public image, Solo was appointed commander of a task force with the mission of hunting down and eliminating Zsinj. His flagship was the Mon Remonda, a Mon Calamari Star Cruiser. His command included several other Mon Calamari cruisers, a few Imperial Star Destroyers, smaller frigates, and numerous starfighter squadrons, including Rogue Squadron, Wraith Squadron, Polearm Squadron, and Nova Squadron. Han and Zsinj engaged in a relentless game of cat and mouse. In one instance, Han used a fake Millennium Falcon, known as the Millennium Falsehood, and on another occasion, he received assistance from an Imperial Immobilizer 418 interdictor cruiser commanded by Teren Rogriss, his Imperial counterpart in the fight against Zsinj. In their final fleet battle in late 7 ABY, Solo and his fleet were led to believe that they had destroyed Zsinj's flagship, the Iron Fist Executor-class Star Dreadnought. However, Zsinj had deceived them by detonating a reconstructed Star Dreadnought as a diversion while the Iron Fist jumped into hyperspace.

A Courtship Gone Awry

Following the hunt for Zsinj, Han returned to Coruscant and discovered that Prince Isolder of Hapes had proposed marriage to Leia. At a formal reception, the Hapes delegation presented Leia with various gifts, including a Hapan Gun of Command and a unique plant. Jealous and disheartened, Han ventured into the undercity of Coruscant and won ownership of the planet Dathomir in a game of sabacc. Shortly afterward, he kidnapped Leia and took her to the planet in an attempt to win her affection. However, they soon discovered that the planet was inhabited by the Dathomiri "Force witches" and served as Warlord Zsinj's hidden base of operations. Han was captured by one of the witch clans, who intended to trade him to Zsinj in exchange for transportation off Dathomir. Han was tortured by Gethzerion, the leader of the witches, before being rescued by Luke, who single-handedly piloted the Millennium Falcon with the aid of the Force.

Back at the controls of the Falcon, Solo managed to breach the shields of Zsinj's flagship. Solo contacted Zsinj on the comm, telling Zsinj to "kiss [his] Wookiee" before launching two concussion missiles into the bridge of the ship, killing the warlord instantly and effectively turning the tide of the Battle of Dathomir.

Following the Zsinj crisis, he married Leia, making him the husband of the New Republic's Minister of State and eventually Chief of State. Later that year, Han and Leia were sent to Tatooine, disguised as a red-skinned Devaronian and a blue-skinned Twi'lek using false prints and retina-concealing contacts, to retrieve the Alderaanian moss painting Killik Twilight, which contained an encrypted Shadowcast key with codes once used by the Alliance. During their time on Tatooine, the pair met several individuals who had known Anakin Skywalker when he was a nine-year-old slave and Podracer. Their mission was complicated by the presence of a group of Imperials also seeking the painting, including Kitster Banai, the Rodian Wald, and the younger sister of Beru Whitesun, the woman who raised Luke and was present at the burial of his grandmother Shmi Skywalker. They also discovered Shmi's diary with the help of the Darklighters, who now owned Luke's moisture farm. From this diary, Leia learned that her father was not always the evil monster she believed him to be and began to forgive him. Enlisting the help of some Squibs, Han and Leia embarked on a long chase to retrieve the painting, during which Han became lost in a sandstorm and suffered from dehydration. Leia and the Darklighter family rescued him, and they eventually recovered the Shadowcast key, although the Empire obtained the painting.

This adventure on Tatooine gave his wife a new understanding of Anakin Skywalker. Soon, Leia made plans with Han to start a family. Later, it was learned that she was pregnant with twins.

The Empire's Resurgence

During the Thrawn campaign in 9 ABY, Solo played a significant role in thwarting several of Grand Admiral Thrawn's schemes. While balancing his responsibilities to his wife and unborn children, he also participated in various diplomatic missions, both to recruit fringe groups and to accompany Leia on official New Republic delegations. Han successfully defended Leia from multiple attacks by Noghri commandos, employing unconventional tactics. When suspicious bank account activity implicated Admiral Ackbar, Han enlisted Lando's help to find a slicer to investigate the accounts. Lando and Han subsequently visited Talon Karrde on Myrkr to recruit a slicer, but events quickly changed their mission when an Imperial Grand Admiral arrived and Han and Lando discovered that Karrde had been holding Luke Skywalker prisoner. Adapting to the situation, he and Lando evaded the Imperials and helped rescue Luke from the stormtroopers searching for him, with Karrde's assistance. Following their departure from Myrkr, Han and the crew of the Millennium Falcon became involved in the Battle of Sluis Van, where they attempted to disable the mole miners that Thrawn was using to steal New Republic ships. While Lando succeeded in preventing the theft, most of the ships sustained significant damage. While Han worked to aid the New Republic against the Empire, he also had to contend with the political maneuvering of ambitious Bothan leader Borsk Fey'lya.

Han continued his investigation into Ackbar's accusations and Fey'lya's activities, traveling to New Cov. While following Tav Breil'lya, Fey'lya's aide, Han was intercepted by Sena, but their discussion was interrupted by an Imperial raid. Fleeing in the Lady Luck with Lando, as Leia was using the Falcon, Han and Lando were escorted back to Peregrine's Nest, where they encountered the legendary Corellian Senator Garm Bel Iblis and his private army. Han was impressed to see the former Senator again, even addressing him as "sir," a term he rarely used. After Lando realized that Bel Iblis's ships had come from the Katana fleet, Han and Lando raced against the Empire to find Bel Iblis's contact who had supplied the ships. Their search led them to the Coral Vanda, but a detour and ambush instigated by Niles Ferrier slowed them down, allowing the Empire to reach the contact, Hoffner, first. Thanks to coordinates provided by Talon Karrde, who also knew of the fleet's location, Han, Lando, Luke, and a small team traveled to the fleet's location, arriving before the Empire. As battle erupted, Han helped fend off the Imperial boarders while the New Republic Frigate Quenfis, its fighters, Rogue Squadron, and some of Karrde's ships held off the Star Destroyer Judicator. The arrival of Bel Iblis greatly aided in the battle, but the tide was finally turned when Han remotely piloted another Dreadnaught into the second Imperial Star Destroyer that had arrived, destroying it.

Embracing Fatherhood

Han was present when his wife gave birth to Jacen and Jaina, experiencing both nervousness and excitement. When Imperial Intelligence infiltrated the Imperial Palace shortly afterward, Han and Leia defended their children until help arrived. As a result of the attack, the Noghri, who had been persuaded to help the New Republic, sent bodyguards to protect the twins while Han, Luke, Chewbacca, Artoo, Threepio, and Mara Jade went to destroy the Mount Tantiss fortress after springing Mara out of arrest. After landing the Falcon on Wayland, Han and the others journeyed through the inhospitable forests, fending off predators and other hazards. Reaching the fortress, they were joined by more Noghri, who had been clearing paths for them. Infiltrating the mountain while the local inhabitants launched a diversion, the Wayland insertion group attempted to destroy the cloning facility, with the help of Leia, Lando, and Talon Karrde, who had arrived to help in the Wild Karrde. Aiding Mara and Luke, who were challenged by the insane Jedi Master Joruus C'baoth, Han tried to shoot the deranged Jedi, but was hit with Force lightning and had his gun snatched out of his hand.

Solo also played a crucial role in the defeat of the resurrected Emperor Palpatine in 10 ABY, including infiltrating the Emperor's Citadel on Byss. It was also during this time that his wife learned that she was pregnant with a third child: Anakin Solo. In 11 ABY, during the Battle of Onderon, he shot the last clone of the Emperor in the back, killing it. However, the Emperor's spirit tried to enter the infant Anakin though he was stopped by the Jedi Knight Empatojayos Brand, who sacrificed his life for Anakin.

Following that, he and Chewbacca traveled to Kessel to persuade the planet to join the New Republic. Unfortunately for them, they only encountered hostility from the planet's Rybet governor Moruth Doole and were put to work in the spice mines of the planet. During their captivity, they met a young Force-sensitive boy named Kyp Durron who helped them escape from Kessel. While escaping from Kessel, they avoided Doole's ships by flying into The Maw, an unusual concentration of black holes.

In the Maw, they discovered the Imperial research center Maw Installation which was under the command of Admiral Daala, the only female Admiral in the Imperial Navy. It was there that they discovered the Death Star prototype and the Sun Crusher. They eventually escaped Daala with the help of one of the researchers Qwi Xux and stole the Sun Crusher. Fleeing from the Maw installation, Han flew the Sun Crusher through one of Admiral Daala's four Imperial-class Star Destroyers destroying it. Admiral Daala's three Star Destroyers pursued the Sun Crusher and fought Doole's ragtag navy in a space battle above Kessel. Han would later play a role in the Battle of the Maw Installation, which resulted in the destruction of the Death Star Prototype and the Sun Crusher.

The Search for Jedi

As Kyp Durron, influenced by the spirit of the ancient Sith Lord Exar Kun, incapacitated Luke, Han and his family journeyed to the Jedi Praxeum located on Yavin 4. They were deeply puzzled by Luke's condition. Following this, during dinner, Leia, her children, and the students experienced a powerful disturbance in the Force when Kyp Durron obliterated the planet Carida. Because Han had developed a friendship with Kyp Durron, he believed he possessed the best chance to stop Kyp before he could inflict further casualties. Han and Lando piloted the Falcon to locate the wayward Kyp. Upon finding him, Han attempted to reason with Kyp, making headway until Lando used existing command codes to disable the Sun Crusher. However, Kyp effortlessly circumvented these codes and was about to destroy the Falcon when Luke's students vanquished Exar Kun. Now free from the Dark Lord's control, Kyp surrendered and was returned to Coruscant to face justice.

As Luke embarked on the restoration of the Jedi Order, Han, accompanied by Leia and Chewbacca, began their own crucial mission for the survival of the fledgling New Republic: locating the long-lost children of the Jedi. Their search led them to the Jedi planet of Belsavis, a virtually forgotten, frozen world. Hearing stories of a Jedi exodus from the dark crypts beneath the planet's surface, and that no one entering the crypts since had returned, Han, Leia, and Chewbacca ventured to Belsavis to initiate their search.

The Darksaber Incident

In the year 12 ABY, Han went with Luke to Tatooine, where the Jedi Master hoped to connect with Obi-Wan Kenobi. Under the guise of Tusken Raiders, Han and Luke visited Jabba's palace after arriving. There, they encountered a former associate of Jabba's: a disembodied brain sustained by a life support system and a BT-16 droid, reminiscent of the enigmatic B'omarr Monks. This former man, pleased to see enemies of Jabba, informed Han and Luke that the Hutts were scheming to construct another superweapon. Soon after this revelation, Solo and Skywalker disclosed the information to the New Republic. However, Durga the Hutt's subordinates pilfered the plans from the Imperial Palace by staging a distraction: an "accidental" discharge of a ceremonial blaster rifle by an honor guard. To ascertain the superweapon's location, the New Republic launched a clandestine operation to Nal Hutta involving Leia, Han, General Crix Madine, Admiral Ackbar, and then-General Wedge Antilles. Disguised as a diplomatic summit, Madine infiltrated Nal Hutta and planted a small tracking device on Durga's ship. Meanwhile, Han, Leia, and C-3PO met with Durga inside one of his bathhouses. Durga then granted the New Republic access to one of his data slicers. This data slicer revealed, to Han's surprise and dismay, that the various Imperial Warlord fleets had unified under the command of Admiral Daala. Upon returning from the successful Nal Hutta mission, Leia felt a Force surge within her, identical to the distress call Luke had sent from Bespin, and originating from the same source. Han and Leia then intervened, rescuing Luke and Callista near the Hoth asteroid belt aboard the Millennium Falcon. Following this rescue, Han flew Luke back to his Jedi Praxeum on Yavin 4, nearly colliding with Admiral Daala's Super Star Destroyer Knight Hammer. On the moon's surface, Han and Chewbacca provided air support for the Jedi trainees, while Leia and Kyp Durron operated the quad laser cannons.

Planet of Twilight

In 13 ABY, Seti Ashgad and Dzym captured Leia and transported her to Nam Chorios. Han, Chewbacca, and Lando set out to rescue her, but were delayed by the chaos of the Death Seed plague outbreak and their lack of knowledge about her location. Fortunately, Leia escaped by defeating the Hutt Jedi, Beldorion. Soon after, Han reunited with Leia and participated in the Battle of Nam Chorios as a commander. The battle concluded when Luke Skywalker convinced the Chorian crystal mind of the threat Ashgad posed to the galaxy if his plans succeeded, resulting in Seti's death, though Getelles survived.

Waru

In 14 ABY, when the Imperial Procurator of Justice Hethrir kidnapped his three children, Han and Luke were on Crseih Station, investigating rumors of a healing cult. Han had grown increasingly concerned about the changes he observed in Luke, partly due to his suspicions of Waru, the cult's leader. He also received a warning from an old acquaintance, Xaverri, to be wary of Waru. Unbeknownst to Han initially, Hethrir intended to sacrifice the Force-sensitive Anakin to Waru, who originated from another dimension known as Otherspace. However, Han, Leia, Luke, and his former mate Rillao thwarted Hethrir's plan.

Black Fleet Crisis

During the Black Fleet Crisis spanning from 16 to 17 ABY, with his wife serving as Chief of State, Han was entrusted with the daily responsibilities of raising their three young children. Officially, Admiral Ackbar insisted he retain his rank and security clearances as a General, designated as Leia's personal "liaison for domestic defense."

Due to his wife's position as Chief of State, numerous attempts were made on her life. It was during this period that the Yevetha launched their attack. An alliance of Yevethan worlds, known as the Duskhan League, aimed to purge the Koornacht Cluster of all non-Yevethan species. They were armed with the Black Fleet, which included the Super Star Destroyer Intimidator (renamed Pride of Yevetha) and its escort of smaller Star Destroyers, acquired during a revolt against their Imperial overlords eight months after the Battle of Endor.

During this crisis, Han was temporarily promoted to the rank of commodore and placed in command of a large New Republic fleet tasked with patrolling the Cluster's borders. However, a Yevethan Immobilizer 418 cruiser pulled his shuttle out of hyperspace, and he was brought before the Yevethan Viceroy Nil Spaar on the Yevethan homeworld of N'zoth. During his imprisonment, Nil Spaar transmitted a hologram to Leia, depicting the brutal assault of Han for twenty minutes, accompanied only by the message, "Leave Koornacht now."

This act, however, provided the New Republic with justification to invade the Koornacht Cluster and confront the Yevetha. Several Wookiees, including Chewbacca and his son, rescued Han Solo from his prison on the Pride of Yevetha using the Millennium Falcon. The enslaved Imperials, despite their lack of affection for the New Republic, aided the New Republic by mutinying against their Yevethan masters. The Yevetha were ultimately defeated at the Battle of N'zoth, disarmed, and placed under strict surveillance.

Almanian Uprising

Later in 17 ABY, Han encountered Jarril, a former smuggling associate, at the Crystal Jewel Casino on Coruscant. Jarril had come to warn Han about events unfolding in the Smuggler's Run. Han initially dismissed his concerns until the Senate Hall was bombed during their conversation. Han rushed to the ruins of the Senate Hall and discovered that Leia had been injured in the attack. Suspecting a connection between the attack and Jarril's warnings, he traveled to Skip 1 on the Smuggler's Run, accompanied by Chewbacca, to investigate.

Han encountered many of his old smuggling acquaintances, including Ana Blue, Zeen Afit, and Kid DXo'ln, who were somewhat hostile towards him, perceiving him as having abandoned their lifestyle. However, after discovering the wreckage of Jarril's ship, Lando Calrissian, believing Han was in danger, headed to the Run to find him, despite Nandreeson, a crime lord based on the Run, having placed a bounty on him. Lando was soon captured, and upon learning this, Han rallied a group of smugglers to help rescue him. However, the smugglers were secretly in Nandreeson's pay and betrayed Han during the rescue attempt. Nevertheless, Han shot Nandreeson in the mouth with Chewbacca's bowcaster, killing him and enabling Han, Lando, and Chewbacca to escape. They returned to Skip 1, where, shortly after, several droids bound for Coruscant exploded, injuring many of the smugglers. Han assisted in transporting some of the injured to Wrea aboard the Falcon. Ana Blue also revealed that Kueller on Almania was behind everything.

Han traveled to Almania, picking up Mara Jade along the way, despite his lingering distrust of her, because she provided some ysalamiri to use against Kueller. Upon arrival, the Battle of Almania was underway between the New Republic and Kueller's forces. Han landed on the planet and went to assist Luke and Leia, who were already present, but his ysalamiri were consumed by a thernbee. Nevertheless, his plan succeeded, as the creature moved towards the location of Luke and Kueller's duel, and the ysalamiri suppressed the Force in the area, allowing Luke to defeat Kueller.

First Corellian Insurrection

In 18 ABY, Han and his family vacationed on Corellia, where a trade summit was being held to stimulate the planet's economy. However, the New Republic Intelligence Service remained wary of Corellia, believing the situation there to be unstable. En route to Corellia, Lieutenant Belindi Kalenda attempted to dissuade Han Solo and Chewbacca from traveling to Corellia, or at least from taking their children, as Corellia was no longer safe. Distrustful, Solo dismissed her advice, viewing the trip as a family holiday. Once there, the Solo family settled in with Governor-General Micamberlecto, and hired a Drall tutor, Ebrihim, along with his droid, Q9-X2, to supervise their children while they attended the trade summit. However, Han soon discovered that the Sacorrian Triad and the Human League, led by his cousin Thrackan Sal-Solo, were instigating a political uprising that rapidly escalated.

Thrackan declared himself Diktat of the Corellian System and announced the system's secession from the New Republic. He also used Centerpoint's power to jam all system-wide communications and demanded that all nonhuman races leave the system within a month, threatening to vaporize various New Republic planets. Han realized Lieutenant Kalenda was correct and assisted in her escape, but was captured by Human League thugs in the process.

Imprisoned with the Selonian Dracmus, Han was forced to fight the female Selonian for Thrackan's amusement. However, communicating in Selonian, the two mostly faked the fight. Fortunately, they were rescued by other Selonians and escaped to Selonia on a primitive coneship. On Selonia, Han, Leia, and Mara Jade attempted to persuade the Overden to change their minds, provoking outrage among the Selonians. The Overden immediately released the three due to the severity of Thrackan holding the Solo children hostage, just as Luke Skywalker arrived, and the group formulated a plan. Enraged, the Sacorrian Triad initiated war, and the Battle of Centerpoint Station commenced. Han participated in the war, and with the aid of Luke, Leia, and Lando Calrissian, he ended the Insurrection and imprisoned Thrackan. Han's children also played a crucial role in the battle, with Anakin using a planetary repulsor to prevent the Starbuster beam from destroying Bovo Yagen.

In 19 ABY, Solo made a nostalgic return to Jubilar, hoping to relive his smuggling adventures. While negotiating a deal with Mayor Incavi Larado Baker to transport a shipment of Jandarra to the planet Shalam, Solo was attacked by Boba Fett, who had been informed of Solo's presence by Baker, an old informant. After a brief confrontation, the two agreed to end their long-standing feud and part ways.

Caamas Document Crisis

During the final days of the Galactic Civil War, Solo unsuccessfully mediated the Diamala/Ishori dispute. Solo and Calrissian led a mission to Bastion to retrieve a copy of the Caamas Document. Shortly thereafter, he participated in the final New Republic victory over the Imperial Remnant at the Battle of Bothawui. Soon after the Caamas Document crisis, Han and his family attended Luke and Mara's wedding on Coruscant.

All three of his children were trained as Jedi at Luke Skywalker's Jedi Praxeum starting in 22 ABY, and Han and Chewbacca frequently visited them aboard the Millennium Falcon.

Yuuzhan Vong War

Han participated in two of the initial battles of the Yuuzhan Vong invasion. He assisted in the evacuation of Sernpidal, where the Vong caused a moon to crash onto the planet. However, they were unable to save Chewie, who sacrificed himself to save Anakin from the impact. Anakin, knowing that returning would result in the death of the passengers aboard the Falcon, departed from the planet. He also aided New Republic forces in the Battle of Dubrillion. Following this, he returned home to Coruscant with 3PO, while the others continued to assist in the war effort. Han entered a period of mourning, isolating himself from friends and family, neglecting his self-care, and turning to alcohol. His children frequently commented on his increased alcohol consumption, and there was a noticeable disconnect within the family. For a short time, he blamed his son for the death of his longtime friend. This was deeply painful for Anakin, who heard his father's words echo in his mind: "You left him, you left Chewie!" Eventually, Han reconciled with his son, who feared they would no longer be as close, after coming to terms with why Anakin had made the decision he did. Following the reconciliation, Han realized he had never fully blamed his son but had been trying to distract his mind from blaming himself, and he felt as though Chewie would be unable to forgive him. Struggling with grief and disregarding the advice of his loved ones, Han shifted the blame onto the Vong, who were ultimately responsible for Chewbacca's death. This caused him to behave uncharacteristically and filled him with inconsolable rage towards the Vong.

Adventures with Droma

A few months later, still grappling with grief, he left his family on Coruscant to assist his old friend, Roa, who had been captured by the Yuuzhan Vong on Ord Mantell. Han then partnered with his new friend, Droma, to help rescue Roa. Around this time, Han also met and befriended Vergere, who provided him with the antidote to cure Mara Skywalker of her illness.

Han and Droma eventually traced Droma's family to a ship piloted by members of the Peace Brigade that dropped off refugees at Vong targets. Han and Droma finally located the ship at Fondor and rescued Droma's family, while Kyp Durron and others rescued refugees, including Roa, from a nearby ship. They then witnessed the destruction of three-fourths of the Hapan fleet and half of the Yuuzhan Vong fleet by Centerpoint Station fired by his cousin, Thrackan Sal-Solo.

Hero's Trial

Solo decided he could be more effective assisting the New Republic than wallowing in grief. He was assigned to the terraforming project on Duro and collaborated with Jacen and Jaina to maintain a small refugee habitat on the surface. After Yuuzhan Vong insects overran his habitat, he discovered a nearby habitat run by Leia, much to his surprise. The situation deteriorated rapidly when Warmaster Tsavong Lah captured and nearly killed Leia. Jacen and Jaina soon rescued their mother, and the Falcon jumped into hyperspace from Duro.

After Duro fell to the Yuuzhan Vong, Han and Leia fled to Corellia for Leia to recover, but Thrackan, now the governor of the planet, chased them away. They then decided to take a short break to mend the rift in their marriage caused by Han's grief over Chewbacca. While on vacation, Han and Leia encountered a previously unknown group of Jedi called the Wild Knights, led by Saba Sebatyne, and helped bring them to Luke's attention and the forefront of the war. Upon returning to Coruscant, Han and Leia temporarily took custody of their nephew, Ben Skywalker, and the two developed a close bond.

Soon after, the Yuuzhan Vong created voxyn, Jedi-hunting creatures that quickly killed many Jedi. To Han's dismay, Anakin volunteered to lead a strike team to Myrkr to destroy the voxyn cloning project. Han was reluctant to let Anakin lead, fearing the loss of another loved one. Although the mission succeeded, Han's worst fears were realized when Anakin was killed fighting the extragalactic invaders during the mission, and Jacen was captured and presumed dead. Han and Leia supported each other through the grief of losing a son, strengthening their relationship.

War's End

During the occupation of Borleias, Han, Leia, and Jaina played crucial roles in maintaining the New Republic's hold for as long as possible. Han and Leia emerged from hyperspace into the midst of an enemy fleet, along with the Super Star Destroyer Lusankya. Thanks to Han's piloting skills, the Falcon and its cargo of Myrkr strike team survivors escaped the engagement unscathed. Han later transported those survivors to the Maw shelter, nearly turning back when Jaina came under attack. Han wanted to go to Coruscant in search of Jacen, but Leia dissuaded him, telling him that she needed him in the new Insiders organization. After returning to Borleias from the Maw, Han continued to assist Wedge in defending the planet. Following his son's surprise return from Yuuzhan'tar, Han led a small fleet of Smuggler's Alliance ships to assist with the ambush over Ebaq 9. After that, Han, Leia, Jaina, and Tahiri Veila traveled from system to system, attempting to re-establish communications with the far-flung regions of the New Republic. During this time, they witnessed the destruction of the Yevetha, the Ssi-ruuvi Imperium's latest attempt to seize Bakura, and the Yuuzhan Vong's attempt to eliminate hyperspace channels with the Unknown Regions. During an ambush gone wrong over Bilbringi, Han and Leia helped save Wedge Antilles from certain death when they rescued Jaina aboard a hijacked Golan II Defense Platform. In the final days of the war, Han helped extract prisoners taken by the Yuuzhan Vong during the battle of Bilbringi.

In 29 ABY, when Zonama Sekot revealed itself near Coruscant, Han and Leia journeyed there, reuniting with their family. It was there that they encountered Harrar, a priest of the Yuuzhan Vong. Solo was also instrumental in the Recapture of Coruscant. Leia, Han, Harrar (the Yuuzhan Vong priest), Threepio, and Artoo intentionally crashed the Millennium Falcon into the World Brain's core. With the aid of Harrar and dissenting Yuuzhan Vong, they seized control of the Well of the World Brain. Following the demise of Shimrra and Onimi, Han and his companions, along with Nom Anor, traversed the labyrinthine interior of the Master Shaper's formidable warship. However, the executor betrayed them, unleashing venom upon Solo. Jacen intervened just in time, saving him. Before the executor could eliminate them, Leia confronted Nom Anor, severing his hand. They successfully escaped, arriving at the conclave on Zonama Sekot, which signaled the conclusion of the Yuuzhan Vong War. After the war, he permitted Chewbacca's son, Lumpawaroo, and nephew, Lowbacca, to uphold Chewbacca's life debt.

The Dark Nest

A cry for help

During the five years of reconstruction after the Yuuzhan Vong's defeat, Han and Leia frequently assisted the Jedi, aiding an Order spread thin. Their extensive support led the Jedi Order to consider him one of their own, prompting him to joke about wanting a lightsaber. They also provided aid to the Ithorians, helping them to secure a new world following the destruction of their planet, Ithor, during the Yuuzhan Vong War.

Ultimately, however, he and Leia declined to assist the Jedi when they learned that Jaina and several other Jedi Knights had been lured to the Unknown Regions by a mysterious Force signal. Eventually, Han and Leia chose to accompany several Jedi, including Luke, Mara, and Ben, into the Unknown Regions, where they discovered that Raynar Thul was alive, having been assimilated by a Killik nest. During the Myrkr mission, Thul was subdued by the Nightsister Lomi Plo and the Dark Jedi Welk. They abducted him, escaping aboard the Tachyon Flier, which was under fire as it departed Myrkr, leading to the presumption of their demise. In reality, the Tachyon Flier had crashed on the planet Yoggoy, a Killik nest world, transforming all three Force-users into Joiners. Raynar Thul became integrated into the Yoggoy nest, while Lomi Plo and Welk were integrated into the Gorog nest.

Each became a leader of their respective nests. Raynar even established a new lead nest called Unu and became the Prime Unu, reborn as UnuThul. They discovered that numerous non-Killiks had become part of the nests—integrated into the hive mind—after prolonged exposure to the Killiks. These individuals were termed Joiners, and Han harbored a deep fear that Jaina would become a "bug hugger" like them. The Yoggoy nests, and all nests except Gorog, adopted Raynar's compassion and appreciation for life, whereas the Gorog nest retreated into secrecy, driven by Lomi Plo and Welk's desire for concealment. The Gorog evolved into the Dark Nest, secretly manipulating the other nests without their awareness.

UnuThul greeted the Solos in the Yoggoy hangar with a remarkable display of his current Force abilities. Inside the Prime Chamber, UnuThul referred to himself as "we," asserting that Raynar Thul was no more and that "they" were now UnuThul. Luke maintained that he sensed Raynar's presence within UnuThul, speculating that Raynar might be in hiding. Raynar then guided the Jedi to interpret the Chronicle on the wall, elucidating the transformation of Raynar Thul into UnuThul and the emergence of the Unu nest. UnuThul described the Unu nest as "the nest of the nests."

Still refusing to disclose the location of Qoribu, UnuThul declared that anyone was free to depart at any time and assigned a Yoggoy guide to escort the Jedi back to Lizil. The Jedi soon realized that such a collective consciousness enabled UnuThul to monitor them almost constantly and everywhere on Yoggoy. They visited the crash site, and Leia received Jacen's flow-walking message regarding Qoribu, which was located in the Gyuel system. Dark blue insects then attempted to assassinate the Jedi Masters at the crash site, from which the Jedi narrowly escaped, with Nanna eliminating several blue insects. However, the Yoggoy guide accompanying the Jedi denied ever having seen any blue insects before its demise. Upon their return to the hangar, Han and UnuThul exchanged harsh words regarding the attempted assassination. As the debate reached a stalemate, Luke suggested that another party had attempted to assassinate the Jedi, but UnuThul insisted that even if someone else had attacked the Jedi, the hive mind would have been aware.

Swarm War

Just before the Swarm War, the Killiks imprisoned Han and Luke in order to gain assistance in stopping the Fizz. Fortunately, both Solo and Skywalker were resistant to the joining process. They eventually escaped and participated in the offensives against the Killiks. During the crisis, the Chiss captured Han and Leia to prevent them from halting the Swarm War. They escaped and ultimately prevented the Chiss from deploying their bio-weapon against the Killiks.

Around this time, Han and Leia learned of the birth of Tenel Ka's daughter, Allana, unaware that she was their granddaughter through their son Jacen. Tenel Ka's and Jacen's reluctance to discuss Allana surprised them, prompting Han to remark that the father must have been unattractive if Tenel Ka refused to speak about her.

The entire crisis was a nightmare for Han, stemming from his traumatic experience years prior with the Kamarians of the Cult of Varn. That experience had instilled in him a deep-seated unease around sentient insects.

Second Galactic Civil War (40 ABY–41 ABY)

Rising tensions

In 40 ABY, a Jedi mission to Adumar by his son Jacen and nephew Ben Skywalker to uncover an illegal missile factory ended in a violent ambush, from which the Jedi barely survived. This event ignited political turmoil, threatening a full-scale rebellion that could dismantle the fledgling Galactic Alliance. In a desperate attempt to avert such a catastrophe, the Alliance prepared a preemptive display of military strength to subdue the rogue worlds. In a questionable decision, Corellia, Solo's home world, was selected as the target of this exercise.

As a Corellian, this incident turned Han Solo against the Galactic Alliance. Compounding the issue, his relationship with his son Jacen and the Skywalkers deteriorated after Jacen sided with his uncle, Luke Skywalker, in support of the Galactic Alliance. When the Corellians launched a counterattack, armed conflict erupted, triggering a civil war within the Galactic Alliance. As the Galactic Alliance enacted increasingly oppressive laws, many began to view it as a new Galactic Empire. Throughout the Galactic Alliance, families were divided, and old friendships were shattered.

That year, alongside Wedge Antilles, Han commanded Corellian forces at the Battle of Tralus. Han's actions were critical, as he piloted one of the bombers that led to the destruction of the Alliance's base and stronghold on Tralus. His daughter and wife were in the opposing Alliance fleet, although Leia secretly aided the Corellians by instructing fighters not to target Han's and Wedge's ships.

Meanwhile, his son Jacen Solo transformed into the very thing the Jedi feared most: a Sith.

Allegiance with Corellia

Later, Han Solo and his former adversary, Boba Fett, found themselves united as they uncovered painful truths about their respective kin. Thrackan Sal-Solo placed a bounty on Han and his family. Han ultimately decided to kill Thrackan to eliminate the threat permanently. Fett agreed to assist Han in exchange for aid in locating his long-lost daughter, Ailyn Vel. Solo, disguised as a Mandalorian soldier working for Fett, began strangling Thrackan shortly after encountering him, but Boba Fett's granddaughter, Mirta Gev, delivered the killing shot, with Boba and Han adding at least three more. Tragically, Ailyn Vel had been killed by Jacen during an interrogation. Horrified and enraged, Han disowned his son, asserting that his son would never have committed such an act. Subsequently, Han questioned Leia about Jacen's upbringing, wondering if they bore some responsibility.

Shortly thereafter, Han, Leia, and C-3PO were summoned to the Kiris Asteroids, the location of the secret Corellian fleet. Upon their arrival, they were greeted by Wedge Antilles, who had recently been promoted to the rank of admiral. Han believed he was summoned to assist Antilles in defeating the Blockade of Corellia, but Dur Gejjen's interference proved him wrong. Instead of leading the attack with Wedge, Han and Leia were tasked with serving as decoys to sway Queen Mother Tenel Ka to Corellia's side. Although disappointed, Han complied, albeit with suspicion and unease. While traveling to Hapes to warn Tenel Ka of danger, Han and Leia discovered that Gejjen had been using the Solos to disrupt Tenel Ka's security routine and lure her into the open for an attack. In the process of warning her, Han and Leia inadvertently stumbled upon an assassination attempt on her life by the assassin Nashtah. Due to a series of unfortunate events, they were compelled to collaborate with the assassin to escape. The three then set course for Telkur Station. En route to the station, Han and Leia felt uncomfortable around Nashtah, yet they insisted on uncovering the identity of the coup's leader. During their conversation, Nashtah revealed to Han and Leia that she had witnessed Leia's father race in the Boonta Eve Classic. It was then that Leia disclosed the reason for having children, a revelation that upset Han for sharing such information with a stranger.

They arrived on Telkur Station, only to encounter Jagged Fel, who was presumed lost after the Battle of Tenupe during the Swarm War. During their conversation, Fel revealed that he had been stranded on Tenupe for two years after being shot down by Leia. While on Tenupe, he had discovered that Alema was still alive and seeking to avenge herself against Leia and her family for crippling her during their last duel. He also disclosed that his family was facing financial difficulties, leading him to become a bounty hunter. After the conversation, the three were drugged while Jagged slipped away. Han and Leia eventually escaped Nashtah, only to gain a new passenger named Lalu Morwan. After delivering their findings to Tenel Ka, Han disarmed Morwan and locked her in one of the Falcon's compartments, sustaining a burn on his hand from blaster fire in the process. Shortly thereafter, Han and Leia encountered Jaina, Zekk, Ben, and his crew, taking them aboard the Falcon during the Battle of Hapes. However, Jacen ordered the Star Destroyer Anakin Solo to open fire upon the Millennium Falcon. Han and Leia escaped the confrontation, but the Falcon's turrets and central core were destroyed by the turbolaser blasts. During the battle, Han's nephew, Ben Skywalker, attempted to arrest Han and Leia for crimes against the Galactic Alliance. In an attempt to restrain Ben, Zekk was accidentally slashed in the abdomen, severely injuring him. After ensuring that Jaina, Zekk, Ben, and his crew escaped, Han and Leia fled into hyperspace.

After escaping into hyperspace, Han and Leia traveled to Tendrando Arms to repair the Millennium Falcon. There, Han and Leia reunited with Lando Calrissian, who departed with them in his personal yacht, the Love Commander, leaving C-3PO with the Falcon. They managed to navigate Corellia's security zone, aided by their deceptive disguises and Leia's use of a Jedi mind trick.

Break with Corellia

Meeting with Denjax Teppler in a Coronet cantina, they learned that neither Teppler nor Wedge were aware of the conspiracy to assassinate the Queen Mother and that Dur Gejjen was responsible. After their conversation, the group was forced to leave the cantina after several CorSec officers tracked Teppler there. Leia, Han, and Lando parted ways with Denjax shortly thereafter, being pursued back to the Love Commander. Only with the intervention of the Pulsar Skate and the Errant Venture were Han and the others able to defeat the Corellian fighters attacking them. Onboard, Han and Leia were finally able to reunite with their friends and family. They also encountered the smuggler Uran Lavint, who informed them of Alema's presence on the ship and the conference being held on Gilatter VIII. Unbeknownst to them, Alema had been seeking Han to kill him and inflict suffering on Leia. He and Leia later went to Gilatter VIII to rescue Jacen from a Confederation ambush. However, Jacen fled the planet, abandoning them to confront Alema and the Confederation.

Unbeknownst to Han and Leia, Jacen initially intended to sacrifice them for his ascension to Sith Lord; however, he later killed Mara Jade Skywalker instead. Han, along with Leia, also traveled to Hapes to comfort Luke in his grief over the loss of his wife.

Then, Han and his wife slipped into Coruscant, as Leia was scheduled to deliver the eulogy for Mara. However, Jacen dispatched a squad of GAG troopers to intercept them. Naturally, Han and Leia refused to be arrested peacefully and escaped after a brief firefight in the halls of the Temple, abandoning their plans to attend the Funeral of Mara Jade Skywalker.

Instead, Han and Leia traveled to Kashyyyk to persuade the Wookiees not to align with the Galactic Alliance. However, they encountered difficulties in the form of old Wookiee grudges and two GA Intelligence agents, Tarfang and Jae Juun. Thankfully, Luke and the other Jedi arrived after making their final break with Jacen, and Jaina also arrived on the Wookiee homeworld. Enraged by the Jedi's betrayal, Jacen followed Luke in the Anakin Solo and brought the Fifth Fleet with him. After the Wookiees refused to surrender the Jedi and the Solos to Jacen, Jacen bombarded the planet's wroshyr forests, further enraging Han, who was prepared to pilot the Millennium Falcon to attack the Anakin Solo himself. Luke dissuaded him, and along with the other Jedi, led a StealthX strike on the GA fleet. Luke allowed others to believe that his niece Jaina had shot him down while trying to hit Jacen's StealthX, and boarded the ship to confront his nephew and rescue his son.

While Han and Leia were traveling to Hapes, Leia sensed Luke's presence fading and believed he was dead, but Han refused to believe it, asserting that it would require a change in the laws of physics to kill Luke Skywalker. Upon arriving at Hapes, they convinced Queen Mother Tenel Ka to cease supporting Jacen Solo. Han and Leia were relieved when they returned to Kashyyyk and found Luke still alive.

Later, Han and Leia sanctioned Confederacy assassination attempts on Jacen while planning their own justice with the Jedi for their son.

Han later accompanied Jaina, Zekk, and Jagged on their quest to end Alema Rar. He used the Falcon to rescue them from the asteroid where they found Alema after she had been killed.

Betrayal

Han later participated in the strike team that boarded the Anakin Solo to rescue Allana from Jacen. After the successful rescue, Han and Leia learned from Allana that Jacen was her father. The discovery that he was a grandfather came as a pleasant surprise to Han.

Han was also present on Endor when Ben showed his family a recording that proved Jacen killed Mara Jade Skywalker. Han was shocked by the discovery.

Following Jaina's training under Boba Fett, she revealed to Han and Leia that she had to be the one to kill Jacen, now known as Darth Caedus. Jaina embarked on a mission, dueling Caedus first on Nickel One, and then encountering him on the Anakin Solo. After a duel and being mortally wounded, Caedus stopped fighting so he could warn Tenel Ka about a threat to Allana. Jaina thought this to be a trick and killed him, horrified when she felt Jacen reaching out to Tenel Ka. Afterward she believed that Jacen had been himself at the end, though knowing that there was still too little of him to be saved. Han still believed that Caedus would have killed Jaina. Though the Solos struggled to get through this hard time, they were able to remember Jacen as the kind young man he had once been, not the Sith he had turned into. The war had ended, and though Han had lost much, peace was finally at hand. Additional comfort and joy came from Han's granddaughter, Allana, whom Tenel Ka had given to Han and Leia to raise under the pseudonym Amelia because she knew that they could give the girl a safer life than she could on Hapes.

Post-Second Galactic Civil War (43 ABY–)

Origins of the Millennium Falcon

Han and his wife were able to come to some terms with losing their other son and they busied themselves by taking care of their granddaughter, given the name "Amelia" to hide her identity. While on an outing in the Falcon with Leia and Allana, the young girl found a camouflaged transponder aboard the Falcon. It had been placed there more than half a century before by the Republic Group, an organization that tried and failed to keep the Republic together and honorable in its waning years. It was meant to find its way to the planet of Toprawa, but a collision with another craft had made this impossible. Because Han and Leia had been telling Allana about how Han had acquired the Falon, she thought that they could track down all the people who had owned the ship, finding out what the mysterious component was along the way. Her grandparents agreed.

They traveled to the planet of Lujo to visit Lando Calrissian and his family at on of their homes, where they stayed for a few weeks. Han asked Calrissian who he had won the Falcon from and Calrissian pointed him to Cix Trouvee. Additionally, one of Calrissian's technicians, Tal-lik-Tal, examined the transponder and found that it was comparable to pre-Imperial designs and still active.

Lost Tribe of Sith emergence

After Natasi Daala was elected the new Galactic Alliance Chief of State, tensions began to rise between the government and the Jedi Order. This eventually resulted in the arrest of Luke, though after an agreement between Skywalker and Daala, Luke exiled himself from the Jedi Order and subsequently began a quest to learn what had lead to Jacen's fall to the dark side. The Solos were soon contacted by Lando and were forced to aid him in saving the planet of Kessel which had succumbed to violent earthquakes at the time Centerpoint Station was destroyed. The Solos discovered a strange species of pure energy based beings living within Kessel, who monitored every gravity well in the galaxy, and who had begun to leave en masse, causing the earthquakes that wreaked across Kessel. Ultimately, however, the Solos and their allies proved able to save Kessel from destruction. Later, Han and Leia traveled to Dathomir, as Luke had tracked a Sith girl there. Solo had several adventures on the world, such as an attack by Nightsisters. Han and Leia then returned to Coruscant, and Han was newly appointed as a general. Solo later participated in the coup that removed Natasi Daala as Chief of State and placed the Jedi in charge of the government, and then he traveled with Leia and Allana to the planet Klatooine in order to end a slave rebellion there.

Personality and traits

Han Solo was well-known for his arrogance, acerbic wit, impoliteness, exceptional piloting abilities, and his quick draw. He also enjoyed Sabacc and other gambling pursuits. He frequently boasted about his accomplishments in his ship, the Millennium Falcon, such as completing the Kessel Run in under twelve parsecs and outmaneuvering Imperial Star Destroyers. Captain Solo was a skilled mechanic, having made numerous modifications to the Falcon alongside Chewie. He famously stated his preference for shooting first rather than second, and he often exploited his ambidextrous nature to his advantage. Han Solo was also among the select few individuals to evade Boba Fett on multiple occasions. During the Second Galactic Civil War, as he grew distrustful of the New Jedi Order due to his belief in Corellia's right to independence, Leia often referred to him as "the most dangerous man in the galaxy."

Unlike his wife, children, and many of his friends, Han was not known to be Force-sensitive, although his experiences with the Force through his friends and family made him Force-attuned. Despite his family and frequent companions including some of the most powerful Jedi in the galaxy, Han was far from helpless in comparison. His ability to devise inventive and often highly unconventional solutions to problems on the fly proved to be a constant source of frustration to all enemies he encountered (and often his friends). This, combined with Han's peerless skill at the controls of the Millennium Falcon as well as the legendary "Solo Luck," more than compensated for any lack of Force sensitivity. However, during his daughter Jaina's wedding, Jaina speculated that he may have potentially possessed a mild form of Force-sensitivity.

He was, however, a man with insecurities as well. He was fiercely protective of his ship and disliked excessive modifications or repairs to the Falcon, particularly by droids, as overly tight bolts on the craft would prevent him from feeling the impact of laser fire, leading him to loosen many of them around the ship. He was also reluctant to allow Chewbacca, Lando, or anyone else to pilot it. Han also jokingly vowed never to share the codes for the Falcon with his son Jacen, at least not during his lifetime.

Among the many skills he acquired during his early career, Han Solo became proficient in the practice and intricacies of dishwashing.

Han Solo was known to dislike droids and discouraged them from traveling on his ship, although he made exceptions under certain circumstances. After joining the Rebellion, he granted C-3PO and R2-D2 unrestricted access to the Falcon as a special case and in deference to Luke Skywalker's and Leia Organa's wishes; Solo nevertheless rarely had a good word to any of the droids.

He harbored a particular aversion to "bugs," as he revealed during the Swarm War, likely stemming from his encounter with Kamarian religious fanatics early in his smuggling career. Han also had a loud snore which bothered Leia.

In addition to speaking his native Basic, Solo fluently understood many other languages, including Shyriiwook, Trader's argot Rodese, Illodian, and Huttese. He also had an imperfect command of Mandaba, the Selonian language. Although he spoke Basic with a Corellian accent for much of his life, he had developed more of a Coruscanti accent by 40 ABY.

Romances

Throughout his life, Han Solo had several romantic relationships.

Bria Tharen

His initial significant romantic involvement unfolded while Han was employed by Besadii on the planet Ylesia. Going by the alias "Pilgrim 921," Bria Tharen captured Han's attention immediately with her facial features and Corellian accent, even as she was processing glitterstim in total darkness. They escaped the Ylesian "paradise" together, journeying to Bria's home world of Corellia. The pair then traveled to Coruscant, where Han intended to apply to the Imperial Academy. It was at this point that Bria abandoned Han to grapple with her Exultation addiction, after she had supported her boyfriend in acquiring the funds to "reinvent himself." This relationship was a lasting burden for Han, leading him to resolve never to fall in love again.

Later, they crossed paths again during the Rebel assault on Ylesia. Regrettably, it was discovered that Bria was exploiting Han and other smugglers to benefit the Rebel cause. Despite this betrayal, Han later felt sympathy for her, delivering the news of Bria's passing to her family with sadness.

Xaverri

Five years following his split with Bria Tharen, Han had a "second" relationship with a traveling magician and illusionist named Xaverri. They connected after her performance on Nar Shaddaa, began dating, and on their fourth date, Xaverri confided in Han about her past. In return, Han shared his own history and difficulties with the Empire. She also revealed to Solo that this tour was the first time she hadn't spent her free time plotting against the Empire. Han proposed his services as her assistant and pilot, to which she agreed. Shortly thereafter, Xaverri and Han's relationship turned intimate. Feeling that Han and Chewbacca's presence had weakened her, made her too vulnerable, and too attached, she departed after several months.

They would later join forces during the Battle of Nar Shaddaa and eventually after many years on Crseih Station. Han would later contemplate that he could have had a future with her had she stayed.

Salla Zend

As a fellow smuggler, Salla Zend took over the role of Han's girlfriend following his failed romance with Xaverri. Over time, the initially stern woman grew fond of Han. However, he did not reciprocate those feelings, and was compelled to essentially "flee" from her.

She never forgot his actions, and when they met again during the resurrected Emperor crisis, she reminded him of what he had done.

Katya M'Buele

During his time as a smuggler, Han Solo collaborated with Katya M'Buele, with whom he infiltrated the restricted world of Skye. They emerged as the only survivors of that ill-fated smuggling operation. Solo encountered M'Buele again two years after the Battle of Yavin, but Katya was soon killed by a Smoke Demon controlled by Majestrix Kharys of Skye.

Leia Organa

Han first noticed her as a young princess sitting on Viceroy Organa's lap, in a prerecorded message welcoming ships to Alderaan. A decade later, upon their first real meeting, they had a difficult start. Nevertheless, as they fought together in the Galactic Civil War, Leia and Han forged a bond that endured throughout the conflict. Their love blossomed just before Han was captured by Boba Fett. Despite Leia's subsequent admirers, such as Fenn Shysa and Prince Isolder, Han never lost sight of his "femme fatale."

In 8 ABY, they married and had three children, Jaina, Jacen, and Anakin Solo, within the following two years. Even with the loss of their youngest child Anakin and the estrangement and death of Jacen in 41 ABY, their relationship deepened. By 43 ABY, after being married for over thirty-five years, their affection for each other was even stronger than it had been in 8 ABY.

Behind the scenes

Origins and development

George Lucas conceived Han Solo during the development of his 1977 film Star Wars, and the character appears in Lucas's 132-page The Star Wars: Rough Draft, which was completed in May 1974. In the draft, Solo is a Ureallian, described as a "huge green-skinned monster with no nose and large gills." He is a member of the Jedi Bendu and an old acquaintance of General Skywalker. As Lucas refined the story, Solo evolved into a robust, bearded pirate with flamboyant attire. Although Lucas initially intended Solo to be a villainous alien, he decided on a Human character to foster a stronger connection between the film's three main characters. Chewbacca then assumed the role of the alien sidekick. By August 1975, when Lucas had completed his third draft, Solo was described as: "A tough James Dean style starpilot about twenty-five years old. A cowboy in a starship -- simple, sentimental and cocksure of himself." This version of Solo's character ultimately appeared in the finished film.

Lucas defined Solo's character in relation to the film's hero, Luke Skywalker. Selflessness was a key theme, and Skywalker was portrayed as a selfless young idealist. Lucas envisioned Solo as the sidekick with morals contrary to the hero, writing him as a selfish character. Harrison Ford, who played Solo in all three films of Star Wars's original trilogy, characterized Solo as the smartass to Skywalker's naive youth, with each character having a distinct area to explore.

Portrayal

When casting Solo, Lucas sought actors with strong screen presence and chemistry with Skywalker. He wanted Solo to be older and possess a cynical edge. Lucas preferred new and unknown actors for the major roles, initially prohibiting Harrison Ford from auditioning because of their previous work on the 1973 film American Graffiti. Ford was working as a carpenter on the audition set and was asked by Lucas to read lines with the auditioning actors, including Kurt Russell, Nick Nolte, Christopher Walken, and Perry King. Ford impressed Lucas by giving the character a mix of mercenary swagger and world weariness, convincing the director to cast him in the part.

Ford continued to play Solo in Star Wars's sequels, 1980's The Empire Strikes Back and 1983's Return of the Jedi, as well as 1978's The Star Wars Holiday Special. However, he hesitated to sign contracts for the sequels, feeling that Solo's character should be killed off. During script discussions for Return of the Jedi with director Richard Marquand and screenwriter Lawrence Kasdan, the three were unsure if Ford would return. Solo had been frozen in carbonite during The Empire Strikes Back, and Ford had become a rising star after his role as Indiana Jones in 1981's Raiders of the Lost Ark. Ford believed Solo should die in Jedi, sacrificing himself for Skywalker and Princess Leia, arguing that Solo lacked family, future, or responsibilities to the story, and that his death would add resonance. Kasdan also thought a major character death early in Jedi would keep audiences on edge. Lucas vetoed the idea, and Solo survived.

The original script for The Empire Strikes Back had Solo responding to Princess Leia's "I love you" with "I love you too." Ford disliked the line, feeling it didn't suit Solo's character. After numerous takes, director Irvin Kershner remained unsatisfied. He instructed Ford to improvise whatever Solo would say. Ford's improvised line, "I know," was deemed perfect by Kirshner and included in the final cut.

Solo was voiced by Perry King in the radio dramas and by various voice actors in Star Wars video games: Neil Ross in Star Wars: Rogue Squadron, Star Wars: Masters of Teräs Käsi and Star Wars: Force Commander, David Esch in Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds, Lex Lang in Star Wars: Rogue Squadron III: Rebel Strike and Star Wars: Battlefront II, and John Armstrong in Star Wars: Empire at War and Star Wars Galaxies: An Empire Divided. James Gaulke provided vocals for the Dark Forces: Jedi Knight audio drama, and Joe Hacker for the audio adaptations of Dark Empire, Dark Empire II and Empire's End.

In Star Wars media

Beyond the original trilogy, Solo has appeared in numerous Star Wars novels, comic books, video games, and other media. In the late 1970s, he was a central figure in some of the earliest Expanded Universe material. After Marvel Comics adapted the first Star Wars film into a six-issue series, they created original stories in 1978; the first story arc focused on Solo and Chewbacca teaming up with starhoppers on Aduba-3. Author Brian Daley wrote The Han Solo Adventures in 1979 and 1980, novels detailing Solo's life as a smuggler before joining the Rebellion.

Solo played a significant role throughout Marvel's 107-issue run and in the concurrent newspaper comic strips published by the Los Angeles Times Syndicate. Throughout the 1990s, he was a primary character in many novels and comics by Bantam Spectra and Dark Horse Comics set after Return of the Jedi. These stories depicted his marriage to Princess Leia, their three children, battles against an extra-dimensional blob, his role as a Commodore in the New Republic military, and his contributions to ending the Galactic Civil War. However, during the development of The New Jedi Order book series in 1998 and 1999, the planning team felt that many of Bantam's authors had struggled to find a direction for Solo. Solo was a star of the nineteen-book series, initially grappling with alcoholism and depression after Chewbacca's death, but eventually overcoming his grief and helping the galaxy defeat the Yuuzhan Vong invaders. He has remained a major character in subsequent stories set up to 43.5 years after the original Star Wars film.

Author A. C. Crispin wrote a trilogy of novels in 1998 about Han Solo's early life. The trilogy built upon Daley's earlier books and other works, consolidating existing elements of the character's past while telling a new story. Many of these elements, particularly those from Daley's works, appeared in James Luceno's Agents of Chaos Duology, two novels written in 2000 as part of The New Jedi Order. The duology focused on Solo, as Luceno wanted to honor Daley, a close friend who passed away in 1996. Luceno envisioned the first installment, Hero's Trial, as a "Han Solo, this is your life" novel. Luceno also wrote The New Jedi Order's final chapter, The New Jedi Order: The Unifying Force, and considered killing Solo in the book. Again, Solo survived.

Solo's character has mirrored Indiana Jones in several works. In Dark Nest I: The Joiner King, his line "Bugs! Why did it have to be bugs?" is a nod to Jones's similar line about snakes in Raiders of the Lost Ark. In The Paradise Snare, Solo adopts the alias "Jenos Idanian," an anagram of "Indiana Jones."

Several unused concepts and shots of Solo exist within Star Wars film lore. The scene where Luke Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and the viewer first meet Solo and Chewbacca was originally set to include Solo sitting with and kissing a woman named Jenny. A young Han Solo was planned to appear on Kashyyyk in 2005's Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith, living among the Wookiees and assisting Yoda. No actor was cast, and the character was cut. However, the concept was recycled in the non-canon LEGO Star Wars: The Padawan Menace (where the character is voiced by Katie Leigh) and Jaybo Hood in Star Wars: The Clone Wars episode "Mystery of a Thousand Moons."

Actor and author comments

Harrison Ford has described Solo as relatable to audiences because he is separate from the saga's mythological themes. However, he viewed Solo as expendable, as the character wasn't as vital to Star Wars as the Force-using characters. Ford considered Solo a simple character, not interesting enough for development across sequels, unlike Indiana Jones. Therefore, Ford believed Solo's death in Return of the Jedi would add needed complexity and resonance.

George Lucas described Solo as "a loner who realizes the importance of being part of a group and helping for the common good." James Luceno has called Solo one of his favorite characters to write due to his humanness. Luceno believes Solo is often typecast in novels, unable to evolve like his Force-using family, and found writing him as older, isolated, and grief-stricken during Agents of Chaos challenging. Troy Denning also identified Solo as a favorite character, citing his wit and ability to always have a comeback.

Impact on popular culture

Following his appearances in the original trilogy, a wide array of Han Solo merchandise was produced, including action figures, busts, and soap. A Han Solo-themed mini fridge was proposed but never developed.

In 2005, Solo ranked #14 on the American Film Institute's list of greatest film heroes. The selection criteria included cultural impact, legacy, inspiration to contemporary artists and audiences, and heroism defined as prevailing in extreme circumstances with morality, courage, and purpose. Empire magazine named Solo the fourth greatest movie character of all time, citing his charm and laconic cool brought by Harrison Ford. Entertainment Weekly ranked him #7 on their list of coolest heroes in pop culture, and Fandomania.com placed him at #15 on their 2009 list of the 100 greatest fictional characters.

The developers of the 2008 video game Prince of Persia cited Solo and Indiana Jones as inspirations for their protagonist. Chris Pine also named both characters as influences when preparing to play James T. Kirk in the 2009 film Star Trek, mentioning their humor and "accidental hero" traits.

Solo's likeness has been used in various media, including the television shows Mind of Mencia and Robot Chicken. In the Family Guy's Star Wars-themed episodes Blue Harvest and Something, Something, Something, Dark Side, Peter Griffin plays Solo. Mel Brooks's 1987 Star Wars spoof Spaceballs features Captain Lonestar, who parodies Solo and Skywalker.

Han shot first

George Lucas's edit to a Solo scene for the 1997 Special Edition of the original Star Wars and the fan response became a pop culture meme. The original film showed Solo shooting Greedo before Greedo could fire, but the Special Edition added a laser blast from Greedo that preceded Solo's shot but missed. Many fans disapproved, and an online petition to re-release the original scene was signed by thousands. "Han Shot First" T-shirts were produced, and Lucas was seen wearing one on the set of Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.

The concept of Solo shooting first has been parodied in Star Wars novels and video games. However, Solo states that he enjoys shooting first in the 1979 novel Han Solo at Stars' End, written before the Special Editions. The non-canon comic story "The Emperor's Court" shows Solo arguing with Greedo's mother over who shot first. Arguments over the subject appear in Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back and Clerks II, and a scene from the 2005 movie Serenity was inspired by the debate. When the original versions of the Star Wars trilogy were released on DVD in 2006, a promotional article on StarWars.com stated that fans could "yes, see Han Solo shoot first."

Non-canon appearances

Solo has appeared in several Star Wars stories outside of continuity, each operating independently. One such story is "Into the Great Unknown," a short comic in 2003's Star Wars Tales 19. Han Solo and Chewbacca flee an Imperial fleet, crash the Millennium Falcon into the Pacific Northwest of Earth, and Solo is killed by Native Americans. 126 years later, Indiana Jones and Short Round investigate Solo's corpse and the Falcon, and Jones finds the scene "eerily familiar." Haden Blackman has called the story one of the most fun Star Wars tales he's attempted.

Another comic story featuring Solo is "Ghost," a part of Star Wars Tales 11 that was released in 2002, and is a part of the Tales series. The story finds Solo during the Dark Times, as he is on a quest to locate a treasure that has been lost, and he crosses paths with Quinlan Vos, a former Jedi. He eventually learns that the treasure he seeks is actually Vos's lightsaber. Additionally, Star Wars Tales 14 presents The Emperor's Court, a narrative where Greedo's mother initiates legal action against Solo for allegedly murdering her son. Emperor Palpatine takes on the role of presiding judge, while Solo presents his argument based on the events as depicted in the Star Wars Special Edition, whereas Greedo's mother defends the legitimacy of the original film version. She summons Lak Sivrak, an alien character who was removed from the cantina scene in the Special Edition, but Solo challenges his testimony by asserting that he was not actually present during the events. Palpatine ultimately rules against Solo, condemning him to spend his life imprisoned in carbonite. Solo also makes an appearance in the LEGO Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy video game.

From 2001 until 2004, Dark Horse Comics put out alternative interpretations of the initial Star Wars trilogy, with each story changing a crucial moment in the movie and examining the possible effects. In Star Wars Infinities: A New Hope, the proton torpedoes launched by Luke Skywalker explode too early, resulting in their failure to destroy the Death Star. The superlaser of the battle station destroys Yavin 4, and the Millennium Falcon along with Luke's X-wing escape through the field of debris as Darth Vader and Grand Moff Tarkin apprehend the fleeing Rebel fleet. After meeting up in another system, Skywalker and R2-D2 leave behind their damaged X-wing and board the Falcon. Solo informs Skywalker that the Rebellion is finished, leading to an assault by the emotionally charged young man. Skywalker only stops his lightsaber when the spirit of Obi-Wan Kenobi shows up and tells him to go to Dagobah. Solo offers Skywalker a ride on the Falcon and successfully lands the ship in the planet's swamps. Yoda makes an appearance and guides the group to his hut, where Solo is the only one who realizes that the small green being is Yoda. He shares this information with his impatient companion, who then starts his Jedi training under Yoda's guidance, while Solo and Chewbacca stay on the planet and work on the Falcon. After a period of two months, the smuggler duo leaves the planet, promising to return if Skywalker ever needs a ride.

Five years later, Solo and Chewbacca are in a cantina situated on Ord Mantell, where they see a holovid featuring Princess Leia, who is now a servant of Darth Vader, addressing the citizens of the Empire from Coruscant. Solo, enraged by this, smashes his chair over the table, which attracts the attention of Imperial stormtroopers and bounty hunters. He and Chewie manage to get to the Falcon and evade an Imperial fleet in orbit as they head towards Dagobah. After arriving on the swamp world once more, Solo enters the dark side cave while Skywalker is undergoing the final test of his Jedi training. He and Chewbacca then join Skywalker, Yoda, and R2-D2 for a meal, and they inform Skywalker that Leia is still alive. Yoda then reveals that Skywalker is the son of Vader and the sister of Leia, and the whole group gets ready to leave for Coruscant.

After arriving at the Imperial throneworld, Solo drops off Yoda and R2-D2 on the Death Star and departs with the help of a mind trick performed by Yoda. He and Skywalker then land on the planet while Chewbacca keeps the Falcon in the air, and they storm the Imperial Palace. Because Leia wants them to locate her, the only opposition they face is four Royal Guards who are armed with double-bladed lightsabers. Solo and Skywalker fight them off, and Solo delivers the final blow by taking one of the lightsabers and stabbing a guard in the back. C-3PO then arrives and takes them to Leia's throne room, where she is waiting with Vader and the Emperor. The protocol droid, reprogrammed to serve the Empire, puts a blaster to Solo's head and makes him watch Skywalker duel his sister. Skywalker redeems Leia, and the Emperor starts using Force lightning against them both before Vader turns against his master. Skywalker incapacitates C-3PO but forces Han to carry the droid, and the group fights their way through stormtroopers before boarding the Falcon and escaping the planet as Yoda crashes the Death Star into the Emperor's Palace. The group attends a ceremony many years later where Leia is elected Chancellor of the New Republic.

In Star Wars Infinities: The Empire Strikes Back, when Solo discovers Skywalker in a Hoth snowstorm, Skywalker passes away in his arms after being attacked by another Wampa in the cave. Skywalker's last words instruct Solo to go to Dagobah and train as a Jedi. The Empire surprises the Rebels during Skywalker's funeral, and Solo and Chewbacca take Princess Leia and the droids on the Falcon during the battle. Instead of flying into an asteroid field, they immediately attach themselves to a Star Destroyer and float away with the garbage to go to Cloud City and have their hyperdrive repaired. Lando Calrissian greets them and finds out that Boba Fett followed them and got there at the same time. Solo and Chewbacca team up with Calrissian's forces to incapacitate Fett, and the bounty hunter is frozen in carbonite. With a repaired hyperdrive, Solo and his crew leave the planet to go to Dagobah.

They encounter Yoda on Dagobah, and Solo insists on being trained as a Jedi. When Yoda informs him that Skywalker's message was actually intended for Leia, he reluctantly leaves, allowing Leia to begin her Jedi training. Solo and Chewbacca spend the next three months saving enough credits to pay back Jabba the Hutt, and they contact the smuggler Vilmarh Grahrk to deliver the funds from Mos Eisley. Grahrk betrays them to a team of Gand bounty hunters and steals their ship, and Solo, Chewbacca, and the droids are taken to Jabba's Palace. Solo and Chewbacca are thrown into a pit of Nexu, but they are saved when R2-D2 opens the pit door. Solo, Chewbacca, and R2-D2 escape while the Nexu overrun the Palace, and they return to Dagobah to see if Leia has finished her training. When they find her dueling Darth Vader, Solo and Chewbacca fire their blasters at his face, killing him. Yoda dies and becomes one with the Force, and during Vader's funeral pyre, the surviving group declares that they have a galaxy to save.

Finally, Star Wars Infinities: Return of the Jedi shows Solo not being released from carbonite until long after the events of Jabba's Palace. When the Hutt beheads C-3PO during negotiations with Leia, who is disguised as a bounty hunter, Leia is left without a translator. She then removes her helmet, which causes a commotion that ends with her thermal detonator activating and falling from her grasp. She, Chewbacca, and Calrissian manage to escape as the Palace explodes, but they fail to catch Boba Fett, who takes Solo aboard the Slave I and flees Tatooine. Leia accidentally shoots Solo's frozen form while chasing him through the palace. After meeting up with Skywalker and R2-D2, they start looking for Fett, eventually finding him in the Outer Rim. They rescue Solo and steal the Slave I, and a medical team unfreezes Solo at the Rebel fleet near Sullust.

The blaster shot that Leia fired causes Solo to become permanently blind after being released from the carbonite. When a message arrives from Skywalker indicating that he has been captured by the Empire, Leia takes the Slave I to Endor to rescue him, and Solo joins Calrissian and Chewbacca on the Falcon as the Rebel Fleet follows her and attacks the Death Star. Calrissian takes the Falcon to the moon's surface, and when Chewbacca is injured by pursuing TIE fighters, Solo mans the guns, firing blindly as Calrissian aims them at the shield generator. Rebel ground forces have already weakened the generator, and Solo's blasts finish the job. The Falcon then boards the Death Star to rescue Skywalker, Leia, and a redeemed Darth Vader. After the station is destroyed, Vader joins the Rebel Fleet and efforts are made to track down the Emperor, with Han now wearing a helmet that is apparently designed to compensate for his lost eyesight.

Listen to Han Solo

Han Solo and Chewbacca were featured in The Theft of Vader's Helmet, an ambiguously canon scenario for Star Wars Miniatures, where they infiltrate the Executor to steal Darth Vader's helmet at some point during Admiral Piett's time as captain of the Executor.

In the Battle of Endor DLC for Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II, Darth Vader dispatches the Dark Apprentice to prevent the rebels from destroying the shield generator bunker that protects the second Death Star. As the Dark Apprentice approached the bunker, Han Solo informed Chewbacca that they needed to buy time for Princess Leia to plant the bombs that would destroy the bunker. Chewbacca engaged the Dark Apprentice using a stolen AT-ST, while Han fired shots at him with a rocket launcher. Despite assistance from the Ewoks, they were unable to defeat him. The Dark Apprentice severely damaged the walker, then incapacitated Chewbacca and lifted him into the air with one hand. Han attempted to save his friend by firing two shots from his blaster, but the Dark Apprentice used Chewbacca as a shield, resulting in his death, much to Han's horror. Enraged, Han opened fire with his blaster, but the Dark Apprentice easily deflected the shots with his lightsaber, then lifted him into the air with the Force and impaled him, killing Han. As a result of Han and Chewbacca's failure, the Dark Apprentice was able to destroy the bombs and kill Leia, leading to the Empire's victory over the Rebel Alliance.

On July 22 2011, Han appeared in LEGO Star Wars: The Padawan Menace as a young boy who escapes from an orphanage and ends up joining Yoda in a mission to recover stolen battle plans from the Confederacy of Independent Systems.

Translations

• In the Italian version of the original trilogy, Han is known as Ian Solo or Jan Solo (in the subtitles).
• In the French version of the original trilogy, Han is known as Yan Solo.