The shocking death of Han Solo (played by Harrison Ford) in the 2015 film Star Wars: The Force Awakens left everyone numb. The death of Solo by his son Kylo Ren was completely unexpected. Still, if we believe writer-director Rian Johnson, Han Solo is not yet done with the franchise.
While in conversation with Entertainment Weekly, Johnson said:
‘A figurative ghost of Han had to be present throughout this entire film. Kylo has definitely been knocked off base. The defeat that he had at the end of The Force Awakens, but even bigger than that, his huge defining act which, spoiler alert, is the murder of his father… that’s the more interesting thing to dive into.’
‘How has he dealt with that in his head? Where is he at in terms of that act and what does that mean for him?’
Johnson also went on to confirm that Chewbacca is still in the game, with a new mission in hand:
‘Chewie’s doing all right. It’s tough. It was obviously a big loss for him, but, you know, he’s Chewie. He’s resilient.
‘He’s got broad Wookiee shoulders, and he also has a new mission. He’s got Rey, and she’s someone that Han, to a certain extent, handed the keys to. So I think that helps.’
When Daisey Ridley (who play Rey) was asked about her reaction to the death, she went on to explain it from the point of view of her character:
‘She just doesn’t understand Kylo. When all she wanted was parents, why would a person who has parents do that?
‘It’s so beyond comprehension, it’s ridiculous. So she has grief for the loss and then there’s anger. To be honest, she couldn’t understand doing something like that – let alone to your parents.’
Well, we can’t wait to see more of Han Solo, in any form. Star Wars: The Last Jedi hits theatres in December this year.
Last week, we got a glimpse of new photos forms The Last Jedi. The images portrayed the cast wearing red in front of a haunting background.
Daisey Ridley is back in her role of fearless Rey, who is all set to become a Jedi Padawan under Luke. She is wearing her fighter robes (which are red this time) while holding a lightsaber and looking ahead with uncertainty.
Mark Hamill returns to the franchise as Luke Skywalker, the former Jedi who is all in red for the first time. Despite the title, Hamill looks determined and holds his lightsaber with authority.
We also got a look at late Carrie Fisher, who died in December last year. She is wearing a red collared coat and appears to be deep in thought. It is confirmed that she will play a significant role in the upcoming movie as the General of Rebel forces.
We also saw Driver, who plays the son of Princess Leia and Han Solo, Ben Solo (now known as Kylo Ren). The soon-to-be-Sith Ren is all in red.
In other supporting actors, we see Boyega (who plays the former-Stormtrooper Finn) and Issac (who plays the Resistance fighter Poe Dameron) looking down in apparent grief.
Rian Johnson, who directed and wrote the film, promises to do justice to Princess Leia. The tragic death of Carrie Fisher, followed by the death of her mother, had left everyone shocked. Carrie died on December 27 last year after suffering a heart attack. She rose to fame with her legendary portrayal of the feisty and bold Princess Leia in the original Star Wars trilogy.
The details about the movie were kept a secret for since the beginning, which has led to many speculations. However, a small statement regarding the plot was released: “Luke Skywalker returns, Rey’s courage is tested, and the galaxy bids farewell to Princess Leia.”
The timeline of the new trilogy is set 30 years after the end of Galactic Empire. The plot revolves around Han Solo and others, who must face the new challenge of a resurgent evil led by Kylo Ren.
The first film of the new trilogy, The Force Awakens, was met with roaring applause and became the highest-grossing film of all time (overtaking Avatar).
The franchise began with the original trilogy in 1977, which revolved around the Rebel Alliance (led by Leia) who must fight against the Galactic Empire headed by Darth Vader. A simple farm boy, Luke Skywalker, soon finds himself in the crossfire after he acquires the blueprints of the Death Star. He then meets Jedi master Obi-Wan Kenobi and together they attempt to rescue Leia and thwart the Sith order.
A prequel trilogy of the original film came in 1999, which explained the rise of the Galactic Empire and the conversion of Jedi Anakin Skywalker into Darth Vader.
Another film was released last year titled Rogue One, which covered the events between the original and prequel trilogies.
