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Solo Han

Han Solo is a character in the Star Wars universe. He was played by Harrison Ford in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back and Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi.

Solo is introduced in A New Hope as a roguish spice smuggler who, through a twist of fate, becomes involved in the Rebel Alliance against the evil Galactic Empire. Over the course of this film and its sequels, The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, Solo becomes a chief figure in the Alliance. Star Wars creator George Lucas describes him as "a loner who realizes the importance of being part of a group and helping for the common good."

As portrayed by Harrison Ford, Han Solo is a superb smuggler with a wry wit, a reckless disposition, and technological savvy who pilots the Millennium Falcon along with his Wookiee copilot Chewbacca.

At the beginning of A New Hope, Solo and Chewbacca are notorious smugglers. However, during one Kessel Run, the Imperial Navy intercepts and boards their ship, forcing Solo to jettison his cargo to avoid arrest. This results in a large and mounting debt to his former employer, Jabba the Hutt, who places a bounty on Solo's capture. Desperate to pay off his debt to Jabba, Solo accepts a charter to transport Obi-Wan Kenobi, Luke Skywalker, C-3PO and R2-D2 to the planet Alderaan. As a result, Solo reluctantly becomes involved in the Rebel Alliance and helps them rescue Princess Leia from Imperial custody, but parts ways with the rebels after delivering them to safety and receiving his payment. However, near the end of the film, he has a change of heart, and helps Luke Skywalker destroy the Death Star at the film's climactic battle scene. He destroys two TIE fighters and sends Darth Vader's fighter careening into space. As a result, Solo is handsomely rewarded and given, along with Luke, the Alderaanian Medal of Freedom.

In The Empire Strikes Back, set three years later, Han again attempts to leave the Rebel Alliance, as he is still being relentlessly pursued by Jabba's minions. However, he is once again dragged back into action when he saves Luke from freezing to death and Princess Leia from an Imperial invasion of the rebel base on Hoth. He takes her to hide on the planet Bespin, but his old friend Lando Calrissian betrays him and turns them over to Darth Vader, who was informed of their location by the infamous bounty hunter Boba Fett. After being tortured by Vader, Han's body is frozen in carbonite and given to Fett as a reward, who then delivers the incapacitated Han to Jabba. Moments before Han is frozen, Leia confess her love for Han, with him replying "I know".

In Return of the Jedi, Luke, now a nearly full-fledged Jedi, rescues Han from Jabba (with help from Leia, Chewbacca, and a penitent Lando). Upon rejoining the rebels, Han, now promoted to general, accepts their offer to lead the commando raid on an Imperial shield generator facility on the forest moon of Endor. By destroying the shield generator, they allow rebel fighters to enter the Death Star's superstructure and destroy it in the ensuing battle, permanently crippling the Empire.