Meeting Han

A New Hope

The best character introduction in the history of cinema?

One thing’s for sure and that is that Han Solo made one heck of a first impression. In a Mos Eisley cantina filled with bizarre creatures, wacky aliens and a decidedly talented house band, it is a plain old human who stands out among it all. Han Solo, Captain of the Millennium Falcon has just upped the bar and redefined what it means to be self-assured.

But despite having just sealed a deal – well, been offered a windfall on a plate from a desperate old man and his scruffy looking friend – Solo’s not out of the woods yet.

Enter Greedo.

The bounty hunter has Han pinned and in the dog-eat-dog system at the heart of the Star Wars underworld, Greedo is about to earn his own windfall. Jabba the Hutt, the crime lord to whom Han owes money, has placed a bounty on his head and Greedo is here to scoop the prize.

What he fails to factor is Han Solo’s ingenuity and with one shot, Solo brings the conversation to an end, pulling the trigger and saving his own skin before Greedo has a chance to fire.

Yeah, that’s right, Han shot first. No maclunky asked, no maclunkies given.

Then to cap off the scene, he tosses a coin at the bartender and delivers the most nonchalant line in the history of cinema; “sorry about the mess.”

And despite the various alterations made to the scene over the years, it still remains a showcase of how to introduce a character to the audience. We don’t really know Solo’s motives – we don’t truly discover is hero’s heart until the final moments of the movie – but we do learn that this is a cocky smuggler who is well known in the grotty Star Wars underworld. We learn that it’s not just the negotiating table where he can be ruthless. All in the space of three minutes.

So, yes, it is the most intriguing and entertaining character introduction in the history of cinema and no amount of maclunky will rob us of it.