George Lucas’ Original Plan for Han Solo’s Backstory in Star Wars Was Bizarre

With this month marking the 20th anniversary of the release of Star Wars: Episode III — Revenge of the Sith, fans are re-experiencing the epic final installment of the Star Wars prequel series. However, the film could have been quite different, based on George Lucas’ early scripts and ideas. One such difference would have changed the entire trajectory of an iconic and beloved character: Han Solo. Lucas’ plans for everyone’s favorite cocky smuggler were fleeting for Revenge of the Sith, but were cut in the concept design stage, never making it past an abstract idea. Ultimately, the decision to cut a young Han Solo cameo in Revenge of the Sith made more sense for the character’s past and future, preventing continuity issues in the 2018 standalone movie Solo: A Star Wars Story, but also offering a bizarre “what if?”

Han Solo Almost Had a Very Different Origin Story

George Lucas’ original plan for Han Solo’s first appearance in the chronological Star Wars timeline was as an unkempt 10-year-old boy being raised by Chewbacca on Kashyyyk. The scene would have centered around Yoda searching for clues about General Grievous on Kashyyyk when he crossed paths with the human child on the Wookiee planet. Den of Geek previously noted that Solo would have approached the Jedi master and had a single line: “I found part of a transmitter droid near the east bay. I think it’s still sending and receiving signals.” With the information handed over by the child, Yoda would have been able to track down Grievous’ whereabouts.

The scene was ultimately scrapped, which was for the betterment of the film as a whole. The small subplot would have been an unnecessary distraction from the main events and would also create issues for Han Solo’s character as a whole. His relationship with Chewbacca was always depicted as a partnership–pilot and co-pilot, trying to outrun the Empire and maybe make a few bucks while doing so. Showing a young Han on Kashyyyk with the implication that Chewbacca was his adoptive parent does not tie into the classic dynamic seen in the original trilogy. 

Han’s Involvement in the Clone Wars Is Not Consistent With His Character

Placing Han in the middle of the Kashyyyk at the end of the Clone Wars would also have meant he was present for the events of Order 66 and raised on an Imperial controlled planet. Such a background would have given Han every reason to hate the Empire and want to join the Rebel Alliance. However, when audiences meet Han in A New Hope, he isn’t involved in any resistance and does not even express a genuine desire to bring down the Empire due to moral justifications, like Leia does. He mostly stumbles across Luke’s path and gets wrapped up in something unintentional; something way bigger than himself.

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It’s in that way that Han grows as a character, as he realizes there’s more to fight for than one’s own self-interests. Placing a young Han on an Imperial oppressed planet would not have made sense for the character seen in the original trilogy. His eventual commitment to the Rebel cause gains greater significance because it is a choice Han himself makes, driven by his evolving moral compass rather than a pre-existing resentment of the Empire rooted in childhood experiences.

A Fan-Service Cameo Would Have Taken Away From the Darkness of Revenge of the Sith

Beyond continuity, the inclusion of a young Han on Kashyyyk during the final days of the Republic would have also introduced thematic inconsistencies. Revenge of the Sith is a dark and tragic film, focusing on the fall of the Jedi Order and the rise of the Empire. The end of the film is meant to feel like a true turning point, a descent into darkness before the glimmer of hope seen in A New Hope.

Yoda’s presence on Kashyyyk is tied to the dire circumstances of Order 66 and the desperate need to survive. Introducing a seemingly random subplot involving a child, even one as beloved as Han Solo, would have detracted from the film’s somber tone and its focus on the galaxy-altering events unfolding. Han, a symbol of future rebellion and heroism, subtly undercuts this sense of finality. It hints at a brighter future too early, diminishing the impact of the Empire’s ascendance.

In essence, the inclusion of a young Han Solo in Revenge of the Sith would have felt like inserting a scene from a different kind of movie. It would have disrupted the carefully constructed atmosphere of tragedy and despair, diluted the stakes of the central conflicts, and introduced a thematic element that doesn’t fit with the film’s overall message of loss and the triumph of darkness. The power of Revenge of the Sith lies in its tragic depiction of a galaxy descending into tyranny, and a lighthearted cameo from a future hero would have undermined that impact.