Anna Daniels
Han Solo is marked for death the minute he greets his masked son in The Force Awakens. Kylo Ren teeters on the edge of light and dark for most of his screen time, but nothing says “taking a stance” quite like murdering your father in cold blood when your scraggly looking boss demands it. Ben Solo basically asks Han for permission to kill him, and with a single glance, the recovering smuggler appears to know exactly what his son is about to do. He forgives Ben for murdering him before the jaded Jedi even whips out his lightsaber.
While this was heartbreaking for fans, it was a relief for Harrison Ford. In an interview with USA Today, the actor admitted, “I wanted [Solo] to die for a long time, so I finally talked them into it.” However, he clarified that he didn’t just want Han to die to “dispose of him” but to “ennoble his participation” in the story.
Okay, so Ford wanted him dead, but why did it have to happen in the story itself? Well, Han Solo has to die to make fans believe Ben is beyond saving. Without committing one of the most egregious acts in Star Wars canon, Kylo Ren would never fully commit to his role as a villain, and Han wouldn’t die a hero trying to protect his son. Without a single move to defend himself, Han Solo lets his son murder him, dying with a lingering hope that Ben’s mother may save their son yet.
Written by: Looper
