Killing Han Solo is one of the most important decisions ever made in the Star Wars franchise. The character’s death effectively cements Kylo Ren as one of the most despicable villains in the galaxy far, far away. Beyond that, having Han die at the hands of his son shows how he failed at being a good father — something “The Force Awakens” doesn’t shy away from. While the move to kill the smuggler was controversial, it had major ramifications for the rest of the sequel trilogy. In “Star Wars: Episode IX — The Rise of Skywalker,” Solo returns as a ghost-like figure to speak to his son, remedying their once-strained relationship.
Han’s death is a pivotal moment, one Ford was desperate to have. Star Wars fans know the actor campaigned for Solo’s demise while making the original trilogy. He wanted George Lucas to kill the character off in 1983’s “Return of the Jedi.”
“As a character … he was not so interesting to me,” Ford told ABC News. “I thought he should have died in the last one just to give it some bottom.” Lucky for him, he got his wish three decades later. “I argued for 30 years for this to happen,” the actor said on “Jimmy Kimmel Live” following the release of “The Force Awakens.” “And finally, I wore ’em down.”
