Solo: A Star Wars Story
Writers: Lawrence Kasdan & Jon Kasdan
Director: Ron Howard
Solo: A Star Wars Story is a love story.
Oh. Yes. But it is also so much more. Solo is a high-rolling serial adventure that soars among the stars while diving deep into themes like survival and freedom. It challenges its characters and viewers to clear up what you personally define each one to be. There are a lot of layers to this tale of how one of the greatest characters of all time got his start (and name). But make no mistake: This is a love story.
The love story isn’t about Han Solo and Qi’ra. It’s not between Han and his new crush, the Millennium Falcon. The tale of love told here is between Han Solo and Chewbacca. It’s the beginning of their lifelong partnership and friendship. A connection that we know will pass the test of time. Han didn’t know that at first as he was too busy basing his entire life around the girl he thought got away, Qi’ra. But it’s definitely about him and Chewbacca. Even Qi’ra has to tell him that at one point. Han and Chewie truly love each other.
All of this feeds into one of the sweetest and most touching moments in the entire Star Wars saga albeit quick and simple.
The moment when two friends set off for a lifetime of adventures as Han and Chewie jump to lightspeed for the first time as captain and first mate.
Han and Chewbacca’s friendship was born out of circumstances beyond their control. They were literally chained together and have to work together to survive. Yet they are quickly forged together through the missions they are forced to take. Chewbacca has a chance to leave Han behind, but he decides to stay during the raid on Kessel after seeing Han’s true nature and devotion to helping others. They’re tribemates now. As they fly out of Numidian Prime, Han having just won the Falcon from Lando, the iconic duo has already been through a lot in a short amount of time, but a lot more is about to come their way.
This moment is certainly served by the audience being fully aware of this. It plays on that knowledge. From meeting Luke and Obi-Wan in Mos Eisley’s Chalmun’s Cantina to all the events of the Galactic Civil War and, yes, even Han’s death, the audience has all of this burned into their souls by the time Han and Chewie are ready to make the jump. It’s a tug on the nostalgia heart strings for sure, but it’s an earned tug.
The levers click, the buttons tick, and Han even needs to flick a display to get it working. This is certainly the Millennium Falcon we all grew up daydreaming about. It’s fast and sheik, but you sometimes wonder if it’s going to work at all. Which is similar to the very dynamic of Han and Chewbacca. They are the best duo in the galaxy for sure (apologies to C-3PO and R2-D2) but you sometimes wonder how they work at all. And that is on display here as well, adding depth to a tiny moment. Han already has their next hairbrained scheme in mind and Chewie is dubious. Han asks when he’s ever steered Chewbacca wrong. Chewie has several answers; however, he knows it won’t matter. Han’s smile means they’re going on their next adventure. This is certainly the Han Solo and Chewbacca we all grew up rooting for.
Everything we know and love about these characters is swimming around our brains. It’s as if the whole saga is flying right before our eyes. There are moments in this movie where their adventures do begin in a literal sense. Even a great moment when Chewbacca takes the copilot’s seat for the first time. Yet, as they both reach their hands up and start to make the jump to lightspeed, we know that everything before this moment was the prologue. The funny story at the bar about how they first met. Now, as the stars start to blur and fade into streaks, Han Solo, dirty scumrat from the streets of Corellia, and Chewbacca, mighty son of the proud Wookiees of Kashyyyk, are not just jumping into lightspeed in the moment, they are becoming Han & Chewie forever.
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“Lock S-Foils into Attack Positions”
The promotion of Wedge Antilles and the fun of Star Wars traditions
Star Wars: Episode VI—Return of the Jedi
Writers: Lawrence Kasdan & George Lucas
Director: Richard Marquand
The plucky Rebel Alliance had their ragtag backs up against the wall as thirty snub fighters launched from their no-longer-hidden base on Yavin 4. Their target was the Death Star and if they failed in this last-ditch mission—well—no more Rebels, pluck be damned. As the Rebellion’s X-wings and Y-wings raced toward the Death Star, grizzled pilot Garven “Dave” Dreis, he of the awe-inspiring Red Leader call sign, barked an order: “Lock S-foils into attack position.”
And it was the coolest thing ever.
Yep. There is no need for any other fancy adjectives to describe it. It was just cool. The wings of the X-wings opened up to, you know, form an X. What was happening? What are S-foils? Why do you need them to attack? What. Is. Happening?!?! Rebel pilots and fans alike were tense. Fortunately, we all had Red Leader there to guide us through it all.
After barking the S-foils order, he steadied everyone as they passed through the Death Star’s magnetic field and reminded them to put up their front deflector shields. The young, fresh-faced Rebel pilots were pensive and weighed down by trepidation as opposed to the gruff calmness of Red Leader. The eyes of one such Rebel pilot bulged as he saw their target and blurted out, “Look at the size of that thing.”
It was Wedge Antilles. Red Two. A former Imperial flight school ace who had defected to the good guys. Skilled and confident, he was still lost in a sea of shock as he approached the Death Star. Of the Rebel pilots that flew into the fray that day, only three survived. One being the hero of the hour, Luke Skywalker. The other was Alderaanian Y-wing pilot Evaan Verlaine (something revealed to us years later in Marvel Comics’ five-issue Princess Leia book in 2015). The third was Wedge.
When Wedge showed up in The Empire Strikes Back as Rogue Three, a member of Luke’s Rogue Squadron, his place in Star Wars folklore was cemented. The Star Wars galaxy, even “in-story” had its heroes and celebrities: Luke was known far and wide for making the miracle shot that saved the day, Han Solo and Chewbacca had gone from outlaws to war heroes, and Princess Leia was royalty turned leader. Everyone knew them! Yet here was this mild-mannered wingman. A working man just doing his job and helping to save the galaxy. He and his gunner Wes Janson used a tow cable to take down an Imperial walker. He wasn’t just surviving this time around.
However, 1983’s Return of the Jedi was something special for Wedge fans. The Rebels, still ragtag and desperately trying to remain plucky, headed for what many believed to be the final confrontation with the Empire and their even larger second Death Star (no, really, look at the size of THAT thing) and Wedge wasn’t just part of that strike force—he was now Red Leader.
Wedge Antilles…the low-profile pilot without the glory and certainly no medals…was Red Leader. He had earned a promotion! This small moment in an otherwise large-scale final act to the most sprawling story of the original trilogy can sneak past you if you’re a casual fan. Lando, as Gold Leader, is leading the way and calls for all wings to report in. While Gray and Green leaders Horton Salm and Arvel Crynyd respectively checked in as well, the highlight was hearing Wedge Antilles proclaim first, “Red Leader standing by.” Then he gets to calmly—not bark—command, “Lock S-foils into attack positions.” The music swells and the Rebels head into a battle that goes to hell moments later. However, a smile will crack and a lump form in your throat when you stop and think about Wedge getting this honor.
Traditions in Star Wars are very much a “thing” and heartily consumed by the fandom. They are also the food that trivia contests feed on. That Wedge Antilles could—and would—rise in the command structure of the Rebel Alliance means he joined a time-honored tradition of Red Leaders that also includes Obi-Wan Kenobi in the Battle of Coruscant. It means the character we love has a newfound responsibility and has earned this prestige through his actions. Saying “Lock S-foils into attack position” means the character and actor we love (Denis Lawson 1) is forever part of the recurring themes