Entertainment
14 Star Wars References In 'Solo' Even The Biggest Fans Probably Missed
Spoilers ahead. Solo: A Star Wars Story takes place in the sweet spot after the prequel trilogy and before the original Star Wars trilogy, and as such it is full of wonderful Easter Eggs. But, fans should know that, as one of the first Star Wars movies that doesn't revolve around a war with the Empire, most of the original Star Wars references in Solo: A Star Wars Story give more insight into Han Solo than the actual Star Wars mythology. And that's a good thing.
Star Wars fans are used to picking apart new installments the second they come out, looking for any clues that might hint at future plots or provide some new Star Wars mythology to obsess over. But because Solo is a Han Solo origin movie, most of that mythology isn't about the Empire, or the Jedi, or the mysterious nature of the Force, it's about everybody's favorite space cowboy. Ever wondered the story behind the gold dice Han had decorating the Millennium Falcon? Or perhaps you doubted Han's assertions about Chewie's superhuman strength and violence? Or maybe you always wondered about Han Solo's claim that the Millennium Falcon really is the fastest ship in the galaxy? Well, wonder no more, because these 14 original Star Wars references in Solo: A Star Wars Story are finally giving fans the answers they've been waiting for.
1Han's Dice
Solo doesn't show how Han got the golden dice, but it does make clear that he's had them since he was a scrappy teenager running around Corellia with Qi'Ra by his side. In the opening sequence of Solo, we see him put them on the rearview mirror-like hook on a stolen speedster, and he then gives them to Qi'Ra as a sign of hope for the future.
2The Kessel Run
One of the major action sequences in Solo features Han and Chewie piloting the Falcon for the very first time through the Kessel Run. It turns out the Millennium Falcon did make it in record time, just maybe not the 12 parsecs Han brags about in A New Hope. (It's more like 14, but Han likes to round down.)
3Lando's Helmet
The helmet Lando Calrissian wears in Star Wars: Return of the Jedi is used in Solo when Beckett needs a disguise on a job. It seems that the intimidating helmet was just another wild accessory Lando happened to have on his ship at the time.
4Lando's Salute
Actor Donald Glover makes use of Lando's friendly two fingered salute multiple times in Solo, keeping in line with the original trilogy actor Billy Dee Williams.
5She Is The Millennium Falcon
The Millennium Falcon isn't just a girl because she's a ship. It turns out Han Solo has a reason for classifying the Falcon in the feminine — her navigational core is actually a component of L3, a female droid who is Lando's co-pilot in Solo.
6Han vs. Han
Lando mispronounces Han's name multiple times in Solo ("Han" vs. the appropriate "Hahn") in order to knock him down a few pegs. This is in reference to the original trilogy, in which Lando mispronounces Han's name (and he's not the only one.)
7Bossk
During Han's very first official job as an outlaw in Solo, Val laments to her partner, Beckett, that they should have hired Bossk instead of amateurs, referencing the bounty hunter hired by Darth Vader to find the Millennium Falcon in Return of the Jedi.
8Chewie's Family
Solo essentially undoes the original Star Wars Christmas Special, in which Chewbacca brings Han back to his home planet to visit his family, including a wife and kids. In the film, Chewie tells Han that he and his family were separated and enslaved by the Empire — he doesn't know what happened to them.
9"I Have A Good Feeling About This"
A younger Han is a more optimist Han in Solo. Instead of mumbling some version of the classic Star Wars line, "I've got a bad feeling about this," a young Han exclaims he's got "a good feeling about this" while the rest of his crew is much less certain.
10The Gamble
Han alludes to winning the Millennium Falcon in a game against Lando, and in Solo fans finally get to see the epic showdown that cost Lando his ship and made galaxy history.
11Darth Maul
Darth Maul isn't in the original trilogy, but he is in the prequels, and his presence in the animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars makes him an important part of Star Wars mythology, so it's worth mentioning his Solo appearance. Darth Maul appears at the end of the film in a brief cameo, now head of a criminal syndicate.
12You Won't Like Chewie When He's Angry
In the original trilogy, Han claims that Chewie could rip the arms off any man, and in Solo fans finally get to see how Han learned of Chewbacca's very special skill.
13The Jabba Job
At the end of Solo, Han hints at the beginning of his criminal relationship with Jabba the Hut, heading to Tatooine with Chewie to join a new crew for a new job. When we first meet Han in A New Hope, he's in trouble with Jabba, and the two have a history. It's possible that in the decade between Solo and A New Hope, Han pulled many jobs for Jabba, eventually ending up on the wrong side of the enormous villain.
14The Imperial March
Though not exactly a part of the Star Wars world or mythology, the infamous "Imperial March" written by John Williams for the original trilogy is used in Solo as an actual part of the film, not just a soundtrack. The song appears as a kind of jingle in the background of a recruitment add for the Imperial army. Whether or not this means that Darth Vader walked everywhere with a little speaker box playing the "Imperial March" in the original trilogy has not yet been confirmed.
Clearly, Solo gives a whole new meaning to details in the original Star Wars series, even the music.
