# Han Solo- The Great "X-Factor" **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 23, 2002, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/han-solo-the-great-x-factor/110568 "2002-05-23T22:26:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ummm.yeahh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ummm.yeahh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ummm.yeahh)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2002, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/han-solo-the-great-x-factor/110568/1 "2002-05-23T22:26:02Z")
I’ve been reading a lot of Star Wars discussion on this board. Forgive me if this has already been mentioned, but am I the only one that thinks Harrison Ford was the biggest X-Factor Episodes IV, V and VI? I’m not saying he was the only great thing in those movies but to me he is the best part. A. He acted the part better than anybody else did theirs. B. The character of Han Solo was the best written (IMHO). C. Han provided for much of the comic relief and Ford has a great sense of comedic timing and sarcasm. D. He was a great hero to root for. So I go see TPM and I’m thinking, "Does Lucas honestly think he can replace Harrison Ford with a CG character that talks like Stephanie Tanner from ‘Full House?’ " I mean, that’s what each character is. Han was the wild card and we loved him for it. Jar Jar was the wild card in TPM, and we hate him for it. I just really think that a character of Hans quality would have made a heckuva difference in Episodes I and II. Am I alone on this? I really miss that character… ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2002, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/han-solo-the-great-x-factor/110568/2 "2002-05-23T22:50:30Z")
Ebert covered this recently in his [Answer Man](http://www.suntimes.com/output/answ-man/sho-sunday-ebert191.html) column, so I’d say you’re not alone. ---
**Author:** ![pricciar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f4b2a3/32.png) [@pricciar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pricciar)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2002, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/han-solo-the-great-x-factor/110568/3 "2002-05-23T23:00:20Z")
I agree. I think the Han Solo character, and the absence of Darth Vader are the two biggest things missing in the prequels. But, I think that is just the nature of the story that these two types of characters do not exist. You didn’t mention Darth Vader, so, I won’t talk about why that sort of character has to be missing in the prequels. (Yes, Anakin is there. But, there isn’t a character who is very clearly drawn as the big bad guy who you should boo at everytime he appears. Sidious is there, but it’s not clear what is going on with him.) Back to Han. The Han Solo character was the rugged individualist. The rebel against everything there was to rebel against. Even when he was about of the larger Rebel Alliance, the character was clearly rebelling against the constraints, and preferred to be on his own. I think that is a character that fits in perfectly under the Empire. An oppresive regime that takes away people’s rights and freedoms. So, he rebels against that system, as everyone wants to, and he rebels against everything there is to rebel against. He is straight out of the Old West. With a vest and a pistol at his side. But. In the prequels the republic and all of the planets are painted as being inhabited by much happier people. These people don’t seem to have a need to rebel. They are happy with their government and with the state of their lives. So, I think it makes sense that a character like Han Solo doesn’t exist in the prequels. Furthermore, if Lucas had tried to create a Sololike character I don’t think it would have helped the film. First, I don’t think the character would have fit in with the way the galaxy is portrayed. Second, and more importantly, any actor playing this Han Solo type character would not have had a chance when being compared to Harrison Ford. I agree that the Han Solo character made the original movies better and more special than the prequels. But, I also think that adding a character of that type wouldn’t have helped the prequels. That being said, I have enjoyed both The Phantom Menace and Attack of the Clones immensly. pat ---
**Author:** ![Kat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b19c9b/32.png) [@Kat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kat)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2002, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/han-solo-the-great-x-factor/110568/4 "2002-05-24T02:09:25Z")
I still want them to run into a young Han Solo in Ep III. _sighs_ ---
**Author:** ![easy\_e](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/eb8c5e/32.png) [@easy\_e](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/easy_e)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2002, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/han-solo-the-great-x-factor/110568/5 "2002-05-24T03:43:23Z")
Plus, Harrison Ford was just damn hot. ---
**Author:** ![Lockfist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/838e76/32.png) [@Lockfist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lockfist)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2002, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/han-solo-the-great-x-factor/110568/6 "2002-05-24T04:35:14Z")
**Han Solo** is easily the coolest character to ever grace that flickering movie screen. I agree with you **ummm… yeahh…** , for me the prequels are more of an “informational” escape rather than a true fantasy I can get lost in. **Chewbacca, R2-D2, Han Solo, Darth Vader** are _real_ to me. I honestly don’t think its my old age either, as I can say the same for _The Iron Giant_ and _Sully_ from **Monsters Inc.**. The magic is seriously lacking the **STAR WARS** prequels… ---
**Author:** ![jack\_ss](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c77e96/32.png) [@jack\_ss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jack_ss)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2002, 7:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/han-solo-the-great-x-factor/110568/7 "2002-05-24T07:48:30Z")
Lucas had a couple major supporting characters who I thought had lots of potential in episodes I and II. They were **Darth Maul** & **Jange Fett**. They weren’t Han Solo or even Chewbacca, but I thought they had a lot of potential, especially Jango. Too bad he had to go and kill them off. ---
**Author:** ![jack\_ss](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c77e96/32.png) [@jack\_ss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jack_ss)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2002, 7:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/han-solo-the-great-x-factor/110568/8 "2002-05-24T07:49:53Z")
Of course, that should read **Jango** Fett. And I even previewed the damn thing. ---
**Author:** ![ummm.yeahh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ummm.yeahh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ummm.yeahh)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2002, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/han-solo-the-great-x-factor/110568/9 "2002-05-24T12:58:52Z")
I also enjoyed TPM and AOTC very much. Screw the critics. There’s just something about a man and his relationship with a wookie… Do you think there will be a young Han in Episode III? It might be a way to break up what’s got to be an incredibly dark movie. ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2002, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/han-solo-the-great-x-factor/110568/10 "2002-05-24T14:25:39Z")
The entire problem with EP 1 & 2 is that they were not written well at all. So If we threw Han into the mix, he most likely would have sucked. I’ll wager that Darth Maul would have been the man, if he was in the OT, because Lucas was writing quality stuff back then. ---
**Author:** ![ummm.yeahh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ummm.yeahh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ummm.yeahh)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2002, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/han-solo-the-great-x-factor/110568/11 "2002-05-24T15:42:00Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by World Eater \* > \*\*The entire problem with EP 1 & 2 is that they were not written well at all. So If we threw Han into the mix, he most likely would have sucked. I’ll wager that Darth Maul would have been the man, if he was in the OT, because Lucas was writing quality stuff back then. \*\* I’m not so sure that I’d call Lucas’ early stuff a masterpiece either. At least not as far as diologue goes. Han had some pretty cheesy lines but Ford was good at pulling them off. He’s not a wooden actor. I agree about Darth Maul. I would have loved to seen more stuff with him in it. To me the problem seems that the main story is Episodes IV, V and VI. Episodes I-III seem to be just history. Not made with as much passion. I think Lucas is trying to make movies that answer every single question and quirk from the OT. And as a result, the movies have suffered. Regardless of what some people may think, I don’t think Lucas had every little detail worked out from day one. Thus the original movies had a sense of freedom to them that these new just simply don’t. Did I just hijack my own OP?! ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2002, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/han-solo-the-great-x-factor/110568/12 "2002-05-24T16:41:49Z")
I agree as well with the OP, except for one thing. Harrison Ford did a terrible acting job, especially in ANH. He freely admits that. And since Guinness got a Best Supporting nomination, I’d say Han Solo wasn’t the best acted role in the movie. If I had to, I’d rank them: Obi-Wan, Tarkin, Vader, Leia, Solo, Luke. ---
**Author:** ![ummm.yeahh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ummm.yeahh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ummm.yeahh)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2002, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/han-solo-the-great-x-factor/110568/13 "2002-05-24T17:25:08Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Munch \* > \*\*I agree as well with the OP, except for one thing. Harrison Ford did a terrible acting job, especially in ANH. He freely admits that. And since Guinness got a Best Supporting nomination, I’d say Han Solo wasn’t the best acted role in the movie. If I had to, I’d rank them: Obi-Wan, Tarkin, Vader, Leia, Solo, Luke. \*\* I’m sure Harrison Ford did a horrible acting job… by his own standards. It was his first major role. So of course it would be weak by his standards. I can see your point on Guinness but never, ever Carrie Fisher. She’s not in the same league as Ford. And I don’t see how you can say Vadar did a better job of acting. He was in a full costume and had his voice dubbed over. **I** could have been in that suit and pulled it off! ---
**Author:** ![BlackKnight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/eb8c5e/32.png) [@BlackKnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlackKnight)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2002, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/han-solo-the-great-x-factor/110568/14 "2002-05-24T17:46:14Z")
Maybe Munch meant the voice acting of James Earl Jones? ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2002, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/han-solo-the-great-x-factor/110568/15 "2002-05-24T18:04:49Z")
Not to be rude, **jack@ss,** but shouldn’t you have stuck a SPOILER WARNING on the Jango Fett thing? Some of us havn’t seen the movie yet! ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2002, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/han-solo-the-great-x-factor/110568/16 "2002-05-24T18:17:03Z")
BlackKnight’s right - I was thinking of JEJ for Vader. Prowse is a moron. Fisher is a stretch, but its a tie with Harrison at the least. His performance acting-wise was underwhelming, due in no small part to klunky dialogue (mostly in technical scenes in the Falcon - the cantina scene with Greedo was excellent). ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2002, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/han-solo-the-great-x-factor/110568/17 "2002-05-24T18:24:18Z")
\ If any believes that Lucas planned out the 6 or 9 episodes while he was penning ANH, then I have a bridge to sell you. \ ---
**Author:** ![Encinitas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@Encinitas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Encinitas)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2002, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/han-solo-the-great-x-factor/110568/18 "2002-05-24T20:29:26Z")
Don’t worry **rjung** , there are plenty more where that Jango came from.🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2002, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/han-solo-the-great-x-factor/110568/19 "2002-05-24T21:06:01Z")
Luke isn’t given as much credit as he deserves for acting. Yes, he was a whiny little brat at the beginning, but that’s because he was _supposed_ to be one. One of the big themes that ties the original trilogy together is how Luke matures with experience of the world (or rather, worlds). By the end of _Return of the Jedi_, he’s a completely different character (as he’s supposed to be). ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2002, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/han-solo-the-great-x-factor/110568/20 "2002-05-25T00:51:27Z")
you got it, chronos. apparently it is a skywalker trait, as dad is a bit whiney as well… he certainly got over that rather quickly, vader sure isn’t whiney.