This is stuff you like and a wild han solo movie appeared! and so this month
I've decided to talk about Han and Leia a few years ago I did a three-part
series in which I said that I would be upset if Han and Leia were broken up in
the force awakens this is why they call me Nostradamus oh yes and I'm not gonna
lie I was upset that Han and Leia's relationship had broken up by the time
episode 7 rolled around but to be honest I wasn't what you'd call surprised thing
is as much as I love that ship the fact remains these are not healthy
emotionally whole characters particularly because these are
characters who have gone through a significant emotional trauma or ten.
so since Han's getting his own movie in which you can bet a bunch of traumatic
things are gonna happen to him let's talk about relationship development and
why I'm okay with how the force awakens ended when Han and Leia first meet in a
new hope it's explosive sure when things calm down a bit and they aren't running
for their lives we can see their chemistry there but their initial
interactions are based on han and luke ineptly busting Leia out of her cell not
long before her scheduled execution and lots of running as yelling the important
thing to note about Leia in a new hope and this will be important later is that
a she has had a massive number of horrible things happen to her: genocide
torture scheduled for execution and be that she is all about the duty. duty and
loyalty to her cause of things which keep her going when she has nothing else
we have no time for our sorrows commander the galaxy is counting on us
the important thing to note about Han in a new hope is not his amazing way with
women *cough* or his fantastic tactical skills "I prefer a straight fight to all this sneaking
around" you are a smuggler what is wrong with
you? no no it's this Han Solo is an absolute doofus and I am amazed he's
still alive I'm pinning credit for this squarely on the Force and Chewbacca
because I mean he's courageous and he's willing to take risks if he thinks
there's sufficient reward and neither of those are bad traits but he's not... he's
not the smart one "what's your plan?" I mean he even says so. "HE'S THE BRAINS, SWEETHEART!" yes brilliant idea
Han leave the tactics to the 19 year old who's been living on a moisture farm
since he was a baby and yes I know that Luke wanted to join
the Imperial Academy but really at this point how good do you think his tactical
skills actually are? Han in a new hope works best when there's someone else
there to do the hard thinking for him but there is potential there and just as
it's wrong to judge Luke solely by his UNCLE OWEN!!! first appearance so too it would be
wrong to judge Han solely on a new hope by the end of episode 4 han and Leia
have an understanding not a wink-wink nudge-nudge kind of
understanding but they get along better Han's pretty adamant initially that
the rescue was it and he's not gonna take part in the Death Star run because
you know he wants to get the bounty off his head and also not die but we know
the story it turns out that Han comes back and he and Luke save the day and
then there's hugging and "I knew there was more to you than money" and I guess
Chewie doesn't get a medal because it would get caught in his hair? I don't
know but by The Empire Strikes Back Han and Leia are running into the same issue
again why can't these characters be together? in a new hope it's because they
just met and Han is pretty clear about his intention to leave and yes he does
come back again but then the movie ends Skip forward to the Empire Strikes Back
and again why can't these characters be together well because there was a bounty
hunter on Ord Mandel and it has served as a reminder that Han still needs to
get the price of his head and that requires leaving and if he leaves well
he can't come back not easily the rebels are in hiding if they haven't moved he
could lead the Empire right to them and if they have moved how is he gonna find
them "well your highness guess this is it"
"that's right"
"Well don't get all mushy on me so long princess" alright so this seems like an
overreaction right but then you remember that opening crawl about how the Empire
has been hunting the rebellion and they've lost loads of battles and it's
all really bad for the good guys yeah Han has been with the rebellion
since the Battle of Yavin which is to say for the last three years. Han and
Leia have been doing this will they won't they dancing around each other in
arguing thing for three years no wonder this guy just walked straight through
the middle of their arguments everyone has seen this before
many many times before. over the last three years. "COME ON! You want me to stay because of the way you feel about me" accurate but probably not
the best approach I mean at least he admits to himself that he likes her she
kisses Luke in front of him just to annoy him and so they basically fight
like cats while obviously caring about what happens to each other which is hi
Leia ends up on the Falcon instead of on her own transport because she's trying
to get everybody else out and Han goes looking to make sure she isn't being
nobly self-sacrificing and there we are and then they get chased by TIE Fighters
and end up in an asteroid but the important thing to note is that at least
one person is making an effort here "I hope you know what you're doing" "Yeah me too" honesty
and then you know conciliatory tone and kissing and now they're in a relationship
but I've talked about that before but do they stop fighting um well sort of? the
thing is they end up making kissy face even though they both know that Han is
probably going to leave as soon as they get themselves out of this latest mess.
Trauma can make you numb and make it very difficult for you to experience intimacy
because of this traumatized people often respond positively to a dangerous person
or situation because it makes them feel if Leia is angry or numb or finds it
difficult to form attachments though she seems to get on ok with Luke is it any
wonder really? which is what makes this moment so very important "I love you" "I know"
we already know that Han loves Leia even if he hasn't said it on-screen
he's huggy and touchy and constantly in contact checking up on her yada yada but
Leia well I mean she doesn't push him off but she doesn't really reciprocate
either until now. it took the impending possible death if the person you love
but hey we finally got it out in the open. now it's been less than a year when
we pick up again with Return of the Jedi but Han and Leia don't really interact
besides "someone who loves you" until she kills Jabba and they escape and then it's
time for the mission because Han after this near-death experience and the woman
he loves coming to rescue him from Jabba the Hutt and then killing Jabba the Hutt
is now fully signed up to this I'm gonna be a hero General Solo schtick and so
there's a mission to Endor and tiny fluffy teddy bears but hey Leia it's
time for another emotional body blow because you have the Force I'm your
brother and Darth Vader is our dad there follows
this moonlit thing where Leia just can't cope with this knowledge and Han gets
cross and jealous over her relationship with Luke but then no actually we're
gonna talk about this and sort it out like adults or if not talk about it han
is at least willing to cut Leia some slack here. and then of course the plot
intervenes and we have to go blow up the second Death Star but after that then we
bring Han and Leia's relationship to a conclusion which means first sorting out
this lingering Luke thing "you love him
don't you." to which she responds yeah no duh but no no no not like that he's my
brother and then Han is probably thinking wait
didn't you like kiss him one time? you know what we should probably just
discuss that later whatever it's all fine
but they are together and they love each other and it's good but by the time the
force awakens rolls around they're not together anymore so what happened
between the end of The Return of the Jedi where they're together and happy
and the force awakens? well it's been 30 years a lot can happen in 30 years so
we'll leave it there for now and pick up with the force awakens next time thanks