One of Episode VII’s most important scenes comes towards the end of the picture when Kylo Ren murders his father Han Solo on Starkiller Base with Rey and Finn watching from afar. It was a tragic moment to be sure, and a pretty grim way to say goodbye to Harrison Ford’s much beloved and iconic character.
Well it turns out that Mark Hamill, whose own legendary character, Luke, was revealed in the film’s final moments, thought he had a better idea for Han’s death. Speaking to Vanity Fair, Hamill explains in detail what he wanted to occur, with Luke and Leia to be present at the scene of the crime.
“Now, remember, one of the plots in the earlier films was the telepathic communication between my sister and me,” Hamill explains. “So I thought, Carrie will sense that Han is in danger and try to contact me. And she won’t succeed, and, in frustration, she’ll go herself. Then we’re in the situation where all three of us are together, which is one of my favorite things in the original film, when we were on the Death Star. It’s just got a fun dynamic to it. So I thought it would have been more effective, and I still feel this way, though it’s just my opinion, that Leia would make it as far as she can, and, right when she is apprehended, maybe even facing death—Ba-boom! I come in and blow the guy away and the two of us go to where Han is facing off with his son, but we’re too late. The reason that’s important is that we witness his death, which carries enormous personal resonance into the next picture. As it is, Chewie’s there, and how much can you get out of [passable Chewbacca wail] ‘Nyaaarghhh!’ and two people who have known Han for, what, 20 minutes?”
This certainly would have put a different spin on things, and while Hamill’s idea may have worked fine, after seeing the actual scene that takes place in the film, and audiences reaction to it, Hamill was willing to admit he was wrong.
“As I said to J.J.,” Hamill recalled, “I’ve never been more happy to be wrong.”
SEE ALSO: Carrie Fisher’s Princess Leia was intended to be “front and center” of Star Wars: Episode IX
SEE ALSO: Star Wars: The Last Jedi images and behind-the-scenes video offer first look at Benicio Del Toro, Laura Dern and more
You can see more of Hamill, and indeed his character Luke, in this year’s Star Wars: The Last Jedi.
Star Wars: The Force Awakens sees J.J. Abrams directing returning stars Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker), Harrison Ford (Han Solo), Carrie Fisher (Princess Leia), Anthony Daniels (C-3PO), Kenny Baker (R2-D2), Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca) and Tim Rose (Admiral Ackbar), in addition to Adam Driver (Girls), Oscar Isaac (A Most Violent Year), Andy Serkis (Avengers: Age of Ultron), Domhnall Gleeson (Ex Machina), John Boyega (Attack the Block), Daisy Ridley (Silent Witness), Gwendoline Christie (Game of Thrones), Lupita Nyong’o (12 Years a Slave), Ken Leung (Lost), Miltos Yerolemou (Game of Thrones), Max von Sydow (The Exorcist), Jessica Henwick (Spirit Warriors), Christina Chong (24: Live Another Day), Simon Pegg (Star Trek) and newcomers Crystal Clarke and Pip Andersen.
Originally published May 25, 2017. Updated April 16, 2018.
