Warning. Major Solo: A Star Wars Story spoilers follow…
Solo: A Star Wars Story delivered a number of twists and turns during the climactic showdown on Dryden Vos’ (Paul Bettany) star yacht the First Light.
First we had Tobias Beckett (Woody Harrelson) betraying Han (Alden Ehrenreich) and Qi’ra (Emilia Clarke), before Qi’ra turned on Dryden Vos, killing the mob boss and promising to make her escape with former flame Han. It didn’t end there however, as Qi’ra then contacted the head of the Crimson Dawn crime syndicate – Darth Maul – claiming that Beckett was responsible for Vos’ death, before agreeing to meet the former Sith Lord on Dathomir so they could begin hunting his killer(s).
Speaking to Empire, director Ron Howard has explained Qi’ra’s motivations during her final scene, stating that:
“In my mind, she knew she couldn’t run off with Han. It would be his death and hers. She set him up to go, assuring him that she’d follow, but knowing she couldn’t really. She had to clean this situation up as best as she could. I think she hoped she could report in and then disappear, but [Maul] trapped her. He said, ‘Come to Dathomir and we’re going to be working closely together’, and you realise, ‘Oh my god, she’s traded one oppressive boss in for an even scarier dude’. In a way it fuels her ambition and puts her in a position of heightened power, perhaps. Or heightened danger. I thought it was kind of courageous for her.”
The ending appeared to set up a sequel, although with Solo disappointing at the box office, it may be left to the expanded canon to explore Qi’ra’s interactions with Maul.
SEE ALSO: Darth Maul: What does the future hold for the Star Wars villain?
SEE ALSO: Solo: A Star Wars Story editor reveals how Ron Howard transformed the movie
A new adventure with the most beloved scoundrel in the galaxy. Through a series of daring escapades deep within a dark and dangerous criminal underworld, Han Solo meets his mighty future copilot Chewbacca and encounters the notorious gambler Lando Calrissian, in a journey that will set the course of one of the Star Wars saga’s most unlikely heroes.
Solo: A Star Wars Story features Alden Ehrenreich (Hail, Caesar!) as the famous smuggler, Donald Glover (Atlanta) as Lando Calrissian, Woody Harrelson (War for the Planet of the Apes) as Tobias Beckett, Joonas Suotamo as Chewbacca, Phoebe Waller-Bridge (Fleabag) as L3-37, Emilia Clarke (Game of Thrones) as Qi’Ra, Thandie Newton (Westworld) as Val, Ian Kenny (Sing Street) as Rebolt, Harley Durst (Wonder Woman) as Moloch, Jon Favreau (Spider-Man: Homecoming) as Rio Durant, Paul Bettany (Avengers: Infinity War) as Dryden Vos and Warwick Davis (Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi) as Weazel.
Originally published June 9, 2018. Updated December 16, 2019.
