The classic Star Wars trilogy practically reinvented the field of science fiction, a space opera series that drew inspiration from Flash Gordon and Japanese cinema of the 1950s, not to mention Westerns. Ever since 1977, iconic characters like Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, and princess Leia have been saving the galaxy, and their legacy continues today.
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It's not just the special effects and cool quotes that made the original trilogy's movies so special; it's also the characters, from the farmboy turned hero Luke to the smuggler Han and the imposing Darth Vader. No doubt Luke and Han are two of the coolest heroes of this trilogy, but which of them is truly the best part of these movies, and why?
A dynamic character is a fun character; after all, it's boring if the lead ends up the same as when the story start4ed. Luke underwent some significant changes during this trilogy, even in the span of A New Hope alone.
He started as a frustrated farmboy, but that didn't last long. He grew up fast when his family was killed and he found himself on the Death Star, and from there, he grew up into a responsible and selfless Jedi who only wants to bring peace to the universe.
The Millenium Falcon is an iconic spaceship, just like the X-Wing, and Han has it all to himself. He won it from Lando Calrissian in a card game, and now he and Chewbacca cruise the stars in style.
Luke wishes he had a ship like this one, from its advanced engine to its unique shape to its many hidden compartments and space-chess board game set. Many heroes by now have flown on this ship, and in the original trilogy, it was Han who led the way.
Luke is a Skywalker, and that means a lot in this universe. Han, by contrast, doesn't even have a meaningful last name; an Imperial agent just gave him the name Solo out of convenience. The Skywalker name means much more.
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Being the estranged son of Anakin/Darth Vader, Luke has a big role to play in the galaxy, and Obi-Wan made this fact clear once he invited Luke to his hut and shared Anakin's famed blue lightsaber with him. Luke's path to Jedihood had begun.
Luke has a destiny, while Han needs to make his own. Han isn't a Jedi and can't use the force, so he has to rely on his own street smarts, tricks of the trade, and good aim with a blaster to get by in this mean galaxy.
And he does it in style. Han has angered and annoyed many people, but he always gets away with it since he's savvy enough to talk his way out of a bind or know how to escape being cornered. That shows how tough and resourceful he is.
At first, Luke only had his lightsaber and Obi-Wan's lessons to guide him, and he was no match for Darth Vader just yet. But he's a fast learner, and he didn't need much time to complete Yoda's advanced lessons on Dagobah.
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It's only natural, since Luke is the son of Anakin Skywalker, who in turn was born from the Force itself. Luke has the potential to be the most powerful Jedi of all time, and that's saying a lot, given the Jedi Order's long history.
During The Empire Strikes Back, the Rebellion set up shop on Hoth, and Luke got himself into big trouble when a wampa ambushed him and dragged him off to its den. Luke escaped... only to stumble into a blizzard at night.
Luke nearly died, but Han risked his own life to ride on a tauntaun and find his friend. From there, the crafty rogue sliced open his fallen tauntaun and placed Luke inside to save his life, then built a shelter. Without Han's help, Luke (and the hope of the Jedi Order) would have been lost to the cold.
Luke owed Han a few favors from the first two movies, and he got a chance to repay his smuggler friend in Return of the Jedi. By now, Han was frozen in carbonite at Jabba's palace, and Leia got herself captured trying to rescue him.
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At this point, Luke took an active role in his plan, and he took on all of Jabba's minions at the Sarlacc Pit with his new green lightsaber. Han and Leia were freed, Jabba's ship crashed in flames, and Luke flew all his friends off Tatooine in victory.
Han Solo often gets the best quotes, but arguably, his best dialogue is during his Cloud City carbonite freezing scene. He is about to be lowered into the freezing pit, and Leia cries out, "I love you!"
Harrison Ford went off-script to return Leia's feelings in true Han Solo style: "I know." He only had time for two words, but they were true to the character and highly impactful after how often Leia an Han had butted heads. Han Solo isn't so lonely anymore.
This was perhaps the most meaningful thing Luke did in the entire original trilogy. He came to terms with Darth Vader being his father, and he even turned himself over to Vader and was shuttled straight to the second Death Star.
Luke knew what he was in for, and started imploring Vader to reclaim his identity as the Jedi Anakin Skywalker. Vader lamented that it was too late, but Luke didn't give up, even when Emperor Palpatine tempted him with the Dark Side. And when Luke was being zapped to death, Vader was inspired enough by his son to assassinate Palpatine himself.
Han Solo has his own personal arcs, even if he's not training to become a Jedi and turn Darth Vader back to the light. For the longest time, Han had a skeptical, pragmatic attitude and didn't have any romantic ideals about anything.
He summed this up by saying that hokey religions and lightsabers are nothing compared to a good old blaster pistol, but he changed his tune when he witnessed Luke's heroics. Han became Luke's best friend and ally, and learned not to underestimate the Jedi. That's big of him.
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I graduated high school in Kansas City in 2009, then earned my Associate's in Arts in 2011 at MCC Longview, then my BA in Creative Writing at UMKC in 2013. I have a passion for creative fiction and I've studied and practiced my craft for over ten years. Currently, I'm expanding my resume and skill set with jobs such as SEO writing and journalism.
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