Was Han Solo an Idiot or a Father? (Force Awakens spoilers ahead.)
The Blind Eternities forum
Posted on Feb. 9, 2017, 10:44 p.m. by Dredge4life
I went to watch Force Awakens a few days after it came out, and I was very excited to see Han Solo make a triumphant return to the screen. Finally, some more news about the hero that had blown up the Death Star! But when I watched the movie, I saw him blatantly make a terrible decision. He goes to speak with his son, and tries to bring him back to the light side. Of course, it doesn't work out the way he intended, and he ends up falling to his apparent death after being skewered through the middle by Kylo Renn. I left the theater feeling very confused, and then in a later discussion commented that he had been acting extremely stupid by approaching his son. I was immediately barraged by several angry voices, each stating that I was wrong and that "you always try to help your children."
That's great, but it doesn't change the fact that he was being a complete idiot by walking up to the clearly unstable masked man with the laser sword expecting everything to go right. I don't care if you're his dad; it's still a rediculous thing to do. The counter-argument stated that you help your kids and I completely agree; you just don't walk right up to them while they're having a bad day. I maintain that he was being a total idiot, and, failing to come to a resolution, I have turned to the interwebs. What do you think? Was he being stupid, or fatherly? What would you have done in this position?
Thanks!
Even if Ben stayed true to the Dark Side (Who wouldn't leave? They have COOKIES!), Han Solo believed that there was still a chance, a hope, to re-convert his son back to the Light. Mind you, Ben's referring to his father by his full name left me a bit disgusted (That's not a fair thing to say to your dad!). Yet, Leia held on to this hope as well.
Perhaps there will be a redemption arc at play, but it would be Rei that will pull Ben to the Light, even if he dies in the end. And I know Gollum//Smeagol/Snoke will be involved (as he wants his precious!).
February 9, 2017 10:59 p.m.
scopesightzx says... #4
One possible explanation I heard is that Kylo Renn couldn't actually do it himself, and that Han pushed the button on the lightsaber. That way, Snoke will keep him alive for killing Solo, while still leaving a small amount of the light side of the force still inside him. Luke and Rei may try to use this as a means to bring him back to the light in future films.
I doubt Harrison Ford's desires for Han to be dead played a roll in the script writing for this particular fashion, but it is kind of funny to think that the person who wanted Han Solo dead the most is the one who kills him
February 10, 2017 12:09 a.m.
Nah, I don't see that scenario as possible. Unless the actor misplayed the scene and everyone in editing missed it too, Ben showed no shock at all, it was all on Han's face.
Ben, for the briefest second, had the impulse to give Han the lighsaber, but it turned into a struggle as Ben gave in and he ended up thumbing it on instead.
February 10, 2017 12:26 a.m.
I heard a theory that han let ben kill him. The idea was that ben was trying to bring balance back to the force by becoming a sith because there always has to be two. And that han let him kill him so he could fully embrace the dark side. I doubt that's where there going with it but it's still cool to think about.
Anyway I agree that han seemed out of character in that scene. Although that whole movie wasn't as good as I was hoping it would be.
February 13, 2017 11:39 p.m.
shinobigarth says... #7
There doesn't always have to be 2 sith, that's just a dumb rule Bane made up to stop them from killing each other for power.
I tend to think Han felt like he finally had a purpose right at that last moment. He was going through the motions like he said himself, he went back to the only thing he knew (piracy). It's sorta a coping mechanism. Ben joining the dark side would be like your son today announcing he's joined ISIS. People cope with tragedies or bad news in different ways. Han went back to piracy but his heart wasn't really in it. I think he felt that if he couldn't redeem himself (in his own eyes) then perhaps there was a chance he could at least redeem his son.
GearNoir says... #2
I don't think the precedent for him to walk right up to Ben was set up as properly/fully as it should have ben (see what I did there?), but I understand what the story was trying to get across in the scene.
Another mistake the story makes in this scene is the out-of-character-ness of Han. Before the scene in question, Han is still presented as being up to his old roguish ways for the most part, and even his relationship with Leia seems really strained...like they almost avoid each other quite a bit since Ben's turn to the Dark Side. It is almost not in his character to be attached to someone in the way he abruptly seems to be attached to Ben. Perhaps Han is the quintessential absent space-dad that was never around much and he suddenly feels his failure and need to make up for it? People do weird things when compelled by guilt.
February 9, 2017 10:58 p.m.