Highlights
- Han Solo’s iconic achievement of completing the Kessel Run in less than 12 parsecs showcased his impressive piloting skills and ability to multitask under extreme pressure.
- Solo’s decision to shoot Tobias Beckett without hesitation demonstrated his adaptability and survival instincts, earning the respect of other underworld figures.
- Escaping the Death Star and rescuing Princess Leia showcased Solo’s quick thinking, resourcefulness, and willingness to take risks for the greater good.
Han Solo is a character beloved by Star Wars fans the world over. From the moment he came onscreen in the 1977 classic, the crafty pilot and part-time crook cemented himself as an icon of space westerns. That intro obviously gave way to many memorable moments in the ensuing Star Wars trilogy. Solo’s efforts were instrumental to the Rebel Alliance and the eventual victory over the Galactic Empire. However, those aren’t the extent of his deeds.
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The plucky smuggler had a life before the Rebellion, with several notable accomplishments during that time. These range from setting records for space travel to liberating entire planets. Granted, these feats are rarely on the up and up, but that’s why fans love this guy. He skirts the line of morality and walks on both sides of the law. The fact that he does some impressive things is just a bonus.
5 Made The Kessel Run In Less Than 12 Parsecs
This Risky Shortcut Would Scare Even The Most Skilled Pilots
The hero brags about this one himself. The Kessel Run is a smuggling route used for delivering spice shipments. It’s roughly 20 parsecs in length, but that’s just too predictable for Han. He made it in less than 12 parsecs. He achieved that feat by skirting the edges of the route’s black holes, essentially taking a suicidal shortcut. He wasn’t just testing his piloting skills, though.
Solo made his run under added pressure. Imperial ships pursued his vessel through the maelstrom. On top of that, he evaded the massive tentacled monster at the center. Such a cascade of death would be overwhelming to anyone. In conquering these obstacles, Han demonstrated an extraordinary ability to multitask. Breaking a record was just icing on the cake.
4 Killed Tobias Beckett
Shooting This Iconic Gunslinger First Was A Rite Of Passage
Solo has no shortage of unscrupulous liaisons. Among the most notorious was Tobias Beckett. This slippery scoundrel took young Han under his wing and taught him the basics of the underworld. The most important lesson was not to trust anyone, which the kid took to heart. After Tobias betrays him, the two wind up in a standoff. Beckett sneakily reaches for his gun during a monologue, but Solo shoots him before he can draw. This showed that Han could adapt to any scenario and bury sentimentality when survival was on the line. Tobias couldn’t help but be proud. However, the implications went beyond the personal.
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The older crook was no slouch. He’d already shown his savviness as a businessman and fighter. Prior to meeting Han, he even killed Aurra Sing. She was one of the deadliest bounty hunters and assassins in the galaxy. For Han to overcome the man who snuffed her out, proved he had skill well beyond his young age.
3 Escaped The Death Star
Solo Turned A Hopeless Situation Into A Miraculous Rescue.
This incident actually led to his induction into the Rebel Alliance. After being hired to fly Luke Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi to Alderaan, the smuggler finds himself stuck inside the Death Star. The Imperial superweapon was the size of a moon and crawled with Stormtroopers. To evade them, Han had to be quick on his feet and quicker on the draw. Through sheer guile (and a little help from an aged Jedi), he successfully escaped. He even took on an extra passenger.
He, Luke, and Chewbacca sprang Princess Leia from her cell. She was an Imperial prisoner of the highest priority, so rescuing her was no simple task. They had to don Stormtrooper disguises, fight through security, and even dodge the dangers of a trash compactor. Suffice it to say, he earned his reward and then some.
2 Survived The Imperial Academy
Too Good For A Court-Martial
During this time, the Imperial Academy seemed like the most surefire way for young bucks to move up in life. That said, Han has never been one for authority. He repeatedly disregarded his superiors, usually to rescue a comrade or accomplish what he feels is a worthwhile goal. Any of these actions were one-way tickets to a court-martial, prison, or execution. Miraculously, Han avoided all of this. How?
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He’s just that great of a pilot. Solo regularly distinguished himself in the cockpit, pulling off maneuvers that would kill lesser pilots. These achievements got him out of serious punishment, time and time again. The higher-ups thought it simply wasn’t practical to get rid of their best student, even if he took regulations as polite suggestions. Granted, he eventually went far enough to be kicked out. However, the fact that it took so long was a testament to his talent.
1 Lifted A Curse
Mystical Mumbo-Jumbo Was No Match For A Good Blaster… And A Good Throw
Han has always been skeptical of the Force and other galactic mysticism, but he really shouldn’t be. After all, he once tackled a world afflicted by an environmental curse. The experience started as a routine mission to deliver a statuette to a planet called Rendel. Upon landing, though, Han and Chewie fell under attack from vines, flowers, and other hostile plants. These monstrosities were the work of Zalla: a life form known only as “The Emerald Witch.” She was previously in a feud with her sister, the planet’s queen. In a bizarre power grab, she used mysterious magic to make the world utterly inhospitable. That remained the case until everyone’s favorite smuggler came along.
Zalla’s clash with Han and Chewie proved to be her last. In a moment of desperation, Solo throws the statuette at Zalla. It then shatters and releases a gaseous poison. This quick reaction nips the problem in the bud, killing Zalla and her botanical minions. To be fair, he didn’t know what would happen, but this accomplishment is still significant. Few people could say that they single-handedly freed an entire world, let alone from such a perversion of nature. Chewie even wanted to leave, but Han wasn’t afraid of any curse. He believed in the tangible. His practicality and desire to push forward ultimately led to victory. That’s basically the story of Han’s life.
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