Rest in Peace Han Solo: Harrison Ford Will Not Be Returning in Star Wars: Episode VIII

Put down your pitchforks, lay to rest your conspiracy theories, let the old scoundrel rest in peace. Han Solo will not appear in Star Wars: Episode VIII, because when a lightsaber pierces your heart and you fall from a bridge to the bottomless chasm of an exploding planet, the chances of your survival are nil…

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When StarWars.com announced earlier this week, that Disney/Lucasfilm was welcoming back the core cast of The Force Awakens — plus some new additions — to Star Wars: Episode VIII, there was one name that was left off the list…you guessed it: Harrison Ford.

"“Star Wars: Episode VIII, which is written and directed by Rian Johnson and continues the storylines introduced in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, welcomes back cast members Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong’o, Domhnall Gleeson, Anthony Daniels, Gwendoline Christie, and Andy Serkis.  New cast members will include Academy Award winner Benicio Del Toro, Academy Award nominee Laura Dern, and talented newcomer Kelly Marie Tran.”"

As you can well see, Harrison Ford’s name is nowhere to be seen on that list, and before you even begin to start with some convoluted theory regarding hidden plots and Force ghosts, allow me to get in front of you and help you by just saying “STOP!” Harrison Ford has done his time in the Star Wars franchise. Ford has been vocal about how Han should have died in the original trilogy:

"“It was a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away… I thought the best utility of the character would be for him to sacrifice himself to a high ideal and give a little bottom, a little gravitas to the enterprise, not that there wasn’t some already but I just wanted in on some part of it. That was at the third occasion of filming the original three.”"

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So there you have it, leave the old space pirate be. He’s done his time, he’s entertained us all, he’s given us the best lines and looks that any character ever created could have. Han Solo — despite having nothing to do with the Force — may go down as one of the most popular characters in all of Star Wars fandom.

And, in a franchise that is full of Jedi and Sith with magnificent and magical powers and laser swords, a scoundrel with a deceptively fast ship and shaggy, loyal friend, stole the hearts of every fan who has ever watched a Star Wars film…and that’s saying a lot.