Star Wars: Recapping Solo: A Star Wars Story one year after its release

On the one-year anniversary of Solo: A Star Wars Story’s release date, we recap some of the notable moments from Han Solo’s standalone film.

Solo: A Star Wars Story was released in the United States on May 25, 2018, and the film showed Star Wars fans some of the moments that shaped the character known as Han Solo.

Seeing a young Han Solo in action, we are introduced to Qi’ra, who is Han’s lover. The two are split on the planet of Corellia while trying to escape from a gang. However, this would not be the last time Han and Qi’ra would cross paths.

More from Solo: A Star Wars Story

• A look back at ‘Solo: A Star Wars Story’ 5 years later
• How many Oscars has Star Wars won?
• How did the Millennium Falcon make the Kessel Run in less than 12 parsecs?
• Emilia Clarke would love to reprise her Star Wars role — she just hasn’t been asked yet
• Will Alden Ehrenreich return as Han Solo?

In the process, we find out where Han gets the last name “Solo” from. As Han was applying to join the Imperial Navy, he is asked what his last name is. Han tells the officer he has no family, which leads to the officer giving him the last name “Solo.”

Later on, Han meets Chewbacca, who of course will become his best friend. Han is apprehended for desertion, and Imperial Forces tossed him in a pit to be fed to the Wookiee. In typical Han Solo fashion, despite a hungry and aggressive Chewbacca, Han gets his way out of this mess, and convinces Chewie to escape with him.

It’s from this moment on we see where Han and Chewie get their great chemistry from.

Han and Chewie go on to join forces with a group of criminals led by Tobias Beckett. This is where Han gets his gambling and scoundrel background.

Beckett works for crime boss Dryden Vos under the organization Crimson Dawn. It turns out, Han’s former lover Qi’ra works for Crimson Dawn as well. The two are reunited.

In an effort to pay Vos back by stealing coaxium and in need of a ship, Han and Beckett Qi’Ra brings them to Lando Calrissian, as she hopes he will lend them his ship. Han attempts to win Lando’s ship in a game of cards, but loses to Lando. However, Lando agrees to join them on their mission in exchange for a cut of the profit.

It’s at this point we meet the Millennium Falcon, as it’s the ship Lando allows the crew to use for their mission.

Along their journey, Han completes the Kessel Run in less than twelve parsecs. In the Original Trilogy, Han brags about this Kessel Run, and it’s finally seen in this movie.

The end of the film has a little bit of a twist. After returning to Dryden Vos to give him the coaxium, Han and company are confronted by a crew led by Enfys Nest (whom they had a run in with earlier when they tried to steal a shipment for Vos). It turns out Enfys’ crew are rebels trying to resist the Empire.

Han decides to help them, and trick Vos. But, Beckett alerts Vos, which spoils Han’s plan. However, Beckett then betrays Vos, and takes the coaxium for himself with Chewie as a hostage. This leaves Han and Qi’ra to fight Vos. Qi’ra kills Vos, and Han then goes to try and stop Beckett.

After Han leaves, Qi’ra reports to Vos’ boss, who happens to be Darth Maul. This was probably the movie’s biggest reveal, as it was Maul’s return to the big screen. Of course, he is seen in several of the Star Wars television shows, but he has not been in a film since Star Wars: The Phantom Menace. Qi’ra plans to pay a visit to Maul on Dathomir.

Han confronts Beckett, kills him, and eventually gives the coaxium to Enfys. Enfys then asks Han to join her crew, which was being formed into a rebellion. Han declined, but little did he know he’d join the Rebellion later on in his journey. Enfys does give Han a vial of the coaxium, which he can then use to try and get his own ship.

Han returns to visit Lando and challenges him to another card game. Lando has a failed attempt to cheat, and Han wins the card game. Han is then awarded with the Millennium Falcon, and we all know the rest is history from there.

Solo: A Star Wars Story is a unique film because it gives fans a lot of background information into what shaped the man known as Han Solo. From the Kessel Run, to Han winning the Millennium Falcon, the movie did a solid job as a prequel.

Did you enjoy Solo: A Star Wars Story? Let me know in the comments below.