Is it really a surprise that Han Solo is at the top of this list? It's no secret that Harrison Ford wanted Solo killed off back in the original trilogy and that no love was lost between him and the character in the years since, so it was a surprise to many when it was announced he was fully on board to reprise the role in The Force Awakens. Even if many rightly theorized he'd finally have his wish granted. Regardless of what Ford's vocalized feelings about it all have been in the past, no one can deny that the actor threw himself right back into the role, more alive and full of zest on screen than he's been in a while. Han Solo was still the character fans love, humanized even further by the years, where he's grown from a scoundrel to a father, and from a man who openly mocked Obi-Wan's belief in the Force to believing in it himself. Star Wars isn't done with many of its older cast even though plenty of new faces are now around to carry on the baton for years to come, but The Force Awakens was an ode to Han Solo. Sending a beloved character out not in a blaze of glory, but in a moment of genuine humanity, the smuggler fans first met in a cantina back in 1977 would've scoffed at. And while we didn't get to see him share the screen with characters like Luke or Lando one last time, his loss will continue to hang over the series from here on out, giving weight to the new era its characters and fans alike are embarking on.
Writer, film enthusiast, part-time gamer and watcher of (mostly) good television located on the fringe of Los Angeles, who now has his own website at www.highdefgeoff.com!
