10. "Laugh it up, fuzzball"
The moment: Han gets an earful from Princess Leia for suggesting she's becoming attracted to him, and even "fuzzball" Chewbacca joins in with the mockery.
As seen in: Star Wars: Episode 5 - The Empire Strikes Back
Why it's great: Watching the Han/Leia relationship develop from a physical attraction to a love/hate and, eventually, a love/love thing, is one of the best executed sub-plots in the trilogy. It's an ideal, personal and intimate distracting thread against the scale of galactic war. The best bit, though, is that accused of being a "stuck up, half-witted, scruffy-looking, nerf-herder" Han takes offence to only one of those insults. "Who's scruffy looking?"
9. "10,000 in advance"
The moment: Our first sighting of Han, and what an entrance! He's aggrieved Luke and Ben have never heard of his ship, arrogant about his abilities, and eager to make a deal. It's a great introduction because on a first viewing it's impossible to tell if he's trustworthy. All we get is the 'rogue', with the 'loveable' bit yet to be confirmed.
As seen in: Star Wars: Episode 4 - A New Hope
Why it's great: His outrageous demand for ten thousand in advance suggests he might not be as great as he's always implying. If he was he might guess that an old man and a boy covered in sand might not have all that much cash on hand. The fact that he's in for 2000 upfront with a dubious promise of 15, 000 later gives, in retrospect, a hint of how desperate for cash he actually is.
8. Father and son...
The moment: Han confronts his wayward son, Ben Solo – aka Kylo Ren – and tries to bring him back to the light. Alas, it leads to the unthinkable moment that broke a million hearts: Han's death...
As seen in: Star Wars: Episode 7 - The Force Awakens
Why it's great: Watch that scene again, if you can without crying. Han knows exactly what's going to happen to him as soon as he steps out onto the bridge. So why does he go out there? Because Ben is his son and he loves him completely. He has to give him a chance, even if it means paying the ultimate price. Perhaps he even thinks that his own death may eventually pave the way to Ben's redemption...
7. Scoundrel's chivalry
The moment: Han helps Leia with the Falcon's repairs, and the two get a little bit closer as Han realises, "You like me because I'm a scoundrel."
As seen in: Star Wars: Episode 5 - The Empire Strikes Back
Why it's great: This is the first time the two confront their feelings for each other head one without insults or arguments. But, at the same time touches on why they always end up shouting at each other. He is a scoundrel and the fact Leia's attracted to that infuriates her. Leia's terrible defence ("My hands are dirty") is met with a pitch-perfect comeback: "My hands are dirty, too. What are you afraid of?"
6. "That's two you owe me"
The moment: Han finds a barely conscious Luke freezing to death on Hoth and improvises shelter by using Luke's lightsaber to slice open the belly of a Tauntaun.
As seen in: Star Wars: Episode 5 - The Empire Strikes Back
Why it's great: We've already seen how Han risking his life to rescue Luke shows he cares about the farm boy. Watching him improvise to make sure neither of them actually dies just shows how well he can come through in a tight spot. Plus there's that moment when he uses the lightsaber to slice open the Tauntaun, which somehow felt like it broke the rules of who allowed to use them. And, even facing certain death, Han can't help but quip on the whiff of Tauntaun intestine. "I thought these things smelled bad on the outside!"
5. The Solo Philosophy
The moment: Han defines a way of life that doesn't involve the Force or Jedi trickery, stamping recognisable reality onto the fantasy. "Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good blaster at your side, kid."
As seen in: Star Wars: Episode 4 - A New Hope
Why it's great: Even though events prove Han wrong, there's subversive cheek in having a hero-to-be declare, "There's no mystical energy field that controls my destiny". It clearly defines the character's place in the universe even though his constant luck and intuition does suggest a touch of Force sensitivity. It also perfectly mirrors Harrison Ford's real life disenchantment with the script's dialogue, underlined via Solo's scepticism.
4. "Chewie, we're home..."
The moment: Our reintroduction to the great man in The Force Awakens comes after Rey and Finn steal the Millennium Falcon and flee Jakku, only to be captured by the last owners.
As seen in: Star Wars: Episode 7 - The Force Awakens
Why it's great: The twinkle in the eye, the swell of emotion in those words… This scene, first spotted in the second teaser trailer, was the moment that a generation of fans sighed with relief and knew that the new Star Wars would be alright. Despite Ford's age it's there. He's there! 30 years on Solo walks on screen like he never went anywhere, making it eventual fate all the more heartbreaking.
3. Han shoots first
The moment: Accosted by bounty hunter Greedo, Han wriggles out the only way he knows how: with a blaster shot under the table.
As seen in: Star Wars: Episode 4 - A New Hope
Why it's great: For most of us, the defining moment that made us fall for the scoundrel: he plays dirty, but with such insouciance it's admirable. It mirrors things like the cowboy matinees that inspired George Lucas, and the sort of characters that were still basically bad guys, but good... bad guys. He's a cold blooded murderer and from the dialogue, he knew Greedo, at least on a working level, but when push comes to shove... It's shame Lucas decided this moment needed to be softened by making Greedo shoot first in the remasters.
2. "Yahoo!"
The moment: Luke's nearly in position to blow up the Death Star but - defenceless and with Vader on his tail - he needs a miracle. Enter the Millennium Falcon and Han's jubilant war cry as he fires the shot that puts Vadar off!
As seen in: Star Wars: Episode 4 - A New Hope
Why it's great: The character's defining moment, from rogue to hero, is sealed with the most exhilarating line in all of Star Wars "You're all clear, kid. Now let's blow this thing up and go home!" He's basically dodged the entire fight and rocks up at the last minute, presses one button and gets to act like he's the big man. He's... sort of dick, really. Okay, he does eventually redeem himself over the corse of the trilogy but at this point he's just such a fair weather hero.
1. "I know..."
The moment: Leia finally declares her feelings for Han as he's about to be encased in carbonite, and Han replies as only Han can.
As seen in: Star Wars: Episode 5 - The Empire Strikes Back
Why it's great: With the scripted line ("I love you, too") being deemed uncharacteristically corny, Harrison Ford improvised the perfect rogue's response. While Ford and director Irvin Kershner filmed the scene as writen, they hated it and spent ages bouncing ideas back and forth. "I know" was pretty much the last shot and it everyone instantly knew it was perfect. All except George Lucas who hated and insisted on making two cuts - one with the scripted line and one with the new - to test it with audiences. You can guess which one won
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