Han Solo and the Millennium Falcon are essentially synonymous in Star Wars, beginning with his first appearance and all the way through till the end of Return of the Jedi. So, how did he lose it by the time of the sequel trilogy? Well, one Star Wars story finally delivers the answer.
Han Solo made his debut in Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope, and it was quite literally because of the Millennium Falcon. The Millennium Falcon is said to be the fastest ship in the galaxy. Well, Han mostly says that, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t true. The ship has pulled off some incredible feats throughout its history, including but not limited to the famous Kessel Run. This is why Luke and Kenobi hired Han Solo for their rescue mission, which sparked Han Solo’s Star Wars legacy. Of course, not all credit can go to the ship (though after the events of the film Solo: A Star Wars Story, that could be argued), as Han Solo is the greatest pilot to ever fly her. In essence, they are the classic pairing of a man and his ship, with one only being as good as the other. That means something pretty significant would have to happen to separate them–and something did.
Han Solo’s Ship was Stolen (for 1 Key Reason)
In IDW Publishing’s Star Wars Adventures #32 story “Grand Theft Falcon” by Michael Moreci and Arianna Florean, Han Solo is in need of a partner for his latest cargo delivery job because Chewbacca is back home for a family event. So, while complaining about that at a cantina, Han’s overheard by one of the employees there whose name was Gannis Ducain. Since it was an easy-enough job and Chewie wasn’t available, Han agreed to take Ducain out for his first trip across the galaxy. While Ducain was excited to be able to work with Han Solo, he was much more interested in the man Han used to be. This book takes place after Episode VI, so Han is no longer an illegal smuggler, but a law-abiding business owner. However, that’s not how Ducain saw him, and that’s not who he intended to be if given the chance. So, when Han went to go speak with his clients, Ducain stole the Millennium Falcon.
That theft gave him the credibility as a smuggler he so desperately craved, which got him a number of jobs as a result. However, Ducain stealing the Falcon was also basically a giant beacon signaling to more experienced criminals that the ship was up for grabs, and the Falcon was quickly stolen by another criminal group known as the Irving Boys.
Millenium Falcon’s Journey to Jakku Began with Ducain
While Han Solo is credited with being the pilot of the Millenium Falcon and the famous smuggler-turned-rebel during the Galactic Civil War (as previously outlined), most people don’t stop to consider the other integral part of the fame and success surrounding the ship: Han’s co-pilot, Chewbacca. Just as Han and the Millennium Falcon were synonymous upon their introduction in Star Wars, Chewie could also be included, as he’s just as necessary within that cohesion. If that wasn’t obvious before, this issue shines a light on it, as the one time Chewie isn’t around to help Han, the Millennium Falcon gets stolen right out from under him.
This is how Rey is able to eventually find the Millennium Falcon on Jakku in Episode VII. Chewbacca took the day off, Han Solo hired someone he didn’t know, and the fastest ship in the galaxy gets stolen multiple times over. While it’s not the most exciting chain of events, it does connect the original trilogy to the sequel trilogy, and explains how Rey got ahold of the ship in the first place. But more importantly, this Star Wars story finally answers the burning question raised by The Force Awakens: how Han Solo lost the Millennium Falcon after Return of the Jedi.
