When making a movie, the story may go through many changes before being finalized. No franchise has experienced this more than Star Wars. In the decades since the premiere of the original film, many ideas have been presented, and some have been scrapped just as quickly. This is especially true for the prequel trilogy, which went through many evolutions and played with many different ideas.
One such idea for Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith was to feature a very young Han Solo. The character’s introduction was to be on the Wookiee planet of Kashyyyk and to have the young boy be raised by none other than Chewbacca. The concept was brought to life by artist Iain McCaig in a couple of pieces.
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In this idea, young Han Solo was going to actively aid Jedi Master Yoda in locating General Grievous. McCaig also added that while Han was a very “persnickety” adult by the time audiences meet him in A New Hope, young Han would’ve been very different. Rather than showing him always being this way, he thought it would be interesting to see the character as an “absolute slob” when he was a child. Because of this, young Han looked almost nothing like the hero audiences are used to seeing.
It was unclear how long the idea was on the table but had it been included in the final film, it would have directly conflicted with Han’s comment about not believing in the Force because Han would’ve worked directly with Master Yoda. Additionally, Han’s relationship with Chewbacca would have changed entirely. Instead of being like brothers, Han would have been like a son to the Wookiee, which wasn’t evident in their dynamic as adults. In the end, these changes didn’t make it past the concept phase.
Han and Chewbacca’s origins have varied over the years. In the Legends canon, Han saved Chewie from being beaten by a Stormtrooper. This action got Han kicked out of the Imperial Academy, but now the Wookiee owed him a life debt, and the two became friends. In contrast, Solo: A Star Wars Story established a different backstory, where Chewbacca was held captive by the Empire and called “the Beast.” Han was thrown into Chewie’s pit to be massacred, but thankfully he knew a bit of the native Wookiee language, Shyriiwook, and the two managed to escape. It’s possible that Han speaking Shyriiwook carried over from his scrapped backstory in Episode III.
Of all of the Star Wars universe characters, Han Solo has had one of the most dangerous and ever-changing beginnings. Whether starting as a wild child on Kashyyyk or getting kicked out of the Imperial Academy, Han Solo always manages to find trouble. However, the one constant in all of his journeys is that Chewie has never been far behind. The proposed backstory for Episode III may have seemed strange, with Han acting as more of a son to the Wookiee, but it also might have added another layer to their relationship by showing just how close they were.
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