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matt--

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In my school district, it is a requirement that all high school seniors write a term paper for their english class. Without such a paper one cannot graduate.

 

I have to write such a paper. So, who cares?

 

Well...in short, my teacher is a fan of our favorite trilogy and is permitting me to write my nine to twelve page paper on Han Solo.

 

So, what I'm asking here is:

  • how freaking awesome is that?
  • any suggestions on where to get some good and varied perspectives from 'legitimate' sources?
  • generic praise and worshipping

 

Just kidding about the last one.

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Actually, if your teacher is really doing his job, it should be a very hard assignment - harder than a 'real' report. That is under the assumption that a 'real' study would involve a historical or fictional subject that would require 'real' research, rather than analysis of ... um, a movie. So you have an 'easy intro', but then need to do some compelling research into the insights, motivations and nuances of the character in multiple contexts.

 

Mike

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Firstly, Im shocked that another admin is a high school student..... I pictured all you guys to be like the architect in the matrix, 'cept Rhett is in a barn, not a room full of TV screens :p

 

anyways, Im inclined to agree with Mike(txa) It will be interesting but definitely not easy.... I wrote essays in high school about my favourite directors, Akira Kurosawa and David Lynch. In the end I ended up learning much more than I thought I knew due to the research I did :)

 

* * *

Han Solo

 

Every great essay starts with a quote that typifies that character, and gets the ball rolling......

 

If it was me, i'd quote something like, "a whole lotta simple tricks and nonsense" (or thereabouts) because that is what his charcater is about. Han (in the films) is generally not a deeply reflective soul, he is a man of action -this was adequate when he was a spice smuggler, but became problematic when he became a father...

 

where to start.... ?

 

1. Research the germination of Han's character. Listen to GL in the ANH commentary, and special features disc. Han's character was fairly well defined from early on in the drafting process... even his name was deliberately chosen to show him as independent and resourceful (solo)

 

2. The actor who played him and the way he was portrayed in the movies

...maybe might wanna talk a little about that. The original Han was a seedier character. He was a spice smuggler(namely a drug trafficker) in the employ of one of the galaxy's greatest crime lords. In a deleted scene in ANH, Han is seem with a saucy lookin lady sitting on his lap in Mos Eisley, and of course he had no compunction about shooting Greedo first :)

 

Harrison Ford was well known to Lucas, and worked as a carpenter on set ..... IIRC He originally read for Han Solo as a stand in for the screen test of Carrie Fisher.. Christopher Walken and Burt Reynolds were other famous Solo candidates back then...

 

3. The movies, and EU. Han only does so much in the movies. he spends part of the OT frozen in carbonite :p One only discovers more about Hans History and character from the EU.

 

As mentioned above, AC Crispins Han Solo Trilogy is an excellent starting point to learn about Han's history.....

 

Some noteworthy points :

*Han was born on Corellia

*Han was an orphan(IIRC). A wookie by the name of Dewlanna played an important part in his upbringing

*Han was a good student, eventually attending Imperial Naval Academy. One of his contemporaries was Soontiir Fel, who is great EU character, and described as the best pilot in the galaxy.

*Han resigned from the Imperial Navy, after saving Chewbacca

*He won the Milennium Falcon from Lando Calrissian in a Sabacc game

*Hand also spent an extended amount of time in the 'corporate sector' before the events of ANH (these are covered iin the Han Solo Adventures, some old school EU :p

 

you can read more about his general history from the CUSWE entry :

http://theforce.net/swenc/entrydesc.asp?search=23480

 

*You only get to find out a bit more about Han's character as he starts to get older, and fathers children to Leia. Firstly twins Jacen and Jaina, followed by Anakin. Han is a very caring father but has great difficulty communicatiing his emotions to Leia and the kids as they get older....

 

*It is unfortunate for those who arent NJO fans, because Hans character has never been explored in such depth as in this series... Very early on, chewbacca dies and he basically loses the plot. I cant even remember how many books it takes for him to get over it, but the result of it is Han learns that he has to deal with it because he is responsible for others now as well....

 

*Even later in the series, just as han seems to be getting used to the passing of chewie,

his son anakin is killed by the Yuuzhan Vong

This is a very painful experience for everyone involved, and was an emotional read in some parts. Han displays a maturity unseen before, which was absolutely necessary as the New Republic was being decimated by the new invaders....

 

By the time we get to the end of that series, Han is a much wisened man. Yes, still reckless in some aspects, (mainly when piloting the falcon), but a father figure moreso than the 'space cowboy' he is in the movies :D

 

*thats all the stuff I could relate off the top of my head, feel free to drop me a PM if you have any more questions about Han in the EU.....

 

mtfbwya

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Originally posted by Sivy

there's also the han solo adventures by Brian Daley

 

their not as good as Crispin's solo trilogy and they were first published in the early 80s so have probably been totally contradicted now.

 

And you call yourself an EU mod :p

 

AC Crispin and LF Licensing did some excellent work to squeeze in the Corporate Sector Trilogy into the overall continuity thread :D As I mentioned above, just before ANH is where it sits :)

 

So unless there is a young Han Solo in episode III, The 6 solo books are safe on the timeline atm :D (Sivy if you do know anything, spoiler tags or your silence is preferred !!!)

 

mtfbwya

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Originally posted by InsaneSith

You spelt wookiee wrong.

 

Anyway, I can't really help you matt, but I wish ya luck. :)

 

oh bugger off ..... ! I put a good 20 mins into that post to help out matt, and thats all you seemed to notice.... :p

 

*reminds himself to murder sithy at nearest available juncture* :p

 

mtfbwya

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Originally posted by TiE 23

You can get info on his kids and stuff. Read the young Jedi Knight Series. So far I have read like, 10 EU SW books, thats my favorite series. Just my opinion :D

 

TiE

 

TiE, you silly boy, I haven't had children yet. :)

 

And Rhett, I can make anything interesting. :)

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I'm sorry Z, but bedwetting "Matrix style" is still bedwetting.

 

matt: That is AWESOME. :o

 

For sources, it might be good to look at the newest Star Wars trilogy DVD release (the Special Special Editions?) and look at the behind the scenes stuff. It's got some great Han/Harrison stuff.

 

*inserts generic praise and worshiping here*

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Wow, that's awesome dude.

 

Speaking of English, I need 3 editors for my research paper. I mean legit edits, 30 minute take your time to give me real helpful things edits...

 

cos it's required before I'm allowed to turn in my final copy :(

 

Good Luck Matt!

 

Psst...

 

any takers? any people who know where to find editors? :p

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Originally posted by ET Warrior

....Edit - and as for your massive post astro...

 

:xp:

 

hey ! you cant use one of my own cards *against* me, that will disrupt the space-time continuum star trek style :(:p

 

TiE.... no, Matt doesnt need to find out about YJK to learn about the solo kids :p man, that stuff is OLD.... The twins are nearly twenty or so now in EU.... Jaina is in Rogue Squadron, and Jacen is the strangest and perhaps most powerful jedi of his generation...

 

everyone knows, Im LFs one-stop- EU shop :p

 

mtfbwya

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