Since its inception in 1977, George Lucas’ Star Wars has become a cultural phenomenon, captivating millions of fans who passionately follow the characters and eagerly anticipate the unfolding plot. However, along with its vast fan base comes inevitable contention, with varying opinions and arguments that aren’t universally shared among enthusiasts.
While some would like one thing, others might also find it contentious or unwelcome. The filmmaker and the creator of the space opera had to come to terms with this aspect of the massive fandom following his revelation regarding the longstanding debate over ‘Who shot first, Han or Greedo,’ in Episode IV.
George Lucas Reflected on Fanatical Debates Over ‘Who Shot First?’
Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope features a brief sequence between Harrison Ford’s Han Solo and bounty hunter Greedo. The sequence has been the subject of a controversial debate for years, with fans questioning, ‘Who shot first, Han or Greedo?’
George Lucas later clarified that it was Greedo who shot first. However, despite his assertion, many fans have steadfastly preferred to maintain Han Solo’s image as the initial aggressor in the confrontation.
Lucas reflected on fans’ reaction to the revelation in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter. “Well, it’s not a religious event,” he said before adding, “It’s a movie, just a movie.” The filmmaker further noted,
The controversy over who shot first, Greedo or Han Solo, in Episode IV, what I did was try to clean up the confusion, but obviously it upset people because they wanted Solo [who seemed to be the one who shot first in the original] to be a cold-blooded killer, but he actually isn’t.
Lucas further explained that the perception of Han shooting first was due to the editing and close-up shots used initially. He made adjustments by including a wider shot that clearly showed Greedo initiating the gunfire. But many fans continue to be firm on their perspective.
George Lucas Did Not Want Han Solo to be a Ruthless Killer
In Paul Duncan’s book, The Star Wars Archives: 1999-2005, George Lucas clarified that Han Solo shooting Greedo was never in the cards, as he had always planned for him to shoot Greedo in self-defense rather than acting as an aggressor against a helpless opponent.
“I never designed Han to be a ruthless killer,” he said, as per Polygon, while explaining where it all went wrong, leading to the popular perception that Han shot first. “All the good guys shoot in self-defense. When I edited the scene in 1977 you couldn’t tell who does what,” he stated.
While many fans seem specifically invested in the narrative, Harrison Ford didn’t seem too interested in the whole debate. “I don’t know and I don’t care,” he said in an Ask Me Anything session on Reddit.
Subsequently, the scene was altered in later editions of the film to show Greedo firing the first shot. Paul Blake, the actor who played Greedo, reacted to these revisions by expressing confusion and frustration over the continual tinkering with the specific scene.
Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope is available to stream on Disney+.
