Harrison Ford’s Han Solo is one of the most iconic parts of the Star Wars franchise. His story arc and his charisma have become defining characteristics for him, being a few of the many reasons why fans love him so much. Knowing how significant every part of his personality has become, it would be difficult for audiences to imagine anything else.
However, the original design for the character was a lot different. Not only was he first designed as an alien sidekick for Luke Skywalker, but he would have also never been involved with his beloved, Princess Leia.
Hulk or Han Solo?
Before fans got the first Star Wars film, it is safe to assume that the creator, George Lucas, had more than a few drafts that he had to scrap. Many characters may have been changed, removed, or added, and the vast storylines of the series would have taken a lot of time. However, many would not expect the starting difference between the original design of one iconic character.
According to the filmmaker’s first draft of the franchise, via ScreenRant, Han Solo was not only supposed to be an alien, but he had a look more similar to the Hulk from the Marvel Cinematic Universe than the Western icon fans know. It would seem that not only was Harrison Ford’s character green in color, but he also had no nose.
Han Solo’s original description painted him as a “huge green-skinned monster with no nose and huge gills.”
Interestingly enough, his original design also involved gills, which would have been quite an odd decision considering there are no large bodies of water floating through space.
Princess Leia and Han Solo Would Have Never Happened
It would seem that Han Solo’s design wasn’t the only change made to his character, as he was also supposed to play a very different role in the series overall. He would not have been the gun-swinging charmer that he is known for and would have, instead, played a sidekick. Instead of being a companion to Luke Skywalker, he would have assumed a role similar to that of Chewbacca.
Being the sidekick, it can be assumed that he would not have been a love interest to the female protagonist. This would have been quite unfortunate, as Solo and Princess Leia’s love story is one of the most cherished parts of the Star Wars universe.
It is safe to assume that both Harrison Ford and fans would be glad that such a direction was not taken.
