The Stars Wars series took off in popularity the year it first came out in 1977, with the chemistry between the leads considered as one of the main reasons for its success. Han Solo and Luke Skywalker were polar opposites in style and attitude, yet made for a great team to fight the Empire as part of the resistance forces.
With the sequel trilogy now done and dusted, the overall stories concerning Luke and Han are known in full and it appears that their friendship wasn’t that great after all. Of course, these two are going to be considered true friends in Star Wars canon – even if there isn’t too much evidence that they are that close after all!
They Didn’t Stay In Touch During Troubled Times
There are many ways Han’s story could have been different in Star Wars, and it certainly would be something else if Luke had remained with him in their later years. It seems, though, that neither wanted to stay in touch after things went a bit sideways.
Both Han and Luke ran away the moment things got too intense for them and they didn’t bother to share their problems. Han never realized Luke was guilt-ridden over Ben, while Luke wasn’t around to learn that Han had ditched Leia to go off smuggling with Chewbacca once again. Of course, both character have their reasons, and Luke ran off and refused to stay in touch with anyone – so this can really be laid at his feet.
They Both Initially Competed For The Same Woman’s Affections
Han and Luke were at odds during the first movie over a number of things, with one issue being the affections of Leia. This only changed after Luke became embroiled with Darth Vader, and was obviously resolved by the fact that he realized that Leia was actually his sister (thankfully).
Prior to that, both men looked to one-up the other to impress Leia, with Luke putting on a smug face after Leia kissed him to make Han jealous. Luke would definitely have regretted that moment when the truth came to light, but he was glad to get the small victory over Han at that moment – and undoubtedly, this kind of beginning can get in the way of a true bromance developing.
They Only Became Friends Due To Circumstance
The only reason Han and Luke were paired together was that there really were no other options. Obi-Wan needed someone to smuggle him and Luke away and Han was the man for the job, and the pair were then forced to be together after Obi-Wan died.
They bonded between the fourth and fifth movies because they were holed up together with the rest of the resistance, meaning their relationship was primarily driven by them being stuck in the same place. The fact that they went their own ways when they could goes to show that they didn’t prefer to be together if they could help it – or at the very least, their friendship wasn’t quite as deep and meaningful as some fans would like to believe.
Their Personalities Are Too Different
The fanbase easily agrees that Han Solo is Harrison Ford’s most iconic character, but Han was created to contrast with Luke’s personality. While Luke was a naive but determined and heroic character, Han was a maverick, rebel, and tough guy who did whatever he pleased.
This partnership worked well when they were fighting for the resistance, and it makes for great movies, but it’s not something that builds a friendship during times of peace. Luke and Han were just too different and didn’t feel a connection to each other when they didn’t need to team up – and while opposites could have attracted, that didn’t hold true here.
Luke Didn’t Share His Concerns About Ben With Han
Luke attempted to kill Ben when he felt he was pulling toward the dark side – and attempting to murder Hans son doesn’t quite point to deep and meaningful friendship! While Luke made a split-second decision that he regretted and wouldn’t have gone through with, the original idea is problematic enough.
Luke could have shared his suspicions with Han, seeing as Ben was Han’s responsibility first and foremost. However, it appears as if they didn’t have the kind of friendship where Luke felt Han would have understood and figured killing the boy was easier than talking about him with his father.
Han Doesn’t Believe In Luke Until Later
One of the most unmistakable traits of Han in Star Wars is that he doesn’t trust anyone. This would serve him well if it were just any other character, but also means that he and Luke didn’t have any special bond, seeing as Han didn’t believe in Luke’s abilities with the Force.
It was only after Han had gone through the entire adventure of facing the Empire that he finally believed in the Force, but that’s something that just about anyone would do. Han didn’t consider Luke in a different way as any friend would have since he was around Luke much more than others.
Luke Didn’t Really Care About Han’s Death
In a move that angered many Star Wars fans, Luke didn’t seem to care much at all about the demise of his friend. In fact, The Last Jedi completely glossed over this aspect, with Luke never shown taking the information in or reacting to it in any way apart from claiming that Rey should just leave him alone.
Considering the two knew each other for 30 years and were family through marriage, it’s astonishing how the news of Han’s demise didn’t do anything for Luke. It doesn’t bode well for how their relationship was supposed to be the whole time. To be fair, there was a deleted scene where Luke did mourn Han, but there’s nothing to suggest that it can be considered canonical.
