From the Clone Wars era to the Empire days, Star Wars is constantly showing examples of Jedi and other Force users throughout the galaxy, and yet, for some reason, Han Solo does not believe in the Force. Before Star Wars introduced its several Jedi through the Expanded Universe and the prequels, the only Force-sensitive people that audiences knew of in A New Hope were Luke, the mysterious Jedi master Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Darth Vader. However, despite watching Luke’s Jedi training with Obi-Wan, Han Solo did not believe that there was something like the Force, let alone that it could grant someone powers.
Curiously, more than three decades after the events of A New Hope, it was Han Solo who gave a speech about the Force to two new heroes, Rey and Finn, aboard the Millennium Falcon. It was never made clear when exactly Han Solo started believing in the Force, but considering his adventures with Luke and Leia throughout the galaxy, including facing Darth Vader, it must not have taken too long. Han would also have a Force-sensitive son, Ben Solo, whom he would fail in protection from the influence of Snoke and Palpatine.
As interesting as that character progression was, Han Solo not believing in the Force created a Star Wars plothole, or at very least an inconsistency, once the Star Wars prequels came out. Unlike what the original trilogy suggested about the Jedi being long-lost myths, the Star Wars prequel trilogy established that there were thousands of Jedi fighting a war throughout the galaxy up until 19 BBY. In other words, Han Solo was 9 years old when Order 66 happened, meaning that he would have known about the reputation of the Jedi and the consequences of the war. One common explanation for it is that the galaxy is too big, and the events of the Clone Wars and the Coruscant politics might have never affected Han. While that explanation works, Star Wars has been making it difficult to buy it, especially when Order 66 survivors and Inquisitors are often seen on all the important planets in the saga. In Obi-Wan Kenobi, for example, the Inquisitor was openly using the Force in Tatooine, a planet on which Han would later work. The only remaining explanation is that Han did not believe in the Force because he himself never saw it being used, despite having heard a lot about the Jedi.
Why It Was Easier For Han Solo To Believe The Force Was A Myth
The idea that Han knew about the Force but chose not to believe in it was already present in A New Hope, but the prequels and all the Star Wars TV shows set during the Empire era make it difficult for the reputation of the Jedi and of the Inquisitors to be treated as a myth only. Han Solo had business throughout the galaxy, including in Tatooine, and he would have at least heard about the Inquisitors or the Jedi being public enemies number one. As such, it is easier to assume that Han simply chose not to believe in what he was hearing until he got to see a Jedi or an Inquisitor with his own eyes.
The retcons made in the prequel trilogy created a few Star Wars plotholes, and Han Solo not believing in the Force despite being alive during the Clone Wars is one of those. Tie-in stories set between the prequels and A New Hope could have solved the issue, but shows like Obi-Wan Kenobi only made it worse. Still, it is not a stretch to assume that Han only believes in what he sees, despite the fame of the Jedi.
