WhenStar Wars: The Force Awakenshits theaters this December, it will surely contain scenes that divide fans, and cause controversy amongst the hardcore audience members who have been with this franchise since it debuted in 1977. But there will never be a more debated topic than who shot first inStar Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope. Was it Han or Greedo? Well, a recently discovered original screenplay for the firstStar Wars: Episode IV - A New Hopemay finally put this question to rest, as it gives the definitive answer. And most of you will probably like what you hear.
As many know,George Lucascreated the ‘who shot first’ controversy himself when he decided to re-releaseStar Wars: Episode IV - A New Hopeway back in 1997 to get people hyped forStar Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace. In trueGeorge Lucasfashion, the director tinkered with his original cut of the film, adding new scenes and updated special effects. One of the changes made was in the iconic Cantina scene, when Han Solo is confronted by Greedo. In the original 1977 version, Han shoots and kills Greedo on the spot. In the new version, which still stands as the ‘canon’ version available to fans today, Greedo pulls his gun and gets off the first laser blast in what is a very clumsy edit that fans hate. About the edit,George Lucashad this to say in 2012:
“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. It had been done in all close-ups and it was confusing about who did what to whom. I put a little wider shot in there that made it clear that Greedo is the one who shot first, but everyone wanted to think that Han shot first, because they wanted to think that he actually just gunned him down.”
WhileGeorge Lucaswants everyone to think Greedo shot first, and that Han isn’t that cold blooded killer, an original draft of the screenplay was just discovered, and it clearly states that Han Solo shot first. So end of discussion, right? The problem comes fromGeorge Lucas' constant insistence that he always intended for Greedo to shoot first. The just-discovered screenplay dated March 15th, 1976, which was hidden away in the University of New Brunswick library, catches the creator of this universe in a fib. The script in question is believed to be the fourth draft. In it,CBCreports that Luke Skywalker is still called Luke Starkiller, and this particular adventure is still referred to as Saga I. Librarian Kristian Brown, who read the screenplay herself says:
Based on the script, I can tell you 100 per cent, Han shot first."
Even if this draft of the screenplay does boldly states who shot first, that doesn’t mean it will end the argument. Those in favor of Greedo shooting first will point to the fact thatGeorge Lucasmay have changed his mind after writing this draft. Also, that he is the creator of this universe, and what he says is the final definitive take on the matter. Though, many of us will only have to look to the original 1977 release ofStar Wars: Episode IV - A New Hopefor the true answer. There, Han Solo clearly shoots first. What do you think?
