ST How would you rank Han's death scene?

I've noticed varying reactions to the quality of Han's death scene in talking to friends and family as well as reading the boards here. Some liked it, some hated it. I want to get your feedback on how you would rank how his death was treated in terms of quantifiable numbers and see what the overall consensus is.

Thanks for voting!

 

Horrible how do people complain about Chewie's death in the books, but accepted Han's death, is beyond comprehension.

 

None of the categories fit. It wasn't perfect, it wasn't satisfying and it wasn't disappointing. It was DEVASTATING. It made me numb in my seat from shock and horror. It was the death of my all time favorite movie hero. Understand, that if ep7 was never made, even if Harrison Ford himself died (Force forbid!), Han Solo would still live on, like Rick and Ilsa in Casablanca or Scarlett and Rhett in GWTW. But now, Han Solo's character has reached the ultimate end of his character arc. It was not badly done, you understand, but extremely painful and saddening.

 

Thanks LadyPadme! I'm sorry I don't have quite the right poll option for you. I guess what I meant was, considering he did die, was it handled the way you would want it to be handled? However that still might not make it any easier to answer. I mostly wanted to see if there was a consensus on how it was handled. I personally did not like that it happened, but I liked even less how it was handled. But I want to get others' input mostly, because I wonder what the majority is and maybe I'm just hard to please and in the minority.

 

I cried, so it was done well.

 

Han is my favorite character. From when I was little to now he remains my favorite. So it was devastating for me. I am still not really over it. Imagining a Star Wars universe without his charming amazing self is hard to picture. However, I do think that it was done well in the sense it really made me feel. When we get that shot to Leia feeling his death, I thought that was fantastic. It broke my heart, but it was also in a way touching.

 

And worse part of it all, in the post rotj EU, Chewie was in plenty of adventures, before his death and he went like a badass, the whole moon killing him, who wouldn't want their favorite character going out like that, while Han's death was just a swift kill by some whining character, to go JJ.

 

There's a big gap between "Epic, perfect" and "Okay"

It was a great scene, it wasn't perfect.

 

I hear you.

This is the ultimate result of a sequel though. We all want to know what's next... but in the case of Casablanca (great example)... what probably happened, if you think about it?

Was probably incredibly sad for us as an audience. The beauty is in the moment they had together, and that chance to reconcile and resolve their feelings. What came after is the inevitability of humanity...

To the extent it can be compared, Han going away after his goodby to Leia is the end of Casablanca. I am glad the story didn't end there, obviously. Because it's Star Wars, NOT Casablanca. But that's the pain point.

Closest equivalent I can think of? When Blake gets to go home in M*A*S*H... and then you find out the plane he was on was shot down and there were no survivors.


(sadly this clip doesn't include the reactions... where, through tears, the rest carry on with what they have to do because they MUST. A pity, because it's apt).

 

I thought it was wonderfully done.
I think Han knew there was a chance he was not going to survive this mission, not only because the mission itself always carried that risk, but because he knew if he had the chance to confront Ben, he would, and he knew the potential for that ending badly, as it did.

But the thing I found so touching about that scene was how Han was able to express his love for his son in that moment. His hand on Ben's cheek as he died. Brilliant. Not only because it makes Han's death so true to his character, but because it also gave that final act so much power. I firmly believe it was the last thing Ben expected. In Ben's mind, you kill your father, you kill all conflict. It's a linear move without deviation. But that moment is *all about* creating conflict. Throwing a wrench in the works. It's why I also believe that Ben is still conflicted and now emotionally scarred by what he has done. While the jury is still out as to whether or not Ben can be redeemed, I believe that moment gave Han so much power to affect things to come.

 

I thought it was great. Knowing he would most likely die, he had to try to get his family back. The emotions by all in the scene were great. Han scared, desperate. Kylo's being conflicted. Leia feeling both Han's death and her son's pain. Powerful scene.
That said, I knew it was coming going into the theater, I didn't know how until the scene started, from that point on the rest of the movie was a blur, I was stuck in that scene. It's still burned in my brain. I need to see movie again just so I can fill in some gaps at the end because of this scene. So, I guess I would have to label a scene that has that effect perfect.

 

I've complained about the scene before, after another viewing it is still terrible. Like take your bathroom break during it terrible.

Such a great character, a great reason for sacrifice and they ****ed it up...

 

It was emotional. My wife cried. My mother cried. My sister cried. The lady behind me cried. I don't cry but I did feel real sorrow. My Pop's was shocked. When it happened the entire theater gasped and one little kid actually shouted no, not Han Solo! It's definitely one of the most powerful moments in the Saga. For me it's up there with Luke and Vader's ROTJ duel and Anakin and Obi-Wan's duel at the end of ROTS.

 

It felt forced and gratuitous. I was hoping there would really be a passing of the torch from one generation to the next in this film, but as someone who is an OT only fan, it feels like they held onto the legacy characters too long (except Mark Hamill, maybe). The film would have been a lot better without all the ridiculous relations and fanservice.

 

He deserved better. A badass should go out like a badass, with a line like, "I know".

 

It was one of the best scenes across all seven films. One that may become just as famous as the duel on Bespin.

You know what's not badass? Modern pop culture's obsession with valueless badassery. Han died nobly and selflessly - trying to bring his wayward son home. It's something Han fans should be proud of, not ashamed of.

 

I knew it was coming from reading the spoilers, and my mouth still hung wide open. I forgot to close it until after Chewbacca shot Kylo in the ribs. I felt numb and heartbroken, which is exactly how I was hoping to feel. It felt fitting, more so than if he went out in a cliche "blaze of glory" or if he died in the arms of a friend or loved one. It was tragic, and showed both how far Han had come as a person and how far gone Kylo was.

I also loved Leia's immediate reaction, as well as Chewbacca's. The aftermath felt fitting as well, more than if there was a prolonged scene of mourning. Chewbacca's silent sorrow was when the sadness of it really began to sink it; if I lost my best friend, I'd want to be left alone, too.

 

Was pretty empty and dumb imo. I didn't really care for his Robocop shot when killed the Stormtrooper either. Hope Indiana Jones V is worth it and no Mutt Williams please.

 

No. He allowed his son to kill him. It was too meek.

 

It was well done. Han was never going to be defeated in combat with his blaster. It had to be another way.

 

Yes, and it's therefore a perfect endpoint for his development/ transformation as a character. From selfish arrogance in ANH to selfless humility in TFA.

Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the galaxy.

 

Maybe, but should he not have gone out in a way that was true to himself and to the character we have always known? Besides which, he could do more good for the galaxy alive than dead (although the same could have been said of Obi-Wan).

 

Han saying he could talk his way out of any situation earlier in the movie helped make the scene even better in my eyes. It made it more tragic, along with the character. Because it's true. He could talk and shoot his way out of anything, except this. I also felt that Han was unsure of himself before walking over to Kylo. But he gave it a go anyway.

 

All I've to say is that it'll take the mother of plot developments and some serious convincing for me to accept any form of redemption for Ben. At this point, I just want to see him suffer, not die but suffer.

 

"The character we have always known" sounds more like "I don't like when characters change they should just stay the same."

Han grew as a person, and that's reflected by the way he died. He didn't allow his son to kill him; he tried to save his son, but his son didn't want to be saved.