Do These Planets Reveal The Plot Of The Han Solo Spinoff?

Set for release on May 25th, 2018, the as-yet-untitled Han Solo spinoff promises to finally give us the secret history of the galaxy's favorite smuggler. The plot itself remains something of a mystery, but that doesn't mean we haven't got some early hints that will help give us a better idea of what to expect. As details emerge, questions we hope will get answered include things like: How did Han's smuggler career kick off? How will he cross paths with Lando, and did he cheat in that Sabacc game to acquire the Millennium Falcon? Finally, what new worlds will the film visit?

When it comes to the last question, MakingStarWars has just published a list of what they believe to be the main planets in the #HanSolo spinoff film. Intriguingly, every one of these worlds will be known to fans of the old #StarWars Expanded Universe. Lucasfilm may have rebooted the timeline, but if they're using the same maps, then we actually know quite a lot about these planets. Even better, these planets have the potential to tell us a bit more about the plot of the Han Solo movie — an exciting idea, to be sure.

Let's start off with the planet we always knew would appear in the film, Han's homeworld of Corellia. The world was an important Imperial territory, and one of the galaxy's most notable shipyards. Corellian society was strongly individualistic, and as a result, the planet became an important location for the Rebel Alliance and maker of some of the most notable Rebels around. For those who might need a reminder, other Corellian Rebels include Wedge Antilles and General Crix Madine.

It was always a foregone conclusion that Corellia would appear in the Han Solo film. It's believed that Han will be introduced as a pod racer, whose skills could draw the attention of the Empire. As you can see from the above video, MakingStarWars has obtained set footage showing the film's star, Alden Ehrenreich, driving pod racers, so this theory sounds pretty plausible.

Vandor

This is a particularly interesting one. Vandor is the fifth planet in the Coruscant System, and according to The Cestus Deception, served as a training ground for clone troopers during the early years of the Clone Wars. We can presume the Empire converted these into training barracks for the vast Imperial war machine. If Han does indeed catch the Empire's eye as a potential Imperial agent, it would be logical for Vandor to be the next step on his journey. No doubt his career in the Empire won't go well!

Kessel

We'd already had strong hints that the barren world of Kessel would appear in the Han Solo spinoff. This planet is an important one in Star Wars lore, a desolate world where slaves toil in the spice mines. There have been subtle hints that the slaves will include Wookiees, so this might be where Han meets Chewbacca.

Iridium

A planet in the Outer Rim, Iridium was the home of an infamous group of pirates. We know that Han will wind up working on the black market, and it would make sense for him to cross paths with some pirates. Intriguingly, in the old Expanded Universe these pirates used "power gems" to disable the shields of their victims' starships. Recent Star Wars movies and novels have emphasized the importance of Kyber Crystals. If these pirates are using Kyber, will they unwittingly draw the attention of the Empire?

Kyber Crystals would help make sense of this intriguing tweet from Han Solo spinoff director Ron Howard. This helmet is strongly associated with the Death Star project, and fans have long wondered how the Death Star would factor into the film. Now we may have our first clue: the Death Star project could be scouring the galaxy for Kyber, and the pirates of Iridium could easily become a very tempting target.

Savareen

And now we come to the world we know the least about, Savareen. Even in the EU, all we learned about this planet was that it's on the Outer Rim and is famed for its brandy. Including Savareen is a smart move on Lucasfilm's part. The world technically already exists in the galaxy, meaning old-school fans will be delighted. At the same time, the fact we have so little information means the world can easily be adapted to suit the needs of the film. The "brandy" reference really does seem to hint that the planet could well be something of a smuggler's den.

If MakingStarWars is right, these are the main worlds of the #Solo spinoff. The first act seems to be taking on a clear shape, with Han possible becoming a pod racer on Corellia who draws the attention of the Empire. Again, if all goes according to what these locations indicate, then his time as an Imperial agent might not go well, and soon he could be forced to start a career as a smuggler.

If all this proves to be true, then we've just been given an important hint as to how this film fits into the overarching Star Wars narrative.

[Credit: MakingStarWars]