Rewatching The Force Awakens...
[And spoilers for Star Wars VII and VIII]
I was studying the Han Solo death scene for clues at to whether there was any sleight of hand on the film's part that would involve Han surviving, and reappearing in Episode IX.
Theory 1: Han was astrally projected
My first thought was to see how many things/people Han touched; earlier on, he operated a switch and nudged Rey at one point.
Then, he and Chewbacca went off to set off the charges that would blow the entire place up, the scene cut away from them and when Han reappeared, he'd placed all the charges, and had holstered his gun.
When he confronted Kylo Ren, for most of the time, they didn't touch each other, then Han reached out and gripped Kylo's light saber; Kylo thrust it through Han, and then pushed forward (but I'm not sure if he phsyically touched Han). I noticed Han had his hand on Kylo's cheek just before he tumbled off into the void below.
I first thought, that being astrally projected would make him completely intangible, but thinking about it, I could be wrong. Although certainly if my Dad touched my cheek, and I didn't feel anything, and then jumped off a bridge, I probably would be too stunned to ask, "Why can't I feel you?"
Secondly, I did think about the X-Files episode, "The Walk", all about astral projection, and in this the soldier's astral body definitely isn't intangible, as he is able to sound an alarm, pull a woman underwater and kill a boy by burying him in a sandpit. It also occurred to me that Luke Skywalker almost certainly carried a lightsaber with him while astrally projected.
I am going to re-watch The Last Jedi before December 19 when Episode IX comes out and study precisely what Luke does and what/who he touches while astrally projected, although the only question I have is why Han would astrally project himself - maybe a desire to trick Kylo Ren into thinking he'd killed her own father, or because he suspected Kylo would decide to light saber him to death.
The only big problem with this theory is that when Kylo appears in the next scene, he definely has blood dripping off his hand, which would presumably be Han's blood, unless Kylo Ren managed to injure himself, than astral projection would have to be wrong. Maybe he cut himself badly during his tantrum over Rey escaping (which was heard, but not seen).
Also, I'm 50/50 as to whether or not Han was shown with a gaping hole in his chest, although for all I know an astrally projected character might be able to manifest a wound like that in their astral body.
Theory 2: Chewbacca saved Han's life
Han's last words to Chewbacca were about "meeting back here", but could there have been more to them?
Chewbacca was shown watching when Han confronted Kylo Ren, but I don't recall it cutting back to him. It made me wonder if it was possible for Chewbacca to have flown the Millennium Falcon underneath the bridge and caught him. The void was definitely big enough for the Millennium Falcon to have fitted into, so my only question is whether the Falcon was able to get to this space.
Chewbacca was next shown piloting the Millennium Falcon, but the only question would be, if he saved Han, where would he be now? For example, would there be a convenient "space hospital" where Han would have his wounds treated? It's a theory, and the only thing that really supports this is that I don't think anyone (certainly not Leia) explicitly said, "Han is dead".
I presume Leia understands with Chewbacca is saying, even if Rey and Finn don't.
It's likely that both theories are wrong and that they did decide to kill Han, based on Luke's death in The Last Jedi; thus, the plan would have been for Leia to die at the end of Episode IX (considering Carrie Fisher's untimely passing, that will no doubt be at the start, and offscreen). I suspect the final shot on Episode IX will be an echo of Return of the Jedi's ending, with Luke, Leia and Han Solo as The Force.
I'm sure some are going to be saying that Han Solo's not strictly a Jedi, but I wouldn't be surprised if Luke/Leia had taught him a few tricks.
It did occur to me while watching this film that if one of the later Fantastic Beasts films goes forward in the timeline to a later date (say, the 1970s) and involved the introduction of a younger Snape, Adam Driver, just based on how he looks in this film, would be ideal for that role.
I was studying the Han Solo death scene for clues at to whether there was any sleight of hand on the film's part that would involve Han surviving, and reappearing in Episode IX.
Theory 1: Han was astrally projected
My first thought was to see how many things/people Han touched; earlier on, he operated a switch and nudged Rey at one point.
Then, he and Chewbacca went off to set off the charges that would blow the entire place up, the scene cut away from them and when Han reappeared, he'd placed all the charges, and had holstered his gun.
When he confronted Kylo Ren, for most of the time, they didn't touch each other, then Han reached out and gripped Kylo's light saber; Kylo thrust it through Han, and then pushed forward (but I'm not sure if he phsyically touched Han). I noticed Han had his hand on Kylo's cheek just before he tumbled off into the void below.
I first thought, that being astrally projected would make him completely intangible, but thinking about it, I could be wrong. Although certainly if my Dad touched my cheek, and I didn't feel anything, and then jumped off a bridge, I probably would be too stunned to ask, "Why can't I feel you?"
Secondly, I did think about the X-Files episode, "The Walk", all about astral projection, and in this the soldier's astral body definitely isn't intangible, as he is able to sound an alarm, pull a woman underwater and kill a boy by burying him in a sandpit. It also occurred to me that Luke Skywalker almost certainly carried a lightsaber with him while astrally projected.
I am going to re-watch The Last Jedi before December 19 when Episode IX comes out and study precisely what Luke does and what/who he touches while astrally projected, although the only question I have is why Han would astrally project himself - maybe a desire to trick Kylo Ren into thinking he'd killed her own father, or because he suspected Kylo would decide to light saber him to death.
The only big problem with this theory is that when Kylo appears in the next scene, he definely has blood dripping off his hand, which would presumably be Han's blood, unless Kylo Ren managed to injure himself, than astral projection would have to be wrong. Maybe he cut himself badly during his tantrum over Rey escaping (which was heard, but not seen).
Also, I'm 50/50 as to whether or not Han was shown with a gaping hole in his chest, although for all I know an astrally projected character might be able to manifest a wound like that in their astral body.
Theory 2: Chewbacca saved Han's life
Han's last words to Chewbacca were about "meeting back here", but could there have been more to them?
Chewbacca was shown watching when Han confronted Kylo Ren, but I don't recall it cutting back to him. It made me wonder if it was possible for Chewbacca to have flown the Millennium Falcon underneath the bridge and caught him. The void was definitely big enough for the Millennium Falcon to have fitted into, so my only question is whether the Falcon was able to get to this space.
Chewbacca was next shown piloting the Millennium Falcon, but the only question would be, if he saved Han, where would he be now? For example, would there be a convenient "space hospital" where Han would have his wounds treated? It's a theory, and the only thing that really supports this is that I don't think anyone (certainly not Leia) explicitly said, "Han is dead".
I presume Leia understands with Chewbacca is saying, even if Rey and Finn don't.
It's likely that both theories are wrong and that they did decide to kill Han, based on Luke's death in The Last Jedi; thus, the plan would have been for Leia to die at the end of Episode IX (considering Carrie Fisher's untimely passing, that will no doubt be at the start, and offscreen). I suspect the final shot on Episode IX will be an echo of Return of the Jedi's ending, with Luke, Leia and Han Solo as The Force.
I'm sure some are going to be saying that Han Solo's not strictly a Jedi, but I wouldn't be surprised if Luke/Leia had taught him a few tricks.
It did occur to me while watching this film that if one of the later Fantastic Beasts films goes forward in the timeline to a later date (say, the 1970s) and involved the introduction of a younger Snape, Adam Driver, just based on how he looks in this film, would be ideal for that role.