Based on an Easter egg in the Obi-Wan Kenobi trailer, Han Solo may appear in the upcoming Disney+ miniseries. Obi-Wan Kenobi is set to premiere on May 25, 2022, and its first trailer has already revealed that multiple characters from other Star Wars works will play important roles in the story. For example, the Grand Inquisitor and Fifth Brother from the animated series Star Wars Rebels will both make their live-action debuts in Obi-Wan Kenobi. In addition, Obi-Wan Kenobi’s trailer hinted at the return of another iconic Star Wars character: Han Solo.
Near the end of the Obi-Wan Kenobi trailer, a shadowy figure faced off against a new Inquisitor character, Reva, in an alley. Although the initial assumption may be that the mysterious figure was Obi-Wan, the character was holding a DL-44 Blaster Pistol. Within the Star Wars universe, this blaster is best known for being Han Solo’s weapon of choice, suggesting that the figure may be the famous smuggler instead.
Given that Han did not seem to know Obi-Wan when he and Luke Skywalker approached him for transportation in Star Wars: A New Hope, it may seem unlikely that Han would appear in Obi-Wan Kenobi. However, it is possible based on previous Star Wars movies. Considering Star Wars’ chronology and Han’s business dealings on Tatooine, he could appear in Obi-Wan Kenobi without creating any contradictions in Star Wars’ canon storyline.
Based on Star Wars’ chronology, Han’s presence in Obi-Wan Kenobi is possible. One article (via Inverse) explained that Obi-Wan Kenobi will take place during the year 9 BBY. Meanwhile, Solo: A Star Wars Story took place sometime between 13 and 10 BBY. Within the Star Wars universe, the center of their dating system is the Battle of Yavin, when Luke blew up the first Death Star in Star Wars: A New Hope. Events that occur Before the Battle of Yavin (BBY) count down until they reach the battle while events that occur After the Battle of Yavin (ABY) count up as they become farther away from the battle. Therefore, Obi-Wan Kenobi will take place just after Solo: A Star Wars Story, possibly only one year later. Since Solo: A Star Wars Story ended with Han and Chewbacca heading toward Tatooine to seek work with Jabba the Hutt, they would be on the planet during Obi-Wan Kenobi.
While Han’s potential role in Obi-Wan Kenobi is unknown, it makes sense that he may have to face the Inquisitors. In the trailer, the Inquisitors were interrogating crowds of civilians and disrupting the marketplace on Tatooine while hunting for Jedi. If this lost Jabba the Hutt money, he could send some of his bounty hunters after Inquisitors like Reva, and Han would be bold and reckless enough to take the job. The only requirement for Han’s role in Obi-Wan Kenobi would be that he not see anyone using the Force, so he would still not believe in it by Star Wars: A New Hope. Obi-Wan Kenobi could even cement Han’s beliefs due to seeing the Jedi unable to protect themselves or the innocent. While the identity of the shadowed figure in the Obi-Wan Kenobi trailer is unknown, his blaster and the show’s timing within Star Wars lore suggest that Han Solo may appear in Obi-Wan Kenobi, perhaps as part of the setup for the Disney+ Lando series.
