Noooo! The Han Solo Movie Doesn't Need Darth Vader

Though it had been rumored for months, a new report indicates that Darth Vader will, indeed, play a part in the still untitled Han Solo film. Seeing as the movie is fairly late in its production, with new director Ron Howard taking over from deposed co-helmers Phil Lord and Chris Miller, it's fairly unlikely the villain's role will be all that substantial. However, no matter how large or small it ends up being, the Dark Lord of the Sith's presence may hinder Han Solo more than help it, for a very simple reason: Involving the character undermines the stated purpose of the anthology movies, which is to explore unknown aspects of the fan-favorite galaxy, far, far away.

As an iconic character who has consistently moved Star Wars merchandise since the 1970s, it's clear why Lucasfilm and Disney would feel the need to put Vader into as many films as possible. His likeness sells toys and products, and a renewed interest in the character will never hurt the company's bottom-line. It's also an act of fan-service, designed to please the audience without necessarily forwarding or bettering the story.

In addition to merchandising, seeing a familiar character among a cast of unknowns helps viewers situate what they're watching in the universe from which it comes. Vader is a practical choice for a well-worn character to incorporate into a new film because his iconicness doesn't depend on the actor physically playing the role, or require awkward CGI reconstructions; it relies on the familiar black armor.

However, in the case of the Han Solo film, the title character should be the one that connects the story to the larger world. Solo is definitely not an unknown character; he's appeared in the original trilogy, as well as other media, not to mention the first chapter of the latest trilogy. However, Disney did away with much of the franchise's expanded universe in 2012, so even longtime fans know little about his early years; thus, compared to Darth Vader, they know very little about Han Solo.

Even more important are lesser explored characters audiences already know, like Lando Calrissian, and those who had a major influence on Solo that have never appeared on-screen before. The Han Solo movie is just as much about them as its title character, and bringing Vader back into the fold just pulls focus from Solo and those important to his story.

Nearly every Star Wars movie already features Vader prominently, and the character also has several excellent comics that explore his life both during the original trilogy and in the gap between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope. Because of his omnipresence, it's unlikely that a short appearance in an anthology movie will yield any significant revelation about Vader's character or history, further limiting his value to the film. The Sith Lord's own outings give fans a deeper, fuller picture of him, and the purpose of the anthology movies is to provide some of that depth for those who haven't been explored in the same way in present continuity.

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How Rogue One Provided the Template for Darth Vader Appearances

Vader's appearance in 2016's Rogue One lays out a pretty clear framework for how the character can best play a supporting role in an anthology film. The Dark Lord of the Sith's first scene in the movie -- in which he talks with Director Krennic -- is a great example of using the villain unnecessarily. Seeing him was exciting, because he hadn't appeared on-screen since 2005's Revenge of the Sith. However, his role could have been filled by Grand Moff Tarkin or any other ranking Imperial. Although the scene helped flesh out Krennic, it didn't actually do much for Vader's character or the plot. A more story-driven scene could have done the same thing for Krennic's character, and potentially another, lesser seen, character.

In contrast, the ending scene -- in which Vader cuts down a group of Rebel soldiers as he boards the blockade runner on which A New Hope starts -- worked well because it helped tie Rogue One directly into the original trilogy. As Rogue One was about setting in motion the events of A New Hope, it makes sense to involve Vader in this context in order to tie the two movies together. Vader's purpose in that scene is less about character development and more about helping to orient the audience by putting the movie's events in context. Depending on the film, it might not always be necessary to have a scene like that. It just so happens that Rogue One and A New Hope are heavily linked, so the former benefits from having one.

The problem with bringing Vader into the Han Solo movie is that it's difficult to see why the character might be necessary to the spinoff. It's unlikely that there will be any clear ways to tie the two movies together, as the time-gap between the Han Solo film and A New Hope means movie probably won't end with Han in a Mos Eisley cantina waiting for Luke Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi to walk in. The movie is meant to explore Solo and his companions/enemies as characters rather than to bridge the gap between two films, so Vader can't possibly serve the same purpose that he did at the end of Rogue One.

Having Vader in Han Solo also poses problems to the original trilogy. There's no indication that Solo knew Vader by anything other than reputation at the start of A New Hope, and how much he knows and understands about the Dark Lord of the Sith is vague at best. Throughout the original trilogy, Solo doesn't seem to understand Vader's powers or the Force until he's seen them firsthand. Early in A New Hope, Solo tells Luke, "Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good blaster at your side, kid." It's clear from that interaction that Solo doesn't think much of the Force or lightsabers. This is further illustrated in The Empire Strikes Back; following an attempt to shoot Vader with a blaster, Han is surprised when the Sith rips it from his hand using the Force. It wouldn't make much sense for Solo to have seen Darth Vader in action and to remain so naive about the villain's abilities and the Force. As such, any significant interaction between the two risks creating some pretty monumental plot holes.

So with an interaction between Solo and Vader all but an impossibility, how might the Dark Lord of the Sith factor into the film? There's a chance that he could interact with a new character -- much like he did with Krennic in Rogue One -- or even Lando, who betrays Han in Empire Strikes Back. However, as with Krennic, it may be better to save that time for interactions between the new characters so as to flesh them out more. The dynamics between Solo and those important to his story at this stage in his life are important; Darth Vader isn't. Even if it's only one scene, it's better to have that interaction occur between characters whose stories matter to the film rather than as fan-service.

Vader's role may only be a short cameo, but that still sets a dangerous precedent for future anthology films to elevate fan-service over good storytelling. It's always exciting to see Vader in a Star Wars movie, but continuing to use him will result in his value fading. He's simply not necessary to many potential anthology stories, and relying on him too much risks depriving filmmakers of the opportunity to explore situations and characters that might never come into contact with important people from the main series.