Did Han know in the timeline of the Original Trilogy that Darth Vader was Anakin Skywalker and subsequently Leia's father? It would be better if Han Solo knows his Father-in-law.
asked Aug 24, 2016 at 14:17
The Witch King of AngmarThe Witch King of Angmar
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9Although, he wouldn't have been his Father-in-law until after ROTJ, when Han and Leia actually got married.....– SkoobaAug 24, 2016 at 15:20
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2I never heard of Anakin's name in the original trilogy. And I don't think I even heard his name mentioned in The Force Awakens.– Cave JohnsonAug 24, 2016 at 19:40
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25@Andrew, Anakin's name is mentioned by Obi Wan in the original trilogy.– TurionAug 25, 2016 at 8:28
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3@nothingisnecessary - most interactions with Vader are by officials or troops of the Empire, or, to any memorable degree, by people who meet their demise at his hands, so it's understandable that there isn't a lot of direct knowledge about him floating around.– PoloHoleSetAug 25, 2016 at 15:05
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3What?? Anakin Skywalker is Darth Vader?!?! Damn spoiler!– Matteo UmiliAug 26, 2016 at 9:46
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4 Answers
No.
There's absolutely nothing in the Original Trilogy films (nor their novelisations) to indicate that Han learned of Vader's identity.
Luke refers to Vader as his father in his coversation with Leia, but there's nothing to show that Han was subsequently told this secret, at least prior to the end of the film.
“Oh, no. No.” She laughed, “it’s not like that at all—Luke is my brother.” Han was successively stunned, embarrassed, and elated. This made everything fine, just fine.
He took her in his arms, embraced her, lowered her back down into the ferns … and being extra careful of her wounded arm, lay down there beside her, under the waning glow of the burning Star.
I'd imagine if she'd already told him that Vader was Luke's father, his thought process would have been more like...
“Oh, no. No.” She laughed, “it’s not like that at all—Luke is my brother.” "Bloody hell," thought Han. "But surely that means that Darth Vader was her father too!"
That all being said, Han evidently did find out some time in the intervening 20 years between Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens;
What could he say to that? What possible response could he give to a willful denial of reason? “He’s gone, Leia. He was always drawn to the dark side. There was nothing we could’ve done to stop it, no matter how hard we tried.” His final words were the hardest to get out. “There was too much Vader in him.”
answered Aug 24, 2016 at 14:57
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1But the question is,"does han solo knows anakin skywalker"? Aug 24, 2016 at 14:59
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@augustine08282011 Do you mean if he ever met him? This doesn't seem to be your original question, though.– TARSAug 24, 2016 at 15:00
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@augustine08282011 - Good question. I'm at a loss how Han could know that Leia and Luke are bro/sis and that Vader is their father without joining the dots and working out that her father was noted (and famous) Jedi warrior Anakin Skywalker.– ValorumAug 24, 2016 at 15:00
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3@Kevin: In “A New Hope”, the military doesn’t seem to value the Force, but they aren’t really surprised when Vader uses the Force to choke one guy. So it rather seems that they don’t see the strategic significance (in a galactic war) of being able to strangulate a single guy remotely, compared with the new ability to destroy an entire planet. They know that the Force is a thing, but they might not have an idea of what you can do with it (besides occasionally choking someone). On the other hand, Luke has never heard of Yoda, that does tell us something about the popularity of “famous Jedi”…– HolgerAug 25, 2016 at 9:42
It depends on how you define "timeline of the Original Trilogy" - if you mean only what is shown on the screen, then Skooba and Valorum's answers are correct.
If you take timeline a bit more broadly, and from an in-universe perspective, just a single day after the end of Return of the Jedi, then the answer is:
Yes - Han knew.
From the new canon novel Bloodline:
Their romance had been so new then. Only the day before, he had offered to step aside if she wanted Luke instead. Would he be even quicker to leave once he knew she was a part of Darth Vader himself? But Han hadn't even flinched once. He had simply rocked her in his arms, giving her what comfort he could.
Bloodline - Kindle version (Chapter 23)
answered Aug 24, 2016 at 23:16
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2Disney did declare the extended universe null and void when they acquired the franchise, tho. Mostly so nobody could tell them the films contradict the various sequel novels. Aug 25, 2016 at 12:58
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3@AJFaraday - Bloodline is a new canon novel overseen by the Lucasfilm Story Group. All novels released (and comics), starting with "A New Dawn" are considered canon. Aug 25, 2016 at 13:18
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1I am impressed this answer has taken then #1 spot even though it was the last answer posted! Kudos, it deserves it!– SkoobaAug 26, 2016 at 12:25
Han did not find out about the Vader/Anakin connection before the end of Return of the Jedi.
Luke had previously told Leia that Vader was his father, and then that she was his sister.
But when Leia tells Han she and Luke are siblings, she does not go further and reveal who their father is.
Han was either told later or was able to connect the dots prior to the events in The Force Awakens. Han says this while discussing his and Leia's son:
"He has too much Vader in him."
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2does he really know it? He just only know luke not anakin. Aug 24, 2016 at 14:43
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2@augustine08282011 Maybe not at that split second, but all the evidence is there.– SkoobaAug 24, 2016 at 14:46
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4@Skooba - I've gotta agree with Augustine08282011. He finds out that Luke and Leia are bro/sis, but there's no indication that she told Han that Vader was Luke's father.– ValorumAug 24, 2016 at 14:47
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3Leia didn't mentioned that Darth vader is my father to han solo.She only says that Luke is her brother. Aug 24, 2016 at 14:48
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20He wasn't told on-screen, but he probably found out soon enough, though. After all, he must have had a few questions about why Luke hauled Vader's body back, and made a pyre for him. Aug 24, 2016 at 20:02
The (Non Cannon) Lego "Star Wars Droid Tales" shows Han Finding out. After the battle of Endor. When R2D2 gives C3PO his memory back.
Luke -Then you two fought in the Clone Wars with Obi-Wan?
C3PO - Indeed. And with Master Yoda and your father, before he became Darth Vader, of course.
Han - Wait, what? Luke's father is Darth Vader?
Luke - Everybody knows that. We learned of it months ago.
Han - I was frozen in carbonite. Sue me!
answered Apr 26, 2017 at 9:19
