Solo: A Star Wars Story is now playing in cinemas around the world and, after a rocky production, has pleased most that have caught it so far – including many critics (we sat in the fence a little, but enjoyed the experience mostly). We’re big fans of the series, and indeed the first stand-alone movie ‘Rogue One’, which appeared in cinemas nearly two years ago, but one thing caught our attention at the end of the new movie, and we wanted to discuss it here on the site. Solo Movie Ending Explained below.
Now this post has some major spoilers in regard to something that happens towards the very end of Solo: A Star Wars Story, so if you haven’t seen the film, or don’t want to know about what happens, get out of here now. You have been warned.
Solo Movie Ending Explained – SPOILERS BELOW!
So, we want to talk about that appearance of a certain character from the prequels who appeared at the end of the Solo: A Star Wars Story. This guy. Darth Maul.
Solo movie ending explained
Ray Park reprises the role in the new Ron Howard-directed movie (along with vocal support from Star Wars animated series actor Samuel Witwer), but how come he is present? What’s going on? Didn’t he get sliced in two at the hands of Obi-Wan Kenobi’s and his light-saber in The Phantom Menace? Is Solo: A Star Wars Story set before Episode I?
Well, the answer to that last question is no, but it is one that had me thinking for hours after catching Solo: A Star Wars Story on opening day with a paying audience. I found myself doing all sorts of mental calculations in regard to the ages of Han and Lando in Solo, and how hold they would have been at the time of Episode I – when Anakin Skywalker was seemingly nine or ten years old (and played by Jake Lloyd). Both Han and Lando would be older than Anakin for sure – if the appearance of Maul was before he had his life ended, but in the sequels – ‘A New Hope’, ‘Empire’ and ‘Return of the Jedi’, Han is only about 15 years older than Luke – Anakin’s son. How? What? WHAT IS GOING ON?!!!
Well, the simple explanation to this is, purely and simply, that Darth Maul didn’t die in Episode 1. Those that have been tuned to the animated series The Clone Wars (which is set before Episodes II and III) will know that Maul survived his slicing and dicing from Obi-Wan, and has had the lower part of his body replaced with robotic legs. Take a look at this from the series.
So, that explains why Emilia Clarke’s Qi’ra is seen speaking directly with a hologram of Maul at the end of Solo: A Star Wars Story. and how his appearance isn’t some big glaring plot-hole – Lucasfilm are cleverer than that!
Related: Solo: A Star Wars Story review
So, now we’ve established that The Sith is alive – how great is that, by the way – where does Solo: A Star Wars Story fit in the Star Wars timeline?
Well, it’s quite easy to work out. It’s definitely set before Rogue One: A Star Wars Story as the events of Gareth Edwards’ stand-alone lead right up to the start of ‘A New Hope’. Kathleen Kennedy, president of Lucasfilm has been quoted in saying that Han is in his early-to-mid-twenties in ‘Solo’, so we’re guessing the film is set around ten years before the events of Episode IV. The WookiPedia states that ‘Episode III: Revenge of the Sith’ is set 19 years before ‘A New Hope’ – which would make sense in terms of Luke Skywalker’s age – making the events of ‘Solo’ set nine years after ‘Episode III’. Make sense?
Good. So, that’s part of the Solo Movie ending explained.
As to where things go now in terms of sequels to Solo: A Star Wars Story, well, I’m guessing that depends on the box-office performance and a number of other factors. The Hollywood Reporter announced today that a new Boba Fett movie is moving forward at the studio with James Mangold directing and co-writing, and then we have rumours of a stand-alone Obi-Wan movie, which both may follow on from events seen in ‘Solo’. With Lucasfilm not officially announcing anything yet – bar next year’s Episode 9 with J.J. Abrams back in the director’s chair – I guess only time will tell.
Solo: A Star Wars Story is now playing.
