Han shot first - wikipedia Han shot first The 1997 `` Special Edition '' of Star Wars depicts Greedo firing a shot at Han Solo shortly before Han responds in kind. In the original 1977 release, Han is the only one to fire. This slow - motion clip shows the 2004 version. `` Han shot first '' is a phrase referring to a controversial change made to a scene in the science fiction film Star Wars ( 1977 ), in which Han Solo ( Harrison Ford ) is confronted by the bounty hunter Greedo ( Paul Blake ) in the Mos Eisley Cantina. The change was made for the 1997 Special Edition re-release of Star Wars, and has since been altered twice more. The phrase `` Han shot first '' is meant to express that `` Han was the only one who shot '', and is a colloquial retort to series creator George Lucas ' decision to alter the scene. Contents 1 Scene 2 History 3 Controversy 4 References Scene Han Solo and Greedo both independently work for Jabba the Hutt, a crime lord based on the planet Tatooine. Before the events of the film, Solo, a smuggler for Jabba, jettisons cargo to avoid capture by an Imperial search party. As a result, Jabba offers a bounty on Solo. In the Mos Eisley Cantina, Greedo corners Solo and forces him at gunpoint to sit down in a booth. Solo tells Greedo that he has the money to compensate Jabba, but Greedo demands the money for himself. Solo says he does not have the money at the moment, quietly readying his own blaster under the table. Greedo tells him that Jabba has run out of patience with Solo and that Greedo has been `` waiting for a long time for this '', referring to Solo 's capture. Solo replies, `` Yes, I 'll bet you have. '' The scene 's conclusion varies depending on the version of the film. History In the original 1977 theatrical release of the scene, the film cuts to a closeup of Greedo 's face, followed quickly by flash sparks, a cloud of smoke, and the sound effect of a blaster firing. This is followed by a reverse angle of Greedo from behind, slumping over the table. In 2012, director George Lucas expressed his dissatisfaction with this climax, believing that it depicts Solo, the film 's supporting protagonist, as a `` cold - blooded killer ''. But Greedo had pointed a gun at Solo and bragged that he had been `` looking forward '' to seeing Solo 's `` dead body '', constituting -- according to at least one legal expert -- a direct threat on Solo 's life that would clearly warrant preemptive action on Solo 's part in self - defense. In the 1997 special edition of the film, a few frames are inserted in which Greedo shoots first at Solo and misses, and then Solo returns fire, killing Greedo. For the film 's 2004 DVD release, the scene was altered again, with new timing so that the shots are fired at nearly the same time and so that Solo dodges Greedo 's shot. In an article titled `` The Star Wars George Lucas Does n't Want You To See '', The Atlantic summarized that `` ( i ) n the original versions... it 's clear that Han Solo pulled out his gun and shot the bounty hunter Greedo. In the 1997 version, Greedo shoots first. In the 2004 version, they shoot at the same time. '' For the 2011 Blu - ray release, the scene of Solo and Greedo firing at each other was shortened by several frames. Controversy This alteration is disagreeable to some longtime fans of the series, provoking some to create an online petition demanding that the changes be retracted. The primary objection to the revision is that it alters Han 's initially morally ambiguous character, making his later transition from anti-hero to hero less meaningful. Film students have labored for years to issue their own entire custom - edited re-releases of the Star Wars films in an effort to redact Lucas 's changes, especially this scene with Solo and Greedo. In a 2004 interview, Lucas explained, `` to me, ( the original movie ) does n't really exist anymore... I 'm sorry you saw half a completed film and fell in love with it. But I want it to be the way I want it to be. '' In a 2012 interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Lucas stated that a combination of poor - quality close - up shots and the audience 's inaccurate perception of the Han Solo character was what actually caused all the confusion. Lucas explained : The controversy over who shot first, Greedo or Han Solo, in Episode IV, what I did was try to clean up the confusion, but obviously it upset people because they wanted Solo to be a cold - blooded killer, but he actually is n't. It had been done in all close - ups and it was confusing about who did what to whom. I put a little wider shot in there that made it clear that Greedo is the one who shot first, but everyone wanted to think that Han shot first, because they wanted to think that he actually just gunned him down. Regardless of this claim from Lucas, one draft of the original film 's script makes no mention of Greedo shooting at all -- only Solo. In 2015, what appears to be an early script was discovered in the archives of the University of New Brunswick library by Kristian Brown. The script, dated March 15, 1976, is a revised fourth draft. Brown says it confirms `` 100 percent, Han shot first. '' Prior to Lucas 's long history of retroactive edits of Star Wars films and withholding the originals even for archival purposes, he had in 1988 protested to Congress ( in opposition to Ted Turner colorizing classic black and white films ) against that very process even on a purely cosmetic basis. At that time, Lucas originally argued that the public has a right to retain classic cinematic originals as a matter of cultural heritage, saying that `` people who alter or destroy works of art and our cultural heritage for profit or as an exercise of power are barbarians ''. In a 2014 Reddit interview with fans, when asked who shot first, actor Harrison Ford 's reply was simply, `` I do n't know and I do n't care. '' However, Paul Blake, who played Greedo, said in a 2016 interview with the New York Daily News, Of course, it said it all in the original script, we played in the scene in English and at the end of the scene, it reads, ' Han shoots the alien. ' It 's all it says and that 's what happened. It was very painful. Blake also indicated that Greedo shooting first made the character appear inept ( in that he would have missed Solo from very short range ), and that `` it does give Greedo a little more glory if he 's just blown away. '' In a 2015 interview for The Washington Post Lucas gave his reason for changing the scene : `` Han Solo was going to marry ( Princess ) Leia, and you look back and say, ' Should he be a cold - blooded killer ? ' '' Lucas asks. `` Because I was thinking mythologically -- should he be a cowboy, should he be John Wayne ? And I said, ' Yeah, he should be John Wayne. ' And when you 're John Wayne, you do n't shoot people ( first ) -- you let them have the first shot. It 's a mythological reality that we hope our society pays attention to. '' References ^ Jump up to : Lucas, George ( February 9, 2012 ). `` 5 Questions With George Lucas : Controversial Star Wars Changes, SOPA and Indiana Jones 5 ''. The Hollywood Reporter ( Interview ). Interview with Alex Ben Block. Retrieved October 4, 2015. Jump up ^ Gross, John. `` UA Professor : Han Solo was legally justified to shoot first ''. AL.com. Alabama Media Group. Retrieved 2016 - 01 - 15. Jump up ^ Howell, Peter, `` At last, Han shot first '', Toronto Star, May 12, 2006 Jump up ^ Tocci, Jason, `` The Well - Dressed Geek : Media Appropriation and Subcultural Style '', Massachusetts Institute of Technology, April 29, 2007 ^ Jump up to : Eveleth, Rose ( August 27, 2014 ). `` The Star Wars George Lucas Does n't Want You To See ''. The Atlantic. Retrieved November 19, 2015. Jump up ^ `` More Changes to STAR WARS Include Blinking Ewoks and Different Cut of Greedo Shooting First ''. collider.com. September 1, 2011. Retrieved September 19, 2011. Jump up ^ `` Han Shoots First ''. Archived from the original on March 16, 2012. Retrieved December 26, 2015. Jump up ^ Sagers, Aaron, `` An unbelievable day in the life of Jack Bauer '', The Morning Call, February 15, 2006 Jump up ^ `` Restoring Star Wars ''. ABC News. Retrieved December 18, 2015. Jump up ^ Lucas, George ( September 15, 2004 ). `` Lucas talks as ' Star Wars ' trilogy returns '' ( Interview ). Interview with Associated Press. San Rafael, CA. Retrieved December 18, 2015. Jump up ^ Star Wars : A New Hope script, Revised Fourth Draft. January 15, 1976 Jump up ^ `` Copy of original Star Wars script discovered in UNB library ''. June 8, 2015. Retrieved October 4, 2015. Jump up ^ Wigler, Josh ( April 14, 2014 ). `` Harrison Ford Does n't Know, Does n't Care If Han Shot First ''. MTV News. Retrieved June 12, 2014. Jump up ^ `` I am Harrison Ford. AMA ''. Reddit. April 13, 2014. Retrieved June 12, 2014. ^ Jump up to : Sacks, Ethan ( May 5, 2016 ). `` EXCLUSIVE : Greedo actor wants ' Star Wars ' to restore Han Solo shooting first scene : ' It does give him a little more glory ' ''. New York Daily News. Retrieved May 5, 2016. Jump up ^ Lucas, George ( December 5, 2015 ). `` George Lucas : To feel the true force of ' Star Wars, ' he had to learn to let it go '' ( Interview ). Interview with The Washington Post. San Rafael, CA. Retrieved May 13, 2017. Star Wars Feature films Saga Star Wars The Empire Strikes Back Return of the Jedi The Phantom Menace Attack of the Clones Revenge of the Sith The Force Awakens The Last Jedi Anthology Rogue One Solo Other The Clone Wars Television Series Droids Ewoks Clone Wars The Clone Wars cast episodes Rebels characters episodes Forces of Destiny Detours ( unaired ) Films Holiday Special Caravan of Courage : An Ewok Adventure Ewoks : The Battle for Endor Production George Lucas Lucasfilm Cast Characters Changes in film re-releases Han shot first Filming locations Opening crawl Sequel trilogy Sources and analogues Music Soundtracks Star Wars The Empire Strikes Back Return of the Jedi Ewoks Episode I : The Phantom Menace Episode II : Attack of the Clones Episode III : Revenge of the Sith The Clone Wars The Force Awakens Rogue One The Last Jedi Themes `` Star Wars ( Main Title ) '' `` The Imperial March '' `` Ewok Celebration '' `` Duel of the Fates '' `` Battle of the Heroes '' Outside media Attractions A Galactic Spectacular Jedi Training : Trials of the Temple Star Tours The Adventures Continue Galaxy 's Edge Star Wars Hotel Star Wars Hyperspace Mountain Star Wars Launch Bay Star Wars Weekends Where Science Meets Imagination Lego List of sets Droid Tales The Resistance Rises The Freemaker Adventures Merchandise Action figures Kenner list Hasbro Vintage Collection Star Wars Transformers Games Star Wars Pez Manga Force Trainer Shepperton Design Studios Trading cards Vinylmation Star Wars Rollinz toys Television specials The Making of Star Wars SP FX : The Empire Strikes Back From Star Wars to Jedi : The Making of a Saga Other Radio dramatizations Video games list Shadows of the Empire Knights of the Old Republic The Force Unleashed The Old Republic Art Books non-fiction Comics list Expanded universe characters Cultural impact 501st Legion Comparison to Star Trek Fan films Parodies Force for Change Jedi census Jediism Rebel Legion Star Wars Celebration Star Wars Day Star Wars : In Concert Star Wars Insider Wookieepedia TheForce.Net Yoda conditions Book Portal Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Han_shot_first&oldid=830758589 '' Categories : Star Wars fandom Continuity ( fiction ) Film scenes Star Wars ( film ) Film controversies Words coined in the 1990s Hidden categories : Use mdy dates from October 2015 Talk Contents About Wikipedia Беларуская ( тарашкевіца ) ‎ Español Français Italiano 日本 語 Norsk Edit links This page was last edited on 16 March 2018, at 19 : 30. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution - ShareAlike License ; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia ® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization. About Wikipedia

Question: who shot first in the original star wars a new hope
Answer: Han Solo