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Han and Leia: The ending we all wanted

Star Wars most iconic couple get their own love story in a new tie-in novel by Beth Revis. 

There have been plenty of Star Wars novel tie-ins to keep the fans happy. From the official novelization by Alan Dean Foster, Star Wars: From The Adventures of Luke Skywalker, in 1976, to the 1991 release of Timothy Zahn’s Heir to the Empire which followed the exciting exploits of Luke, Leia, Han, Chewie, Lando, and the droids after the end of Return of the Jedi.

But there is one tie-in that is positively to die for, and that is the untold story of Princess Leia and Han Solo (sure we have all imagined it) for us to greedily or luxuriantly read over, depending on your reading style, while we await Disneys season 2 of Obi-Wan Kenobi to come around. American sci-fi/fantasy author of Across The Universe, Beth Revis has given us The Princess and the Scoundrel (Penguin), slated for release in August.

The Princess and the Scoundrel
Credit: Looper

The Empire falls, and Princess Leia and Han Solo live happily ever after. At least that’s what Return of the Jedi eludes to. In what some are calling a missing chapter, or perhaps even the truer ending, for Star Wars fans, this missive comes as welcoming news. 

Ahead of the launch of the novel in August, Inverse has posted a special excerpt that you can check out below,  that shares the moment Han proposes to Leia. dont worry, it’s not all romance, the Rebellion is, after all, still planning its next move. 

“Han had meant it when he’d told Leia he’d exit her life if she wanted. Of course, that was before he knew Luke and Leia were siblings, before he knew a lot of things. But he’d meant his words. He would have left, not for his own benefit, but for hers. Every other time in Han’s life, when he walked away, he did it for himself. But not that time,” Revis writes. “Instead of letting him leave, though, she’d come to him…And Han didn’t know if he could let her go again.”

In the scene, Han feels that it’s now or never. With the Rebellion already planning for future battles, the scoundrel knows that war could separate him from Leia at any time. But even after Han asks Leia the question, Revis shows us that he’s also processing his own self doubt at light speed as he awaits the Princess’ answer.

“Han was sure the same questions flying through his mind were in hers as well. How many people were already discussing marriages and settling down with folk they’d only known in combat? It was a common enough thing — emotions ran high after battle, people felt the need to grasp at life when faced with the death of war. The flip side of fighting was loving, and there was a hell of a lot of energy that needed to be redirected somewhere,” Revis writes.

“This was the part where Han was supposed to tip his chin, laugh, say it was all a joke. But he didn’t. He didn’t flinch as he watched doubt cloud Leia’s face. He stood there, and he waited for her to realize the same truth he knew. They were better together.”

star wars tie in novel
Credit: Penguin

The Princess and the Scoundrel is out on August 16th from Penguin.