Before A New Hope

     Han Solo was born on Corellia. He was a good student, and caught the eye of Imperial Senator Garm Bel Iblis with his pointed questions during a school political rally when Han was 11. Some of his friends goaded him to ask Bel Iblis about the growing xenophobia in the Senate, as well as the apparent internal corruption in the Old Republic. This helped Han get an appointment to the Academy on Carida, where he excelled.
     Following his graduation, he was considered for Naval Officer's training, but he was sidetracked by Imperial atrocities against the Wookiee race. On a particular mission, Han tried successfully to rescue a Wookiee slave named Chewbacca. Chewbacca claimed a life-debt to Han even as Han was receiving a dishonorable discharge from the Imperial Navy. They were forced to flee Imperial control and live their lives at the fringes of the lawful world.
     For a number of years, Han tried to shake Chewie, who was always at his side. Even though Han took the worst kinds of jobs, Chewie stuck with him. Eventually, Han realized the depth of a Wookiee life debt, and accepted Chewie as part of his life. Han was awarded a second-level set of Corellian Bloodstripes for his bravery and selflessness in rescuing Chewbacca. (It is unknown at this time how Han earned his first-level Bloodstripes.)
     They turned to smuggling, using Han's starship knowledge and Chewie's muscular and mechanical skills to quickly gain recognition in the smugglers' world. Han's skills at gambling became equally sharp, and in a famous Sabacc match, he managed to win the smuggling ship Millennium Falcon from Lando Calrissian. With a ship and a partner, Han had many adventures.
     He spent a number of years based on Nar Shaddaa, working with Shug Ninx and falling in and out of love with Salla Zend. He left that life behind to work in the Corporate Sector, and spent a number of years there with Doc, Jessa, and Roa. After all these adventures, Han ended up in the domain of Moruth Doole and Jabba the Hutt. Han was one of many pilots who were contracted to make the Kessel Run and smuggle spice out from beneath Imperial control.
     Han made the run a number of times, once in under twelve parsecs. However, his last run almost cost him his life. He was set up by Doole, who was in the process of being set up by Jabba the Hutt, and the Imperials were tipped of as to the time of Han's Run. In order to escape the Imperials, Han was forced to dump Jabba's spice and flee.

Classic Trilogy

     This earned him a death mark from Jabba, and Han was again forced to go underground. In an effort to make some extra credits and pay off Jabba, Han accepted Obi-Wan Kenobi's offer of 17,000 credits to transport Kenobi, Luke Skywalker, R2-D2 and C-3PO to Alderaan. The mission was sidetracked as the Millennium Falcon was captured by the first Death Star.
     Han and Luke rescued Princess Leia Organa, and brought her to Yavin 4. Han tried to leave with his reward money and pay Jabba off, but his conscience interfered again. He destroyed Darth Vader's wingmen and gave Luke the time he needed to destroy the Death Star. Following the Battle of Yavin, Han spent time with the Alliance, helping them gain key victories against the Empire while trying to stay one step ahead of Jabba's mercenaries. He was even promoted to the rank of General in the Alliance.
     After a close call with a bounty hunter on Ord Mantell, Han again tried to return and pay Jabba, only to be forced to Cloud City while escaping Darth Vader and the Imperial Navy. During this time, he and Princess Leia began to fall in love. This trip reunited Han with Lando Calrissian, but led to Han's being tracked by Boba Fett, imprisoned in carbonite, and returned to Jabba for the reward money.
     Han was freed by an elaborate plot by Luke Skywalker on Tatooine, and Han rejoined the Alliance to lead the ground assault on the forest moon of Endor. His timely destruction of the second Death Star's main shield helped the Alliance destroy the space station and the Emperor, thus ending the Imperial Civil War and restoring the Republic.

The New Republic

     Following the formation of the New Republic, Han and Leia tried to continue their relationship, but Leia's duties often interfered. Han resigned his commission with the New Republic, but stayed on as a freelance pilot. Following the Battle of Bakura and the fighting on Dathomir, Han and Leia were finally married. Their marriage produced twin children - Jaina, a daughter; and Jacen, a son - as well as a second son, Anakin. Leia's Force sensitivity was passed onto all of the children, and this made them prime targets for the Jedi clone Joruus C'Baoth and the reborn Emperor Palpatine.
     Han and Leia continued to protect their children against the Imperial threat. During a vacation from his wife's Republic world, Han and Chewie were shot down over Kessel, and captured by Moruth Doole's forces. He was forced to work the spice mines for Doole, which led him to discover Kyp Durron and the Maw Installation. Han's friendship with Kyp helped avoid serious damage when Kyp was corrupted by Exar Kun's spirit.
     Despite the fact that Han had resigned from service to the Republic after his marriage to Leia, he was often pressed into service. One of those times occurred during the Yevethan Purge. After Etahn A'baht was unable to blockade the Koornacht Cluster, Han was temporarily promoted to Commodore and placed in command of the Fifth Battle Group. This move was designed to keep Leia's supporters, as well as the supporters of Borsk Fey'lya, from arguing over the position and focused on the battle. However, the deceit of Tig Peramis provided this information to Nil Spaar, who sent several of his Interdictor cruisers to intercept Han's shuttle before it reached the fleet.
     Han was tortured and interrogated by Spaar himself. Later, Han was instrumental in the resolution of the problems in the Corellian Sector, overcoming the Human League and the actions of his cousin, Thrackan Sal-Solo. Han and Chewbacca continued to serve the New Republic, despite the fact that they had resolved their commissions long ago. However, Han met his match when the Yuuzhan Vong invaded the galaxy. During a rescue mission to Sernipdal, Chewbacca was stranded on the planet while trying to ensure that Han and his son, Anakin Solo, made it to the Millennium Falcon. Chewie died saving them, and Han immediately blamed Anakin, who had been piloting the Falcon.
     He soon realized that there was no fault to be givenin Chewie's death, since the Wookiee was simply honoring a life-debt with all his strength and energy. This did nothing to soothe Han's heart, though, and he distanced himself from his friends and family while trying to come to terms with his grief. He found an outlet when Roa asked him to help locate Reck Desh. Han took off for Ord Mantell, only to have Roa captured by the Yuuzhan Vong. As Han fled the Jubilee Wheel, he found an unexpected ally and friend in Droma, a nomadic Ryn. However, Han's relationship with Leia deteriorated when he explained that he was headed back out to find Roa and help Droma locate his family.
     Their estrangement only worsened in the aftermath of the Battle of Fondor. Han remained behind, helping to get Droma and his family settled on Abregado-rae, then helping Roa recover from his captivity. Leia continued to work with SELCORE, and refused to meet Han on Coruscant. After the loss of Kalarba, Han ran into Leia on Duro, and they decided to stop being foolish and restore their lives.

Han Solo was portrayed by Harrison Ford in all three Star Wars films. Han Solo was portrayed by Perry King for the Star Wars and The Empire Strikes Back Radio Dramas on National Public Radio.

From The Completely Unofficial Star Wars Encyclopedia - Version 5.0 by Bob Vitas