There are still a lot of questions that Star Wars has left unanswered. Why didn’t Darth Vader recognize R2-D2 or C-3PO? Why was there no awkwardness between Luke and Leia after they found out they were siblings? Or why Qui-Gon Jinn didn’t just liberate Anakin’s mother as well? While most of these questions arise due to the unplanned trilogy and prequels, there’s one that longtime fans still debate about: Who shot first, Han Solo or Greedo? While you may never agree on the answer, the iconic scene from A New Hope has been immortalized thanks to this autographed picture of the smuggler and the bounty hunter, which recently sold on Heritage Auctions for $1,500.
The photograph in question is a black and white print of the shot where Greedo ambushes Han in the Mos Eisley cantina, before ushering him into the booth. It features the autograph of Greedo actor Paul Blake, along with the character’s famous ultimatum to the smuggler. Considering how much this scene has been talked about, the autographed image is undoubtedly a collectible worth doing the Kessel Run in 12 parsecs for, but it seems $1,500 will also do. No matter what your thoughts are on who shot first, the photo serves as a great reminder of one of the original series’ more subtle but highly debated scenes. Keeping its relevance aside for a minute, the framing of the image, along with Blake’s typography makes this collectible quite symmetrical to the eye. Personally, I’m a big fan of how he has arranged the lines to contour both characters’ faces.
As for who shot first, the truth is that both of them did, depending on which version of A New Hope you’re watching. In the original 1977 cut, it was Han that shot first, giving himself the time and space to escape. However, George Lucas changed this in the 1997 Special Edition and later releases to show Greedo shooting first and somehow missing from that distance, giving Han an opening to get a shot off on the Rodian. Lucas likely changed this because he didn’t want Han to come off as a cold-blooded killer, instead of just the smuggler with a heart of gold we know him as. So, it’s one of those instances that are correct no matter which way you look at it.
Personally, I prefer the version where Han shoots Greedo first, as it adds more layers to the character’s development. If you’re watching the movie for the first time, it does a better job of making him appear untrustworthy, which was the idea. I bet Lucas never thought that it would be this scene, out of the entire original trilogy, that would still have fans debating nearly half a century later. With five decades worth of debates, a two-sided perspective, and Greedo’s autograph, this photograph makes one of the most interesting Star Wars collectibles you’ll ever come across. It will surely reignite the debate whenever the new owner shows it off to other fans.
Which version do you prefer? Han shooting first, or Greedo? Let us know in the comments.
