Its probably not wise to make assumptions about a movie or character based on a one minute, fifty second clip. But that's what I do, so here I go.
Before this clip, the thought of Han Solo dying was out of the question. I know Harrison Ford has been lobbying for this since The Empire Strikes Back, but there's never been any real reason to kill the character. As long as this charming rogue is part of the franchise, we're in good shape. But Harrison Ford's current age belies Han Solo's trademark vim and vigor.
With Ford looking every bit of his 72 years, I'm afraid the character's never-get-old attitude won't work with someone who, well... got old. So if there's a way to take what screen time Han Solo has left and make them count for every second, I'm finally okay giving him the hero's death. Let Han fly off into that binary sunset before there's too much old man acting like he's not an old man.
Now, Harrison Ford may give such a definitive Han Solo performance that his age turns quietly into a mere footnote. This is Harrison Ford after all. He's built quite an impressive resume. You'd think he's a better actor now than he was in 1976. If anyone's got the chops, its him.
Still, there's something I can't shake about seeing the once virile Han Solo sporting so much grey hair and wrinkles. I suppose the fear is based in the subconscious message it sends: someday you too will be old and will have to reconcile your own trip into that binary sunset.
So thanks for that, The Force Awakens. Excuse me while I get a (hopefully) head start on my will.
-Gint
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