Warning :   SPOILERS onward forSolo : A Star Wars Story !

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Solo : A Star Wars Story ’s big surprise was an appearance by thepresumed - deadened Darth Maul . But was he the right choice for the surprisal appearance , or were there more suitable competitor withinStar Warscanon ?

Din Djarin and Ahsoka-1

The young Han Solo motion picture cover a spate of familiar events in the scruffy - reckon nerf herder ’s animation chronicle . In addition to hisfirst meetings with Chewbaccaand Lando Calrissian , director Ron Howard ’s flick covers the second he get possession of the Millennium Falcon and not - so - subtly conveys many of the character trait he would germinate more strongly in the decennary to come . However , in a move that likely leave casual rooter more than a little perplexed , the film does wring in a surprising cameo from a longtime fan favorite : Darth Maul .

Related:Star Wars: A Complete History Of Darth Maul

ThroughoutSolo , the film teases the mystery of who Paul Bettany ’s crime lord Dryden Vos is really working for , and after Qi’ra kills him , she put on   his role in the condemnable organization hump as Crimson Dawn and convenes with Maul ( once againplayed by Ray Park ; this time voiced by Sam Witwer ) via hologram .

To many , Maul was   presumed all in following his bisection at the hands of unseasoned Obi - Wan Kenobi way back inStar Wars : Episode I — The Phantom Menace . Of course , that ’s not quite truthful : he render in bothStar war : The Clone WarsandStar Wars : Rebelsto menace both the Sith and Jedi in his quest for triumph . But , as the return was only in television set shows ,   his full-grown screen visual aspect stir up some confusion among moviegoers , pray the doubtfulness of whether the movie should have opted to   break a differentStar Warsvillain behind Crimson Dawn .

Darth Vader: Crimson Dawn Is A Criminal Front For The Empire

Taking place roughly a decade beforeA New Hope , Solovery clearly embraces the fact that the Empire has its hand in everything . Han , much like Luke Skywalker hope to in that film , even scent up joining the majestic regular army ahead of time on but so that he can get flight experience . give that Crimson Dawn is said to have some majestic link , it would n’t be out of the question for this to be some form of artifice   the Empire . Vader ’s not above using the crime world either , as escort by the amplitude hunters inThe Empire Strikes Back , and if Crimson Dawn is as knock-down as Dryden take a shit out , there ’s an easy reason as for why they ’re doing this .

However , positioning Palpatine ( or especially Vader ) as the brains behind Crimson Dawn would have lacked the shock factor that the filmmakers were clearly going for , largely because theEmpire ’s role in the public ofSoloalready looms so large . Moreover , a brief but memorable part for Vader would have course the risk of experience too insistent after his standout sequence late inRogue One : A Star Wars Story . Still , an royal comportment here would have easy tiedSolointo the large arras of the main saga .

Related:Solo: Early Designs & Story Ideas Could Have Led To A Very Different Movie

Jabba: Crimson Dawn Is All Part Of The Hutt Clan

Now , Han and Chewie are presumably already manoeuver toJabba the Hutt at the close ofSolo , and , given the time gap between theStar Wars StoryandA New Hope , they ’re going to have a long - stomach smuggling relationship before Han drops a shipment and ends up with a toll on his head . Considering that ’s on the horizon , it could have been brightly ironic storytelling for Qi’ra to be about to get wrap up with the Hutt tribe herself . At the beginning of the film , Han and Qi’ra are very similar in nature , and even when their paths diverge , they both find themselves having to get their hands dirty to hold out . IfSolo : A Star Wars Storyhad endedon both of the former lovers   get hold themselves allied with Jabba the Hutt , the cinema could have really sold their parallel way to self - destruction - and directlyset up aSolo 2 .

A Jabba bend fits within the canyon too , with the Hutt clans basically set up as rivals to Crimson Dawn . To have him speak to Qi’ra would essentially reveal how tainted and singular the galactic underworld really is while wire to the audience - but not Han - just how inscrutable trouble our protagonist will shortly be in .

Page 2 of 2:Surprise Characters Who Would Be More Fitting Than Maul

Boba Fett And An Entrance Into The World Of Bounty Hunters

So far , we ’re assuming a direct trade for Maul , but didSolo : A Star Wars Storyhave to write itself in a whole of the big boss ? It could n’t be as some great crime lord , but if Lucasfilm want a forward - thinking role to appear who had links to   Han andStar Wars ' future , you ca n’t get much better than Boba Fett .

give the acquaintance that Han has with Boba Fett inReturn of the Jedi , it very much seems like the two have a account , perhaps one thatSolocould have bait for a potential subsequence or inJames Mangold ’s   late - cover Boba Fett film . Indeed , the timing of that tidings could have well dovetailed from Fett ’s appearance inSolo , perchance as another Crimson Dawn emissary .

Related:How Solo Sets Up The Boba Fett Spinoff Movie

Of of course , this one ’s a little controversial . Boba Fett has always felt up like more of a freelance type , prefer to take on one - man missionary post rather than leading a felonious syndicate himself , and as much as rooter associate him with Han , a cameo   may not have worked   for story reason ; as it stands , Han and Chewie are en route to   Tattooine for a job , and it ’s fair for fans to wait that their path will cross with Boba Fett at some point then .

Cad Bane: Another Clone Wars Alum

Even Boba Fett is not going to fit , there ’s still way for other bounty hunters in Han ’s line of descent . Indeed , two character - Bossk andAurra Sing- both get namedropped with direct links to Beckett , and there ’s plenty of other contenders ( Sing would work if she was n’t already dead ) .

If Maul is in part mean to herald the direct bridging betweenStar Wars movies and goggle box , thenThe Clone Warsoffers up a pretty strong contender in the form of Cad Bane . A brand raw character for the toon , Bane became a backbone thanks to his striking gunslinger smell ( something that would be at home in the western - styledSolo ) and impressive power to take for his own against knockoff and Jedi likewise . He even has links to Maul that could pave the path for the former Sith ’s appearing in a later movie . Like Boba , he would be an odd pick as a law-breaking lord , although it ’s not as out of the question as with Fett .

Related:Darth Maul’s Cameo Is the Worst Moment Of Disney Star Wars Yet

Of naturally , the reason Lucasfilm would n’t   pick out Cad Bane is one of notoriety : Maul is know well beyond the video show and so put forward up an contiguous response , skillful or bad . And , at last , that ’s whySolo : A Star Wars Storywent with Darth Maul . There may be better options , but none would be as shocking .

Next:Star Wars Spinoffs Are Better Than The Main Episodes

George Lucas with A New Hope imagery v3

Sidious, Tyranus, Maul, and Vader.

Han Solo with Cad Bane and Darth Vader

Palpatine and Vader in Star Wars Return of the Jedi.

Jabba the Hutt

Star Wars - Boba Fett

Cad Bane steals a Jedi holocron from the Jedi temple in Star Wars The Clone Wars

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