Han Shot First

"Han shot first" is a phrase used by Star Wars fans to refer to a controversial change made to a scene in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope. In the scene, Han Solo is confronted by the bounty hunter Greedo at the Mos Eisley Cantina. Han owes money to galactic crime lord Jabba the Hutt for dumping some cargo that he was supposed to smuggle for Jabba, and Greedo has come to take Han to Jabba. During the course of the conversation, Han mentions that he has the money, and Greedo offers to accept the money in exchange for letting Han go. Han and Greedo sit opposite each other at a table and hold an ominous conversation while Greedo aims his blaster at Han. During their conversation and unbeknownst to Greedo, Han stealthily readies his own blaster beneath the table.

Han says "Even I get boarded sometimes. Do you think I had a choice?" Greedo answers "You can tell that to Jabba. He may only take your ship." Han replies, "Over my dead body." Greedo tells Han, "That's the idea. I've been looking forward to this for a long time," and Han replies, "Yes, I'll bet you have." In the original theatrical version of the film, the camera immediately cuts back to Greedo being covered by a cloud of smoke while the sound of a blaster shot is heard. The camera then cuts to the reaction of the bar patrons before returning to the shooting to show Greedo's smoking corpse slumped over the table. The scene was modified for the 1997 re-release with an extra shot inserted before the smoke cloud (composed from the same shot used to show Greedo's death) of Han and Greedo each visibly firing at each other, with Greedo firing earlier by nearly a full second and missing Han at point-blank range (less than two meters away). Thus, the phrase "Han shot first" is a retort to director George Lucas' explicit cinematic assertion that "Greedo shot first."