--- title: 'Star Wars' Original Script Solves A Long Running Mystery description: A copy of the early script was found in a Canadian library canonical: https://time.com/3914183/star-wars-original-script/ author: Melissa Locker article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2015-06-09T15:52:02.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T07:43:38.132Z og:title: 'Star Wars' Original Script Solves A Long Running Mystery og:description: A copy of the early script was found in a Canadian library og:url: https://time.com/3914183/star-wars-original-script/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltf0bf2ef5086d4cf6/6987ea73a988ca37996b01e7/star-wars.jpeg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: star-wars og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: 'Star Wars' Original Script Solves A Long Running Mystery twitter:description: A copy of the early script was found in a Canadian library twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltf0bf2ef5086d4cf6/6987ea73a988ca37996b01e7/star-wars.jpeg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Original _Star Wars_ Script Found, Solves Long-Running Mystery ## Video: TIME Explains: The New Star Wars Movie, Episode VII [Watch (HLS stream): TIME Explains: The New Star Wars Movie, Episode VII](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/MXrUHtut.m3u8) (2:25)  _Published 2012-11-16. George Lucas recently announced further Star Wars installments. Who will make them and what will they be about? TIME explains_ by [Melissa Locker](https://time.com/author/melissa-locker/) ## Melissa Locker Jun 9, 2015 3:52 PM UTC  Harrison Ford as Han Solo in Star Wars, 1977. Harrison Ford as Han Solo in Star Wars, 1977.Mondadori Portfolio—Getty Images by [Melissa Locker](https://time.com/author/melissa-locker/) ## Melissa Locker Jun 9, 2015 3:52 PM UTC A newly discovered _Star Wars_ script solves one of the longest-running disputes in the franchise’s history: who shot first, Han Solo or Greedo? In _Stars Wars Episode IV: A New Hope_, Han Solo has just finished conducting business in the Mos Eisley Cantina on Tatooine, when Greedo, a bounty hunter working for Jabba the Hutt, pulls him aside for a little chat, demanding that Solo pay Jabba the money he owes him for a botched smuggling job. What happens next is undisputed. There was a quick gun fight and Solo emerged victorious, while Greedo went on to whatever afterlife the Rodians believe in. But who shot first? Was Solo acting in self-defense? Or just doing whatever he could to get out of paying Jabba? [According to CBC](http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/original-star-wars-script-discovered-in-unb-library-1.3104206), a recently discovered early draft of the _Star Wars_ script makes it clear that Solo was the trigger-happy aggressor in the fight. The script, which Lucasfilm Publicity said looked to be a “fan-made” replica version of the real early script, was unearthed in the University of New Brunswick Library’s science-fiction collection. It is marked as a “fourth draft” and dated March 15, 1976, well ahead of the film’s 1977 release date. It is such an early draft of the script that the film is called _Star Wars: Saga I_ instead of its eventual title of _Star Wars:_ _A New Hope_ and Luke Skywalker’s character has the much more ominous name of “Luke Starkiller.” But for fans, one of the most interesting revelations resolves the case of the shoot-out at the cantina. In the original, Solo fires at Greedo without warning. The 1997 version of the film altered the scene to make it look like Solo was acting in self-defense. It was a move that enraged fans (though not as much as the introduction of Jar Jar Binks). But librarian Kristian Brown, who discovered the script, [told CBC,](http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/original-star-wars-script-discovered-in-unb-library-1.3104206) “Based on the script, I can tell you 100%, Han shot first.” That settles that. ### Rare Photos of George Lucas Behind the Scenes of Star Wars  George Lucas and Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker) on the set of Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope in a galaxy far, far away. Lucasfilm  Lucas gives direction to Sir Alec Guinness (Obi-Wan Kenobi) in Episode IV. Lucasfilm  Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher (Princess Leia) and Harrison Ford (Han Solo) sit around Lucas on the set of The Empire Strikes Back. Lucasfilm  Lucas with Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca), along with Hamill and Ford on the set of Episode IV. Lucasfilm  Lucas directs Peter Cushing (Grand Moff Tarkin) and Carrie Fisher. Lucasfilm  Harrison Ford and Lucas share a moment in Endor on the set of Return of the Jedi. Lucasfilm  Lucas on set filming the opening scene of Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope. Lucasfilm  Lucas reviews concept art for Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones. Lucasfilm  Lucas inspects a model pod racer for Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace. Lucasfilm  Lucas makes sure that the Death Star is fully armed and operational for Return of the Jedi. Lucasfilm  Lucas holds up Jango Fett's helmet. Lucasfilm  Natalie Portman (Queen Amidala) and Ewan McGregor (Obi-Wan Kenobi) listen to Lucas' directions on the set of Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith. Lucasfilm  Lucas directs a lightsaber battle between Ian McDiarmid (Chancellor Palpatine/Darth Sidious) and Samuel L. Jackson (Mace Windu) on the set of Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith. Lucasfilm  Lucas sets up camp next to a Bantha on the set of Episode IV. Lucasfilm  Lucas finds the droid he was looking for. Lucasfilm _Read next:_ [_A New_ ](http://time.com/3909762/star-wars-uprising/?iid=time%5Freadnext)[Star Wars _Game Was Just Announced and It Sounds Amazing_](http://time.com/3909762/star-wars-uprising/?iid=time%5Freadnext) [_Listen to the most important stories of the day._](http://time.com/newsletter/the-brief/autoplay/?xid=spl-fullbrief-article) ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/3914183/star-wars-original-script/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/3914183/star-wars-original-script/"},"headline":"Original Star Wars Script Found, Solves Long-Running Mystery","datePublished":"2015-06-09T15:52:02.000Z","dateModified":"2026-08-04T07:43:38.132Z","description":"The script was discovered in a Canadian library","url":"https://time.com/3914183/star-wars-original-script/","keywords":["Newsfeed","movies","Star Wars topic","Han Solo"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltf0bf2ef5086d4cf6/6987ea73a988ca37996b01e7/star-wars.jpeg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Melissa Locker","jobTitle":"","url":"https://time.com/author/melissa-locker/"}],"articleSection":"","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltf0bf2ef5086d4cf6/6987ea73a988ca37996b01e7/star-wars.jpeg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"star-wars","caption":"In a scene from George Lucas' epic space opera Star Wars, the American actor Harrison Ford as rebel smuggler Han Solo draws a gun against enemies; behind him can be seen a fantastic space shuttle. 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