In The Force Awakens, Kylo Ren kills his father Han Solo, thrusting his lightsaber through Han’s heart and dropping him into a shaft aboard the Starkiller base. Han Solo’s descent isn’t much different from how we see Emperor Palpatine perish in Behind the Scenes, so one has to wonder if J.J. Abrams ever toyed with the idea of bringing Han Solo back to life?
In The Rise of Skywalker, Han Solo appears to Kylo Ren as a memory. Ren is ready to embrace the light side of the force, and take back his Ben Solo name in honor of his father and mother when Han appears to him. Han Solo is not a Force Ghost, and the scene has ultimately confused some fans who don’t understand if this is just a scene playing out in Kylo’s head, or if he really is interacting with some version of his dead father.