Oh, As For That Other, Other Solo Twist…(SPOILERS)

LAST WARNING: MAJOR SPOILER TALK FOLLOWS

The big reveal of the film was obviously (formerly Darth) Maul, which we discussed earlier. We then looked at the second "reveal" of Enfys Nest, which isn't a true character reveal...yet...so much as an attempt to hit up viewers with something unexpected.

Which brings us to something that may have been the biggest actual twist of the film, without being a reveal of any kind, at least not at this point. At the end of Solo, after the series of double- and triple-crosses, Qi'ra turns on Dryden Vos and tells Han to save Chewbacca, adding that she'll catch up shortly. Han has a moment of confusion and innocent indecision when he's standing in the elevator, gives a half-hearted smile, and leaves Qi'ra. She then turns to take a ring off of Dryden Vos's cold, dead hand, and uses it to activate a commlink at a desk, which brings up the hologram of Maul. She then officially takes Vos's place in the dangerous hierarchy and is summoned to Dathomir, which, frankly, can't be a pleasant feeling. It's probably like the sensation you get when you're speeding and you see cop lights in your rear view mirror, or when you realize after 20 minutes that you're watching a Dolores episode of Westworld Season 2.



So what's the big deal? Possibly nothing. It could just be an interesting character development, and a reason to have Qi'ra leave Han Solo's life. If Solo turns out to be a true standalone film, then that's pretty much it. But if there's more to the character's arc, there could be several intriguing possibilities. There are a few things about Qi'ra that may at least give us a clue that she's more than just a smart and savvy right hand of Dryden Vos. The biggest question is, what was Qi'ra doing during the 3 years that Han was screwing around in the Imperial Army? She tells Han that a lot had changed for her, and that she "did things," or something to that effect. I assumed at first that "things" were just a euphemism to sum up her sordid, non-PG-rated past. But maybe "things" are not quite so saucy, and maybe she was just upping her game. Qi'ra was a relatively dull character until she busted out some fancy hand-to-hand Teräs Käsi combat moves and then turned on Dryden Vos, who seemed legitimately shocked at her betrayal. Han was surprised at being betrayed himself, until he realized he wasn't, but then later realized he was just being played. Also, Maul seemed to know Qi'ra, and wasn't all that surprised at the turn of events on Savareen. So it would seem that during her 3 years away from Han, Qi'ra was developing her skills of combat and deception. It's also quite possible that Maul had been in contact with her, developing her for this very moment. Maybe he saw more in Qi'ra than he did in Dryden. After all, he was raised as a Sith adhering to the Rule of Two.

All of this, if true, could mean that there's much more to Qi'ra than we are originally led to believe. Maybe she's in training to become something more than just a skilled combatant. Perhaps Maul, who ignited his lightsaber during the communication, wasn't just doing it as intimidation, but was perhaps letting Qi'ra (and the audience) know that he would further hone her skills on Dathomir; maybe even teaching her "the Jedi Arts," as Dooku once did with Grievous. She wouldn't have to be a Force user to do this, and perhaps she ends up becoming Maul's right hand, in both administering the syndicate and in combat.



Most probably, it's not quite that dramatic, and Qi'ra simply rises up the ranks of the criminal syndicate, and, under Maul's leadership, works to either fight other cartels or bring them into the fold. By the events of Rebels, Maul is no longer in control of any criminal organizations and is squarely focused on developing his Force abilities in his quest for revenge. Perhaps, Qi'ra somehow defeats Maul in a coup, or perhaps less outrageously, Maul walks away from that life and leaves the entire organization in Qi'ra's hands.

However things go for Qi'ra as she navigates the upper tier of the galaxy's underworld, she could eventually take on a new identity. We know she's smart and has connections. We know she is a survivor. We know she can wield a staff and hold her own in combat. Plus, she once witnessed a neat trick with a thermal detonator that got her out of a jam. Maybe Qi'ra takes on the identity of Boushh. With the EU purge, Boushh's canon background is thin and vague. There could be some daylight there to allow Qi'ra to squeeze in and take on that mantle. Maybe later on, she ends up helping Leia and advising her on the plan to rescue Han from Jabba. She could be motivated by both a rivalry with Jabba and a fondness for Han.



And then we get to the other fan theory, which people can't seem to get enough of: Rey's parentage. We already explored how this theory applies to Enfys Nest. It seems there's chatter out there that Qi'ra could also be Rey's mom. As with Enfys Nest, the age seems to work out. Although Qi'Ra (if we go by the actors' ages) is a bit older than Nest, it could still be feasible. Also, they have the same accent, and everybody knows that accents are genetic. Just ask any clone. While I personally think it is ridiculous to think that either Nest or Qi'ra are Rey's mom, there's one bit that kind of rings true. If Han Solo had some kind of relationship (whether romantic, friendly, or professional) with Rey's mother, it does kind of make some sense that he might be linked to Rey in some way - as a guardian, or whatever. Both Han and Leia seemed to have some kind of connection to, and/or affection for, Rey, that seemed more than just coincidence.

How's this for a convoluted path in Disney's small universe: Qi'ra rises to become Maul's lieutenant, and trains to be a skilled warrior/hunter. Maul is nearly assassinated by the fearsome bounty hunter Boushh, who was hired by Xizor of the rival Black Sun. Qi'ra saves Maul from a surprise attack by Boushh. Maul realizes he has no need for the crime syndicate, as his preoccupation with Jedi/Sith revenge nearly costs him his life. He rewards Qi'ra by handing her the reigns to Crimson Dawn. Meanwhile, Boba Fett is hired by Jabba to kill Han Solo. Qi'ra eventually sacrifices herself to save Han from Fett. Although Fett gets paid by Jabba for taking down Crimson Dawn, he never forgets that he actually failed to acquire his bounty (Solo) for the first time in his life. It then turns out that Qi'ra faked her own death at the hands of Fett, and takes on Boushh's identity. As Boushh, she uses her signature move, "The Fake Thermal Detonator Gag," to terrorize her targets. Around 3 ABY, she crosses paths with Leia, and decides to help her save Han one more time from the clutches of Jabba the Hutt. Qi'ra takes the opportunity to shed the Boushh identity, and decides to settle down to lead a normal, quiet life on Jakku, where she meets a kindly junk dealer, and Galactic Civil War veteran, Caluan Ematt, and they have a daughter together. However, she cannot completely escape her past, and must make the hard decision to abandon her family when Boba Fett returns from the Sarlaac for revenge on her for ruining his reputation and his life. She asks Han and Leia to keep an eye on her daughter, but not to look like they were keeping an eye on her. So they do so casually, from afar, out of respect for Qi'ra and for the safety of young Rey.

Ha! Good one. But seriously, it seems that Qi'ra's character does have a bigger story to tell. We'll see what happens next.

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