Han Solo from the original Star Wars trilogy embodies the anti-hero archetype — witty, dashing, charming, and dangerous; this space smuggler intrigues us because he’s a balance of mystery and relatability. In the ambitious 2018 film, Solo: A Star Wars Story, there’s some familiarity about this younger version of Han. In terms of personality, his risk-taking, scheming, narcissism, and a little bit of impulsivity are consistent throughout the movie. Young Han is a little bit more hopeful and less cynical than his older self, and it may be the string of let-downs and setbacks we see in Solo that create ruptures in his worldview.

The core theme of the movie is trust vs. betrayal. Han, the confident and adventurous heister, stands out as the optimist around the clear-headed and damaged individuals like his mentor Beckett and lover Qi’ra. He’s warned not to get too attached or loyal, and despite his belief that people fundamentally have good intentions, he inevitably learns the lessons of heartbreak. Inasmuch as the story has one beat, it raises the question of how trust is developed and preserved among healthy relationships. Is real trust something we can actually attain?

Trust is an emotional state of mind shared between people. There are four elements of trust: consistency, compassion, communication, and competency–and when these factors are co-existing and mutual between partners, it can be enough to interrupt the schema of doubt, cynicism, and avoidance.