Honest question:. Is it even possible to portray Han Solo in a way that matches up the way he is described in OT with the way he actually is in the OT. This is just off the top of my head right now but it seems like he is described as being a scoundrel way more than we ever actually see him being a scoundrel. In fact almost all of his actions seem to be a pretty normal stand-up guy.
He kills an alien and tips the bartender like it’s an every day part of his job. In the OOT, not the SE, it seems as though a crime lord wants to kill him over a debt. He’s a smuggler engaged in doing illegal things, although they aren’t shown, because they aren’t important to the plot (the Greedo scene is enough to get the point across). He scams Luke and Ben on the price of their trip. He starts out as an unsavory character.
But hey, he’s useful.
As the story progresses, he begins to develop a friendship with Luke. That starts his transformation into hero. But he still belittles nearly everyone and everything else. The Jedi, The Force, Leia and Obi-Wan. He threatens the droids with dismemberment, even if he’s half-kidding.
Later in the movie, there is more transformation. He’s a mercenary, and he only volunteers to help rescue the princess when he learns about the reward. When he receives the award, he bails out on the Rebellion, tells them they’re crazy and suicidal, but he does wish Luke good luck and says “May the Force be with you”. It’s not much, but he didn’t have to do it.
At the end of course he comes back and saves the day. Deep down, when his new friends were all about to die, he wouldn’t let it happen. The audience had to wade through a lot of scruff and insults and thickness, but deep down, Han was a good friend with a good heart after all.