I was never really a han solo fan as much as a luke fan. I identified with Luke and not with solo.
Only recently in the last few years did i notice how bad han is in return of the jedi. He basically stands around doing nothing but the supportive role the entire film. When Empire elevated him to a higher status of a character. But the trilogy was always meant to be Luke's story and the ending therefore makes sense that its luke centric. After all the title says Return of the Jedi. Not Return of the Rogue, or Return of the Smuggler,lol.
You either have to blame the screenwriter or Harrison Ford for not caring enough and hurting the film but walking through his role bored and just wanting to be done with the thing so much he asked for his character to be killed off.
I mean they could have just as easily had him die in carbonite and not use him in return of the jedi if ford wanted to play the i want to not do this film i'm a serious actor bullshit.
Originally he was not even on contract for empire strikes back and that is why he is not in the original sequel splinter of the minds eye. Hamill and Fisher were signned to do the first 2 films. i think hamill signed on early for all three. Ford was the only holdout on film 2 and 3 respectively episodes V and VI. When earlier on before he did star wars he would have been just as happy to be employed and working putting food on the table for his family. DID he ever get it through his head Hamill was the star of the whole show and he was just a supporting role?
He finally was the star when he did Indiana Jones. But even that was supposed to be the dude from Magnum PI originally. Until he could'nt get out of his contract.
Star Wars was the adventures of Luke Skywalker. Not Han's story, not Leia's story, and most certainly not VADER's story. The story of his growth from wide eyed farmboy to jedi knight.
Luke being a bit the persona of young Lucas himself and his dreams and aspirations. His alter ego. That is the way the story should be.
Unless nowadays darth vader is Lucas persona,lol.