I’m sure this has been discussed at some point but let me reiterate. At the end of New Hope Han gets enough money to pay off Jabba the Hut, but in Empire he still has a price on his head. I don’t understand why he didn’t just pay off Jabba first, then meet up with the rebellion on Hoth. Is there a reason for this that I missed?
It’s never explained in the movies, but I’ve always figured that after the medal ceremony at the end of the film, the Rebels scrambled to get outta there. Han, caught up in the moment and with new found affection for his friends, decided to put off his own troubles to help out.
Also, as Han says in Empire, he’d almost decided to stay, but a bounty hunter on Howard Mandel changed his mind.
That part I can’t explain. 😉