Qi'ra
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Qi'ra is a fictional character in the ''
Star Wars ''Star Wars'' is an American epic film, epic space opera multimedia franchise created by George Lucas, which began with the Star Wars (film), eponymous 1977 film and quickly became a worldwide popular culture, pop-culture Cultural impact of S ...
'' franchise, first appearing in the 2018 film '' Solo: A Star Wars Story'' and portrayed by English actress
Emilia Clarke Emilia Isobel Euphemia Rose Clarke (born 23 October 1986) is an English actress. She is best known for her portrayal as Daenerys Targaryen in '' Game of Thrones''. She has received various accolades, including an Empire Award, a Saturn Award, ...
. The character was introduced in the 2018 prequel novel ''Most Wanted'' by
Rae Carson Rae Carson (born 1973) is an American fantasy writer. Her debut novel, '' The Girl of Fire and Thorns'', was published in 2011. It was a finalist for the William C. Morris YA Award and the Andre Norton Award, and it was the winner of the Ohioan ...
. A practitioner of Teräs Käsi, she is
Han Solo Han Solo is a fictional character in the '' Star Wars'' franchise created by George Lucas. The character first appeared in the 1977 film '' Star Wars'' portrayed by Harrison Ford, who reprised his role in ''The Empire Strikes Back'' (1980) an ...
's childhood best friend and first love from the planet
Corellia The fictional universe of the ''Star Wars'' franchise features multiple planets and moons. While only the feature films and selected other works are considered canon to the franchise since the 2012 acquisition of Lucasfilm by The Walt Disney ...
. The pair live on the streets before she is captured and he flees the planet. In order to leave the planet herself, Qi'ra becomes a lieutenant in the Crimson Dawn crime syndicate under
Maul A maul may refer to any number of large hammers, including: * War hammer, a medieval weapon * Post maul, a type of sledgehammer * Spike maul, railroad hand tool * Splitting maul, heavy wood-splitting tool resembling both axe and hammer People ...
, assuming control of the organization after his death, becoming its leader during the Galactic Civil War.


Appearances


Film


''Solo: A Star Wars Story''

In the 2018 '' Star Wars Anthology'' film ''Solo: A Star Wars Story'', Qi'ra is introduced as an orphaned street thief living on the shipbuilding world of
Corellia The fictional universe of the ''Star Wars'' franchise features multiple planets and moons. While only the feature films and selected other works are considered canon to the franchise since the 2012 acquisition of Lucasfilm by The Walt Disney ...
. She and her lover, Han, attempt to use the valuable fuel source coaxium to bribe their way through a checkpoint to escape the planet and the criminal gang pursuing them. Qi'ra is apprehended, but urges Han to go on without her. He does, and vows to return for her. Three years later, seeking funding to buy a ship to return to Corellia, Han participates in a coaxium heist that goes awry. He accompanies his new associate
Tobias Beckett Tobias Beckett is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise, first appearing and portrayed by Woody Harrelson in the 2018 film '' Solo: A Star Wars Story''. He is a thief working for the Crimson Dawn crime syndicate and the mentor of Ha ...
to explain their failure to
Dryden Vos This incomplete list of characters from the ''Star Wars'' franchise contains only those which are considered part of the official ''Star Wars'' canon, as of the changes made by Lucasfilm in April 2014. Following its acquisition by The Walt Dis ...
, a high-ranking crime boss in the Crimson Dawn syndicate. Han and Qi'ra are reunited, as she is now Vos's top lieutenant. Han suggests a risky plan to steal unrefined coaxium from the mines on the planet Kessel; Vos approves but insists that Qi'ra accompany the team. She leads them to
Lando Calrissian Landonis Balthazar "Lando" Calrissian III is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. He was introduced in ''The Empire Strikes Back'' (1980) as an old friend of Han Solo and the administrator of the floating Cloud City on the gas p ...
, an accomplished smuggler and pilot who agrees to join the mission with his ship, the ''
Millennium Falcon The ''Millennium Falcon'' is a fictional starship in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. Designed by Joe Johnston for the movie ''Star Wars'' (1977), it has subsequently appeared in '' The Star Wars Holiday Special'' (1978), ''The Empire Strikes Back ...
'', in exchange for a share of the profits. The theft is a success, but Han and Qi'ra become sympathetic to the cause of the rebels who are trying to prevent the syndicates and the
Galactic Empire Galactic empires are a common trope used in science fantasy and science fiction, particularly in works known as 'space operas'. Many authors have either used a galaxy-spanning empire as background or written about the growth and/or decline of s ...
from gaining greater domination over the galaxy. They attempt to trick Vos, but the double-crossing Beckett has already alerted the crime lord to their plan. Caught aiding Han, Qi'ra tells Dryden she will prove her loyalty to him by sacrificing something she loves, and advances on Han. She betrays and kills Vos instead, and sends Han after Beckett. Once alone, Qi'ra contacts Vos's superior,
Maul A maul may refer to any number of large hammers, including: * War hammer, a medieval weapon * Post maul, a type of sledgehammer * Spike maul, railroad hand tool * Splitting maul, heavy wood-splitting tool resembling both axe and hammer People ...
, to inform him of the mission's failure and claim Vos's position within the syndicate; she blames the death of Vos on Beckett. Qi'ra then abandons Han and leaves for Dathomir to meet with Maul as he commands her.


Animated series


''Star Wars Forces of Destiny''

In the 2018 episode "Triplecross" of ''
Star Wars Forces of Destiny ''Star Wars Forces of Destiny'' is a 2D animated web series by Lucasfilm Animation released through Lucasfilm's YouTube channel. Set across multiple eras of the ''Star Wars'' franchise, it is a collection of two- to three-minute shorts centerin ...
'', pirate
Hondo Ohnaka This incomplete list of characters from the ''Star Wars'' franchise contains only those which are considered part of the official ''Star Wars'' canon, as of the changes made by Lucasfilm in April 2014. Following its acquisition by The Walt Dis ...
and bounty hunter droid
IG-88 In the '' Star Wars'' space opera franchise, a droid is a fictional robot possessing some degree of artificial intelligence''.'' The term is a clipped form of " android", a word originally reserved for robots designed to look and act like a hu ...
pursue Qi'ra, who pits them against each other to collect the bounty on them.


Literature


''Most Wanted''

Qi'ra is introduced in the novel ''Most Wanted'' by
Rae Carson Rae Carson (born 1973) is an American fantasy writer. Her debut novel, '' The Girl of Fire and Thorns'', was published in 2011. It was a finalist for the William C. Morris YA Award and the Andre Norton Award, and it was the winner of the Ohioan ...
. The novel focuses on Han and Qi'ra shortly before the events of '' Solo: A Star Wars Story''. It was published by Disney-Lucasfilm Press on May 25, 2018, in concert with the film.


''War of the Bounty Hunters''

The crossover comic ''War of the Bounty Hunters'', published on June 2, 2021, and set between the movies ''
The Empire Strikes Back ''The Empire Strikes Back'' (also known as ''Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back'') is a 1980 American epic film, epic space opera film directed by Irvin Kershner from a screenplay by Leigh Brackett and Lawrence Kasdan, based o ...
'' and ''
Return of the Jedi ''Return of the Jedi'' (also known as ''Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi'' is a 1983 American epic space opera film directed by Richard Marquand. The screenplay is by Lawrence Kasdan and George Lucas from a story by Lucas, who ...
'', shows Qi'ra still alive, in control of the Crimson Dawn and plotting a return to power. The organization was thought to be destroyed after Maul's death on
Tatooine Tatooine () is a fictional desert planet that appears in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. It is a beige-colored, desolate world orbiting a pair of binary stars, and inhabited by human settlers and a variety of other life forms. The planet was first ...
by
Obi-Wan Kenobi Obi-Wan Kenobi () is a fictional Character (arts), character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. Within the Star Wars original trilogy, original trilogy, Obi-Wan is a Jedi Master as a supporting character and is portrayed by English actor Alec Guinn ...
. Now, learning that Han Solo had become important to the Galactic Empire, the
Rebel Alliance The Alliance to Restore the Republic (colloquial: Rebel Alliance; the Rebellion; the Alliance; or the Rebels) is a fictional stateless interstellar coalition of republican dissidents, imperial defectors, revolutionary factions and anti-imperial ...
and the Hutt Clan and that he had also been frozen in carbonite, Qi'ra had her agents capture him from bounty hunter
Boba Fett Boba Fett ( ) is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. First appearing in the ''Star Wars Holiday Special'' (1978), where he was voiced by Don Francks, he is an armored bounty hunter featured in both the original and prequel fi ...
.


Games

Qi'ra appears as a playable character in '' Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroes'', the mobile RPG game developed by Capital Games and Published by
Electronic Arts Electronic Arts Inc. (EA) is an American video game company headquartered in Redwood City, California. Founded in May 1982 by Apple employee Trip Hawkins, the company was a pioneer of the early home computer game industry and promoted the d ...
.


Merchandise

Several toys of Qi'ra have been made available. Among them, a 12-inch Qi'ra (Corellia) figure which features a movie-inspired design, a six-inch
action figure An action figure is a poseable character (arts), character model figure made most commonly of plastic, and often based upon characters from a film, comic book, military, video game or television program; fictional or historical. These figures are ...
by
Hasbro Hasbro, Inc. (; a syllabic abbreviation of its original name, Hassenfeld Brothers) is an American multinational conglomerate holding company incorporated and headquartered in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. Hasbro owns the trademarks and products of ...
as part of the company's '' Star Wars: The Black Series'' toy line, a
Funko Pop Funko Inc. is an American company that manufactures licensed and limited pop culture collectibles, best known for its licensed vinyl figurines and bobbleheads. In addition, the company produces licensed plush, action figures, apparel, accessori ...
figurine,
Lego Lego ( , ; stylized as LEGO) is a line of plastic construction toys that are manufactured by The Lego Group, a privately held company based in Billund, Denmark. The company's flagship product, Lego, consists of variously colored interlocking ...
Star Wars figurines, the Star Wars Nerf Qi'Ra blaster by Hasbro, a star wars Mighty Muggs figure, as well as T-shirts featuring the character.


Character


Description

Qi'ra is introduced as an earnest thief in love with Han and dreaming of escape from the slums of the planet
Corellia The fictional universe of the ''Star Wars'' franchise features multiple planets and moons. While only the feature films and selected other works are considered canon to the franchise since the 2012 acquisition of Lucasfilm by The Walt Disney ...
. They are separated by circumstance, and when they reunite years later, they have both been through life-changing experiences. Clarke called Qi'ra a "badass" who "kind of follows a femme fatale arc", and said, "She has a couple of guises, but essentially she is just fighting to stay alive. If you've got a really glamorous lady in a really sordid environment, you kind of know the glamour is hiding a few rough roads." ''Solo'' director
Ron Howard Ronald William Howard (born March 1, 1954) is an American director, producer, screenwriter, and actor. He first came to prominence as a child actor, guest-starring in several television series, including an episode of ''The Twilight Zone''. He ...
described Qi'ra as secretive, slippery, and morally questionable—"a much different sort of a character" from
Daenerys Targaryen Daenerys Targaryen ( ) is a fictional character in the series of epic fantasy novels ''A Song of Ice and Fire'' by American author George R. R. Martin. She is a prominent Narrative mode#Third-person view, point of view character, and is one of ...
, Clarke's character from the
HBO Home Box Office (HBO) is an American premium television network, which is the flagship property of namesake parent subsidiary Home Box Office, Inc., itself a unit owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The overall Home Box Office business unit is ba ...
series ''
Game of Thrones ''Game of Thrones'' is an American fantasy drama television series created by David Benioff and D. B. Weiss for HBO. It is an adaptation of ''A Song of Ice and Fire'', a series of fantasy novels by George R. R. Martin, the first ...
''. Clarke noted that her ''Solo'' character "isn't like the women that you've seen in ''Star Wars'' yet", and said that "Qi'ra is different from the other women I've played, but the similarity is her strength, and her survival instincts. She just has a bit more grit." She said, "We're going to hit you with a character that could very easily well be a dude, because you question her motives. That's really ... exciting in the ''Star Wars'' universe, because that has never happened." Clarke said, "Qi'ra's journey is definitely one of survival and strength. The way that I felt about her was yeah this girl has got a core of steel." Calling Qi'ra a "galactic femme fatale", ''
Entertainment Weekly ''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular cul ...
''
Anthony Breznican Anthony Breznican (born 1976) is an American journalist and novelist who currently writes for '' Vanity Fair''. He is the author of the 2014 novel ''Brutal Youth'', about first-year students dealing with bullying at their Catholic high school. Br ...
wrote: Clarke said, "Every single part of her as a character reflects on the Han Solo that we know and love." She explained: According to ''Solo'' co-writer
Jonathan Kasdan Jonathan Peter Kasdan (born September 30, 1979) is an American film and television screenwriter, director, producer and actor. Biography Kasdan was born to a Jewish family, the son of Meg (née Goldman), a writer, and film director Lawrence Kasd ...
, Qi'ra is Han's "formative experience with romance, and that experience very directly influences the relationships he has later on with people like
Leia Princess Leia Organa is a fictional character and one of the main protagonists in the ''Star Wars'' franchise, portrayed in films by Carrie Fisher. Introduced in the Star Wars (film), original ''Star Wars'' film in 1977, Leia is princess of th ...
." Describing Qi'ra's relationship with Han, Clarke explained that "They grew up as comrades, essentially. They grew up as pals, as partners in crime. There is obviously the romantic side of things. But they grew up together. So they were kids together." She said that later, "within that relationship, the thing that you see with Qi'ra is that she is an enigma." Clarke also noted, "There is this underlying joy in an origin story because you know where they end up. And Qi'ra is nowhere to be seen, so...something has happened!...Something must have happened to affect him as a person, but for us fans not to know about her."


Portrayal

In October 2016,
Tessa Thompson Tessa Lynne Thompson (born October 3, 1983) is an American actress. She began her professional acting career with the Los Angeles Women's Shakespeare Company while studying at Santa Monica College. She appeared in productions of '' The Tempest ...
,
Naomi Scott Naomi Scott (born 6 May 1993) is an English actress and singer. Born in Hounslow, she rose to prominence for her performances in the television film '' Lemonade Mouth'' (2011) and the science fiction series '' Terra Nova'' (2011). In 2015, Scree ...
,
Zoë Kravitz Zoë Isabella Kravitz (born December 1, 1988) is an American actress, singer, and model. She made her acting debut in the romantic comedy film '' No Reservations'' (2007). Her breakthrough came with portraying Angel Salvadore in the superhero fi ...
,
Emilia Clarke Emilia Isobel Euphemia Rose Clarke (born 23 October 1986) is an English actress. She is best known for her portrayal as Daenerys Targaryen in '' Game of Thrones''. She has received various accolades, including an Empire Award, a Saturn Award, ...
,
Kiersey Clemons Kiersey Nicole Clemons (born December 17, 1993) is an American actress. She is known for her role in the 2015 comedy-drama film '' Dope'', playing Cassandra "Diggy" Andrews. Subsequently, she went on to co-star in '' Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising ...
,
Jessica Henwick Jessica Yu-Li Henwick (born 30 August 1992) is a BAFTA nominated English actress, writer and director. She is known for her roles as Nymeria Sand in the HBO series ''Game of Thrones'' (2015–2017), X-wing pilot Jessika Pava in the film '' Sta ...
, and
Adria Arjona Adria Arjona Torres (born April 25, 1992) is an actress based in the United States. She played Dorothy Gale in the Oz book adaptation ''Emerald City'' (2017), Anathema Device in the TV adaptation of ''Good Omens'' (2019), and Bix Caleen in '' ...
were being considered for the female lead in ''Solo: A Star Wars Story'' (named "Kura" in early drafts). Clarke, known for her role as
Daenerys Targaryen Daenerys Targaryen ( ) is a fictional character in the series of epic fantasy novels ''A Song of Ice and Fire'' by American author George R. R. Martin. She is a prominent Narrative mode#Third-person view, point of view character, and is one of ...
in the
HBO Home Box Office (HBO) is an American premium television network, which is the flagship property of namesake parent subsidiary Home Box Office, Inc., itself a unit owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The overall Home Box Office business unit is ba ...
fantasy television series ''
Game of Thrones ''Game of Thrones'' is an American fantasy drama television series created by David Benioff and D. B. Weiss for HBO. It is an adaptation of ''A Song of Ice and Fire'', a series of fantasy novels by George R. R. Martin, the first ...
'', was cast the following month. Clarke told '' Vanity Fair'' that she struggled with the character under ''Solo'' original co-directors,
Phil Lord and Chris Miller Philip Lord (born 12 July 1975) and Christopher Miller (born 23 September 1975) are an American filmmaking duo. After a meeting at Dartmouth College, they are known for creating the adult animated sitcom ''Clone High'' (2002–2003), directing an ...
, and sought advice from the film's father-and-son screenwriters,
Lawrence Lawrence may refer to: Education Colleges and universities * Lawrence Technological University, a university in Southfield, Michigan, United States * Lawrence University, a liberal arts university in Appleton, Wisconsin, United States Preparator ...
and
Jonathan Kasdan Jonathan Peter Kasdan (born September 30, 1979) is an American film and television screenwriter, director, producer and actor. Biography Kasdan was born to a Jewish family, the son of Meg (née Goldman), a writer, and film director Lawrence Kasd ...
. She said of the role, "She'll be the sort of character that will keep you on your toes, and I think that was one of the biggest things that drew me to her as a character, and got me really excited." Qi'ra was featured in the May 25, 2018 episode "Triplecross" of the 2D animated web series ''
Star Wars Forces of Destiny ''Star Wars Forces of Destiny'' is a 2D animated web series by Lucasfilm Animation released through Lucasfilm's YouTube channel. Set across multiple eras of the ''Star Wars'' franchise, it is a collection of two- to three-minute shorts centerin ...
'', voiced by
Olivia Hack Olivia may refer to: People * Olivia (name), including a list of people and fictional characters with the name * Olivia (singer) (Olivia Longott, born 1981), American singer * Olívia (basketball) (Carlos Henrique Rodrigues do Nascimento, born 1974 ...
.


Reception


General

Qi'ra has been positively received by both critics and fans, with many referring to her as a standout, and the most fascinating aspect of ''Solo: A Star Wars Story''. Pete Morrison of the ''Rebels Report'' called her the best character in the film. Stating that Emilia Clarke jumps from genre franchise in ''Game of Thrones'' to another in a galaxy far, far away and manages to have the most complex and interesting story arc of any character in the film. ''Futurisms Marguerita Tan wrote that "Qi'ra is a complex character who is not only intelligent and resourceful, but also someone who can look after herself". Tan concluded that it wasn't hard to understand why many fans were so keen to see the character in more on-screen adventures. Dana Brandt of ''The Daily Cardinal'' was critical of the character's arc stating that Qi'ra, and by extension her relationship with Han was underdeveloped. ''Bustle's'' Casey Cipriani suggests that Qi'ra may or may not have been a Sith and states that a female villain who can use the Force has never been portrayed in a ''Star Wars'' film.


Future

Many have expressed interest in a follow-up to Qi'ra's story. Derrick Clements of the ''Daily Harold'' wrote, "she is introduced as a character with depth and mystery to spare. Most of all, where the film leaves her is tremendously full of possibility". Writing for
Comic Book Resources ''Comic Book Resources'', also known by the initialism CBR, is a website dedicated to the coverage of comic book–related news and discussion. History Comic Book Resources was founded by Jonah Weiland in 1995 as a development of the Kingdom Co ...
, Rita Dorsch proclaimed Qi'ra's turn in Solo to be the most interesting part of the film and went on to state that any follow-up needs to focus on her. ''Bustle's'' Angelica Floria stated, "the headstrong combatant played by Clarke seems to only have just begun her role in the Star Wars universe". She notes that Clarke signed on for multiple films and adds that the ending of Solo makes it clear that future Star Wars projects could continue the story of Qi'ra and Darth Maul's future with the Crimson Dawn.


References


External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Qi'ra Female characters in film Film characters introduced in 2018 Fictional commanders Fictional female martial artists Fictional outlaws Fictional war veterans Fictional women soldiers and warriors Star Wars Anthology characters Fictional female lieutenants Orphan characters in film