Like most of the characters in Solo: A Star Wars Story, Qi’ra (Emilia Clarke) was shrouded in mystery—until now. In a new Entertainment Weekly interview, Clarke finally dished some details on the character. And yes, it looks like she may be Han Solo’s love interest.
Qi’ra and Han were childhood friends, with Clarke saying, “They grew up as pals, as partners in crime.” The movie appears to borrow some of Han’s origin story from the old Extended Universe, suggesting that he had to fend for himself as an orphan on Corellia. Apparently, Qi’ra is an “enigma,” and is “one of those relationships that has an impact on him as a character.” There’s also “a romantic side of things.”
As ever, the interview carefully dodges anything resembling a spoiler. Here’s what we do know: Qi’ra is a mysterious femme fatale, and judging by Clarke’s comment that she “has a couple of guises,” she may be some kind of con artist. Like Han and Lando, she’s carved out a place for herself in the criminal underworld.
Interestingly, Clarke calls back to a specific setpiece from The Last Jedi: the Canto Bight casino sequence. While Solo takes place in different locations, Qi’ra feels at home in a similar world of luxurious and moral grey areas. So, she’s found a different niche from Han’s typical “just got kicked out of a dive bar” vibe.
Clarke characterizes Qi’ra as a survivor, saying, “Well, if you have got a really glamorous lady in a really sordid environment you kind of know that maybe the glamour is hiding a few rough roads.”
H/T to Entertainment Weekly