History Tearjerker / TheForceAwakens

* Ben kills his father. His father, shocked, raises a hand to his son's cheek.

** It's especially heartbreaking on a meta level as well: Han Solo is one of the most iconic and beloved film characters of all time. Generations of fans have grown up with him, and now he's dead. Some have commented on Website/YouTube that it feels like losing a friend or a family member.
** Fans had hoped to see the main trio of Han, Leia and Luke together in the same scene again and it will never happen.
** Also, according to WordOfGod, Creator/HarrisonFord [[KilledByRequest wanted Han to be killed off]] as early as ''Return of the Jedi'', so if Han did die back in 1983 then it wouldn't have made nearly as much of an impact as it did in 2015.
** Han's death can be likened to the deaths of many other iconic characters, such as ComicBook/{{Superman}}, [[Film/StarTrekIITheWrathOfKhan Spock]], [[Film/AvengersEndgame Tony Stark, Natasha]], [[ComicBook/TheNightGwenStacyDied Gwen]] [[Film/TheAmazingSpiderman2 Stacy]], [[WesternAnimation/InsideOut Bing Bong]], [[WesternAnimation/{{Bambi}} Bambi's Mother]], [[WesternAnimation/{{Up}} Ellie]], [[WesternAnimation/BigHero6 Tadashi Hamada]], [[WesternAnimation/TheLionKing1994 Mufasa]], [[WesternAnimation/HowToTrainYourDragon2 Stoick the Vast]], [[WesternAnimation/TheTransformersTheMovie Optimus Prime]], [[Literature/HarryPotter Dumbledore]], [[WesternAnimation/SouthPark Kenny]] (when he died for real in the fifth season), [[WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy Brian Griffin]], [[Film/GodzillaVsDestoroyah Godzilla]], [[WebAnimation/Supermarioglitchy4sSuperMario64Bloopers Desti, Greg, Axol]], [[WesternAnimation/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles2012 Master Splinter]] and Col. Henry Blake. Even though Superman, Spock, Optimus, Kenny and Brian Griffin came back (Kenny dies as a running gag, and almost every subsequent incarnation of Optimus Prime has died and come back to the point fans have been desensitized, fully expect it to happen once per series, and are surprised if it doesn't), Han Solo stands with them.

** Han's death can be likened to the deaths of many other iconic characters, such as ComicBook/{{Superman}}, [[Film/StarTrekIITheWrathOfKhan Spock]], [[Film/AvengersEndgame Tony Stark, Natasha]], [[WesternAnimation/InsideOut Bing Bong]], [[WesternAnimation/{{Bambi}} Bambi's Mother]], [[WesternAnimation/{{Up}} Ellie]], [[WesternAnimation/BigHero6 Tadashi Hamada]], [[WesternAnimation/TheLionKing1994 Mufasa]], [[WesternAnimation/HowToTrainYourDragon2 Stoick the Vast]], [[WesternAnimation/TheTransformersTheMovie Optimus Prime]], [[Literature/HarryPotter Dumbledore]], [[WesternAnimation/SouthPark Kenny]] (when he died for real in the fifth season), [[WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy Brian Griffin]], [[Film/GodzillaVsDestoroyah Godzilla]], [[WebAnimation/Supermarioglitchy4sSuperMario64Bloopers Desti, Greg, Axol]], [[WesternAnimation/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles2012 Master Splinter]] and Col. Henry Blake. Even though Superman, Spock, Optimus, Kenny and Brian Griffin came back (Kenny dies as a running gag, and almost every subsequent incarnation of Optimus Prime has died and come back to the point fans have been desensitized, fully expect it to happen once per series, and are surprised if it doesn't), Han Solo stands with them.

** Han's death can be likened to the deaths of many other iconic characters, such as ComicBook/{{Superman}}, [[Film/StarTrekIITheWrathOfKhan Spock]], [[Film/AvengersEndgame Tony Stark, Natasha]], [[WesternAnimation/InsideOut Bing Bong]], [[WesternAnimation/{{Bambi}} Bambi's Mother]], [[WesternAnimation/{{Up}} Ellie]], [[WesternAnimation/BigHero6 Tadashi Hamada]], [[WesternAnimation/TheLionKing1994 Mufasa]], [[WesternAnimation/HowToTrainYourDragon2 Stoick the Vast]], [[WesternAnimation/TheTransformersTheMovie Optimus Prime]], [[Literature/HarryPotter Dumbledore]], [[WesternAnimation/SouthPark Kenny]] (when he died for real in the fifth season), [[WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy Brian Griffin]], [[Film/GodzillaVsDestoroyah Godzilla]], [[Machinima/Supermarioglitchy4sSuperMario64Bloopers Desti, Greg, Axol]], [[WesternAnimation/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles2012 Master Splinter]] and Col. Henry Blake. Even though Superman, Spock, Optimus, Kenny and Brian Griffin came back (Kenny dies as a running gag, and almost every subsequent incarnation of Optimus Prime has died and come back to the point fans have been desensitized, fully expect it to happen once per series, and are surprised if it doesn't), Han Solo stands with them.

** Han's death can be likened to the deaths of many other iconic characters, such as ComicBook/{{Superman}}, [[Film/StarTrekIITheWrathOfKhan Spock]], [[Film/AvengersEndgame Tony Stark, Natasha]], [[WesternAnimation/InsideOut Bing Bong]], [[WesternAnimation/{{Bambi}} Bambi's Mother]], [[WesternAnimation/{{Up}} Ellie]], [[WesternAnimation/BigHero6 Tadashi Hamada]], [[WesternAnimation/TheLionKing1994 Mufasa]], [[WesternAnimation/TheTransformersTheMovie Optimus Prime]], [[Literature/HarryPotter Dumbledore]], [[WesternAnimation/SouthPark Kenny]] (when he died for real in the fifth season), [[WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy Brian Griffin]], [[Film/GodzillaVsDestoroyah Godzilla]], [[Machinima/Supermarioglitchy4sSuperMario64Bloopers Desti, Greg, Axol]], [[WesternAnimation/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles2012 Master Splinter]] and Col. Henry Blake, just to name a few. Even though Superman, Spock, Optimus, Kenny and Brian Griffin came back (Kenny dies as a running gag, and almost every subsequent incarnation of Optimus Prime has died and come back to the point fans have been desensitized, fully expect it to happen once per series, and are surprised if it doesn't), Han Solo stands with them.

** There's a painful ambiguity about Ben's dialogue - it's possible that it filled Han with the [[AdultFear fear]] that Ben is very close to suicide, and Han takes the risk of getting close just to stop that happening. Worse, it's possible that Ben was doing this deliberately as a trap.

** Artoo's AngstComa gets even harsher after Creator/KennyBaker's death in 13 August 2016.

** Kylo Ren's disturbing religious devotion to Vader's image is sad in a similar way; Anakin's own grandson sees him as a symbol of Dark Side power, and is screwed up enough to see that as something to aspire to, even trying to mould himself into something similar. Ren imploring Vader's mask to "show [him]... the power of the darkness" is sadly ironic; in his final moments, Anakin Skywalker redeemed himself and rejected the Dark Side, but even in death, as well as by his own family, he'll always be remembered as the monster that Palpatine and his own {{Tragic Mistake}}s turned him into. It's a sad legacy for a man who [[FallenHero once was]] and [[TragicVillain could have been]] a great hero.

** Han's death can be likened to the deaths of many other iconic characters, such as ComicBook/{{Superman}}, [[Film/StarTrekIITheWrathOfKhan Spock]], [[Film/AvengersEndgame Tony Stark, Natasha]], [[WesternAnimation/InsideOut Bing Bong]], [[WesternAnimation/{{Bambi}} Bambi's Mother]], [[WesternAnimation/{{Up}} Ellie]], [[WesternAnimation/BigHero6 Tadashi Hamada]], [[WesternAnimation/TheLionKing1994 Mufasa]], [[WesternAnimation/TheTransformersTheMovie Optimus Prime]], [[Literature/HarryPotter Dumbledore]], [[WesternAnimation/SouthPark Kenny]] (when he died for real in the fifth season), [[WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy Brian Griffin]], [[Film/GodzillaVsDestoroyah Godzilla]], [[Machinima/Supermarioglitchy4sSuperMario64Bloopers Desti, Greg, Axol]] and Col. Henry Blake, just to name a few. Even though Superman, Spock, Optimus, Kenny and Brian Griffin came back (Kenny dies as a running gag, and almost every subsequent incarnation of Optimus Prime has died and come back to the point fans have been desensitized, fully expect it to happen once per series, and are surprised if it doesn't), Han Solo stands with them.

** Han's death can be likened to the deaths of many other iconic characters, such as ComicBook/{{Superman}}, [[Film/StarTrekIITheWrathOfKhan Spock]], [[AvengersEndgame Tony Stark, Natasha]], [[WesternAnimation/InsideOut Bing Bong]], [[WesternAnimation/{{Bambi}} Bambi's Mother]], [[WesternAnimation/{{Up}} Ellie]], [[WesternAnimation/BigHero6 Tadashi Hamada]], [[WesternAnimation/TheLionKing1994 Mufasa]], [[WesternAnimation/TheTransformersTheMovie Optimus Prime]], [[Literature/HarryPotter Dumbledore]], [[WesternAnimation/SouthPark Kenny]] (when he died for real in the fifth season), [[WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy Brian Griffin]], [[Film/GodzillaVsDestoroyah Godzilla]], [[Machinima/Supermarioglitchy4sSuperMario64Bloopers Desti, Greg, Axol]] and Col. Henry Blake, just to name a few. Even though Superman, Spock, Optimus, Kenny and Brian Griffin came back (Kenny dies as a running gag, and almost every subsequent incarnation of Optimus Prime has died and come back to the point fans have been desensitized, fully expect it to happen once per series, and are surprised if it doesn't), Han Solo stands with them.

** Han's death can be likened to the deaths of many other iconic characters, such as ComicBook/{{Superman}}, [[Film/StarTrekIITheWrathOfKhan Spock]], [[AvengersEndGame Tony Stark, Natasha]], [[WesternAnimation/InsideOut Bing Bong]], [[WesternAnimation/{{Bambi}} Bambi's Mother]], [[WesternAnimation/{{Up}} Ellie]], [[WesternAnimation/BigHero6 Tadashi Hamada]], [[WesternAnimation/TheLionKing1994 Mufasa]], [[WesternAnimation/TheTransformersTheMovie Optimus Prime]], [[Literature/HarryPotter Dumbledore]], [[WesternAnimation/SouthPark Kenny]] (when he died for real in the fifth season), [[WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy Brian Griffin]], [[Film/GodzillaVsDestoroyah Godzilla]], [[Machinima/Supermarioglitchy4sSuperMario64Bloopers Desti, Greg, Axol]] and Col. Henry Blake, just to name a few. Even though Superman, Spock, Optimus, Kenny and Brian Griffin came back (Kenny dies as a running gag, and almost every subsequent incarnation of Optimus Prime has died and come back to the point fans have been desensitized, fully expect it to happen once per series, and are surprised if it doesn't), Han Solo stands with them.

** Han's death can be likened to the deaths of many other iconic characters, such as ComicBook/{{Superman}}, [[Film/StarTrekIITheWrathOfKhan Spock]], [[WesternAnimation/InsideOut Bing Bong]], [[WesternAnimation/{{Bambi}} Bambi's Mother]], [[WesternAnimation/{{Up}} Ellie]], [[WesternAnimation/BigHero6 Tadashi Hamada]], [[WesternAnimation/TheLionKing1994 Mufasa]], [[WesternAnimation/TheTransformersTheMovie Optimus Prime]], [[Literature/HarryPotter Dumbledore]], [[WesternAnimation/SouthPark Kenny]] (when he died for real in the fifth season), [[WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy Brian Griffin]], [[Film/GodzillaVsDestoroyah Godzilla]], [[Machinima/Supermarioglitchy4sSuperMario64Bloopers Desti, Greg, Axol]] and Col. Henry Blake, just to name a few. Even though Superman, Spock, Optimus, Kenny and Brian Griffin came back (Kenny dies as a running gag, and almost every subsequent incarnation of Optimus Prime has died and come back to the point fans have been desensitized, fully expect it to happen once per series, and are surprised if it doesn't), Han Solo stands with them.

** Also, according to WordOfGod, Creator/HarrisonFord wanted Han to be killed off as early as ''Return of the Jedi'', so if Han did die back in 1983 then it wouldn't have made nearly as much of an impact as it did in 2015.

** Han's death can be likened to the deaths of many other iconic characters, such as ComicBook/{{Superman}}, [[Film/StarTrekIITheWrathOfKhan Spock]], [[WesternAnimation/InsideOut Bing Bong]], [[WesternAnimation/{{Bambi}} Bambi's Mother]], [[WesternAnimation/{{Up}} Ellie]], [[WesternAnimation/BigHero6 Tadashi Hamada]], [[WesternAnimation/TheLionKing1994 Mufasa]], [[WesternAnimation/TheTransformersTheMovie Optimus Prime]], [[Literature/HarryPotter Dumbledore]], [[WesternAnimation/SouthPark Kenny]] (when he died for real in the fifth season), [[WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy Brian Griffin]], [[Film/GodzillaVsDestoroyah Godzilla]], [[Machinima/Supermarioglitchy4sSuperMario64Bloopers Desti, Axol]] and Col. Henry Blake, just to name a few. Even though Superman, Spock, Optimus, Kenny and Brian Griffin came back (Kenny dies as a running gag, and almost every subsequent incarnation of Optimus Prime has died and come back to the point fans have been desensitized, fully expect it to happen once per series, and are surprised if it doesn't), Han Solo stands with them.

** Han's death can be likened to the deaths of many other iconic characters, such as ComicBook/{{Superman}}, [[Film/StarTrekIITheWrathOfKhan Spock]], [[WesternAnimation/InsideOut Bing Bong]], [[WesternAnimation/{{Bambi}} Bambi's Mother]], [[WesternAnimation/{{Up}} Ellie]], [[WesternAnimation/BigHero6 Tadashi Hamada]], [[WesternAnimation/TheLionKing1994 Mufasa]], [[WesternAnimation/TheTransformersTheMovie Optimus Prime]], [[Literature/HarryPotter Dumbledore]], [[WesternAnimation/SouthPark Kenny]] (when he died for real in the fifth season), [[WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy Brian Griffin]], [[Film/GodzillaVsDestoroyah Godzilla]], [[Machinima/Supermarioglitchy4sSuperMario64Bloopers Desti]] and Col. Henry Blake, just to name a few. Even though Superman, Spock, Optimus, Kenny and Brian Griffin came back (Kenny dies as a running gag, and almost every subsequent incarnation of Optimus Prime has died and come back to the point fans have been desensitized, fully expect it to happen once per series, and are surprised if it doesn't), Han Solo stands with them.

** Han's death can be likened to the deaths of many other iconic characters, such as ComicBook/{{Superman}}, [[Film/StarTrekIITheWrathOfKhan Spock]], [[WesternAnimation/InsideOut Bing Bong]], [[WesternAnimation/{{Bambi}} Bambi's Mother]], [[WesternAnimation/{{Up}} Ellie]], [[WesternAnimation/TheLionKing1994 Mufasa]], [[WesternAnimation/TheTransformersTheMovie Optimus Prime]], [[Literature/HarryPotter Dumbledore]], [[WesternAnimation/SouthPark Kenny]] (when he died for real in the fifth season), [[WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy Brian Griffin]], [[Film/GodzillaVsDestoroyah Godzilla]], [[Machinima/Supermarioglitchy4sSuperMario64Bloopers Desti]] and Col. Henry Blake, just to name a few. Even though Superman, Spock, Optimus, Kenny and Brian Griffin came back (Kenny dies as a running gag, and almost every subsequent incarnation of Optimus Prime has died and come back to the point fans have been desensitized, fully expect it to happen once per series, and are surprised if it doesn't), Han Solo stands with them.

** Han's death can be likened to the deaths of many other iconic characters, such as [[WesternAnimation/InsideOut Bing Bong]], [[WesternAnimation/{{Bambi}} Bambi's Mother]], [[WesternAnimation/{{Up}} Ellie]], ComicBook/{{Superman}}, [[Film/StarTrekIITheWrathOfKhan Spock]], [[WesternAnimation/TheLionKing1994 Mufasa]], [[WesternAnimation/TheTransformersTheMovie Optimus Prime]], [[Literature/HarryPotter Dumbledore]], [[WesternAnimation/SouthPark Kenny]] (when he died for real in the fifth season), [[WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy Brian Griffin]], [[Film/GodzillaVsDestoroyah Godzilla]], [[Machinima/Supermarioglitchy4sSuperMario64Bloopers Desti]] and Col. Henry Blake, just to name a few. Even though Superman, Spock, Optimus, Kenny and Brian Griffin came back (Kenny dies as a running gag, and almost every subsequent incarnation of Optimus Prime has died and come back to the point fans have been desensitized, fully expect it to happen once per series, and are surprised if it doesn't), Han Solo stands with them.

** Han's death can be likened to the deaths of many other iconic characters, such as [[WesternAnimation/InsideOut Bing Bong]], [[WesternAnimation/{{Bambi}} Bambi's Mother]], [[WesternAnimation/{{Up}} Ellie]], ComicBook/{{Superman}}, [[Film/StarTrekIITheWrathOfKhan Spock]], [[WesternAnimation/TheLionKing1994 Mufasa]], [[WesternAnimation/TheTransformersTheMovie Optimus Prime]], [[Literature/HarryPotter Dumbledore]], [[WesternAnimation/SouthPark Kenny]] (when he died for real in the fifth season), [[WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy Brian Griffin]], [[Film/GodzillaVsDestoroyah Godzilla]], and Col. Henry Blake, just to name a few. Even though Superman, Spock, Optimus, Kenny and Brian Griffin came back (Kenny dies as a running gag, and almost every subsequent incarnation of Optimus Prime has died and come back to the point fans have been desensitized, fully expect it to happen once per series, and are surprised if it doesn't), Han Solo stands with them.

** Han's death can be likened to the deaths of many other iconic characters, such as ComicBook/{{Superman}}, [[Film/StarTrekIITheWrathOfKhan Spock]], [[WesternAnimation/TheLionKing1994 Mufasa]], [[WesternAnimation/TheTransformersTheMovie Optimus Prime]], [[Literature/HarryPotter Dumbledore]], [[WesternAnimation/SouthPark Kenny]] (when he died for real in the fifth season), [[Film/GodzillaVsDestoroyah Godzilla]], and Col. Henry Blake, just to name a few. Even though Superman, Spock, Optimus, and Kenny came back (Kenny dies as a running gag, and almost every subsequent incarnation of Optimus Prime has died and come back to the point fans have been desensitized, fully expect it to happen once per series, and are surprised if it doesn't), Han Solo stands with them.

** Han's death can be likened to the deaths of many other iconic characters, such as ComicBook/{{Superman}}, [[Film/StarTrekIITheWrathOfKhan Spock]], [[WesternAnimation/TheTransformersTheMovie Optimus Prime]], [[Literature/HarryPotter Dumbledore]], [[WesternAnimation/SouthPark Kenny]] (when he died for real in the fifth season), [[Film/GodzillaVsDestoroyah Godzilla]], and Col. Henry Blake, just to name a few. Even though Superman, Spock, Optimus, and Kenny came back (Kenny dies as a running gag, and almost every subsequent incarnation of Optimus Prime has died and come back to the point fans have been desensitized, fully expect it to happen once per series, and are surprised if it doesn't), Han Solo stands with them.

* The revelation that, after much fan speculation, Starkiller Base was in fact the planet Ilum. Having been teased in Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, where the planet sports a giant equatorial trench similar to Starkiller Base, the Visual Dictionary for The Rise of Skywalker officially confirms that Ilum was converted into Starkiller Base by the First Order. Not only is this horrifying enough, it's yet another blow to the Jedi Order as their most sacred and holy site was desecrated and turned into a planet-killing superweapon of mass genocide. Ilum was a peaceful world that went untouched for centuries, save for when eager and excited younglings would journey to the ice world to find the kyber crystal for their lightsaber, and the Empire strip-mined it to the extent that an entire chunk of it's crust was carved out, before the First Order finished the job and installed the superweapon. It makes the destruction of it even more of a gut punch, tempered only slightly by the fact that the Jedi would have wanted it destroyed rather than being used to destroy entire inhabited systems.

** [[https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CYUIGmaUQAAtu3J.jpg Damn...]]

** Han's death can be likened to the deaths of many other iconic characters, such as ComicBook/{{Superman}}, [[Film/StarTrekIITheWrathOfKhan Spock]], [[WesternAnimation/TheTransformersTheMovie Optimus Prime]], [[WesternAnimation/SouthPark Kenny]] (when he died for real in the fifth season), [[Film/GodzillaVsDestoroyah Godzilla]], and Col. Henry Blake, just to name a few. Even though Superman, Spock, Optimus, and Kenny came back (Kenny dies as a running gag, and almost every subsequent incarnation of Optimus Prime has died and come back to the point fans have been desensitized, fully expect it to happen once per series, and are surprised if it doesn't), Han Solo stands with them.

* On Takodana when Han sees [his son from a distance, there is so much sorrow and pain his eyes. It's probably the first time he's seen him in years.

** Han's death can be likened to the deaths of many other iconic characters, such as ComicBook/{{Superman}}, [[Film/StarTrekIITheWrathOfKhan Spock]], [[AnimatedFilm/TheTransformersTheMovie Optimus Prime]], [[WesternAnimation/SouthPark Kenny]] (when he died for real in the fifth season), [[Film/GodzillaVsDestoroyah Godzilla]], and Col. Henry Blake, just to name a few. Even though Superman, Spock, Optimus, and Kenny came back (Kenny dies as a running gag, and almost every subsequent incarnation of Optimus Prime has died and come back to the point fans have been desensitized, fully expect it to happen once per series, and are surprised if it doesn't), Han Solo stands with them.

** The novelization makes it ''worse.'' According to it, instead of feeling stronger, Kylo Ren feels ''significantly weaker because of it''. Just...''[[ManlyTears Goddamn it...]]''