How Leia and Han Got Engaged in the Expanded Universe Was Even Weirder

To talk about the wedding of Han and Leia in the Star Wars EU, you have to—simply have to—talk about the run-up to it, because it involved one of the wildest, most weirdly charming, most utterly bananas novels in the entire history of the old Star Wars book series: Dave Wolverton’s 1994 novel The Courtship of Princess Leia.

Longtime io9 fans will know just how spectacularly bizarre this novel is, but for those unfamiliar, The Courtship of Princess Leia is not actually really about Han and Leia’s engagement at first, but her planned wedding to… Prince Isolder, a powerful member of the royal family presiding over the Hapes Cluster—a vital star system the New Republic is trying to get on its side, so they’re more than happen to just ship Leia off to a political marriage. Naturally, Han loses his shit, wins a planet in a depression-induced card game, kidnaps Leia and takes her to the planet, there’s a whole big fight with the spectacularly named Imperial Warlord Zsinj. Luke Skywalker and the aforementioned Prince Isolder team up to for the silliest buddy cop side-plot conceivable, C-3PO sings a song about Han’s sexual prowess (“Solo! He’s every princess’ dream…”).

Oh, did we mention the planet Han wins is Dathomir? That Dathomir, which debuted here? The one with the Force Witches that have now become a very important part of Star Wars canon thanks to Darth Maul and Asajj Ventress’ backstory in The Clone Wars? And in an attempt to woo Leia back from Isolder he offers to make it a new home for Alderaanian refugees? The Courtship of Princess Leia truly must be read to be believed, and for as incredibly silly as it is, it was a surprisingly influential book in the old EU—even beyond the fact that it, of course, culminates in Han and Leia getting married. Again.