Alas Poor Greedo. I Not Knew Him.

While checking out which bands were playing at this weekend's Fell's Point Fun Festival, I came across a band called Poor Greedo.


Poor Greedo the band

I know nothing about them (I know nothing about most contemporary bands on the local circuit) (in fact, I know nothing in general!), but when I asked a co-worker "Who's Poor Greedo?" she started laughing. "What a great name," she said. "That was one of those disposable aliens in Star Wars."



Poor Greedo the disposable (and poseable) LEGO alien

OK, I only saw the first three Star Wars movies (full disclosure: and I even saw the horrendous Star Wars Holiday Special!) - and really liked the first two - but I'm not Star Wars expert, and I certainly didn't remember the Greedo character or his shootout scene with Han Solo in Chalman's Cantina in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope (1977). But apparently, I am alone. There's even a Wookieepedia entry for Greedo! According to this fact-filled site, "Greedo, son of Greedo the Elder, was a Rodian bounty hunter. He lived in Mos Espa alongside the young Anakin Skywalker and W. Wald circa 32 BBY. Although his father had been an esteemed hunter, and the chief rival of Navik the Red, the younger Greedo had little of his father's prowess and was easily killed by Han Solo in Chalmun's Cantina on Tatooine."

OK, now I remember. But I had no idea there was such a cult following for Greedo's Cantina shoutout scene in Star Wars - and such controversy over who shot first. You see, Lucas-the-anal-historical-revisionist went back to re-edit the scene in 1997 to make it appear that Han Solo was merely defending himself when he blasted Greedo, sparking Original Version Purists (OVPs) to shout "Han shot first!" whenever the edited scene (as shown below) played.

Watch Han shoot first.

In 1977, Han shot first (very first!)

Now watch Greedo shoot first.

In 1997, First Responder Han Solo shot second

OK, but when I tried to find music videos of the band Poor Greedo, the first thing that came up on YouTube was this LEGO reeanactment of the Cantina Calamity, which is pretty funny (not to mention most curious)!

Watch the LEGO reenactment of Han Solo vs. Greedo.


Obviously, this issue of whether Han Solo was acting in self-defense or committed manslaughter matters to a lot of people (and especially to George Lucas!).

I still don't know from Poor Greedo's music. But, going by their name, I suspect they believe Han Solo shot first!