Tharen, Bria

• Appeared in:
  
  I
  II
  III
  IV
  V
  VI
  CW

• Homeworld:
  Corellia

• Species:
  Human

• Gender:
  Female

• Size:
  1.57 meters

• Weapon:
  Blaster pistol

• Vehicle:
  Retribution

• Affiliation:
  Rebel Alliance, Red Hand Squadron

• 

From the Expanded Universe

Han Solo's first love, Bria Tharen had fallen a long way from her privileged Corellian upbringing when he first met her. Tharen was born to a wealthy shipping family in southern Corellia. At a young age, she was arranged to be married to an upper class man of good breeding, but the independent-minded Bria wanted to travel the stars and better herself by studying archeology at the University of Coruscant. She called off the wedding, and went about her studies.

At the age of 17 she fell in with a cult promising the life-changing effects of the "Exultation." During one of their ceremonies, she felt the immense euphoria that she presumed came from communing with a higher power. In truth, it was a sham -- a simple biological reaction to the harmonic stimulations produced by the t'landa Til priests. Addicted to the powerful sensations, Bria followed the cult to its headquarters on Ylesia, where she was enslaved in a spice processing facility.

Even after almost a year of toil, Bria -- now known only as Pilgrim 921 -- believed in the Exultation, until she was shown the truth by the young spice pilot, Han Solo. Solo had become enamored with the beautiful young slave, and had arranged for her to work in the priest's art collection, getting her out of the arduous processing center. There, he revealed the truth of the t'landa Til operation, and freed her from slavery. The two fled Ylesia, with optimistic plans to carve out a new life together.

On Coruscant, Bria abruptly left Solo, breaking his heart. Bria was still facing terrible withdrawal symptoms from being cut off from the Exultation. She sought solitude while she wrestled with her own demons. It was during this time that she became involved in local Corellian resistance movements challenging the Empire. She formed one of the earliest Rebel groups, the Red Hand Squadron, a team of operatives that worked from the Marauder-class corvette, Retribution. The Red Hand quickly grew a reputation for ruthlessness, particularly against slaver groups.

Bria was instrumental in helping forge early Rebel cells. On Cloud City, she met with Alderaanian resistance leaders to urge them to form a Rebel Alliance. She also met with the Wookiee underworld on Kashyyyk. Turning to her contacts in the fringe of society, Bria developed a plan that would wipe out the Ylesia slaving operation while also spreading riches to the smuggler community. She forged a deal with Jabba the Hutt that enabled Rebel soldiers to join with Nar Shaddaa smugglers. For the first time in 10 years, Bria fought alongside Han Solo. Though Solo's heart longed to continue where they left off a decade earlier, Bria double-crossed the smugglers, and stole away with the Ylesian riches to fund the Rebellion.

Bria Tharen and her Red Hand Squadron were the ones who received the Death Star schematics when they were transmitted to Toprawa, and then beamed those plans to Princess Leia Organa aboard the Tantive IV. Imperial forces overran Bria and her Rebel spies. Knowing that she would be tortured if captured, Bria swallowed a poison pill and died before the Imperials could get a hold of her.

Han Solo learned of Bria's death the day before he met Obi-Wan Kenobi and Luke Skywalker in the Mos Eisley Cantina. Boba Fett, of all people, told Solo because he had promised Bria he would make sure her father learned of her death.

Behind the Scenes

Bria Tharen was created for A.C. Crispin's trilogy of Han Solo novels, The Paradise Snare, The Hutt Gambit, and Rebel Dawn. She made a brief appearance in the comics series Underworld: The Yavin Vassilika.