While Space: 1999. A more traditional, flying saucer-like design was employed and its crew reduced - with Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew) at the helm.
While Solo tends to be seen as the Falcon’s de-facto owner, the ship’s evident wear-and-tear suggested years of prior service; pointing to a larger backstory that would later be explained in minute detail by every Tom, Dick, and Harry to get their hands on the sprawling franchise. Add to that backstory an ongoing narrative, and the Falcon’s history is as rich as any living character in the Star Wars universe. The Millennium Falcon has, thus far, appeared in eight feature films, along with countless appearances in various spin-off materials, and you’d be hard-pressed to find a more recognizable spaceship in all of fiction.
In-universe, the Millennium Falcon was a YT-1300f light freighter ship and can briefly be seen performing its early duties in Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith. During the Clone Wars, its ownership changed hands and the ship was christened the Stellar Envoy by of the Republic Group, becoming a military vehicle for the first time in its long history. After a collision, the Envoy was badly damaged but was later repaired - coming into the possession of its first notable owner...
Lando Calrissian
Solo: A Star Wars Story). The ship’s new owner? Han flippin’ Solo.
Played by Donald Glover in Solo and the mighty Billy Dee Williams in the Skywalker Saga, Lando is a fan-favorite character; from smuggler to rebel hero; and recently reappeared in Pirates of the Caribbean franchise) and forms the backbone for a lot of their shared banter.
Han Solo
As stated, Han Solo won the Falcon from Lando in a game of Sabacc - utilizing it as part of his own smuggling enterprise, alongside shaggy co-pilot Chewbacca. Like Lando, Han modified the Falcon to better suit his needs and continued to transport stolen/illegal goods before being hired by Obi-Wan Kenobi (Alec Guinness) and Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) for age to Alderaan. Things went south pretty quickly, and… well… Star Wars happened.
Played by Alden Ehrenreich in Solo and Harrison Ford in the Skywalker Saga, Han’s wry wit and anarchic methods are among the series best moments; though it’s his close bond with Chewbacca that truly affects an audience. The bad boy with a heart of gold, Han was also a natural romantic lead - pairing with Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens.
Gannis Ducain
While Han owned the Millennium Falcon for the longest, it’s a dubious achievement at best - with the ship regularly hijacked, leaving Han and Chewie to re-possess it on various occasions. Gannis Ducain was one such hijacker; a Kajain'sa'Nikto arms smuggler (the same species that Luke sliced up on Jabba’s sailing barge in Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi), who stole the Falcon, only for it to be stolen again by the Irving Boys.
First mentioned in the novel Smuggler's Run: A Han Solo & Chewbacca Adventure by Greg Rucka, Gannis later appeared in Star Wars Adventures #18 and is mentioned in various spin-off materials. After losing the Falcon, Gannis experienced a change of heart and ed the Resistance - accompanying Finn (John Boyega) in a recruitment mission, as detailed in Star Wars Adventures #32.
Irving Boys
As stated, the Irving Boys - Vanver and Toursant - stole the Millennium Falcon from Gannis Ducain, who stole it from Han, before it was stolen yet again by junk boss Unkar Plutt (Simon Pegg). Though Vanver and Toursant Irving have yet to appear in any Star Wars media, they are mentioned in various spin-off projects, said to have made dodgy alterations to the Falcon which Chewbacca would later rectify. Like Gannis Ducain, the Irving Boys were first mentioned in Smuggler’s Run.
Unkar Plutt
Unkar Plutt stole the Millennium Falcon from the Irving Boys, storing it on Jakku with the intention of finding a buyer before Rey, Finn, and BB-8 commandeered the ship to escape the First Order. Plutt was a Crolute junk boss, based at the Niima Outpost on Jakku, and regularly undercut scavengers (including Rey), lording over their lives with an iron fist. Played by Simon Pegg in The Force Awakens, Plutt was due to re-appear after the sequence on Jakku, catching up with Rey and having his arm ripped off by Chewbacca, but the scene was cut. Later, it was included in the films’ novelization - a reference to Han Solo’s line in A New Hope, starting “It’s not wise to upset a Wookiee” and ending with the threat of dismemberment.
Rey Skywalker
Rey, an orphan and scavenger, stole the Millennium Falcon from Unkar Plutt in order to escape a First Order attack - later crossing paths with Han and Chewbacca as they re-capture the Falcon. Initially mistaking Rey, Finn, and BB-8 as common thieves, Han and Chewie quickly discover that they are part of the Resistance and agree to assist them in their quest to bring a map that would reveal Luke Skywalker’s location (stored within BB-8) to Leia and co. After Han’s death, the Falcon’s ownership is a little hazy - though Chewbacca generally continued as its pilot - until Rey is seen flying alone at the end of Rise of Skywalker.
Played by Daisy Ridley in the sequel trilogy, Rey was controversial among the fanbase with many unable to empathize with Ridley’s performance beyond The Force Awakens. Seemingly intended to mark a change in the Star Wars formula, unrelated to the original trilogy, Disney got cold feet - revealing that Rey is Palpatine’s granddaughter and, in a widely derided scene, takes the name “Skywalker” for no discernible reason, prompting accusations that it was no more than an injection of nostalgia that means very little in the context of the narrative at hand.
