Corellian Bloodstripe

HanPants-ST — Han Solo's pants, displaying his second-class Bloodstripes.

"They don't give out the Corellian Bloodstripe for perfect attendance."

The Corellian Bloodstripe was an award for conspicuous gallantry given by the Corellian military forces.

Overview

It was awarded most typically for courage demonstrated after deliberation; it was said that Corellians believed that anyone can be brave in the heat of the moment, but true heroism came when one knew that doing the right thing would hurt, but did it anyway. Though they could be awarded for many reasons, the majority of the prestigious awards were awarded for courage under fire.

In everyday dress, the stripe was a bit of colored piping worn down the side of the trousers. There were two classes of Bloodstripes. The second class was represented by yellow piping; the first class was represented by red piping, and were almost always awarded posthumously. Though not formally recognized by the Empire, the Imperial Navy allowed its servicemen recipients to don the award on their uniforms.

Han Solo won both classes of bloodstripes. His second class stripes were rumored to have been earned for the events surrounding his rescue of Chewbacca; his first class stripes were earned during events that have never been disclosed, though apparently the circumstances through which he won them took place over several days. When Solo was cashiered from Imperial service, all the awards and decorations he'd earned were literally and systematically ripped off him. He expected to lose his bloodstripes as well, but was allowed to keep them, apparently because they were awarded by the Corellian military and not the Empire. Some sources say that a Corellian was entitled to kill - without repercussion - any other Corellian caught wearing them that hadn't earned them.

Wraith Squadron and Rogue Squadron pilot Myn Donos also won them during his time as a sniper with the Corellian Special Forces.

It is also possible that the bloodstripes were, on rare occasions, awarded to non-Corellians. Luke Skywalker wore brown pants displaying second-class bloodstripes during the award ceremony on Yavin 4 that followed the battle of the original Death Star, in which he had personally fired the shot that had destroyed the battle station while under fire from pursuing Imperial starfighters.

Mara Jade also wore what appeared to be second-class Corellian bloodstripes during the events leading up to her duel with Kyle Katarn in 10 ABY. The reasons why and circumstances in which she may have been awarded the bloodstripes are not known.