Why has our cultural memory sanctified Han Solo as a model of effortless, macho sexines? Perhaps it’s because historically, male sex appeal has fallen into one of two buckets: hero and, more recently, antihero. Being a male sex symbol generally requires not caring whether anyone thinks you are sexy or capable or cool. So it’s tempting to recall Han as an irresistible, swashbuckling scoundrel. And Han certainly would like that. But the real Han cares a lot what people think. His need for approval peeks through his tough facade with each carefully flippant remark and every laughable self-contradiction. His appeal is rooted in his insecurity and vulernability. So Ford’s Han is actually something a lot more interesting than today’s much-publicized “antiheroes”: he is someone who desperately wants to be seen as the sexy antihero, but is in fact just human—a fumbling, sweet, earnest goober.