[Rockingham]

Han shooting first was clear enough in the original film that some critics at the time saw it as a tacit endorsement of right-wing, NRA, Dirty Harry thinking about defensive gun use.

To appease the critics, Lucas did his best to make the issue disappear by removing the proof -- and thereby protected his immensely profitable Star Wars toy sales from boycotts by the gun control crowd and their allies in the news media.

Similarly, in later years, Spielberg expressed regret that in Raiders he had Indiana Jones pull out his gun and shoot a sword wielding adversary.

I am cynical enough to think that these adjustments and some cash to the gun control groups were negotiated behind the scenes.

[dfwgator]

Lucas said that he based the rebels in Star Wars on The Viet Cong.

[chaosagent]

Similarly, in later years, Spielberg expressed regret that in Raiders he had Indiana Jones pull out his gun and shoot a sword wielding adversary.

I always heard that the gun thing was because Harrison Ford was ill and just wanted to end the scene. And that originally he was supposed to fight the sword guy with his whip