Solo: A Star Wars Story character Enfys Nest is one of the spinoff’s biggest mysteries, as we don’t even know which actor portrayed him (or is it her?) during filming. The galaxy far, far away is a franchise known for its memorable villains, frequently placing figures like Darth Vader and Kylo Ren at the forefront of marketing campaigns. In the case of Solo, however, things have been different. Justifiably focusing on familiar faces like Han, Chewbacca, and Lando Calrissian, the trailers have pushed antagonists like Enfys Nest and Paul Bettany’s Dryden Vos to the back-burner. Both adversaries have been glimpsed in footage and have gotten tie-in merchandise, but the nature of their roles are largely unknown.
Even with Lucasfilm earning a reputation for being notoriously tight-lipped, their handling of Enfys Nest has raised a few eyebrows. As stated above, it hasn’t been officially confirmed what gender the helmeted foe is, but right now that’s the least of fans’ concerns as they try to deduce all they can about Enfys Nest. If you ask the most fervent Star Wars fan you know who is playing the character, you’ll stump them because that information is not available even though the movie comes out in a month (as of this writing).
When the Enfys Nest name was revealed, the studio did not announce an actor for the part. Solo’s IMDb page makes no mention of the character, while background players like “Mud Trooper” and “Sheesha Smoking Guest” are credited. This is obviously part of Lucasfilm’s strategy, so it raises questions as to why they’re intentionally holding this back. The last time something like this happened was way back on The Phantom Menace. In a misguided attempt to hide one of the worst-kept secrets in cinema, Ian McDiarmid was listed only as Senator Palpatine, while Darth Sidious was nowhere to be seen. So what’s the deal with Enfys Nest?
A popular fan theory suggests Qi’ra is actually Enfys in disguise, serving as the twist that transforms Han from idealist to cynic. The evidence supporting this hypothesis is scarce, though. We do know Qi’ra is part of Beckett’s crew (and even introduces Han to Lando), but she may be trying to play both sides. Footage from the Super Bowl TV spot showed Enfys doing battle against Beckett during the Conveyex heist sequence, so he/she factors into what looks to be the movie’s central set piece. Unfortunately, it’s difficult to piece the chronology of Solo at this point in time, meaning we’re not sure where the train robbery takes place in relation to other scenes (like the alleged Kessel Run) where Qi’ra is definitely with Han, or the Western-style showdown between Han and Enfys. All that’s been confirmed is Nest is the leader of the Cloud-Rider gang, which isn’t much to go off of.
It’s possible Enfys is merely a pirate who serves as a threat in Solo, but the extremes Lucasfilm has gone to suggest he/she is something more. In all likelihood, there’s a plot-driven reason to keep Nest’s actor under wraps for this long, as spoilers reads as the only logical reason to never reveal it. Lucasfilm, who knows how to market a Hollywood tentpole better than anybody, wouldn’t be doing themselves any favors to play up this puzzle only for there to be an anti-climactic resolution when Solo opens. If Enfys wasn’t that big of a deal in the story, a performer (or even a voice actor) probably would have been confirmed by now. It’ll be interesting to see how it all plays out.
UPDATE: Following the Solo premiere last night, an official cast list for the movie made its way online (via Stitch Kingdom on Twitter) and Enfys Nest is not mentioned at all on the lineup. The mystery thickens…
MORE: Wait, Who Exactly Is Solo’s Villain?
- Han Solo Release Date: 2018-05-25 Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker Release Date: 2019-12-20
