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Chewbacca ( ), nicknamed "Chewie", is a fictional character in the ''
Star Wars ''Star Wars'' is an American epic film, epic space opera multimedia franchise created by George Lucas, which began with the Star Wars (film), eponymous 1977 film and quickly became a worldwide popular culture, pop-culture Cultural impact of S ...
'' franchise. He is a
Wookiee Wookiees () are fictional humanoid aliens in the ''Star Wars'' universe, native to the forest planet Kashyyyk. They are distinguished from humans by their gigantism, hirsutism, and physical strength. The most prominent Wookiee is Chewbacca, c ...
, a tall, hirsute, bipedal, intelligent species originating from the fictional planet of
Kashyyyk Wookiees () are fictional humanoid aliens in the ''Star Wars'' universe, native to the forest planet Kashyyyk. They are distinguished from humans by their gigantism, hirsutism, and physical strength. The most prominent Wookiee is Chewbacca, c ...
. Chewbacca is the loyal friend and
first mate A chief mate (C/M) or chief officer, usually also synonymous with the first mate or first officer, is a licensed mariner and head of the deck department of a merchant ship. The chief mate is customarily a watchstander and is in charge of the ship ...
of
Han Solo Han Solo is a fictional character in the '' Star Wars'' franchise created by George Lucas. The character first appeared in the 1977 film '' Star Wars'' portrayed by Harrison Ford, who reprised his role in ''The Empire Strikes Back'' (1980) an ...
, and serves as
co-pilot In aviation, the first officer (FO), also called co-pilot, is the pilot who is second-in-command of the aircraft to the captain, who is the legal commander. In the event of incapacitation of the captain, the first officer will assume command o ...
on Solo's spaceship, the ''
Millennium Falcon The ''Millennium Falcon'' is a fictional starship in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. Designed by Joe Johnston for the movie ''Star Wars'' (1977), it has subsequently appeared in '' The Star Wars Holiday Special'' (1978), ''The Empire Strikes Back ...
''; together they help the
Rebel Alliance The Alliance to Restore the Republic (colloquial: Rebel Alliance; the Rebellion; the Alliance; or the Rebels) is a fictional stateless interstellar coalition of republican dissidents, imperial defectors, revolutionary factions and anti-imperial ...
defeat the
Galactic Empire Galactic empires are a common trope used in science fantasy and science fiction, particularly in works known as 'space operas'. Many authors have either used a galaxy-spanning empire as background or written about the growth and/or decline of s ...
and restore freedom to the galaxy. In the
original trilogy The original ''Star Wars'' trilogy, formerly marketed as the ''Star Wars'' Trilogy (and colloquially referred to as the 'original trilogy'), is the first set of three films produced in the ''Star Wars'' franchise, an American space opera cre ...
, Chewbacca is portrayed by
Peter Mayhew Peter William Mayhew (19 May 1944 – 30 April 2019) was a British-American actor. He was best known for portraying Chewbacca in the ''Star Wars'' film series. He played the character in all of his live-action appearances from the 1977 origin ...
. Mayhew shares the role with his body double,
Joonas Suotamo Joonas Viljami Suotamo (; born 3 October 1986) is a Finnish actor and former professional basketball player. He is best known for his role as Chewbacca in the ''Star Wars'' saga, taking over the role from Peter Mayhew, first as a body double, wit ...
, in the first episode of the
sequel trilogy The ''Star Wars'' sequel trilogy is the third trilogy of the main ''Star Wars'' franchise, an American space opera created by George Lucas. It is produced by Lucasfilm Ltd. and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. The trilogy ...
, '' Star Wars: The Force Awakens''. Suotamo took over the role in the next episode, ''
The Last Jedi ''Star Wars: The Last Jedi'' (also known as ''Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi'') is a 2017 American epic space opera film written and directed by Rian Johnson. Produced by Lucasfilm and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pict ...
,'' and reprised it in the anthology film '' Solo: A Star Wars Story'' and the final sequel trilogy film, ''
The Rise of Skywalker ''Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker'' (also known as ''Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker'') is a 2019 American epic space opera film produced, , and directed by J. J. Abrams. Produced by Lucasfilm and Abrams' production ...
''. The character has also appeared in numerous works within the Expanded Universe, consisting of television series, books, comics, and video games.


Character

Chewbacca, a 200-year-old
Wookiee Wookiees () are fictional humanoid aliens in the ''Star Wars'' universe, native to the forest planet Kashyyyk. They are distinguished from humans by their gigantism, hirsutism, and physical strength. The most prominent Wookiee is Chewbacca, c ...
, becomes a young
Han Solo Han Solo is a fictional character in the '' Star Wars'' franchise created by George Lucas. The character first appeared in the 1977 film '' Star Wars'' portrayed by Harrison Ford, who reprised his role in ''The Empire Strikes Back'' (1980) an ...
's companion after they both escape Imperial captivity on Mimban. After a series of adventures on Vandor and Kessel, Chewbacca embarks on the smuggling trade, serving as Han's co-pilot on the ''Millennium Falcon'' for the rest of Han's life.Chewbacca Profile
, at StarWars.com. Retrieved May 30, 2018.
Standing tall, Chewbacca is covered with long hair and wears only a
bandolier A bandolier or a bandoleer is a pocketed belt for holding either individual bullets, or belts of ammunition. It is usually slung sash-style over the shoulder and chest, with the ammunition pockets across the midriff and chest. Though functio ...
. His weapon of choice is the Wookiee bowcaster (a
crossbow A crossbow is a ranged weapon using an elastic launching device consisting of a bow-like assembly called a ''prod'', mounted horizontally on a main frame called a ''tiller'', which is hand-held in a similar fashion to the stock of a long fi ...
-shaped
directed-energy weapon A directed-energy weapon (DEW) is a ranged weapon that damages its target with highly focused energy without a solid projectile, including lasers, microwaves, particle beams, and sound beams. Potential applications of this technology include we ...
). Chewbacca speaks only in his native language, Shyriiwook (which sounds like animal sound growls); he is able to understand English, but is physically unable to speak it. Han Solo, likewise, also understands Shyriiwook perfectly. Chewbacca was named one of the "greatest
sidekick A sidekick is a slang expression for a close companion or colleague (not necessarily in fiction) who is, or is generally regarded as, subordinate to the one they accompany. Some well-known fictional sidekicks are Don Quixote's Sancho Panza, ...
s" in film history by ''
Entertainment Weekly ''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular cul ...
''.


In other countries

In
France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
, in the original ''Star Wars'' film, his name was changed to "Chiktabba" and his nickname to "Chiko", because the English name was similar to "chewing tobacco", which in French is "tabac à mâcher" or "tabac à chiquer", similar to "Chiquetabac". In the other films, his name was "Chewbacca". In the
Italian-language Italian (''italiano'' or ) is a Romance language of the Indo-European language family that evolved from the Vulgar Latin of the Roman Empire. Together with Sardinian, Italian is the least divergent language from Latin. Spoken by about 85 m ...
editions, Chewbacca is named "Chewbecca" () and is nicknamed "Chewbe" ().


Creation

Chewbacca's creation as a "gentle, hairy, non-English-speaking co-pilot" was inspired by
George Lucas George Walton Lucas Jr. (born May 14, 1944) is an American filmmaker. Lucas is best known for creating the ''Star Wars'' and ''Indiana Jones'' franchises and founding Lucasfilm, LucasArts, Industrial Light & Magic and THX. He served as chairm ...
seeing his own dog sitting up on the passenger seat of his car. It is said that Chewbacca's name is derived from ''собака'' (sobaka), the
Russian Russian(s) refers to anything related to Russia, including: *Russians (, ''russkiye''), an ethnic group of the East Slavic peoples, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries *Rossiyane (), Russian language term for all citizens and peo ...
word for ''dog''. In his first six screen appearances, Chewbacca was played by
Peter Mayhew Peter William Mayhew (19 May 1944 – 30 April 2019) was a British-American actor. He was best known for portraying Chewbacca in the ''Star Wars'' film series. He played the character in all of his live-action appearances from the 1977 origin ...
, who was chosen for his height of 7'3" (2.2 m).''The Characters of Star Wars'' Star Wars Original Trilogy DVD Box Set: Bonus Materials Five similar costumes were created for Mayhew: in the three original films and a holiday special, the suits were made of
yak The domestic yak (''Bos grunniens''), also known as the Tartary ox, grunting ox or hairy cattle, is a species of long-haired domesticated cattle found throughout the Himalayan region of the Indian subcontinent, the Tibetan Plateau, Kachin Sta ...
hair and
mohair Mohair (pronounced ) is a fabric or yarn made from the hair of the Angora goat. (This should not be confused with Angora wool, which is made from the fur of the Angora rabbit.) Both durable and resilient, mohair is notable for its high luster ...
. In ''
Revenge of the Sith Revenge is committing a harmful action against a person or group in response to a grievance, be it real or perceived. Francis Bacon described revenge as a kind of "wild justice" that "does... offend the law ndputteth the law out of office." Pr ...
'' (2005), the suit was made of more comfortable materials, though Mayhew's filming only lasted a day. Only Mayhew's blue eyes could be seen in his costume, but fans easily recognize him by his gestures, and his co-workers claimed the ability to tell when a stand-in was taking his place.Peter Mayhew Biography
at Screenrush. Retrieved January 8, 2009.
For ''
The Force Awakens ''Star Wars: The Force Awakens'' (also known as ''Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens'') is a 2015 American epic space opera film produced, co-written, and directed by J. J. Abrams. The sequel to ''Return of the Jedi'' (1983) ...
'', the role was also shared by
Joonas Suotamo Joonas Viljami Suotamo (; born 3 October 1986) is a Finnish actor and former professional basketball player. He is best known for his role as Chewbacca in the ''Star Wars'' saga, taking over the role from Peter Mayhew, first as a body double, wit ...
, who subsequently portrayed the character in later screen appearances after Mayhew's retirement. Chewbacca's voice was created by the original films'
sound designer In physics, sound is a vibration that propagates as an acoustic wave, through a transmission medium such as a gas, liquid or solid. In human physiology and psychology, sound is the ''reception'' of such waves and their ''perception'' by the ...
,
Ben Burtt Benjamin Burtt Jr. (born July 12, 1948) is an American sound designer, film director and editor, screenwriter, and voice actor. As a sound designer, his credits include the ''Star Wars'' and ''Indiana Jones'' film series, ''Invasion of the Body ...
, from recordings of
walrus The walrus (''Odobenus rosmarus'') is a large pinniped, flippered marine mammal with a discontinuous distribution about the North Pole in the Arctic Ocean and subarctic seas of the Northern Hemisphere. The walrus is the only living species in ...
es,
lions The lion (''Panthera leo'') is a large cat of the genus ''Panthera'' native to Africa and India. It has a muscular, broad-chested body; short, rounded head; round ears; and a hairy tuft at the end of its tail. It is sexually dimorphic; adult ...
,
camel A camel (from: la, camelus and grc-gre, κάμηλος (''kamēlos'') from Hebrew or Phoenician: גָמָל ''gāmāl''.) is an even-toed ungulate in the genus ''Camelus'' that bears distinctive fatty deposits known as "humps" on its back. C ...
s,
bears Bears are carnivoran mammals of the family Ursidae. They are classified as caniforms, or doglike carnivorans. Although only eight species of bears are extant, they are widespread, appearing in a wide variety of habitats throughout the North ...
,
rabbits Rabbits, also known as bunnies or bunny rabbits, are small mammals in the family Leporidae (which also contains the hares) of the order Lagomorpha (which also contains the pikas). ''Oryctolagus cuniculus'' includes the European rabbit specie ...
,
tigers The tiger (''Panthera tigris'') is the largest living cat species and a member of the genus ''Panthera''. It is most recognisable for its dark vertical stripes on orange fur with a white underside. An apex predator, it primarily preys on un ...
, and
badger Badgers are short-legged omnivores in the family Mustelidae (which also includes the otters, wolverines, martens, minks, polecats, weasels, and ferrets). Badgers are a polyphyletic rather than a natural taxonomic grouping, being united b ...
s in Burtt's personal
menagerie A menagerie is a collection of captive animals, frequently exotic, kept for display; or the place where such a collection is kept, a precursor to the modern Zoo, zoological garden. The term was first used in 17th-century France, in reference to ...
. The individual recordings were mixed at different ratios for Chewbacca's different utterances. One of the most prominent elements in the voice was a
black bear Black bear or Blackbear may refer to: Animals * American black bear (''Ursus americanus''), a North American bear species * Asian black bear (''Ursus thibetanus''), an Asian bear species Music * Black Bear (band), a Canadian First Nations group ...
named Tarik, from
Happy Hollow Zoo Happy Hollow Park & Zoo is a small zoo and amusement park in San Jose, California, which originally opened in 1961. It was closed in 2008 for major renovations, and opened its gates again on March 20, 2010. Happy Hollow Park & Zoo is an accred ...
in
San Jose, California San Jose, officially San José (; ; ), is a major city in the U.S. state of California that is the cultural, financial, and political center of Silicon Valley and largest city in Northern California by both population and area. With a 2020 popul ...
. The original costume was created by
Stuart Freeborn Stuart Freeborn (5 September 1914 – 5 February 2013) was a British motion picture make-up artist. He has been referred to as the "grandfather of modern make-up design" and is perhaps best known for his work on the original '' Star Wars' ...
and his wife Kay Freeborn, who hand-knitted the torso section. During preproduction of ''The Force Awakens'', Creature Effects Supervisor
Neal Scanlan Neal Scanlan (born 1961) is a British special effects artist and make-up artist, best known for his work on the Star Wars sequel trilogy and Anthology films. He won an Academy Award for Best Visual Effects for ''Babe'' in 1996. Selected filmogr ...
commented that the original suit was far more sophisticated than they had originally realized, leading him to entirely scrap their first attempt at making the new suit, go back and study Freeborn's work in order to better appreciate how it worked, and attempt to emulate it.


Appearances


Skywalker saga


Original trilogy

First appearing in ''Star Wars'' (1977), Chewbacca and Han Solo accept a charter to take
Luke Skywalker Luke Skywalker is a fictional character and the protagonist of the original film trilogy of the ''Star Wars'' franchise created by George Lucas. Portrayed by Mark Hamill, Luke first appeared in ''Star Wars'' (1977), and he returned in ''The ...
,
Obi-Wan Kenobi Obi-Wan Kenobi () is a fictional Character (arts), character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. Within the Star Wars original trilogy, original trilogy, Obi-Wan is a Jedi Master as a supporting character and is portrayed by English actor Alec Guinn ...
, and droids
C-3PO C-3PO () or See-Threepio is a humanoid robot character in the '' Star Wars'' franchise who appears in the original trilogy, the prequel trilogy and the sequel trilogy. Built by Anakin Skywalker, was designed as a protocol droid intended to as ...
and
R2-D2 R2-D2 () or Artoo-Detoo is a fictional robot character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise created by George Lucas. He has appeared in ten of the eleven theatrical ''Star Wars'' films to date. At various points throughout the course of the films, R2, ...
to the planet
Alderaan Alderaan () is a fictional planet featured in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. It is blue-green in appearance, depicted as a terrestrial planet with humanoid inhabitants, and characterized by a peaceful culture. It is the home planet of Princess Lei ...
aboard their ship, the ''
Millennium Falcon The ''Millennium Falcon'' is a fictional starship in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. Designed by Joe Johnston for the movie ''Star Wars'' (1977), it has subsequently appeared in '' The Star Wars Holiday Special'' (1978), ''The Empire Strikes Back ...
''. When they find the planet destroyed by the
Death Star The Death Star is a fictional space station and Weapon of mass destruction, superweapon featured in the ''Star Wars'' Space opera, space-opera franchise. Constructed by the autocratic Galactic Empire (Star Wars), Galactic Empire, the Death Star ...
, the two smugglers help their passengers rescue
Princess Leia Princess Leia Organa is a fictional character and one of the main protagonists in the ''Star Wars'' franchise, portrayed in films by Carrie Fisher. Introduced in the Star Wars (film), original ''Star Wars'' film in 1977, Leia is princess of th ...
and take her to the Rebel base on
Yavin 4 Yavin (also known as "Yavin Prime", to distinguish it from its moons) is a fictional planet in the ''Star Wars'' galaxy. It first appeared in the 1977 film ''Star Wars'' and is depicted as a large red gas giant with an extensive satellite syste ...
. In the film's climactic battle scene, Chewbacca and Han save Luke from being killed by
Darth Vader Darth Vader is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. The character is the central antagonist of the original trilogy and, as Anakin Skywalker, is one of the main protagonists in the prequel trilogy. ''Star Wars'' creator George ...
and give him time to destroy the
Death Star The Death Star is a fictional space station and Weapon of mass destruction, superweapon featured in the ''Star Wars'' Space opera, space-opera franchise. Constructed by the autocratic Galactic Empire (Star Wars), Galactic Empire, the Death Star ...
. In the film's final scene, Princess Leia acknowledges Chewbacca alongside Luke and Han. In ''
The Empire Strikes Back ''The Empire Strikes Back'' (also known as ''Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back'') is a 1980 American epic film, epic space opera film directed by Irvin Kershner from a screenplay by Leigh Brackett and Lawrence Kasdan, based o ...
'' (1980), set three years later, Chewbacca tries to leave the Rebellion along with Han in order to repay Jabba, but is drawn back into the war when the Empire invaded the Rebel base on
Hoth Hoth is an ice planet in the ''Star Wars'' fictional universe. It first appeared in the 1980 film ''The Empire Strikes Back'' and has also been a setting in ''Star Wars'' books and video games. Description Hoth is the sixth planet of a remote s ...
. Chewbacca and the other protagonists seek refuge on Cloud City with Han's old friend
Lando Calrissian Landonis Balthazar "Lando" Calrissian III is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. He was introduced in ''The Empire Strikes Back'' (1980) as an old friend of Han Solo and the administrator of the floating Cloud City on the gas p ...
, unaware that Lando has betrayed them to the Empire. Chewbacca finds a dismantled C-3PO, blasted by an
Imperial stormtrooper Stormtrooper are soldiers in the fictional ''Star Wars'' franchise created by George Lucas. Introduced in '' Star Wars: A New Hope'' (1977), the stormtroopers are the shock troops/ space marines of the autocratic Galactic Empire, under the ...
, in a junk pile, and rescues him from being melted down. He tries to repair him, to no avail, shortly before Vader takes Chewbacca and the others prisoner. Before Han is frozen in carbonite, he asks Chewbacca to look after Leia for him. When Lando is able to save Leia and Chewbacca from being taken to Vader's ship, he uncuffs the Wookiee, who upon release starts strangling him for selling them out. When Lando explains that they still have a chance to save Han, Leia has Chewbacca stop choking him. Even though they are unsuccessful at saving the frozen Han, they make it back to the ''Falcon'' with R2-D2. Chewbacca carries C-3PO on his back throughout their escape to the ''Falcon''. When Leia hears Luke's cry for help, she has Chewbacca turn the ship around to rescue him. In the film's final scene, Chewbacca joins the others in preparing to rescue Han from Jabba. In ''
Return of the Jedi ''Return of the Jedi'' (also known as ''Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi'' is a 1983 American epic space opera film directed by Richard Marquand. The screenplay is by Lawrence Kasdan and George Lucas from a story by Lucas, who ...
'' (1983), Chewbacca pretends to be the prisoner of a bounty hunter named Boushh, who is actually Leia in disguise. Chewbacca helps Leia, Luke and the others rescue Han and escape. Later, he goes with the others to the forest moon of
Endor Endor or Ein Dor may refer to: Places * Endor (village), from the Hebrew Bible, a Canaanite village where the Witch of Endor lived * Indur, a Palestinian village depopulated during the 1948 Arab-Israeli war * Ein Dor, a Kibbutz in modern Israel Fi ...
on a mission to destroy the second Death Star's shield generator, and is instrumental in the mission's success by commandeering an AT-ST walker. At the end of the film, Chewbacca joins the other Rebels in celebrating the destruction of the Death Star and the downfall of the Empire.


Prequel trilogy

In the 2005 prequel film '' Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith'', Chewbacca and
Tarfful This incomplete list of characters from the ''Star Wars'' franchise contains only those which are considered part of the official ''Star Wars'' canon, as of the changes made by Lucasfilm in April 2014. Following its acquisition by The Walt Dis ...
fight in the
Clone Wars Clone Wars may refer to: Star Wars Film and television * ''Star Wars: Clone Wars'' (2003 TV series), an American animated television series set in the ''Star Wars'' galaxy * ''Star Wars: The Clone Wars'' (2008 TV series), an American 3D CGI anim ...
when their planet,
Kashyyyk Wookiees () are fictional humanoid aliens in the ''Star Wars'' universe, native to the forest planet Kashyyyk. They are distinguished from humans by their gigantism, hirsutism, and physical strength. The most prominent Wookiee is Chewbacca, c ...
, is invaded by the Separatist Alliance. They also help
Yoda Yoda () is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' universe, first appearing in the 1980 film ''The Empire Strikes Back''. He is a small, green humanoid alien who is powerful with the Force and is a leading member of the Jedi Order until ...
escape the clone troopers that had been ordered to kill him. Chewbacca is not identified until Yoda says goodbye to him at the end of a scene.


Sequel trilogy

On April 7, 2014, it was confirmed that Mayhew would reprise his role as Chewbacca in '' Star Wars: The Force Awakens''. In the film, set 30 years after ''Return of the Jedi'', he and Han are piloting a cargo vessel and find the ''Millennium Falcon'', which had been stolen from them. Chewbacca and Han help the rogue
First Order In mathematics and other formal sciences, first-order or first order most often means either: * "linear" (a polynomial of degree at most one), as in first-order approximation and other calculus uses, where it is contrasted with "polynomials of high ...
stormtrooper Finn, the scavenger
Rey Rey may refer to: *Rey (given name), a given name *Rey (surname), a surname * Rey (''Star Wars''), a character in the ''Star Wars'' films * Rey, Iran, a city in Iran * Ray County, in Tehran Province of Iran * ''Rey'' (film), a 2015 Indian film *The ...
and the droid
BB-8 BB-8 (or Beebee-Ate) is a droid character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. He appeared in the three films of the sequel trilogy, '' Star Wars: The Force Awakens'' (2015), '' Star Wars: The Last Jedi'' (2017), and '' Star Wars: The Rise of Skywa ...
escape from a gang of mercenaries on board the ''Falcon''. They then fly to
Maz Kanata Maz Kanata is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. Introduced in the 2015 film '' Star Wars: The Force Awakens'', she is a computer-generated imagery character voiced and performed through motion capture by Lupita Nyong'o. Maz, a ...
's castle so that Maz can help them get BB-8 to the
Resistance Resistance may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Comics * Either of two similarly named but otherwise unrelated comic book series, both published by Wildstorm: ** ''Resistance'' (comics), based on the video game of the same title ** ''T ...
. Before Chewbacca and the others can get Maz's help, however, the First Order attacks the castle and captures Rey while Chewbacca, Finn, and Han are saved by
X-wing The X-wing starfighter is a name applied to a family of fictional spacecraft manufactured by the Incom Corporation from the ''Star Wars'' franchise. Named for the distinctive shape made when its s-foils (wings) are in attack position, the X-win ...
pilots led by
Poe Dameron Poe Dameron is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. Introduced in the 2015 film '' Star Wars: The Force Awakens'', he is portrayed by Oscar Isaac. Poe is an X-wing fighter pilot for the Resistance who inadvertently brings renega ...
. Without Rey, they fly to a Resistance base, where Chewbacca and Han reunite with Leia, C-3PO, and R2-D2. They also soon reunite with Rey, who escaped from the First Order. Chewbacca helps in the fight between the Resistance and the First Order. When Han is killed by his son
Kylo Ren Kylo Ren is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. He first appeared as the main antagonist of ''The Force Awakens (2015)'', in which he is portrayed by Adam Driver. Driver reprised his role in the sequel films '' Star Wars: The ...
during the battle, an enraged Chewbacca shoots Ren in the side, and sets off explosives that allow Poe and other X-wing pilots to destroy Starkiller Base, the First Order's planet-converted superweapon. Chewbacca shortly thereafter rescues Rey and Finn from the wilderness of Starkiller Base following their duel with Ren. As Starkiller Base blows up, Chewbacca escapes in the ''Falcon'' with Finn and Rey, and later, along with R2-D2, helps Rey find Luke on the planet Ahch-To. Chewbacca returns in '' Star Wars: The Last Jedi,'' which takes place immediately after ''The Force Awakens''. He attempts to convince Luke to train Rey as a Jedi and defeat the First Order, though Luke refuses. Chewbacca is seen in and around the ''Falcon'' throughout the Ahch-To scenes, where he develops a relationship with the planet's indigenous seabirds known as Porgs. Later on, Chewbacca and Rey set off on the ''Falcon'' to
Supreme Leader Snoke Supreme Leader Snoke is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. He was created by J. J. Abrams, Lawrence Kasdan, and Michael Arndt for the 2015 film '' Star Wars: The Force Awakens'', in which he is introduced as the Supreme Leader ...
's ''Mega''-class Star Dreadnought ''Supremacy'', during Rey's attempt to turn Kylo Ren back to the light. Chewbacca later helps the Resistance fight the First Order's army; he pilots the ''Falcon'' as part of a plan to distract the First Order TIE fighters. After Rey and Luke defeat the First Order, Chewbacca is seen along with the rest of the Resistance as the ''Falcon'' flies away from the battle. Chewbacca appears in ''The Rise of Skywalker'', now played solely by Suotamo. Chewbacca accompanies Rey, Finn, Poe, and C-3PO to the planet Passana, where they search for a clue to the location of a Sith wayfinder. With the help of Lando Calrissian, they locate the clue - a dagger with Sith inscriptions - but are quickly found by the First Order. As Rey confronts Kylo Ren, Chewbacca, who has the dagger, is captured by the Knights of Ren and taken aboard a transport to the ''Resurgent''-class Star Destroyer ''Steadfast''. Believing him to be on a different transport, Rey and Ren both use
the Force The Force is a metaphysical and ubiquitous power in the '' Star Wars'' fictional universe. "Force-sensitive" characters use the Force throughout the franchise. Heroes like the Jedi seek to "become one with the Force", matching their personal wi ...
to pull it down, with Rey accidentally using
Force lightning The Force is a metaphysical and ubiquitous power in the '' Star Wars'' fictional universe. "Force-sensitive" characters use the Force throughout the franchise. Heroes like the Jedi seek to "become one with the Force", matching their personal wi ...
to destroy the ship; Rey is deeply shaken when she believes she has killed Chewbacca, and his "death" motivates the others to continue the mission in his memory. Chewbacca is in reality taken to the command ship, where he is questioned about his friends' whereabouts; Rey senses his presence when the ship arrives on Kijimi, and Finn and Poe stow aboard the ship to rescue him. Later on, after Rey abandons them on Kef-Bir, they return to the Resistance base, where Chewbacca is distraught to learn of Leia's death. He joins the Resistance in defeating and destroying the Sith Eternal forces. He is last seen receiving Han's old medal (given to him in ''A New Hope'') from Maz Kanata. The medal is a token of gratitude for his long-term service to the rebellion as well as a memento through which to remember his fallen old friends Han, Luke and Leia.


Anthology films


''Solo: A Star Wars Story''

Chewbacca appears in the 2018 anthology film '' Solo: A Star Wars Story'', which details his first meeting with Han. He first appears as a "beast" captured by Imperials on the planet Mimban, where he is held captive in a small pit. Han, considered a "troublemaker" by the other Imperials, is thrown into the pit and chained to Chewbacca to be eaten by the Wookiee. Chewbacca emerges and attacks Han, but stops when Han reveals he can speak Shyriiwook. They form an instant bond, and escape their captors. They then decide to join the thief
Tobias Beckett Tobias Beckett is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise, first appearing and portrayed by Woody Harrelson in the 2018 film '' Solo: A Star Wars Story''. He is a thief working for the Crimson Dawn crime syndicate and the mentor of Ha ...
and his crew, who rescue them. Chewbacca later helps Han and Beckett's crew on their failed mission to steal coaxium for the Crimson Dawn crime syndicate. Later, on Kessel, during an effort to retrieve more coaxium to make up for the amount lost during the previous mission, Chewbacca spots several other Wookiees being held as slaves, and manages to free them. However, while making a choice whether to go with them or with Han, Chewbacca decides to assist Han instead, and helps him throughout the rest of the mission. During the Kessel Run, in which Han decides to pilot the ''Millennium Falcon'' through a cloudy maelstrom to evade an Imperial blockade, Chewbacca reveals his piloting skills to Han. Near the end of the movie, Beckett, now revealed to be a traitor, captures Chewbacca. After Han saves Chewbacca and kills Beckett, he wins the ''Falcon'' from Lando. Han and Chewbacca then set off on more adventures in the ''Falcon''.


Television


''The Clone Wars''

In the season 3 finale of '' Star Wars: The Clone Wars'', Chewbacca is captured by Trandoshan hunters, but is freed by
Ahsoka Tano Ahsoka Tano is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. Introduced as the Jedi Padawan of Anakin Skywalker, she is a supporting character in the animated film '' Star Wars: The Clone Wars'' (2008) and the subsequent animated telev ...
and agrees to help her and two younglings escape. He builds a transmitter out of parts from the damaged Trandoshan ship, but it doesn't work. Later, he and Ahsoka attack the Trandoshan fortress before they are found and assisted by other Wookiees, led by Tarfful.


Literature

In 2015,
Marvel Comics Marvel Comics is an American comic book publishing, publisher and the flagship property of Marvel Entertainment, a divsion of The Walt Disney Company since September 1, 2009. Evolving from Timely Comics in 1939, ''Magazine Management/Atlas Co ...
published a five-issue miniseries titled ''Chewbacca'' written by Gerry Duggan and art by
Phil Noto Phil Noto is an American painter and comic book artist who is known for his work on such titles as ''Jonah Hex'', ''X-23'', ''Uncanny X-Force'' and, more recently, '' Black Widow''. His work on ''The Infinite Horizon'' (a modern retelling of ...
. The comic is part of the
canon Canon or Canons may refer to: Arts and entertainment * Canon (fiction), the conceptual material accepted as official in a fictional universe by its fan base * Literary canon, an accepted body of works considered as high culture ** Western can ...
developed subsequent to
Disney The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was originally founded on October ...
's acquisition of
Lucasfilm Lucasfilm Ltd. LLC is an American film and television production company and a subsidiary of Walt Disney Studios, which is a business segment of The Walt Disney Company. The studio is best known for creating and producing the ''Star Wars'' and ' ...
in 2012, and the end of
Dark Horse Comics Dark Horse Comics is an American comic book, graphic novel, and manga publisher founded in Milwaukie, Oregon by Mike Richardson in 1986. The company was created using funds earned from Richardson's chain of Portland, Oregon comic book shops known ...
' publication of ''Star Wars'' comics.


''Legends''

In April 2014, most of the licensed ''Star Wars'' novels and comics produced since the originating 1977 film ''Star Wars'' were rebranded by Lucasfilm as ''Star Wars Legends'' and declared non-canon to the franchise.


Television

The 1978 television program ''
Star Wars Holiday Special The ''Star Wars Holiday Special'' is a 1978 American television special that originally aired on November 17, 1978, on CBS. It is set in the universe of the sci-fi-based ''Star Wars'' media franchise. Directed by Steve Binder, it was the first ' ...
'' introduced Chewbacca's family, namely his wife Mallatobuck, son Lumpawarrump, and father Attichitcuk, who is also the Chief of the Kaapauku Tribe. The special features a
frame story A frame is often a structural system that supports other components of a physical construction and/or steel frame that limits the construction's extent. Frame and FRAME may also refer to: Physical objects In building construction *Framing (con ...
in which Chewbacca and Han travel to Kashyyyk to celebrate Life Day with Chewbacca's family, while trying to prevent Darth Vader from spoiling the holiday for them. Both Life Day itself and all of his family would end become part of the Disney canon.


Literature

Chewbacca appears in the '' Han Solo Adventures'' trilogy of books written by Brian Daley, including ''Han Solo at Stars' End'', ''Han Solo's Revenge'' and ''Han Solo and the Lost Legacy'', originally published between 1979 and 1980. Chewbacca's family is prominently featured in several ''Legends'' books, most notably ''The Wookiee Storybook'', ''
The Black Fleet Crisis ''The Black Fleet Crisis'' is a trilogy set in the ''Star Wars'' expanded universe. The books take place 16 years after '' Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope''. All three novels were authored by Michael P. Kube-McDowell and published by Banta ...
'' trilogy by
Michael P. Kube-McDowell Michael Paul Kube-McDowell (born August 29, 1954), also known as Michael McDowell or Michael P. McDowell, is an American science fiction and non-fiction author. Background Born Michael Paul McDowell on August 29, 1954 (Philadelphia, Pennsylvani ...
, and ''
The Hutt Gambit ''The Han Solo Trilogy'' is a trilogy of now non-canon ('Legends') science-fiction novels set in the ''Star Wars'' galaxy. It follows Han Solo's origins and life before the events depicted in the original ''Star Wars'' trilogy (1977–1983). Th ...
'' and ''
Rebel Dawn ''The Han Solo Trilogy'' is a trilogy of now non-canon ('Legends') science-fiction novels set in the '' Star Wars'' galaxy. It follows Han Solo's origins and life before the events depicted in the original ''Star Wars'' trilogy (1977–1983). T ...
'' by
A. C. Crispin Ann Carol Crispin (April 5, 1950 – September 6, 2013) was an American science fiction writer, the author of twenty-three published novels. She wrote several ''Star Trek'' and ''Star Wars'' novelizations, and created an original science fiction ...
. The latter also introduces other family members, including a sister named Kallabow and cousins named Dryanta and Jowdrrl, as well as the matriarch, Ellen. In the novel '' Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader'', set just after the events in '' Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith'', Chewbacca is forced to leave Kashyyyk after he narrowly escapes a major Imperial attack on the planet. Darth Vader and
Emperor Palpatine Sheev Palpatine, also known by his Sith name Darth Sidious, is a fictional Character (arts), character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise created by George Lucas. Initially credited as the Emperor in the original trilogy films, ''The Empire Strikes ...
enslave most of Kashyyyk's population in order to build the Death Star. To escape, Chewbacca joins a group of smugglers who are friendly to the
Jedi Jedi (), Jedi Knights, or collectively the Jedi Order are the main heroic protagonists of many works of the '' Star Wars'' franchise. Working symbiotically alongside the Old Galactic Republic, and later supporting the Rebel Alliance, the Jedi O ...
. The novel ''
The Hutt Gambit ''The Han Solo Trilogy'' is a trilogy of now non-canon ('Legends') science-fiction novels set in the ''Star Wars'' galaxy. It follows Han Solo's origins and life before the events depicted in the original ''Star Wars'' trilogy (1977–1983). Th ...
'' explains how Chewbacca and Han first meet. Han, a lieutenant in the Imperial Navy, finds him unconscious aboard a
slave Slavery and enslavement are both the state and the condition of being a slave—someone forbidden to quit one's service for an enslaver, and who is treated by the enslaver as property. Slavery typically involves slaves being made to perf ...
ship. Han's commanding officer orders him to skin Chewbacca, but Han refuses and rescues the helpless prisoner. Upon regaining consciousness, Chewbacca swears a "life-debt" to Han, and the two become business partners and best friends. In the novel ''
Heirs of the Force ''Young Jedi Knights'' is a ''Star Wars'' young adult fiction series by science fiction writer Kevin J. Anderson and his wife Rebecca Moesta. It was published from 1995 to 1998. It covers the Jedi training of Jacen and Jaina Solo, the twin chil ...
'', part of the ''
Young Jedi Knights ''Young Jedi Knights'' is a '' Star Wars'' young adult fiction series by science fiction writer Kevin J. Anderson and his wife Rebecca Moesta. It was published from 1995 to 1998. It covers the Jedi training of Jacen and Jaina Solo, the twin c ...
'' series, Chewbacca has a nephew, Kallabow's son named
Lowbacca ''Young Jedi Knights'' is a ''Star Wars'' young adult fiction series by science fiction writer Kevin J. Anderson and his wife Rebecca Moesta. It was published from 1995 to 1998. It covers the Jedi training of Jacen and Jaina Solo, the twin chil ...
who goes to the
Jedi Academy ''Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy'' is a first- and third-person shooter video game developed by Raven Software and published by LucasArts for Microsoft Windows, OS X and Xbox in 2003. Vicarious Visions was responsible for the developmen ...
. In the 1999 novel ''
Vector Prime ''Star Wars: The New Jedi Order'' (or ''New Jedi Order'' or ''NJO'') is a series of 19 science fiction novels, published from 1999 to 2003, set in the ''Star Wars'' Expanded Universe. The series revolves around the Yuuzhan Vong invasion of ...
'' by
R. A. Salvatore Robert Anthony Salvatore (born January 20, 1959) is an American author best known for ''The Legend of Drizzt'', a series of fantasy novels set in the Forgotten Realms and starring the popular character Drizzt Do'Urden. He has also written ''The ...
, the first in the ''
New Jedi Order ''Star Wars: The New Jedi Order'' (or ''New Jedi Order'' or ''NJO'') is a series of 19 science fiction novels, published from 1999 to 2003, set in the Star Wars in other media, ''Star Wars'' Expanded Universe. The series revolves around the Yu ...
'' series, Chewbacca sacrifices his life to save Han's son Anakin from a collision between the planet Sernpidal and one of its moons. Lumpawarrump and Lowbacca offer to assume Chewbacca's life debt to Han. Chewbacca appears in the third book of the '' Origami Yoda'' series, ''The Secret of the Fortune Wookiee'' (in
origami ) is the Japanese paper art, art of paper folding. In modern usage, the word "origami" is often used as an inclusive term for all folding practices, regardless of their culture of origin. The goal is to transform a flat square sheet of pape ...
form) and in some of the subsequent books of the series. Lucasfilm followed ''Vector Prime'' with a four-issue comic book titled ''Star Wars: Chewbacca'', in which C-3PO and R2-D2 travel the galaxy to collect the stories of beings who knew or met the Wookiee.


Video games

In the fighting game '' Star Wars: Masters of Teräs Käsi'', Chewbacca is a playable character. In '' Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy'', Chewbacca appears briefly at the
Mos Eisley Mos Eisley is a spaceport town in the fictional ''Star Wars'' universe. Located on the planet Tatooine, it first appeared in the 1977 film ''Star Wars'', described by the character Obi-Wan Kenobi (played by Alec Guinness) as a "wretched hive of s ...
spaceport as an NPC, assisting
Jaden Korr This is an incomplete list of characters from the ''Star Wars'' expanded universe, now rebranded ''Star Wars Legends''. The accompanying works were declared non-canon to the '' Star Wars'' franchise by Lucasfilm in 2014. This list applies '' ...
in disabling the tractor beams holding both the ''Millennium Falcon'' and the Raven's Claw captive. In LucasArts' game ''
Kinect Star Wars ''Kinect Star Wars'' is a '' Star Wars'' video game developed by Terminal Reality and published by LucasArts and Microsoft Studios for the Xbox 360 that uses the Kinect motion peripheral. The game features four game modes: "Jedi Destiny", the p ...
'', the player acts as gunner on a spacecraft piloted by a young Chewbacca. In '' Star Wars Battlefront II'', '' Star Wars Battlefront: Renegade Squadron'' and '' Star Wars Battlefront: Elite Squadron'', Chewbacca is a playable hero on the rebels side. He is also playable the 2015 reboot of the series, through the Death Star DLC, and its 2017 sequel. Chewbacca is a playable character in the Lego-themed video games '' Lego Star Wars: The Video Game'', '' Lego Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy'', '' Lego Star Wars III: The Clone Wars,'' '' Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens and Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga.''


Reception

IGN ''IGN'' (formerly ''Imagine Games Network'') is an American video game and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa distri ...
has been fond of the character, choosing the character as the 9th top ''Star Wars'' character, listing his relationship with Han Solo as one of their top 10 movie
bromance A bromance is a very close and non-sexual relationship between two or more men. It is an exceptionally tight, affectional, homosocial male bonding relationship exceeding that of usual friendship, and is distinguished from normal friendship by ...
s, claiming him as one of the characters they would like to see in '' The Clone Wars'', and choosing him as one of the characters they would like to see in '' Star Wars: The Force Unleashed'' and (along with Han) its
sequel A sequel is a work of literature, film, theatre, television, music or video game that continues the story of, or expands upon, some earlier work. In the common context of a narrative work of fiction, a sequel portrays events set in the same ...
.
UGO Networks UGO Entertainment, Inc. was a website that provided coverage of online media in entertainment, targeting males aged 18–34. The company was based in New York, New York, United States. History The company started in 1997 as Unified Gamers Online ...
listed the character as "one of the most bad-ass archers in popular culture." In contrast,
Roger Ebert Roger Joseph Ebert (; June 18, 1942 – April 4, 2013) was an American film critic, film historian, journalist, screenwriter, and author. He was a film critic for the ''Chicago Sun-Times'' from 1967 until his death in 2013. In 1975, Ebert beca ...
in his 1997 review of the Special Edition re-release of ''The Empire Strikes Back'' declared that the character gave the worst performance of the film: "This character was thrown into the first film as window dressing, was never thought through, and as a result has been saddled with one facial expression and one mournful yelp. Much more could have been done. How can you be a space pilot and not be able to communicate in any meaningful way? Does Han Solo really understand Chew's monotonous noises? Do they have long chats sometimes?" Chewbacca is one of the few fictional characters to receive a
Lifetime Achievement Award Lifetime achievement awards are awarded by various organizations, to recognize contributions over the whole of a career, rather than or in addition to single contributions. Such awards, and organizations presenting them, include: A * A.C. ...
at the
1997 MTV Movie Awards The 1997 MTV Movie Awards were held on June 10, 1997, and hosted by Mike Myers. Performers included Jewel, Bush, and En Vogue. This year also eliminated the categories of "Most Desirable Female" and "Most Desirable Male." Performers *Bush — "Co ...
.


Cultural impact


Chewbacca defense

The
Chewbacca defense In a jury trial, a Chewbacca defense is a legal strategy in which a criminal defense lawyer tries to confuse the jury rather than refute the case of the prosecutor. It is an intentional distraction or obfuscation. As a Chewbacca defense distra ...
, a term derived from the "
Chef Aid "Chef Aid" is the fourteenth episode of the second season of the American animated television series ''South Park''. The 27th episode of the series overall, it originally aired on Comedy Central in the United States on October 7, 1998. The episod ...
" episode of ''
South Park ''South Park'' is an American animated sitcom created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone and developed by Brian Graden for Comedy Central. The series revolves around four boys Stan Marsh, Kyle Broflovski, Eric Cartman, and Kenny McCormickand th ...
'', is a legal strategy focused on confusing the jury rather than refuting an argument.


Chewbacca Mask Lady

"
Chewbacca Mask Lady Chewbacca Mask Lady (also known as Chewbacca Mom) is a viral video featuring 37-year-old Texan mother Candace Payne filming herself heartily laughing while wearing a '' Star Wars'' Chewbacca mask. The video was posted to Facebook with the descr ...
" refers to a viral 2016 video of a woman happily wearing a Chewbacca mask.


References


Footnotes


Citations


External links

* *
Chewbacca
on
IMDb IMDb (an abbreviation of Internet Movie Database) is an online database of information related to films, television series, home videos, video games, and streaming content online – including cast, production crew and personal biographies, ...
{{Authority control Characters created by George Lucas Fictional aerospace engineers Fictional characters with superhuman strength Fictional space pilots Film characters introduced in 1977 Fictional first officers Fictional generals Fictional humanoids Fictional mechanics Fictional mercenaries Fictional military personnel in films Fictional prison escapees Fictional revolutionaries Fictional slaves Fictional smugglers Fictional war veterans Film sidekicks Male characters in film Fictional soldiers Space pirates Star Wars Anthology characters Star Wars Skywalker Saga characters Star Wars video game characters