Chewbacca: Difference between revisions

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			{{more citations\|date=July 2024\|talk=Assertion of notability}}
	{{Star Wars character
			{{Short description\|Fictional character in the Star Wars franchise}}
	\|name = Chewbacca \|image = ]
			{{About\|a fictional character\|other uses\|Chewbacca (disambiguation)}}
	\|caption = Chewbacca (left) and a ]
			{{Use mdy dates\|date=January 2022}}
	\|color = brown
			{{Infobox character
	\|source =
			\| name = Chewbacca
	\|position = First Mate of the '']''
			\| image = Chewbacca.png
	\|species = ]
	\|~~gender~~ = ]		\| series = ]
			\| first = '']'' (1977)
	\|planet = ]
			\| creator = ]
	\|affiliation = ], ], ]
	\|portrayer = ]		\| portrayer = {{Plainlist\|
			* ]{{efn\|]<br>'']''<br>'']''<br>'']''}}
			* ]{{efn\|'']''<br>]}}
			}}
			\| occupation = Co-pilot and first mate on<br />'']'' <ref name="profile">{{Cite web \|title=Chewbacca \|url=https://www.starwars.com/databank/chewbacca \|access-date=2024-03-29 \|website=StarWars.com \|language=en}}</ref>
			\| species = ]
			\| gender = Male
			\| affiliation = ]<br>]
			\| family = {{Plainlist\|
			* Mallatobuck (wife) <ref>{{Cite web \|last=Morrison \|first=Matt \|date=2018-05-14 \|title=Exclusive: Here's Who That Other Wookiee Is in Solo: A Star Wars Story \|url=https://screenrant.com/solo-star-wars-story-wookiee/ \|access-date=2024-04-09 \|website=ScreenRant \|language=en}}</ref>
			* Lumpawaroo (son) <ref>{{Cite web \|last=Gallagher \|first=Brian \|date=2017-02-21 \|title=Chewbacca's Son in The Star Wars Holiday Special Is Officially Canon \|url=https://movieweb.com/star-wars-holiday-special-chewbacca-son-lumpy-canon/ \|access-date=2024-04-09 \|website=MovieWeb \|language=en}}</ref>
			* Others in '''''Legends''''' {{efn\|Chewbacca's family members in the '']'' narrative universe include his sister Kallabow, his nephew ] and his niece Sirrakuk.}}
			}}
			\| relatives =
			\| lbl21 = Homeworld
			\| data21 = ]
	}}		}}
	'''Chewbacca''' (or '''Chewie''') is a fictional character in the '']'' ]. In terms of the series' ], he appears in the films '']'', '']'', '']'' and '']''. He was portrayed in all four films by ] actor ], wearing a suit; the voice was composed of recordings of different animals, mixed together.<ref>{{cite news \|work=] \|title=Wookiee Who's Back \|url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1004766,00.html \|date=2003-05-05 \|first=Rebecca \|last=Winters}}</ref>

			'''Chewbacca''' ({{IPAc-en\|tʃ\|uː\|ˈ\|b\|ɑː\|k\|ə}} {{respell\|choo\|BAH\|kə}}), nicknamed "'''Chewie'''", is a fictional character in the '']'' franchise. He is a ]—a tall, hairy, highly intelligent species originating from the planet ].{{Sfn\|Hidalgo\|Sansweet\|2008c\|p=333}}<ref>{{Cite web \|title=Kashyyyk \|url=https://www.starwars.com/databank/kashyyyk \|access-date=2024-04-08 \|website=StarWars.com \|language=en}}</ref> He is {{convert\|7.5\|ft}} tall, and typically wears only a ] and a tool pouch.<ref name="profile" />{{Sfn\|Hidalgo\|Sansweet\|2008a\|p=122}} He carries a bowcaster, a traditional Wookiee weapon, and he speaks the Wookiee language Shyriiwook.<ref>{{Cite web \|title=Bowcaster \|url=https://www.starwars.com/databank/bowcaster \|access-date=2024-04-05 \|website=StarWars.com \|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine \|last=Romano \|first=Nick \|date=May 10, 2018 \|title=Alden Ehrenreich had to learn Wookiee for 'Solo: A Star Wars Story' \|url=https://ew.com/movies/2018/05/10/alden-ehrenreich-wookiee-solo-a-star-wars-story/ \|access-date=2024-04-06 \|magazine=Entertainment Weekly \|language=en}}</ref> He first appears in the ]{{Efn\|Originally titled ''Star Wars'', the film was later retitled ''Star Wars: Episode IV—A New Hope''.}} as the loyal friend of the smuggler ]. He is also the co-pilot of Han's starship, the '']''.<ref name="profile">{{Cite web \|title=Chewbacca \|url=https://www.starwars.com/databank/chewbacca \|access-date=2024-03-29 \|website=StarWars.com \|language=en}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web \|last1=Richwine \|first1=Lisa \|last2=Gorman \|first2=Steve \|date=May 2, 2019 \|title=Peter Mayhew, actor who played Chewbacca in 'Star Wars' movies, dies \|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-people-starwars-chewbacca/peter-mayhew-actor-who-played-chewbacca-in-star-wars-movies-dies-idUSKCN1S82DB/ \|url-status=live \|archive-url=https://archive.today/20211103233730/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-people-starwars-chewbacca/peter-mayhew-actor-who-played-chewbacca-in-star-wars-movies-dies-idUSKCN1S82DB \|archive-date=November 3, 2021 \|access-date=April 7, 2024 \|website=Reuters}}</ref>
	A towering ] (he stands 7 feet 4 3/4 inches (2.28 meters) tall)<ref>{{cite book \|page=30 \|chapter=Chewbacca \|title=Star Wars: the Essential Guide to Characters \|first=Andy \|last=Mangels \|edition=1st edition \|date=November 1995 \|isbn=0-345-39535-2}}</ref>, he is best known as the co-pilot of ]'s ship, the '']'' in the ].<ref name="sweet">{{cite book \|title=The Star Wars Encyclopedia \|first=Stephen J. \|last=Sansweet \|isbn=0-345-40227-8 \|publisher=Del Rey \|date=1998-06-30 \|edition=1st edition}}</ref> Chewie is a beast who goes "ghwaaah!"

			Chewbacca is portrayed by ] in the ], the '']'' (1978), and '']'' (2005).<ref>{{Cite web \|title=Star Wars: Holiday Special \|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/star_wars_holiday_special \|access-date=2024-04-10 \|website=Rotten Tomatoes \|language=en}}</ref><ref name=":1" /> Mayhew shares the Chewbacca role with his body double, ], in '']'' (2015).<ref>{{Cite web \|last=Shanley \|first=Patrick \|date=2017-02-21 \|title='Star Wars': New Chewbacca Actor Honors Peter Mayhew After Taking on the Role \|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/star-wars-new-chewbacca-actor-honors-peter-mayhew-role-978174/ \|access-date=2024-04-10 \|website=The Hollywood Reporter \|language=en-US}}</ref> Following Mayhew's retirement in 2017, Suotamo took over the role, appearing in '']'' (2017) and '']'' (2019).<ref>{{Cite web \|last=Liptak \|first=Andrew \|date=2019-05-02 \|title=Peter Mayhew, the actor who brought Chewbacca to life, has died \|url=https://www.theverge.com/2019/5/2/18527493/peter-mayhew-chewbacca-wookiestar-wars-empire-strikes-back-return-of-the-jedi-obituary \|access-date=2024-03-30 \|website=The Verge \|language=en}}</ref> Suotamo also plays Chewbacca in the standalone film '']'' (2018).<ref>{{Cite magazine \|last=Breznican \|first=Anthony \|date=May 3, 2019 \|title=Watch new Chewbacca actor Joonas Suotamo explain Peter Mayhew's influence \|url=https://ew.com/movies/2019/05/03/chewbacca-actor-joonas-suotamo-peter-mayhew-influence/ \|access-date=2024-03-29 \|magazine=Entertainment Weekly \|language=en}}</ref> Chewbacca also appears in animated series, novels, comics, and video games.

			==Creation and portrayal==
			] invented many fictional characters while writing the original 1977 '']'' film.{{Efn\|Originally titled ''Star Wars'', it was later retitled ''Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope''.}}<ref name=":0">{{Cite AV media \|title=The Characters of Star Wars \|type=DVD \|publisher=20th Century Fox Home Entertainment \|year=2004}} ''Star Wars'' Original Trilogy DVD Box Set: Bonus Materials.</ref> Chewbacca was inspired by his dog, an ] named Indiana. She would sit in the passenger seat of his car while he was driving, and he referred to her as his "co-pilot".<ref>{{Cite web \|last=Anderton \|first=Ethan \|date=2021-12-02 \|title=The Unexpected Inspiration Behind Chewbacca \|url=https://www.slashfilm.com/676056/the-unexpected-inspiration-behind-chewbacca/ \|access-date=2024-03-29 \|website=Slashfilm \|language=en-US}}</ref>{{Sfn\|Rinzler\|2008\|p=35}} Chewbacca's name was derived from the Russian word ''sobaka'' ({{Lang\|ru\|собака}}), which means "dog".<ref>{{Cite web \|last1=Boucher \|first1=Geoff \|last2=Petski \|first2=Denise \|date=2019-05-02 \|title=Peter Mayhew Dies: 'Star Wars' Chewbacca Actor Was 74 \|url=https://deadline.com/2019/05/peter-mayhew-dead-star-wars-chewbacca-actor-was-74-1202606533/ \|access-date=2024-04-05 \|website=Deadline \|language=en-US}}</ref> In France, his name was changed in the original French-language release of ''Star Wars''. He was called {{Lang\|fr\|Chiktabba}}, and his nickname was {{Lang\|fr\|Chico}}.<ref>{{Cite web \|date=May 4, 2017 \|title=Z6PO? How the French originally translated the names of Star Wars characters \|url=https://www.thelocal.fr/20170504/star-wars-force-awakens-star-wars-characters-in-french \|access-date=March 29, 2024 \|website=The Local France}}</ref>

			The Chewbacca costume used in the original trilogy and the ''Star Wars Holiday Special'' was made from yak hair, rabbit hair and ].<ref name=":3">{{Cite web \|last=Hutchinson \|first=Sean \|date=2019-05-02 \|title=15 Things You Might Not Know About Chewbacca \|url=https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/56801/15-chewbacca-facts-honor-peter-mayhews-birthday \|access-date=2024-03-29 \|website=Mental Floss \|language=en-US}}</ref> For ''The Force Awakens'', multiple Chewbacca suits were crafted from yak hair, Lycra and a small amount of mohair.<ref>{{Cite web \|last=Rosenstein \|first=Jenna \|date=2015-11-12 \|title=Star Wars: Chewbacca's Hair Routine in The Force Awakens Is Actually Pretty Glam \|url=https://www.allure.com/story/star-wars-chewbacca-hair \|access-date=2024-04-11 \|website=Allure \|language=en-US}}</ref> Chewbacca's voice was created by ], the sound designer for the original trilogy and the prequel trilogy.<ref>{{Cite web \|last=Wilson \|first=Mark \|date=April 17, 2015 \|title=How Ben Burtt Designed the Sounds of Star Wars \|url=https://www.fastcompany.com/3045177/how-ben-burtt-designed-the-sounds-of-star-wars \|access-date=April 10, 2024 \|website=Fast Company}}</ref> He generated the Wookiee's vocalizations by mixing together recordings of four bears, a badger, a lion, a seal, and a walrus.<ref>{{Cite web \|last=Madrigal \|first=Alexis C. \|date=2014-08-07 \|title=The Incredible Story of How Chewbacca Got a Voice \|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2014/08/the-remarkable-way-chewbacca-got-a-voice/375697/ \|url-status=dead \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231105012840/https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2014/08/the-remarkable-way-chewbacca-got-a-voice/375697/ \|archive-date=November 5, 2023 \|access-date=2024-03-30 \|website=The Atlantic \|language=en}}</ref> Mayhew modeled his performance of Chewbacca on the mannerisms of animals he observed in public zoos.{{efn\|Attributed to multiple references:<br><ref name="Dreams">{{cite AV media \|title=] \|medium=DVD \|publisher=20th Century Fox Home Entertainment \|year=2004}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web \|last=Lambrechts \|first=Stephen \|date=September 13, 2011 \|title=Chatting with Chewie \|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2011/09/13/chatting-with-chewie \|url-status=live \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231017223444/https://www.ign.com/articles/2011/09/13/chatting-with-chewie \|archive-date=October 17, 2023 \|access-date=March 4, 2024 \|website=IGN \|language=en}}</ref><ref name="Mayhew2">{{cite web \|title=Peter Mayhew – Biography \|url=https://movies.yahoo.com/movie/contributor/1800050737/bio \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060509070614/http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/contributor/1800050737/bio \|archive-date=May 9, 2006 \|access-date=October 3, 2006 \|publisher=]}}</ref>}}

			== Reception ==
			{{Expand section\|date=December 2024}}
			In his 1997 review of the Special Edition re-release of ''The Empire Strikes Back'', the film critic ] declared that of all the characters, Chewbacca gave the worst performance. He wrote: "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?"<ref name="Ebert Review">{{cite web \|author=Roger Ebert \|date=February 21, 1997 \|title=The Empire Strikes Back \|url=http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=%2F19970221%2FREVIEWS%2F702210302%2F1023 \|url-status=dead \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121116065857/http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=%2F19970221%2FREVIEWS%2F702210302%2F1023 \|archive-date=November 16, 2012 \|access-date=February 29, 2012 \|work=]}}</ref> In spite of Ebert's critique, Chewbacca received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the ].<ref>{{Cite web \|last=Richmond \|first=Ray \|date=1997-06-09 \|title=Cruise & Danes top MTV nods \|url=https://variety.com/1997/film/news/cruise-danes-top-mtv-nods-1116679846/ \|access-date=2024-06-06 \|website=Variety \|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine \|last1=Pener \|first1=Degen \|last2=Laine \|first2=Tricia \|date=June 20, 1997 \|title=The California scene \|url=https://ew.com/article/1997/06/20/california-scene/ \|access-date=2024-06-06 \|magazine=Entertainment Weekly \|language=en}}</ref>

	== Appearances ==		== Appearances ==
	=== Films ===
	In ''Episode III'', Chewbacca, along with ], fights in the ] when their planet, ], is invaded. They also help to get ] ] to safety, Chewbacca using his traditional weapon, the ].<ref>Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith</ref>

			=== Original trilogy ===
	In ''Episode IV'', Chewbacca and Han Solo accept a charter to take ], ] and the droids ] and ] to the planet ]. <ref>Star Wars Episode IV</ref> When they find that the planet has been destroyed by the ], however, the two mercenaries are drawn into the ]. In Episodes ''V'' and ''VI'', they become important figures in the Alliance, and eventually help the Rebels defeat the ].<ref>Star Wars Episodes V & VI</ref>
			{{Main article\|Star Wars original trilogy}}
			Chewbacca was introduced in '']'' (1977), and is portrayed by ] in all three films of the original film trilogy. Mayhew was cast primarily for his height of {{convert\|7\|ft\|3\|in\|adj=off}}.<ref name="Mayhew">{{cite web \|title=Peter Mayhew – Biography \|url=https://movies.yahoo.com/movie/contributor/1800050737/bio \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060509070614/http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/contributor/1800050737/bio \|archive-date=May 9, 2006 \|access-date=October 3, 2006 \|publisher=]}}</ref> In ''Star Wars'', Chewbacca and ] are smugglers who accept a charter to transport ] and ] to the planet ] aboard their ship, the '']''. When they find the planet obliterated by the ], Chewbacca and Han help their passengers rescue ] and take her to the ] base on ]. In the film's ], Chewbacca and Han save Luke from being killed by ], which allows Luke to destroy the Death Star. After the battle, Leia acknowledges Chewbacca for his achievements alongside Luke and Han.

			'']'' (1980) takes place three years after ''Star Wars''.<ref name="timeline">{{Cite web \|last=Travis \|first=Ben \|date=June 12, 2024 \|title=Star Wars Timeline: Every Movie, Series And More \|url=https://www.empireonline.com/movies/features/star-wars-timeline-chronological-order/ \|access-date=2024-07-02 \|website=Empire \|language=en}}</ref> Chewbacca and Han are planning to leave the Rebellion to pay off a debt to ], but are drawn back into the war when the ] assaults the Rebel base. Chewbacca, Han and Leia seek refuge in ] with Han's friend ], unaware that Lando has betrayed them to the Empire. C-3PO is blasted into pieces by an Imperial ], and Chewbacca saves him from being melted down. Before Han is frozen in carbonite and delivered to Jabba, he asks Chewbacca to look after Leia for him. Chewbacca, Leia and Lando escape from Vader in the ''Falcon''. When Leia hears Luke's cry for help, she orders Chewbacca to turn the ship around to rescue him. In the film's final scene, Chewbacca joins the others in preparing to rescue Han from Jabba.
	=== The Expanded Universe ===
	The 1978 television program '']'' introduces Chewbacca's family: ], ], and ]. They live together on Kashyyyk.<ref name="abc1">{{cite news \|work=ABC News \|title=Holiday Specials Gone Bad; The 'Star Wars Holiday Special' Flop Lives On \|url=http://www.abcnews.go.com/Nightline/story?id=4034365&page=1 \|date=2007-12-20 \|first=John \|last=Berman \|coauthors=Ted Gerstein}}</ref> His family also appears in some ''Star Wars'' books, most notably ''The Wookiee Storybook'', '']'' trilogy by ], and '']'' and '']'' by ]. The latter also introduces other family members, including a sister named ] and cousins named Dryanta and Jowdrrl. The ''Star Wars Holiday Special'' was filmed with a low budget, and consisted of a ] in which Han and Chewbacca must prevent ] from spoiling Life Day, and get home to be with Chewbacca's family.

			Lucas wanted to create audience sympathy for C-3PO in ''The Empire Strikes Back'' by having him get dismantled.{{Sfn\|Rinzler\|2010\|p=132}} Because both {{nowrap\|C-3PO}} and Chewbacca were likeable characters—and disliked one another—Lucas wanted them to have a bonding experience. Towards this end, Chewbacca rescues C-3PO and later repairs him with the help of R2-D2.{{Sfn\|Rinzler\|2010\|p=133}}
	Due to the low-budget nature of the Holiday Special (due to inexperienced writers (and Lucas' remaining creatively 'hands-off'), the ''Special'' ended up being nothing more than a tacky variety show/sitcom), it was stricken from Star Wars canon by George Lucas, and only ever aired once.

			At the beginning of '']'' (1983), Chewbacca infiltrates Jabba's palace by pretending to be the prisoner of a bounty hunter, who is actually Leia in disguise. Chewbacca and his companions manage to rescue Han and escape. Later, Chewbacca joins the others on a mission to destroy the second Death Star's shield generator, which is located on ]. During a battle, Chewbacca commandeers an ], which contributes to the mission's success. At the end of the film, Chewbacca and the other Rebels celebrate the destruction of the Death Star and the fall of the Empire.
	Although Chewbacca notably was not awarded a medal with the other heroes at the end of ''A New Hope'', in 1981 ] published ''Marvel Illustrated Books Star Wars 1'', which includes an alternate version of the same scene in which he does receive one, and which is currently officially part of the ] of the ].

			=== Prequel trilogy ===
	The novel '']'' explains that Chewbacca and Solo first meet when Solo, a lieutenant in the Imperial Navy, finds him unconscious aboard a ] ship. Solo's commanding officer orders him to skin Chewbacca, but Solo refuses and rescues the helpless prisoner. Upon regaining consciousness, Chewbacca swears a "life-debt" to Solo, and the two become business partners and best friends. <ref>Hutt Gambit</ref>
			In '']'' (2005), Chewbacca and his fellow Wookiee ] fight in the ] when Kashyyyk is invaded by the Separatist Alliance. They also help the ] ] escape from clone troopers who were ordered to kill him.

			=== Sequel trilogy ===
	In '']'', Chewbacca appears briefly at the ] spaceport as an NPC, assisting ] in disabling the tractor beams holding both the '']'' and the Raven's Claw captive. <ref>Jedi Academy</ref>
			{{Main article\|Star Wars sequel trilogy}}
			In '']'', Mayhew shares the Chewbacca role with his body double, Joonas Suotamo. In the film, which is set thirty years after ''Return of the Jedi'', Chewbacca and Han find the ''Millennium Falcon'', which had been stolen from them.<ref name="timeline" /> They help the rogue ] stormtrooper ], the scavenger ] and the droid ] escape from a gang of mercenaries, then fly to the castle of ] so she can help them deliver BB-8 to the ]. While they are at Maz's castle, the First Order arrives and captures Rey. Chewbacca and the others fly to a Resistance base, where Chewbacca and Han reunite with Leia and ]. They also soon reunite with Rey, who escaped from the First Order. During a Resistance mission, Han is killed by his son ], which prompts an enraged Chewbacca to shoot Kylo in the side. The Wookiee then sets off explosives that allow ] and other X-wing pilots to destroy ], the First Order's superweapon. Before the base explodes, Chewbacca rescues Rey and Finn from the wilderness, where they had been fighting with Kylo. Later, Chewbacca helps Rey find Luke on the planet ].

			Suotamo portrays Chewbacca in '']'' (2017), which takes place immediately after ''The Force Awakens''.<ref name="timeline" /> While Rey attempts to convince Luke to train her, Chewbacca develops a relationship with some seabirds known as Porgs. Later on, Chewbacca and Rey help the Resistance by using the ''Falcon'' to distract First Order TIE fighters.
	In the book '']'', part of the '']'' series, Chewbacca has a nephew named ] who goes to the ].

			Chewbacca returns in ] (2019), again played by Suotamo. He and his companions travel to the planet Passana, where they search for a clue to the location of a ] wayfinder. With the help of Lando, they locate the clue, but are quickly found by the First Order. While Rey confronts Kylo, Chewbacca is captured and taken aboard a transport. Rey uses ] to arrest the flight of the transport she mistakenly believes Chewbacca is on. She accidentally destroys the ship with ], and believes she has killed Chewbacca, who in reality was on a different transport. Deeply shaken by the apparent death of the Wookiee, Rey and the others pledge to continue the mission in his memory. Later on, Chewbacca's friends realize he is alive, and manage to rescue him. When they return to the Resistance base, they learn of Leia's death, and Chewbacca is distraught. He then helps Lando recruit citizens from across the galaxy to defeat the ] forces. Near the end of the film, Chewbacca receives a medal from Maz.
	==== Death ====
	The 1999 novel '']'' by ] (the first in the '']'' series) marks Chewbacca's final (chronological) appearance in the ''Star Wars'' universe. Chewbacca sacrifices his own life to save that of Han's son ] from a collision between the planet Sernpidal and one of its moons. Afterward, the other core ''Star Wars'' characters are emotionally crushed by the loss, and Solo sinks into ] and ].

			=== ''Solo: A Star Wars Story'' ===
	] and Lowbacca offer to assume Chewbacca's life debt to Solo. Despite Han's initial protests throughout the series, Han finally relents at the end of the ''New Jedi Order'' series.
			Suotamo portrays Chewbacca in the 2018 standalone film '']'', which details the Wookiee's first meeting with Han. He was captured by Imperials on the planet Mimban, and is being held captive in a small pit. Han, considered a "troublemaker" by the Imperials, is thrown into the pit to be eaten by Chewbacca. The Wookiee attacks Han, but stops when Han reveals he can speak Shyriiwook. Chewbacca and Han form an instant bond and escape their captors. They join the crew of the thief ], and make several attempts to steal coaxium for the Crimson Dawn crime syndicate. On Kessel, Chewbacca frees several other Wookiees from slavery. During the Kessel Run—in which Han flies the ''Falcon'' through a cloudy maelstrom—Chewbacca reveals his skill as a pilot. Near the end of the film, Beckett turns traitor and captures Chewbacca. After Han saves his friend and kills Beckett, he wins the ''Millenium Falcon'' from Lando. Chewbacca and Han then set off on more adventures in the ''Falcon''.

			=== Animated series ===
	] 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, and the full scope of his life and adventures is finally revealed. News of Chewbacca's death was misconstrued as the death of Peter Mayhew, and his close friends called to ask if he was all right. <ref>http://www.diggstars.com/1-17-3655/video/YOUthoZNzFs/Peter_Mayhew_videos.html</ref>
			In the season 3 finale of the television series '']'', Chewbacca is captured by Trandoshan hunters, but is freed by ] and agrees to help her and two younglings escape. He and Ahsoka attack the Trandoshan fortress before they are found and assisted by Tarfful and other Wookiees.<ref>"Wookiee Hunt." (April 1, 2011) ''Star Wars: The Clone Wars''. Season 3, episode 22. (Television series).</ref> Chewbacca appears in both seasons of the web series '']'' (2017–2018). He is featured in episodes 5 and 10 of season 1,<ref>{{cite web \|date=July 7, 2017 \|title=''Star Wars Forces of Destiny'' Episode 'Beasts of Echo Base' \|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o3II-zqUe6M \|access-date=July 8, 2017 \|publisher=Disney \|via=YouTube}}</ref><ref name="Disney">{{cite web \|date=October 1, 2017 \|title=''Star Wars Forces of Destiny'' Episode 'Newest Recruit' \|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rdofQfnDd8U \|access-date=October 1, 2017 \|publisher=Disney \|via=YouTube}}</ref> and in episodes 6 and 12 of season 2.<ref>{{cite web \|date=March 19, 2018 \|title=''Star Wars Forces of Destiny'' Episode 'Bounty Hunted' \|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thOQwKCm-IY&list=PLR4qvTE1cSnoICGM_gfSedDPp18c3FluC&index=22 \|access-date=May 31, 2024 \|publisher=Disney \|via=YouTube}}</ref><ref>{{cite web \|date=May 4, 2018 \|title=''Star Wars Forces of Destiny'' Episode 'Porgs!' \|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdHf9KkVkno&list=PLR4qvTE1cSnoICGM_gfSedDPp18c3FluC&index=29 \|access-date=May 31, 2024 \|publisher=Disney \|via=YouTube}}</ref>

			=== Novels and comics ===
	==Production==
			Chewbacca is featured in the novels ''Smuggler's Run: A Han Solo and Chewbacca Adventure'' (2015)<ref>{{Cite book \|last=Rucka \|first=Greg \|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Eev2sgEACAAJ \|title=Smuggler's Run: A Han Solo & Chewbacca Adventure \|date=2015 \|publisher=Egmont \|isbn=978-1-4052-7785-3 \|language=en}}</ref> and ''The Mighty Chewbacca in the Forest of Fear'' (2018).<ref>{{Cite book \|last=Angleberger \|first=Tom \|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CGJMDwAAQBAJ \|title=Star Wars: The Mighty Chewbacca in the Forest of Fear \|date=2018-05-25 \|publisher=Disney Electronic Content \|isbn=978-1-368-02575-1 \|language=en}}</ref> He appears in the comics ''Chewbacca'' (2015),<ref>{{Cite web \|title=Exclusive: 'Star Wars' Spins Off 'Chewbacca' Into His Own Solo Adventures \|url=https://www.mtv.com/news/j2iz6a/chewbacca-star-wars-marvel-comics \|url-status=dead \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160115010512/http://www.mtv.com/news/2209122/chewbacca-star-wars-marvel-comics/ \|archive-date=January 15, 2016 \|access-date=2024-05-31 \|website=MTV \|language=en}}</ref> ''Life Day'' (2021)<ref>{{Cite web \|title=Star Wars: Life Day (2021) #1 \|url=https://www.marvel.com/comics/issue/96859/star_wars_life_day_2021_1 \|access-date=2024-05-31 \|website=Marvel}}</ref> and ''Han Solo and Chewbacca'' (2022–2023).<ref>{{Cite web \|title=Star Wars: Han Solo & Chewbacca (2022 - 2023) \|url=https://www.marvel.com/comics/series/33200/star_wars:_han_solo_&_chewbacca_(2022_-_2023) \|access-date=2024-05-31 \|website=Marvel \|language=en}}</ref>
	], creator of the ''Star Wars'' films, initially based the character of Chewbacca on his pet ], Indiana (Lucas would later give the name of his dog to the character ]).<ref>''The Characters of Star Wars'' Star Wars Original Trilogy DVD Box Set: Bonus Materials</ref> In the films he was portrayed by actor ], who was chosen due to his height (7'3" at the time of filming). During the filming of the original three films, and the holiday special, Mayhew wore numerous identical suits, all made of a combination of ] hair and ]. For production of '']'', the suit was made of more modern and comfortable materials, although this additional comfort was mostly unnecessary because Mayhew's filming only lasted for a day. Chewbacca's voice was created by the original films' ], ], from a mix of recordings of ]es, ]s, ]s and ]s in Burtt's personal library. The individual recordings were mixed at different ratios for Chewbacca's different utterances. One of the most prominent elements in the voice was a ] from ] in ] named Tarik.<ref></ref>

	== ~~Reception~~ ==		=== Video games ===
			Chewbacca is a playable character in a variety of video games, including '']'', '']'', '']'', '']'', and the ] of ''Star Wars Battlefront II''. The Wookiee is also playable in the ] games '']'', '']'', ''],'' ''] and ].''
	Chewbacca is one of the few fictional characters to receive a ] at the ]. Furthermore, since fans complained that he should have received a medal with Luke and Han at the end of ''A New Hope'', the award was presented as a medal and bestowed by ]. Peter Mayhew has voiced this concern as well, but is also quick to note that Chewbacca does get the last line in the film as compensation.

	==~~See~~ ~~also~~==		=== Other ===
			The 1978 television program '']'' introduces Chewbacca's family, including his wife Mallatobuck, his son Lumpawarrump, and his father Attichitcuk, who is the chief of the Kaapauku Tribe. The program features a story in which Chewbacca and Han travel to Kashyyyk to celebrate Life Day, while trying to prevent Darth Vader from spoiling the holiday. The special is not part of the ''Star Wars'' story canon.<ref>{{Cite web \|last1=Berman \|first1=John \|last2=Gerstein \|first2=Ted \|date=December 20, 2007 \|title=Holiday Specials Gone Bad \|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/story?id=4034365&page=1 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160325133010/http://www.abcnews.go.com/Nightline/story?id=4034365&page=1 \|archive-date=March 25, 2016 \|access-date=2024-05-31 \|website=ABC News \|language=en \|url-status=live }}</ref>
	*]

			== ''Star Wars Legends'' ==
	==References==
			{{See also\|Star Wars in other media}}
	{{reflist}}
			Following the acquisition of ] by ] in 2012, most of the licensed ''Star Wars'' novels and comics produced between 1977 and 2014 were rebranded as ''Star Wars Legends'' and declared non-canon to the franchise. The ''Legends'' works comprise a separate narrative universe.{{efn\|Attributed to multiple references:<br><ref name="THR Legends2">{{cite news \|last=McMilian \|first=Graeme \|date=April 25, 2014 \|title=Lucasfilm Unveils New Plans for ''Star Wars'' Expanded Universe \|url=https://hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/lucasfilm-unveils-new-plans-star-698973 \|url-status=live \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160429022447/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/lucasfilm-unveils-new-plans-star-698973 \|archive-date=April 29, 2016 \|access-date=May 26, 2016 \|magazine=The Hollywood Reporter}}</ref><ref name="SW Legends2">{{cite web \|date=April 25, 2014 \|title=The Legendary ''Star Wars'' Expanded Universe Turns a New Page \|url=https://www.starwars.com/news/the-legendary-star-wars-expanded-universe-turns-a-new-page \|url-status=live \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160910044317/http://www.starwars.com/news/the-legendary-star-wars-expanded-universe-turns-a-new-page \|archive-date=September 10, 2016 \|access-date=May 26, 2016 \|website=]}}</ref><ref name="SW Adult2">{{cite web \|date=April 25, 2014 \|title=Disney and Random House announce relaunch of ''Star Wars'' Adult Fiction line \|url=https://www.starwars.com/news/disney-publishing-worldwide-and-random-house-announce-relaunch-of-star-wars-adult-fiction-line \|url-status=live \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160514073722/http://www.starwars.com/news/disney-publishing-worldwide-and-random-house-announce-relaunch-of-star-wars-adult-fiction-line \|archive-date=May 14, 2016 \|access-date=May 26, 2016 \|publisher=StarWars.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web \|last=Dinsdale \|first=Ryan \|date=2023-05-04 \|title=The Star Wars Canon: The Definitive Guide \|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/the-star-wars-canon-the-definitive-guide \|access-date=2024-05-31 \|website=IGN \|language=en}}</ref>}}

			Chewbacca appears in the novel trilogies '']'' (1979–1980),<ref>{{Cite book \|last1=Daley \|first1=Brian \|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=i1iLAAAACAAJ \|title=The Han Solo Adventures \|last2=Lucas \|first2=George \|date=1994 \|publisher=Ballantine Books \|isbn=978-0-345-39442-2 \|language=en}}</ref> '']'' (1996–1997){{efn\|Attributed to multiple references:<br><ref>{{Cite book \|last=Kube-Mcdowell \|first=Michael P. \|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Jeh0qxmrUTQC \|title=Before the Storm: Star Wars Legends (The Black Fleet Crisis) \|date=1996-03-01 \|publisher=Random House Worlds \|isbn=978-0-553-57273-5 \|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book \|last=Kube-Mcdowell \|first=Michael P. \|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2JnJD96DJbwC \|title=Shield of Lies: Star Wars Legends (The Black Fleet Crisis) \|date=1996-08-01 \|publisher=Random House Worlds \|isbn=978-0-553-57277-3 \|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book \|last=Kube-Mcdowell \|first=Michael P. \|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ES7TCwAAQBAJ \|title=Tyrant's Test: Star Wars Legends (The Black Fleet Crisis) \|date=1996-12-01 \|publisher=Random House Worlds \|isbn=978-0-553-57275-9 \|language=en}}</ref>}} and '']'' (1997–1998),<ref>{{Cite book \|last=Crispin \|first=A. C. \|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=flSgAAAACAAJ \|title=Star Wars: The Han Solo Trilogy \|date=1997 \|publisher=Science Fiction Book Club \|isbn=978-1-56865-953-4 \|language=en}}</ref> as well as the novels '']'' (1995),<ref>{{Cite book \|last1=Anderson \|first1=Kevin J. \|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=blJ-LEBFD8QC \|title=Heirs of the Force \|last2=Moesta \|first2=Rebecca \|date=1995 \|publisher=Boulevard Books \|isbn=978-1-57297-066-3 \|language=en}}</ref> ] (1999),<ref>{{Cite book \|last=Salvatore \|first=R. A. \|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5lp3PQAACAAJ \|title=Vector Prime: The New Jedi Order \|date=1999 \|publisher=Century \|isbn=978-0-7126-8084-4 \|language=en}}</ref> and '']'' (2005).<ref>{{Cite book \|last=Luceno \|first=James \|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dplLswEACAAJ \|title=Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader \|date=2005 \|publisher=Century \|isbn=978-1-84413-305-5 \|language=en}}</ref>
	==External links==
	* {{databank\|category=character\|subject=chewbacca\|text=Chewbacca}}
	* {{sww\|Chewbacca}}

			''Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader'' is set just after ''Revenge of the Sith''. When the Empire enslaves most of Kashyyyk's population to build the Death Star, Chewbacca escapes with a group of smugglers who are friendly to the Jedi. '']''—the second novel in ''The Han Solo Trilogy''—explains how Chewbacca and Han first meet. While serving as a lieutenant in the Imperial Navy, Han finds Chewbacca unconscious aboard a slave ship. Han is ordered to skin the Wookiee, but rescues him instead. Upon regaining consciousness, Chewbacca swears a "life-debt" to Han, and the two become business partners and friends.<ref>{{Cite book \|last=Crispin \|first=A. C. \|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uxOCPwAACAAJ \|title=The Hutt Gambit \|date=1997 \|publisher=Bantam \|isbn=978-0-553-50547-4 \|language=en}}</ref> In '']'', Chewbacca sacrifices his life to save Han's son ] from a collision between the planet Sernpidal and one of its moons. Two of the Wookiee's family members offer to assume Chewbacca's life debt to Han.
	{{Episode III}}
	{{Episode IV}}
	{{Episode V}}
	{{Episode VI}}

			''Vector Prime'' was followed by the comic series ''Star Wars: Chewbacca'', in which C-3PO and R2-D2 travel the galaxy collecting stories of beings who knew or met the Wookiee.<ref>{{Cite book \|last1=Macan \|first1=Darko \|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wV9pPgAACAAJ \|title=Chewbacca \|last2=Anderson \|first2=Brent Eric \|last3=Blyberg \|first3=Willie \|last4=Eyring \|first4=Nathan \|date=2001 \|publisher=Titan \|isbn=978-1-84023-274-5 \|language=en}}</ref>
	]

	]
			== See also ==
			* ]
			* ]

			== Notes ==
			{{notelist}}
			== References ==

			=== Citations ===
			{{Reflist\|30em}}

			=== Works Cited ===
			* {{Cite book \|last1=Hidalgo \|first1=Pablo \|title=The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia \|last2=Sansweet \|first2=Stephen \|publisher=Del Rey \|year=2008a \|isbn=9780345477637 \|edition=First \|volume=I \|location=New York }}
			* {{Cite book \|last1=Hidalgo \|first1=Pablo \|title=The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia \|last2=Sansweet \|first2=Stephen \|publisher=Del Rey \|year=2008c \|isbn=9780345477637 \|edition=First \|volume=III \|location=New York }}
			* {{cite book \|last=Rinzler \|first=J.W. \|url= \|title=The Making of Star Wars: The Definitive Story Behind the Original Film \|publisher=Ebury Press \|year=2008 \|isbn=978-0-09-192499-7 \|edition=2008}}
			* {{Cite book \|last=Rinzler \|first=J.W. \|title=The Making of The Empire Strikes Back \|publisher=Del Rey \|year=2010 \|isbn=9780345543363 \|edition=eBook v3.1 \|location=London}}

			== Further reading ==
			*{{Cite news \|last=Brown \|first=Angie \|date=17 February 2024 \|title=I made my Star Wars Chewbacca suit from 45 bags of hair extensions \|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-68297972 \|access-date=2024-08-31 \|work=BBC \|language=en-GB}}

			== External links ==
			{{commons category\|position=}}
			in the ''StarWars''.com Databank{{Star Wars Trilogy}}
			{{Star Wars prequel trilogy}}
			{{Star Wars sequel trilogy}}
			{{Star Wars universe}}
			{{Authority control}}

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Fictional character in the Star Wars franchise This article is about a fictional character. For other uses, see Chewbacca (disambiguation).

Fictional character

Chewbacca
Star Wars character

First appearance	Star Wars (1977)
Created by	George Lucas
Portrayed by	Peter Mayhew Joonas Suotamo
In-universe information
Species	Wookiee
Gender	Male
Occupation	Co-pilot and first mate on Millennium Falcon
Affiliation	Rebel Alliance Resistance
Family	Mallatobuck (wife) Lumpawaroo (son) Others in Legends
Homeworld	Kashyyyk

Chewbacca (/tʃuːˈbɑːkə/ choo-BAH-kə), nicknamed "Chewie", is a fictional character in the Star Wars franchise. He is a Wookiee—a tall, hairy, highly intelligent species originating from the planet Kashyyyk. He is 7.5 feet (2.3 m) tall, and typically wears only a bandolier and a tool pouch. He carries a bowcaster, a traditional Wookiee weapon, and he speaks the Wookiee language Shyriiwook. He first appears in the original Star Wars film as the loyal friend of the smuggler Han Solo. He is also the co-pilot of Han's starship, the Millennium Falcon.

Chewbacca is portrayed by Peter Mayhew in the original film trilogy, the Star Wars Holiday Special (1978), and Revenge of the Sith (2005). Mayhew shares the Chewbacca role with his body double, Joonas Suotamo, in The Force Awakens (2015). Following Mayhew's retirement in 2017, Suotamo took over the role, appearing in The Last Jedi (2017) and The Rise of Skywalker (2019). Suotamo also plays Chewbacca in the standalone film Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018). Chewbacca also appears in animated series, novels, comics, and video games.

Creation and portrayal

George Lucas invented many fictional characters while writing the original 1977 Star Wars film. Chewbacca was inspired by his dog, an Alaskan Malamute named Indiana. She would sit in the passenger seat of his car while he was driving, and he referred to her as his "co-pilot". Chewbacca's name was derived from the Russian word sobaka (собака), which means "dog". In France, his name was changed in the original French-language release of Star Wars. He was called Chiktabba, and his nickname was Chico.

The Chewbacca costume used in the original trilogy and the Star Wars Holiday Special was made from yak hair, rabbit hair and mohair. For The Force Awakens, multiple Chewbacca suits were crafted from yak hair, Lycra and a small amount of mohair. Chewbacca's voice was created by Ben Burtt, the sound designer for the original trilogy and the prequel trilogy. He generated the Wookiee's vocalizations by mixing together recordings of four bears, a badger, a lion, a seal, and a walrus. Mayhew modeled his performance of Chewbacca on the mannerisms of animals he observed in public zoos.

Reception

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (December 2024)

In his 1997 review of the Special Edition re-release of The Empire Strikes Back, the film critic Roger Ebert declared that of all the characters, Chewbacca gave the worst performance. He wrote: "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?" In spite of Ebert's critique, Chewbacca received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 1997 MTV Movie Awards.

Appearances

Original trilogy

Main article: Star Wars original trilogy

Chewbacca was introduced in Star Wars (1977), and is portrayed by Peter Mayhew in all three films of the original film trilogy. Mayhew was cast primarily for his height of 7 feet 3 inches (2.21 m). In Star Wars, Chewbacca and Han Solo are smugglers who accept a charter to transport Luke Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi to the planet Alderaan aboard their ship, the Millennium Falcon. When they find the planet obliterated by the Death Star, Chewbacca and Han help their passengers rescue Princess Leia and take her to the Rebel base on Yavin 4. In the film's climactic battle scene, Chewbacca and Han save Luke from being killed by Darth Vader, which allows Luke to destroy the Death Star. After the battle, Leia acknowledges Chewbacca for his achievements alongside Luke and Han.

The Empire Strikes Back (1980) takes place three years after Star Wars. Chewbacca and Han are planning to leave the Rebellion to pay off a debt to Jabba the Hutt, but are drawn back into the war when the Empire assaults the Rebel base. Chewbacca, Han and Leia seek refuge in Cloud City with Han's friend Lando Calrissian, unaware that Lando has betrayed them to the Empire. C-3PO is blasted into pieces by an Imperial stormtrooper, and Chewbacca saves him from being melted down. Before Han is frozen in carbonite and delivered to Jabba, he asks Chewbacca to look after Leia for him. Chewbacca, Leia and Lando escape from Vader in the Falcon. When Leia hears Luke's cry for help, she orders Chewbacca to turn the ship around to rescue him. In the film's final scene, Chewbacca joins the others in preparing to rescue Han from Jabba.

Lucas wanted to create audience sympathy for C-3PO in The Empire Strikes Back by having him get dismantled. Because both C-3PO and Chewbacca were likeable characters—and disliked one another—Lucas wanted them to have a bonding experience. Towards this end, Chewbacca rescues C-3PO and later repairs him with the help of R2-D2.

At the beginning of Return of the Jedi (1983), Chewbacca infiltrates Jabba's palace by pretending to be the prisoner of a bounty hunter, who is actually Leia in disguise. Chewbacca and his companions manage to rescue Han and escape. Later, Chewbacca joins the others on a mission to destroy the second Death Star's shield generator, which is located on Endor. During a battle, Chewbacca commandeers an AT-ST walker, which contributes to the mission's success. At the end of the film, Chewbacca and the other Rebels celebrate the destruction of the Death Star and the fall of the Empire.

Prequel trilogy

In Revenge of the Sith (2005), Chewbacca and his fellow Wookiee Tarfful fight in the Clone Wars when Kashyyyk is invaded by the Separatist Alliance. They also help the Jedi Master Yoda escape from clone troopers who were ordered to kill him.

Sequel trilogy

Main article: Star Wars sequel trilogy

In The Force Awakens, Mayhew shares the Chewbacca role with his body double, Joonas Suotamo. In the film, which is set thirty years after Return of the Jedi, Chewbacca and Han find the Millennium Falcon, which had been stolen from them. They help the rogue First Order stormtrooper Finn, the scavenger Rey and the droid BB-8 escape from a gang of mercenaries, then fly to the castle of Maz Kanata so she can help them deliver BB-8 to the Resistance. While they are at Maz's castle, the First Order arrives and captures Rey. Chewbacca and the others fly to a Resistance base, where Chewbacca and Han reunite with Leia and C-3PO. They also soon reunite with Rey, who escaped from the First Order. During a Resistance mission, Han is killed by his son Kylo Ren, which prompts an enraged Chewbacca to shoot Kylo in the side. The Wookiee then sets off explosives that allow Poe Dameron and other X-wing pilots to destroy Starkiller Base, the First Order's superweapon. Before the base explodes, Chewbacca rescues Rey and Finn from the wilderness, where they had been fighting with Kylo. Later, Chewbacca helps Rey find Luke on the planet Ahch-To.

Suotamo portrays Chewbacca in The Last Jedi (2017), which takes place immediately after The Force Awakens. While Rey attempts to convince Luke to train her, Chewbacca develops a relationship with some seabirds known as Porgs. Later on, Chewbacca and Rey help the Resistance by using the Falcon to distract First Order TIE fighters.

Chewbacca returns in The Rise of Skywalker (2019), again played by Suotamo. He and his companions travel to the planet Passana, where they search for a clue to the location of a Sith wayfinder. With the help of Lando, they locate the clue, but are quickly found by the First Order. While Rey confronts Kylo, Chewbacca is captured and taken aboard a transport. Rey uses the Force to arrest the flight of the transport she mistakenly believes Chewbacca is on. She accidentally destroys the ship with Force lightning, and believes she has killed Chewbacca, who in reality was on a different transport. Deeply shaken by the apparent death of the Wookiee, Rey and the others pledge to continue the mission in his memory. Later on, Chewbacca's friends realize he is alive, and manage to rescue him. When they return to the Resistance base, they learn of Leia's death, and Chewbacca is distraught. He then helps Lando recruit citizens from across the galaxy to defeat the Sith Eternal forces. Near the end of the film, Chewbacca receives a medal from Maz.

Solo: A Star Wars Story

Suotamo portrays Chewbacca in the 2018 standalone film Solo: A Star Wars Story, which details the Wookiee's first meeting with Han. He was captured by Imperials on the planet Mimban, and is being held captive in a small pit. Han, considered a "troublemaker" by the Imperials, is thrown into the pit to be eaten by Chewbacca. The Wookiee attacks Han, but stops when Han reveals he can speak Shyriiwook. Chewbacca and Han form an instant bond and escape their captors. They join the crew of the thief Tobias Beckett, and make several attempts to steal coaxium for the Crimson Dawn crime syndicate. On Kessel, Chewbacca frees several other Wookiees from slavery. During the Kessel Run—in which Han flies the Falcon through a cloudy maelstrom—Chewbacca reveals his skill as a pilot. Near the end of the film, Beckett turns traitor and captures Chewbacca. After Han saves his friend and kills Beckett, he wins the Millenium Falcon from Lando. Chewbacca and Han then set off on more adventures in the Falcon.

Animated series

In the season 3 finale of the television series The Clone Wars, Chewbacca is captured by Trandoshan hunters, but is freed by Ahsoka Tano and agrees to help her and two younglings escape. He and Ahsoka attack the Trandoshan fortress before they are found and assisted by Tarfful and other Wookiees. Chewbacca appears in both seasons of the web series Forces of Destiny (2017–2018). He is featured in episodes 5 and 10 of season 1, and in episodes 6 and 12 of season 2.

Novels and comics

Chewbacca is featured in the novels Smuggler's Run: A Han Solo and Chewbacca Adventure (2015) and The Mighty Chewbacca in the Forest of Fear (2018). He appears in the comics Chewbacca (2015), Life Day (2021) and Han Solo and Chewbacca (2022–2023).

Video games

Chewbacca is a playable character in a variety of video games, including Masters of Teräs Käsi, Star Wars Battlefront II, Star Wars Battlefront: Renegade Squadron, Star Wars Battlefront: Elite Squadron, and the 2017 version of Star Wars Battlefront II. The Wookiee is also playable in the Lego Star Wars 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.

Other

The 1978 television program Star Wars Holiday Special introduces Chewbacca's family, including his wife Mallatobuck, his son Lumpawarrump, and his father Attichitcuk, who is the chief of the Kaapauku Tribe. The program features a story in which Chewbacca and Han travel to Kashyyyk to celebrate Life Day, while trying to prevent Darth Vader from spoiling the holiday. The special is not part of the Star Wars story canon.

Star Wars Legends

Notes

Original trilogy
Revenge of the Sith
The Force Awakens
Star Wars Holiday Special
Solo: A Star Wars Story
Sequel trilogy
Chewbacca's family members in the Star Wars Legends narrative universe include his sister Kallabow, his nephew Lowbacca and his niece Sirrakuk.
Originally titled Star Wars, the film was later retitled Star Wars: Episode IV—A New Hope.
Originally titled Star Wars, it was later retitled Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope.
Attributed to multiple references:
Attributed to multiple references:
Attributed to multiple references:

References

Citations

^ "Chewbacca". StarWars.com. Retrieved March 29, 2024.
Morrison, Matt (May 14, 2018). "Exclusive: Here's Who That Other Wookiee Is in Solo: A Star Wars Story". ScreenRant. Retrieved April 9, 2024.
Gallagher, Brian (February 21, 2017). "Chewbacca's Son in The Star Wars Holiday Special Is Officially Canon". MovieWeb. Retrieved April 9, 2024.
Hidalgo & Sansweet 2008c, p. 333.
"Kashyyyk". StarWars.com. Retrieved April 8, 2024.
Hidalgo & Sansweet 2008a, p. 122.
"Bowcaster". StarWars.com. Retrieved April 5, 2024.
Romano, Nick (May 10, 2018). "Alden Ehrenreich had to learn Wookiee for 'Solo: A Star Wars Story'". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved April 6, 2024.
^ Richwine, Lisa; Gorman, Steve (May 2, 2019). "Peter Mayhew, actor who played Chewbacca in 'Star Wars' movies, dies". Reuters. Archived from the original on November 3, 2021. Retrieved April 7, 2024.
"Star Wars: Holiday Special". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved April 10, 2024.
Shanley, Patrick (February 21, 2017). "'Star Wars': New Chewbacca Actor Honors Peter Mayhew After Taking on the Role". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved April 10, 2024.
Liptak, Andrew (May 2, 2019). "Peter Mayhew, the actor who brought Chewbacca to life, has died". The Verge. Retrieved March 30, 2024.
Breznican, Anthony (May 3, 2019). "Watch new Chewbacca actor Joonas Suotamo explain Peter Mayhew's influence". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved March 29, 2024.
The Characters of Star Wars (DVD). 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment. 2004. Star Wars Original Trilogy DVD Box Set: Bonus Materials.
Anderton, Ethan (December 2, 2021). "The Unexpected Inspiration Behind Chewbacca". Slashfilm. Retrieved March 29, 2024.
Rinzler 2008, p. 35.
Boucher, Geoff; Petski, Denise (May 2, 2019). "Peter Mayhew Dies: 'Star Wars' Chewbacca Actor Was 74". Deadline. Retrieved April 5, 2024.
"Z6PO? How the French originally translated the names of Star Wars characters". The Local France. May 4, 2017. Retrieved March 29, 2024.
Hutchinson, Sean (May 2, 2019). "15 Things You Might Not Know About Chewbacca". Mental Floss. Retrieved March 29, 2024.
Rosenstein, Jenna (November 12, 2015). "Star Wars: Chewbacca's Hair Routine in The Force Awakens Is Actually Pretty Glam". Allure. Retrieved April 11, 2024.
Wilson, Mark (April 17, 2015). "How Ben Burtt Designed the Sounds of Star Wars". Fast Company. Retrieved April 10, 2024.
Madrigal, Alexis C. (August 7, 2014). "The Incredible Story of How Chewbacca Got a Voice". The Atlantic. Archived from the original on November 5, 2023. Retrieved March 30, 2024.
Empire of Dreams: The Story of the Star Wars Trilogy (DVD). 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment. 2004.
Lambrechts, Stephen (September 13, 2011). "Chatting with Chewie". IGN. Archived from the original on October 17, 2023. Retrieved March 4, 2024.
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Richmond, Ray (June 9, 1997). "Cruise & Danes top MTV nods". Variety. Retrieved June 6, 2024.
Pener, Degen; Laine, Tricia (June 20, 1997). "The California scene". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved June 6, 2024.
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"Star Wars Forces of Destiny Episode 'Beasts of Echo Base'". Disney. July 7, 2017. Retrieved July 8, 2017 – via YouTube.
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"Star Wars Forces of Destiny Episode 'Porgs!'". Disney. May 4, 2018. Retrieved May 31, 2024 – via YouTube.
Rucka, Greg (2015). Smuggler's Run: A Han Solo & Chewbacca Adventure. Egmont. ISBN 978-1-4052-7785-3.
Angleberger, Tom (May 25, 2018). Star Wars: The Mighty Chewbacca in the Forest of Fear. Disney Electronic Content. ISBN 978-1-368-02575-1.
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Works Cited

Hidalgo, Pablo; Sansweet, Stephen (2008a). The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia. Vol. I (First ed.). New York: Del Rey. ISBN 9780345477637.
Hidalgo, Pablo; Sansweet, Stephen (2008c). The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia. Vol. III (First ed.). New York: Del Rey. ISBN 9780345477637.
Rinzler, J.W. (2008). The Making of Star Wars: The Definitive Story Behind the Original Film (2008 ed.). Ebury Press. ISBN 978-0-09-192499-7.
Rinzler, J.W. (2010). The Making of The Empire Strikes Back (eBook v3.1 ed.). London: Del Rey. ISBN 9780345543363.

External links

Chewbacca in the StarWars.com Databank

Star Wars original trilogy

Films

Theatrical	Star Wars (1977) The Empire Strikes Back (1980) Return of the Jedi (1983)
Television	Holiday Special (1978) Caravan of Courage (1984) The Battle for Endor (1985)

Characters

Novelizations

Related novels	Splinter of the Mind's Eye

Soundtracks

Star Wars
- "Main Title"
The Empire Strikes Back
- "The Imperial March"
Return of the Jedi
- "Ewok Celebration"

Video games

Episode IV	Star Wars (1983) Star Wars (1987) Star Wars (1991) Super Star Wars (1992)
Episode V	The Empire Strikes Back (1982) The Empire Strikes Back (1985) The Empire Strikes Back (1992) Super Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (1993)
Episode VI	Return of the Jedi: Death Star Battle (1983) Return of the Jedi: Ewok Adventure (cancelled) Return of the Jedi (1984) Super Star Wars: Return of the Jedi (1994)
Other	Jedi Arena (1983) Star Wars Arcade (1993) Yoda Stories (1997) Star Wars Trilogy Arcade (1998) Flight of the Falcon (2003) Star Wars Trilogy: Apprentice of the Force (2004) Lego Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy (2006)

Star Wars prequel trilogy

Films

Live-action	The Phantom Menace (1999) Attack of the Clones (2002) Revenge of the Sith (2005)
Animated	The Clone Wars (2008)

Series

Clone Wars (2003–2005)
The Clone Wars (2008–2014, 2020)

Characters

Novelizations

Soundtracks

Video games

Episode I	The Phantom Menace (1999) Racer (1999) Racer Arcade (2000) Jedi Power Battles (2000) Battle for Naboo (2000) Obi-Wan's Adventures (2000) Starfighter (2001) Obi-Wan (2001) Racer Revenge (2002)
Episode II	The Clone Wars (2002) Attack of the Clones (2002) The New Droid Army (2002)
Episode III	Revenge of the Sith (2005)
Clone Wars	Jedi Alliance (2008) Lightsaber Duels (2008) Republic Heroes (2009) Clone Wars Adventures (2010) Lego Star Wars III: The Clone Wars (2011)
Other	Pit Droids (1999) Lego Star Wars: The Video Game (2005)

Other

Star Wars sequel trilogy

Films

The Force Awakens (2015)
- accolades
- box office records
The Last Jedi (2017)
The Rise of Skywalker (2019)
- Duel of the Fates

Series

Resistance (2018–2020)

Lego series and specials

Characters

Resistance	Admiral Ackbar BB-8 C-3PO Chewbacca Finn (FN-2187) General Leia Organa Han Solo Lando Calrissian Maz Kanata Poe Dameron R2-D2 Rose Tico Vice-Admiral Holdo Wedge Antilles
First Order	General Hux Captain Phasma Supreme Leader Kylo Ren / Ben Solo Emperor Palpatine / Darth Sidious Supreme Leader Snoke
Jedi Order	Kanan Jarrus Qui-Gon Jinn Obi-Wan Kenobi Rey Anakin Skywalker Luke Skywalker Ahsoka Tano Mace Windu Yoda

Soundtracks

Novelizations

The Force Awakens (2015)

Video games

Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015)
Battlefront II DLCs (2017–2020)

Inspired media

The Love Hypothesis (2021)

Fictional universe of Star Wars

Concepts

Other

Legends

Books	Mara Jade Jacen Solo / Darth Caedus Tag and Bink
Video games	HK-47 Kreia / Darth Traya

Lists

Rebels
The Mandalorian
- The Book of Boba Fett
Legends
- Knights of the Old Republic

Groups

Skywalker family
Max Rebo Band
Military groups
- Clone troopers
- Stormtroopers

Organizations

Republican factions	Jedi Galactic Republic Rebel Alliance Resistance
Imperialist factions	Sith Galactic Empire First Order
Independent factions	Confederacy of Independent Systems Guardians of the Whills Mandalorians

Planets
and moons

Creatures

Sapient species	A–E Ewok F–J Hutt K–O P–T Tusken Raiders U–Z Wookiee
Other creatures	Bantha Droid Sarlacc

Technology

Weapons	Blaster Lightsaber
Terrestrial vehicles	Landspeeder Sandcrawler Speeder bike Walker
Starfighters	A-wing X-wing Y-wing TIE fighter
Spacecraft	Death Star Millennium Falcon Star Destroyer Tantive IV

Games

Category

Categories:

Latest revision as of 11:22, 10 December 2024

Creation and portrayal

Reception

Appearances

Original trilogy

Prequel trilogy

Sequel trilogy

Solo: A Star Wars Story

Animated series

Novels and comics

Video games

Other

Star Wars Legends

See also

Notes

References

Citations

Works Cited

Further reading

External links