Wookiee

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"Let him have it. It's not wise to upset a Wookiee."
"But sir, nobody worries about upsetting a droid."
"That's 'cause droids don't pull people's arms out of their sockets when they lose. Wookiees are known to do that."
"I see your point, sir. I suggest a new strategy, Artoo. Let the Wookiee win."

―Han Solo, and C-3PO^[src]

The Wookiees were a species of tall, hairy humanoids that were native to the planet Kashyyyk. The most notable member of this species was the warrior Chewbacca, Han Solo's best friend and co-pilot, who played a vital role in the Galactic Civil War by aiding the Rebel Alliance in their fight against the Galactic Empire, as well as the First Order–Resistance conflict where he fought against the First Order. They were quite strong, and were known to rip people's arms out of their sockets when provoked. Though being from a temperate planet better known for its swamps and forests, they were able to be comfortable on icy worlds such as Ilum, Hoth, and Starkiller Base without any protective clothing, including gloves and boots.

Biology and appearance

Wookiees were a tall species of furry giants from the planet Kashyyyk, who could grow to a height of nearly three meters. Despite their fearsome appearance and volatile temperament, Wookiees were regarded as intelligent, sophisticated, loyal and trusting. When angered, Wookiees were known to descend into a berserker rage.^[17] Wookiees had a long lifespan, appearing not to age over a span of fifty years.^[18] One Wookiee, Lohgarra, lived healthily for centuries—the only distinction being her white fur.^[6] They could learn to understand other languages, like Galactic Basic, but they were physically unable to speak them. To those who had not learned to understand Shyriiwook, the Wookiee language,^[19] it appeared they spoke in a series of growls and purrs. Although rare, it was possible for Wookiees to be born Force-sensitive, like the Jedi youngling, Gungi.^[20]

History

The Clone Wars

Wookiees originated on the Mid Rim forest planet of Kashyyyk. In the ancient past, they invented and crafted weapons that fired poisoned darts and arrows.^[21] During the Clone Wars, the Wookiees fought alongside the Galactic Republic in several star systems.^[13] Towards the end of the conflict, Wookiee forces also defended their homeworld from a Separatist invasion with the help of Galactic Republic forces led by Jedi Master Yoda.^[14]

Age of the Empire

Following the establishment of the Galactic Empire, the Wookiee homeworld of Kashyyyk was blockaded by the Empire. The softening and repeal of anti-slavery laws ultimately led to the Empire classifying the Wookiees as non-sentient.^[15] The Empire enslaved the Wookiees not because they were a meaningful threat to the Empire but because their massive, robust physiology allowed them to work long and hard in extreme conditions.^[12]

As a result, many Wookiees were forced into slavery building much of the Imperial war machine,^[12] sent to be worked to death in the dangerous spice mines of the planet Kessel,^[13] or on construction sites such as the Death Star, though a number escaped this fate.^[11] Numerous Wookiees were bred for use in medical experimentation, and some were used as playthings for Grand Moff Lozen Tolruck, Imperial governor of Kashyyyk, who occasionally hunted live Wookiees for sport. Tolruck controlled the Wookiees by fitting them with inhibitor chips.^[12]

About fourteen years after the establishment of the Empire,^[13] the 212th Attack Battalion led by General Kahdah quelled a Wookiee revolt on Kashyyyk. Civilian travel to the planet was restricted and access was granted only for official government business.^[22] Shortly later, the Empire transported several captives including Wullffwarro and his son Kitwarr to the spice mines of Kessel. The Spectres, a rebel cell based on the Outer Rim world of Lothal, rescued the prisoners and escaped Kessel.^[23]

Joining the Rebellion

During the Galactic Civil War, several Wookiees including Chewbacca^[4] and Lohgarra fought for the Alliance to Restore the Republic^[6] and its successor government, the New Republic.^[11] One year following the Battle of Endor, the Wookiee homeworld was liberated by the New Republic forces. Working with a group of rebels led by Han Solo and Chewbacca, the former Imperial loyalty officer Sinjir Rath Velus used a hyperspace transceiver to neutralize Tolruck's inhibitor chips. This enabled the Wookiees to rise up enmasse against the Imperial occupiers. The Imperial forces attempted to orbital bombard Kashyyyk but were defeated by a New Republic fleet led by Leia Organa and Admiral Ackbar.^[12]

Wookiee and New Republic forces then conducted mopping-up operations against the remaining Imperial holdouts on Kashyyyk. During one of these skirmishes, Chewbacca reunited with his son Lumpawaroo, who had escaped from a slave labor camp run by Commandant Dessard.^[24]

Society and culture

File:Kashyyykian landscape.jpg

Wookiee buildings blended with their environment.

Most Wookiees carried bowcasters as weaponry, which were handcrafted.^[21] The Wookiee people by and large hated Trandoshans, who were renowned as great hunters.^[25] The highest way a Wookiee could compliment someone was to groom them.^[6] In Wookiee society, loyalty and courage were valued as sacrosanct tenets.^[17]

Wookiees in the Galaxy

"A Wookiee! Rare you are to the Jedi. Proud, your people must be."

―Professor Huyang to Gungi^[src]

Some notable Wookiees included Chewbacca, the navigator and long-time companion of Han Solo.^[26] Other noteworthy Wookiees including the chief and general Tarfful (who fought alongside Master Yoda during the Battle of Kashyyyk)^[14], the warrior Wullffwarro, and his son Kitwarr.^[23] One known Force-sensitive Wookiee was the Jedi youngling Gungi, who lived during the Clone Wars.^[20] During the Age of the Empire, Black Krrsantan was a Wookiee who worked as a bounty hunter for both Jabba the Hutt and Darth Vader.^[5]

Another Wookiee Greybok played an important role in turning the tide of the Battle of Sevarcos by freeing several rancors, which rampaged the Imperial lines.^[11] Later, he took part in Han Solo and Chewbacca's campaign to liberate Kashyyyk.^[12] While serving as a senator in the New Republic's Galactic Senate, Leia Organa once saw two Wookiee commuters in front of her on an automated sidewalk at the New Republic senatorial complex on Hosnian Prime.^[27]

Behind the scenes

The word "Wookiee" originated in George Lucas's first movie, THX 1138, in a line ad-libbed by actor Terry McGovern: "I think I just ran over a Wookiee."^[28] Since Chewbacca's premiere in the first Star Wars film, Wookiees have appeared in numerous Star Wars Legends including The Star Wars Holiday Special, the early Marvel Star Wars comics, and the BioWare roleplaying game Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. In addition, Wookiees have also appeared in numerous Canon products including both the Original and Prequel trilogies, the animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Star Wars Rebels, and Chuck Wendig's Star Wars: The Aftermath Trilogy.

The Wookiees also appeared in the non-Canon LEGO Star Wars: The Freemaker Adventures episode "Peril on Kashyyyk", which premiered on Disney XD on June 27, 2016. Like in the Legends and Canon storylines, the Wookiees are depicted as having an antagonistic relationship with the Trandoshans, who act as Imperial proxies on Kashyyyk. In the episode, the scavenging Freemakers family help Chief Attabura to rescue his son Tantarra from a Trandoshan island fortress.