Chewbacca!
Who doesn’t love this towering Wookie? He might be hard to understand, unless you’re Han or Rey, but he has so many wonderful characteristics and qualities.
3 Qualities That Make Chewie Great
In the five Star Wars movies we see Chewie in, he demonstrates the following qualities.
While he doesn’t get enough screen time, in my opinion, when he is on the screen you know it.
#1: Faithful
We all want our spouse, family and friends to be faithful, right?
We want them to be “steadfast in affection or allegiance; firm in adherence to promises or in observance of duty*“
Time and time again, Chewie demonstrates his faithfulness to Han and his friends.
While the movies have not explicitly told us why Chewie stays with a scoundrel like Han Solo, outside sources do tells us. Some time after Revenge of the Sith, many Wookies were captured and enslaved by the Empire. Chewbacca was one of them. He stays with Han because Chewie swore a Wookiee life debt to Han Solo after Han freed Chewie from slavery.
We know from The Phantom Menace that a life debt was a custom where if someone had saved a person’s life, then that person owed the one who had saved.
I can only hope that the Han Solo movie that will be coming out in a few years will shed some more light on the early relationship between these two characters.
The idea of a life debt is very foreign to us today. We are taught that we should put our needs first. Chewie put Han (and eventually his family) ahead of himself.
#2: Devotion
When we look at the word devotion, it’s defined as “love, loyalty, or enthusiasm for a person, activity, or cause.”
We certainly see that between Chewie and Han.
Chewie’s devotion to Han leads him into some very bad situations that he would rather not get into. Whether it’s going into a trash compactor or flying a stolen Imperial shuttle into the heart of the Empire’s defenses, Chewie is there with Han.
This loyalty and faithfulness is something I aspire to with my family and friends.
#3: Strength/Meekness
We know from Revenge of the Sith Wookies will fight to defend their home (world) from invaders and those that wish to hurt their family and friends.
We also know from A New Hope that it is not wise to upset a Wookie since they have the strength to rip a person’s arm out of their socket.
Chewie keeps this strength under control until his friends are in danger. Then watch out.
When he starts to tear apart things in the Carbon-Freezing chamber on Bespin, Han has to calm him down. Han tells him to save his strength and also to remind him that there will be another time.
I want to be that kind of friend. Someone strong enough to destroy those that try to hurt my family and friends, but to have that self-control to keep that power in check.
Who’s Your Favorite?
Do you agree with how awesome Chewbacca is
If not, who is your favorite and why? Leave your favorite character in the comments below and share why you let them.
Do you think the movies would be better if Chewbaca spoke English, um I mean Galactic Basic? It would make him a more prominent character, but perhaps his value to the movie is being the silently supportive hero who does not get the credit or attention.
I like that we couldn’t understand his exact words. The way others replied gave us the general idea of what he was saying. That being said, I prefer it when movies keep the original language but provide sub-titles like when Greedo came to get Han in ANH but Han shot first.
I like Luke – I guess because he is always learning. He changes through the movies as he becomes a Jedi. He starts to believe more than himself.
I like Chewie too. He reminds of a teddy bear – but a big live powerful one.
I think I am going to start watching these again. I had forgotten all about them.
Blessings,
Janis
Thanks Janis. I don’t think of Chewie as a teddy bear since he’s one that would rip someone’s arm out of its socket if he loses. The Ewoks on the otherhand were more teddy bear like.
Go ahead and start with the original trilogy and then go watch Episode VII.