"the characters Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, Han Solo, and the Wookiee Chewbacca—assisted by the Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi and the droids C-3PO and R2-D2—to thwart the evil plans of Sith Lord Darth Vader and the Galactic Empire. The film was followed by multiple sequel and prequel films. Along the production of the films were an array of derivative ""Star Wars"" works (set in the same continuity as the films), including books, comic books, video games, and television series, which take place at the same time as, between, and after the events of the original trilogy (1977–1983) and prequel trilogy (1999–2005). All"
"has been criticized as sometimes justifying the enabling of an abuser. Wookiee Wookiees () are a fictional species of intelligent bipeds from the planet Kashyyyk in the ""Star Wars"" universe. They are taller, stronger, and hairier than humans and most (if not all) other humanoid species. The most notable Wookiee is Chewbacca, the copilot of Han Solo, who first appeared in the 1977 film ""Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope"". According to an interview with creator George Lucas, the inspiration for the Wookiee was Lucas' dog, Indiana (whose name is used in the Lucas-inspired Indiana Jones movies). ""He was"
"Wookiee Wookiees () are a fictional species of intelligent bipeds from the planet Kashyyyk in the ""Star Wars"" universe. They are taller, stronger, and hairier than humans and most (if not all) other humanoid species. The most notable Wookiee is Chewbacca, the copilot of Han Solo, who first appeared in the 1977 film ""Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope"". According to an interview with creator George Lucas, the inspiration for the Wookiee was Lucas' dog, Indiana (whose name is used in the Lucas-inspired Indiana Jones movies). ""He was the prototype for the Wookiee. He always sat beside me in"
"television, books, comics, and video games. Chewbacca, a 200-year-old Wookiee, becomes a young Han Solo's companion after they both escape Imperial captivity on Minban. 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. Standing at eight feet tall, Chewbacca is covered with long hair and wears only a bandolier. His weapon of choice is the Wookiee bowcaster (a crossbow-shaped directed-energy weapon). Chewbacca was named one of the ""greatest sidekicks"" in film history by ""Entertainment Weekly"". In France, in ""Episode IV"","
"nephew Lowbacca when he later begins training as a Jedi, to facilitate communications with his fellow students. In the ""Star Wars"" films, Chewbacca carries a bowcaster, the traditional weapon developed and used by Wookiees. Bowcasters launch quarrels, which are crossbow bolts that through magnetic propulsion appear as elongated blaster bolts due to their velocity. The propulsion technique gives the quarrels extremely high stopping power. Chewbacca in particular is shown to be an excellent shot, killing a Stormtrooper who was attempting to escape on a speeder bike in ""Return of the Jedi"". The spring that powers the bowcaster is extremely hard"
"his name was changed to ""Chiktaba"" because the English name was similar to ""chewing tobacco"", which means in French ""tabac à mâcher"" or ""tabac à chiquer"", similar to ""Chiktaba"". In the other episodes, his name was ""Chewbacca"". In the Italian-language editions, Chewbacca is named ""Chewbecca"" () and is nicknamed ""Ciube"" (). Chewbacca's creation as a ""gentle, hairy, non-English-speaking co-pilot"" was inspired by George Lucas 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 word for ""dog"". In his first six screen appearances, Chewbacca"
"the Sith, the Death Star, and a general by the name of Annikin Starkiller. He changed Starkiller to an adolescent boy, and he shifted the general into a supporting role as a member of a family of dwarfs. Lucas envisioned the Corellian smuggler, Han Solo, as a large, green-skinned monster with gills. He based Chewbacca on his Alaskan Malamute dog, Indiana (whom he would later use as namesake for his character Indiana Jones), who often acted as the director's ""co-pilot"" by sitting in the passenger seat of his car. Lucas began researching the science fiction genre by watching films and"
"Kylo back to the light. Chewbacca later assists in the Battle of Crait, and while Rey attempts to find a way to help the Resistance escape from a cave, Chewbacca piloting the ""Falcon"" works to distract the First Order TIE fighters taking part in the battle. After Rey and a force-projecting Luke successfully save the Resistance, Chewbacca is seen along with the rest of the Resistance as the ""Falcon"" flies away from the battle. Chewbacca appears in the 2018 anthology film """", which details his meeting with Han. He first appears as a ""beast"" captured by Imperials on the planet"
"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, with """" (2015), and later as the lead in """" (2017) and """" (2018). Suotamo was born in Espoo, Uusimaa, Finland. As a youth, he performed roles as a stage actor. Suotamo attended Pennsylvania State University (PSU) and played the power forward and center positions for the Penn State Nittany Lions. With childhood interests in"
"Kashyyyk Kashyyyk (), also known as Wookiee Planet C, is a fictional planet in the ""Star Wars"" universe. It is the tropical, forested home world of the Wookiees. According to interviews given by ""Star Wars"" creator George Lucas, the home of the Wookiees was originally intended to be the forest moon of Endor which plays a key role in the plot of the sixth film of the series, ""Return of the Jedi"". However, Lucas decided that since the Wookiee Chewbacca was clearly proficient with advanced technology (i.e. he was pilot and mechanic of the spaceship the ""Millennium Falcon"" and he"
"his home in Texas, due to a bout of pneumonia. In July 2018, Mayhew announced via Twitter that he had successfully undergone unspecified spinal surgery to improve his mobility, and is currently recovering. Peter Mayhew Peter Mayhew (born 19 May 1944) is an English-American actor, 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 original to 2015's """" before his retirement from the role. Mayhew was born on 19 May 1944 in Barnes, Surrey, where he was also raised. His height is not a"
"more. He and Chewbacca return to the rebels. (Solo mentions an incident with a ""bounty hunter we ran into on Ord Mantell"" in the opening scenes of ""The Empire Strikes Back"".) The Marvel artists based this Jabba on a character later named Mosep Binneed, an alien visible only briefly in the Mos Eisley Cantina scene of ""A New Hope"". The 1977 mass market paperback of Lucas's ""Star Wars"" script describes Jabba as a ""great mobile tub of muscle and suet topped by a shaggy scarred skull"", but gives no further detail as to the character's physical appearance or species. Later"
"Peter Mayhew Peter Mayhew (born 19 May 1944) is an English-American actor, 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 original to 2015's """" before his retirement from the role. Mayhew was born on 19 May 1944 in Barnes, Surrey, where he was also raised. His height is not a product of gigantism, ""I don't have the big head"", but of a connective tissue disorder called Marfan syndrome. His peak height was . Mayhew got his first acting job in 1976 when the"
"sarlacc first appeared in the 1983 film ""Return of the Jedi"", wherein Jabba the Hutt attempts to drop Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, and Chewbacca into the creature's mouth; but Luke frees himself and the others with the aid of Lando Calrissian and R2-D2, while Princess Leia strangles Jabba. According to the Star Wars Databank, the sarlacci inhabit remote, inhospitable locations in the galaxy, but defies taxonomic classification, in so far as most texts claim that the sarlacc is an arthropod (as in ""The Essential Guide to Alien Species"" and ""The Wildlife of Star Wars""), while its anchored root system and"
"Ewok Ewoks are a fictional species of small, mammaloid bipeds that appear in the ""Star Wars"" universe. They are hunter-gatherers resembling teddy bears that inhabit the forest moon of Endor and live in various arboreal huts and other simple dwellings. They first appeared in the 1983 film ""Return of the Jedi"" and have since appeared in two made-for-television films, """" (1984) and """" (1985), as well as a short-lived animated series and several books and games. George Lucas created the Ewoks because he wanted ""Return of the Jedi"" to feature a tribe of some primitive creatures that bring down the"
"Wicket W. Warrick Wicket W. Warrick is a fictional character from the ""Star Wars"" franchise, first introduced and portrayed by Warwick Davis in the 1983 film ""Return of the Jedi"". He subsequently appeared in two made-for-television movies, an animated series, and promotional media for ""Star Wars"" from 1983 to 1986. Wicket is a diminutive teddy bear-like creature known as an Ewok, living on the forest moon of Endor and eventually participating in the Battle of Endor as an ally of the Rebel Alliance. In concluding his original ""Star Wars"" trilogy, George Lucas had foreseen the decisive battle in the Galactic"
"who subsequently portrayed the character in later screen appearances after Mayhew's retirement. Chewbacca's voice was created by the original films' sound designer, Ben Burtt, from recordings of walruses, lions, camels, bears, rabbits, tigers, and badgers in Burtt's personal menagerie. 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 named Tarik, from Happy Hollow Zoo in San Jose, California. The original costume was created by Stuart Freeborn and his wife Kay Freeborn, who hand knitted the torso section. During preproduction of ""The Force Awakens"", Creature"
"references ""the pit of sarlacc"" when finishing off the remains of a packet of crisps. In 2018, a cave that was discovered in British Columbia, Canada was unofficially named Sarlacc's Pit. Sarlacc The sarlacc (plural sarlacci) is a fictional creature in George Lucas's science fiction saga ""Star Wars"". It first appeared in the film ""Return of the Jedi"" (1983) as a multi-tentacled alien beast whose immense, gaping maw is lined with several rows of sharp teeth. The sarlacc in the film inhabits the Great Pit of Carkoon, a hollow in the sand of the desert planet Tatooine. This creature is"
"due to their strength and ferocity. The Wookiee language is Shyriiwook. Wookiees are capable of understanding , but generally none are able to speak it because of the structure of Wookiee vocal cords. In the original ""Star Wars"" trilogy, it seems that Chewbacca can understand humans. His human partner, Han Solo, also shows knowledge of Shyriiwook, or can at least understand Chewbacca; in Solo (2018 film) it is shown that Han does indeed have the ability to speak Shyriiwook at a rudimentary level. In the ""Star Wars"" expanded universe novels, Chewbacca builds a miniature translator droid (""Em Teedee"") for his"
"repaired the damaged droid C-3PO), it would be confusing to show the Wookiees with a primitive, ""stone age"" culture on Endor. The Ewoks were created instead to populate the moon and to help fight the Imperial garrison stationed there. Kashyyyk made appearances in the ""Star Wars Holiday Special"" and """". Although Kashyyyk was the home world of the famous character Chewbacca, it is not named or mentioned during the events of original ""Star Wars"" trilogy. It was first seen in ""Star Wars Holiday Special"" (1978), as the program's frame story takes place there. In the ""Star Wars Holiday Special"", the"
"Sarlacc The sarlacc (plural sarlacci) is a fictional creature in George Lucas's science fiction saga ""Star Wars"". It first appeared in the film ""Return of the Jedi"" (1983) as a multi-tentacled alien beast whose immense, gaping maw is lined with several rows of sharp teeth. The sarlacc in the film inhabits the Great Pit of Carkoon, a hollow in the sand of the desert planet Tatooine. This creature is one of the largest of several sarlacci scattered across the ""Star Wars"" galaxy. In the original ""Return of the Jedi"", the sarlacc is simply a barbed hole in the desert sand"
"Jedi"", the Twi'lek slave dancer Oola is fed to the rancor monster. Jabba the Hutt's physical appearance reinforces his personality as a criminal deviant. In ""Return of the Jedi"", Han Solo calls Jabba a ""slimy piece of worm-ridden filth"". Film critic Roger Ebert described him as ""a cross between a toad and the Cheshire Cat."" Science fiction writer Jeanne Cavelos wrote that Jabba deserved the ""award for most disgusting alien"". Science fiction authors Tom and Martha Veitch write that Jabba's body is a ""miasmic mass"", and that ""The Hutt's lardaceous body seemed to periodically release a greasy discharge, sending fresh"
"Jabba the Hutt Jabba Desilijic Tiure, commonly known as Jabba the Hutt, is a fictional character in the ""Star Wars"" franchise created by George Lucas. He is a large, slug-like alien known as a Hutt who, like many others of his species, operates as a powerful crime lord within the galaxy. In the original theatrical releases of the original ""Star Wars"" trilogy, Jabba the Hutt first appeared in ""Return of the Jedi"" (1983), though he is mentioned in ""Star Wars"" (1977) and ""The Empire Strikes Back"" (1980), and a previously deleted scene involving Jabba the Hutt was added to the"
"to ""The Star Wars Holiday Special"" as canon in a 2015 interview. After being introduced by the special, the character Boba Fett and the planet Kashyyyk have gone on to play integral roles in the franchise, making their first film appearances in ""The Empire Strikes Back"" and """", respectively. Apart from this, more specific references to ""The Star Wars Holiday Special"" have been made including: Footnotes Citations Bibliography Star Wars Holiday Special The Star Wars Holiday Special is a 1978 American musical science fiction television film set in the ""Star Wars"" galaxy. It stars the original film's main cast, Chewbacca's"
"Cheeta Cheeta (sometimes billed as Cheetah, Cheta and Chita) is a chimpanzee character who appeared in numerous Hollywood Tarzan movies of the 1930s–1960s as well as the 1966–1968 television series, as the ape sidekick of the title character, Tarzan. Cheeta has usually been characterized as male, but sometimes as female, and has been portrayed by chimpanzees of both sexes. While the character of Cheeta is inextricably associated in the public mind with Tarzan, no chimpanzees appear in the original Tarzan novels by Edgar Rice Burroughs that inspired the films. The closest analog to Cheeta in the Burroughs novels is Tarzan's"
"""Pizza the Hutt"" from the ""Star Wars"" spoof film ""Spaceballs"". Hutt (Star Wars) The Hutts are a fictional alien species in the ""Star Wars"" franchise. Hutts are rotund, voracious and grotesque-looking slug-like creatures with a predisposition to being involved as leaders in organized crime. The most famous Hutt and the first to be depicted, from whose design template that later used for other members of the race is derived, is Jabba the Hutt, who appears in the films ""Return of the Jedi"", the Special Edition release of ""A New Hope"", and """". Both Jabba and numerous other Hutts additionally feature"
"these individuals may have. Like the similarly sacred Wookiee life debt, Wookiees are willing to extend this tradition to members outside their species. Chewbacca considered Han Solo, Leia Organa Solo, their children, and Luke Skywalker part of his honor family. Wookiees have an understanding of ""Star Wars""–universe warfare and fought alongside Republic forces during the Clone Wars. Wookiees were betrayed and enslaved shortly after that conflict. Some Wookiees are sensitive to the Force. One such Wookiee is Lowbacca, Chewbacca's nephew, from the book series ""Young Jedi Knights"". Some Wookiees are also prominent and successful bounty hunters, such as Black Krrsantan,"
"thick coat of hair, have good hand–eye coordination, and are shown to be excellent marksmen. Wookiees have been shown in many diverse environments, such as those of Hoth, Tatooine and Endor, never wearing any protective clothing or showing any signs of discomfort. Wookiees have a lifespan of several hundred years. Wookiees are devoted, loyal friends and are very distrustful of strangers. Life debt is sacred to them. Despite a fearsome appearance and temperamental disposition, Wookiees are very intelligent and are very adept at handling advanced technology. Chewbacca is co-pilot of and performs maintenance on the ""Millennium Falcon"", and also possesses"
"a ""fat, slug-like creature with eyes on extended feelers and a huge ugly mouth"", but Lucas stated in an interview that the initial character he had in mind was much furrier and resembled a Wookiee. When filming the scene between Han Solo and Jabba in 1976, Lucas employed Northern Irish actor Declan Mulholland to stand-in for Jabba the Hutt, wearing a shaggy brown costume. Lucas planned to replace Mulholland in post-production with a stop-motion creature. The scene was meant to connect ""Star Wars"" to ""Return of the Jedi"" and explain why Han Solo was imprisoned at the end of ""The"
"hero on the rebels side. He was a playable (LEGO version) character in """" and """" as he had a big role in the original trilogy movies but is only in one level in ""The Video Game"". The level is where Chewbacca's home is under attack, Yoda helps him and so at the end of the level Chewbacca and another Wookie lead him to a space pod to escape, just as in the film. He also appeared in ""."" Chewbacca is featured as a playabale character in the Death Star DLC from 2015's Star Wars: Battlefront, which came out in"
"Millennium Falcon The Millennium Falcon is a fictional starship in the ""Star Wars"" franchise. The modified YT-1300 Corellian light freighter is primarily commanded by Corellian smuggler Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and his Wookiee first mate, Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew). Designed by the Corellian Engineering Corporation (CEC), the highly modified YT-1300 is durable, modular, and is stated as being the second-fastest vessel in the ""Star Wars"" canon. The ""Millennium Falcon"" first appears in ""Star Wars"" (1977), and subsequently in ""The Star Wars Holiday Special"" (1978), ""The Empire Strikes Back"" (1980), ""Return of the Jedi"" (1983), """" (2005), """" (2015), """" (2017), and"
"new Jedi trainee — Chewbacca's nephew, Lowbacca. Along with Tenel Ka — a seemingly humorless warrior girl who befriended them during the past month — the twins and ""Lowie"" become fast friends. To help Lowie communicate with his fellow students, Chewbacca and Han give him a small translator droid named Em Teedee, whose mannerisms bear an uncanny resemblance to those of the droid C-3PO. After assembling the T-23 skyhopper that his uncle had given to him as a going-away present, Lowie takes it on a test flight. He spots a shiny object glimmering in the branches of a Massassi tree,"
"Languages in Star Wars The ""Star Wars"" science fiction universe, created by George Lucas, features dialogue that is not spoken in natural languages. The lingua franca of the franchise, for which the language the works are dubbed or written stand in, is Galactic Basic. Characters often speak languages other than Basic, notably ""Shyriiwook"" spoken by Chewbacca, droidspeak spoken by R2-D2 and BB-8, and Huttese spoken by Jabba the Hutt. The fictional languages were approached as sound design and developed largely by Ben Burtt, sound designer for both the original and prequel trilogy of films. He created alien dialogue out of"