Wookiee

For other uses, see Wookie.

Wookiee
In-universe information
Distinctions	Brown, grey, or black fur
Language	Shyriiwook, Xaczik

Wookiees are a race of bipeds in the fictional Star Wars universe. The most notable Wookiee is Chewbacca, a companion to Han Solo.

Inspiration

According to an interview with creator George Lucas, the inspiration for the Wookiee was Lucas's 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 the car. He was big, a big bear of a dog." During the climactic chase scene in THX-1138, one of the robotic cops says, "I think I ran over a wookiee back there on the expressway." However, there are also other claims as to the origins of the creation of the Wookiee. One source states that is a boy from Leicester England refered to as BIGGZ that planted the idea of the wookiee. Rumour has it that he is hairier than king kong, rather impressive.

Depiction

Physical characteristics

Adult Wookiees are typically taller than most humans, averaging 2.1 meters (6'11"). They possess enormous strength; Solo states that his friend Chewbacca can pull a man's arms out of their sockets if angered. Wookiees have a keen sense of smell, are fully covered with a thick coat of hair, have good hand-eye coordination and are shown to be excellent marksmen. Chewbacca is shown in such diverse planets and moons as Hoth, Tatooine and Endor, never requiring any type of environmental protective clothing. Wookiees have a lifespan of several hundred years.

Behavior

Wookiees are devoted, loyal friends and are very distrustful of strangers. Life debt is sacred to Wookiees. Despite a fearsome appearance and temperamental disposition, Wookiees are shown to be very intelligent and have a command of complicated technology. Chewbacca is co-pilot and performs maintenance on the starship Millennium Falcon. He had a basic knowledge of robotics, haphazardly re-assembling the blasted-apart droid C-3PO. Wookiees are fast learners; Chewbacca commandeers an Imperial AT-ST during the Battle of Endor and is shown effectively maneuvering the machine and operating its weapons systems. They are masters of fusion-cutting.

Wookiees greatly value morality, courage, compassion and loyalty. A sacred and ancient Wookiee tradition is that of the honor family. An honor family comprises a Wookiee's closest friends and companions. These family members pledge a commitment to lay down their lives for one another, as well as members of any honor families these individuals may have. Like the similarly sacred Wookiee life debt, Wookiees 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.

Language

The Wookiee language is Shyriiwook. Wookiees are capable of understanding Galactic Basic, but generally none are able to speak it because of the structure of Wookiee vocal cords. In the Star Wars Original Trilogy, Han Solo shows a knowledge of Shyriiwook, or can at least understand his companion.

Bowcasters

Bowcasters are weapons developed and used by Wookiees. Bowcasters launch "quarrels", which are crossbow bolts that through magnetic propulsion appear as elongated blaster bolts due to the velocity of the bolts. The propulsion technique makes the quarrels have an extremely high stopping power. Wookiees can load their bowcasters with both standard and explosive-tipped quarrels. The spring that powers the bowcaster is extremely hard to pull back; humans are generally incapable of cocking a bowcaster, although some exceptions do exist, including Jedi Knight Kyle Katarn. Some Wookiees were known to have added extra springs for multiple shots, and during the Imperial occupation of Kashyyyk, Wookiees bolted on E-11 blaster rifles to the bottom of the bowcaster for extra firepower.

Home world

In Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith the Wookiees live in the lush forests and giant jungles on the planet of Kashyyyk, where they originated. They live in villages among the giant wroshyr trees. George Lucas has said that he originally planned Yavin IV, home of the rebel base in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, to be the Wookiee home planet, but subsequent rewrites changed this to Kashyyyk instead, and it was ultimately shown on screen as the setting for a battle in Episode III. In Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic the video game, Kashyyyk is one of the planets which may be traveled to. It shows the Wookiees' homes in the treetops while the ground level is filled with deadly creatures and mysteries.

Kashyyyk is a world enveloped in immense forests and beaches. Inland, the trees are so tall and dense that a layered ecosystem has evolved within its branches. The closer one approaches to the forest floor, the more dangerous and primeval the environment becomes. Wookiees inhabit the upper levels of the forest, having built their massive cities within the interwoven canopy. The Wookiee city of Thikkiiana was one of the key manufacturers of sophisticated computer componentry in the New Republic.

External links

• The Wookiee Species from official Star Wars web site.
• Wookiee on Wookieepedia, a Star Wars wiki