The most well-known character in Star Wars is Chewbacca, who stands over the other characters and is covered in long brown fur. It seems Chewie is quite the specimen! Standing on two legs, he is covered in fur.
He stands taller than anyone in the crowd and attempts to communicate with a strange howling growl of a voice. Everyone agrees that a scientist is needed to observe the strange visitor after the initial shock wears off. Everyone’s favorite “walking carpet” isn’t human after all.
So Who is Chewbacca? What is his species?
Like other Wookiees, Chewbacca was born on the planet Kashyyyk. Because they are both hairy, Chewbacca is sometimes mistaken for an Ewok.
Chewbacca, affectionately known to his friends as Chewie, was a Wookiee warrior, smuggler, mechanic, pilot, and resistance fighter during the Clone Wars, Galactic Civil War, Cold War, and First Order-Resistance War.
Hailing from Kashyyyk, Wookiees are tall and slender, reaching heights of up to 8 feet 4 inches and weighing as much as 330 pounds. Chewbacca’s stature stands at around 7 and a half feet tall and 246 pounds.
What sets them apart is the long fur-like hair that covers their bodies – gray, white, black or brown – and eyes varying between blue and brown. These noble creatures typically have lifespans exceeding 400 years; Chewbacca was 200 when he fought in the Battle of Yavin.
Is Chewbacca an Ewok?
Chewbacca is a Wookiee, a distinct species, whose planet was shown in episode III. However, outside of the series, the Ewoks and Wookies were the result of the same story line. It was originally supposed to take place on Kashyyyk, where the Wookies come from, but they decided to make it on Endor instead, replacing Wookies with cuddly teddy bears.
Wookiees were originally supposed to appear in the final movie in the original Star Wars trilogy, but they were ultimately replaced by Ewoks. Without counting Jar Jar Binks, the Ewoks are perhaps the most divisive Star Wars characters. Some love them, some hate them.
Are Ewoks and Wookies the same?
Chewbacca and the Ewoks come face-to-face in Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi. The fuzzy creatures take Luke, Han, Chewbacca and the droids hostage and plan to devour them. Fortunately, though, Luke and C-3PO manage to talk them out of it.
Chewbacca’s potentially familiar behavior towards the Ewoks might have something to do with their physical similarities – they both possess brown fur coats. This has given rise to some fans speculating that perhaps Chewbacca is an Ewok himself. However this is not true; Wookiees and Ewoks are two completely distinct species that originate from different planets.
Ewoks are a species of short, fur-covered bipeds native to the forest moon Endor. Growing on average to three and a half feet tall, they have a variety of fur colors (black, brown, red) and large eyes that can be black, brown or gold.
They are quite primitive compared to Wookiees and were considered unlikely allies for the Rebel Alliance in their fight against the Empire–yet they ended up aiding them to victory in the Battle of Endor.
Who is Chewbacca in love with?
Only after Han Solo rescued Chewbacca from the Galactic Empire and returned did his relationship with Malla become more romantic. Malla was also sought by an albino Wookiee named Tojjevvuk when Chewbacca finally decided he wanted to marry her.
The female Wookiee Mallatobuck, also known as Malla, was the wife of Chewbacca, and mother of Lumpawaroo. Malla had a brother named Vargi.
Is Chewbacca the Last Wookiee?
As the only Wookiee in the original trilogy and sequel trilogy, Chewbacca has led many fans to wonder if he is the last Wookiee in the galaxy.
Most Wookiees were enslaved by the Empire following the Clone Wars. Most of them remained on their home planets, while others were transported all over the galaxy to perform manual labor. They were implanted with inhibitor chips that would cause severe pain if they rebelled
Chewbacca was among the few Wookiees lucky enough to be rescued from captivity by Han Solo. These Wookiees, including one named Lohgarra, fought in the Galactic Civil War alongside the allies.
Eventually, the New Republic successfully liberated Kashyyyk and removed the inhibitor chips that had kept its inhabitants enslaved – giving their planet and people their freedom back. It is evident that Chewbacca was not the last of his species. Rather, he was one of a small group who managed to avoid enslavement during this time.
Are Ewoks as strong as Wookies?
The Wookies are a primitive species, using crude weaponry compared to the more advanced blasters, speeders and walkers.
For its third installment, George Lucas brought back the ground battle concept but since Chewbacca had already set the example of being a competent, space-faring technologist in the first two films, Wookies were already accustomed to flying spaceships and utilizing blasters in space battles.
Ewoks are often overlooked despite their adorable appearance. Fans wonder how an armored Stormtrooper could be taken down by a rock smack on the head.
You think there’s plush cushioning under all that fur? It’s all muscle. Ewoks are capable of throwing spears straight through plastoid armor. When they are thrown by an Ewok, those rocks aren’t just booboo makers; they’re skull-smashing dodgeballs.
Ewoks are not only brawn, they are also military geniuses. They use guerilla tactics to overwhelm their enemies. Designed and built massive traps, snares, and catapults to combat foes far larger than themselves, the Ewoks are brilliant engineers. It is unlikely that they learned this kind of building overnight. So Ewoks are canonically as powerful as Wookies.
Is Chewbacca Bigfoot?
Chewbacca has some similarities to the mythical Bigfoot creature of legend, but he’s not the same kind of creature.
Despite the fact that Chewbacca does look somewhat like Bigfoot, he’s not the same kind of creature. In the Star Wars universe, Bigfoot does not exist, and there are no real-life Wookiees either.
In the Legends comic book Into the Great Unknown, Chewbacca is given the nickname Sasquatch. This story appears only in Star Wars Legends and is not considered canon.
It is important to note that Chewbacca is not Bigfoot, Sasquatch, or any other monster of legend–he is a Wookiee that has only appeared in the Star Wars universe.
Conclusion
Chewbacca is a tall, hairy humanoid creature known as a Wookiee. He and the rest of his species are native to Kashyyyk, a Mid-Rim forest planet in the Star Wars universe. He is not related to the Ewoks or Bigfoot.
