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Wookiee
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Wookiees are a race of hirsute bipeds in the fictional Star Wars universe. The most notable Wookiee is Chewbacca, a companion to Han Solo.
n interview given by creator George Lucas, inspiration is taken from Lucas's dog, Indiana (whose name is used in the Lucas-inspired movies Indiana Jones). "He was the prototype for the Wookiee. He always sat beside me in the car. He was big, a big bear of a dog." In THX-1138, the word "Wookie" is used by the robotic police during the climax chase scene.
t Wookiees are typically taller than most humans, averaging 2.1 meters (6'11").
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Encyclopedia
Wookiees are a race of hirsute bipeds in the fictional Star Wars universe. The most notable Wookiee is Chewbacca, a companion to Han Solo.
Inspiration
In an interview given by creator George Lucas, inspiration is taken from Lucas's dog, Indiana (whose name is used in the Lucas-inspired movies Indiana Jones). "He was the prototype for the Wookiee. He always sat beside me in the car. He was big, a big bear of a dog." In THX-1138, the word "Wookie" is used by the robotic police during the climax chase scene.
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 mans' arms out of their sockets if angered. Wookiees have a keen sense of smell - Chewbacca uses this hypersensitive faculty to detect the presence of a monster in a trash compactor on the Death Star. Wookiees are fully covered with a thick coat of hair. Wookiees have good eye-hand coordination and are shown to be excellent marksmen. Chewbacca is shown in such diverse planets 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. Wookiees have notoriously short tempers.
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 and Imperial AT-ST during the Battle of Endor is shown effectively manuvering the machine and operating its' weapons systems.
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. They are masters of welding.
Language
The Wookiee language is Shyriiwook. Wookiees are capable of understanding Galactic Basic, but generally none are able to speak it due to 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.
Some Wookiees are sensitive to the Force. One such Wookiee is Lowbacca, Chewbacca's nephew, from the book series Young Jedi Knights.
Bowcasters
Bowcasters are weapons developed and used by Wookiees. Bowcasters launch "quarrels", which are energized crossbow bolts. The quarrels are surrounded by an energy cocoon that gives them 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. 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 Endor to be the Wookiee home planet, but at the time the technology needed to make a fit Kashyyyk did not exist, so instead Kashyyyk was used as a battleground 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.
External links
- from official Star Wars web site.
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