Entry tags:
I won't explore my "Wookie Joyhouse" concept.
As we begin to collect the nickels needed to see the latest Star Wars film, I am reminded of a controversy that has raged among geeks since 1977: why didn't Chewbacca get a medal? The final scene of Star Wars: A New Hope follows the desperate battle to destroy the Death Star. Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, and Chewbacca approach a radiant Princess Leia as a perfection formation of Rebel troops look on.
With the triumphant John Williams score playing, Leia hangs big gold medals on wide ribbons around the necks of Luke and Han. Off to the side, a repaired R2-D2 bounces and squeaks wildly before being calmed by a newly-polished C-3PO. The heroes turn to the assembled troops, the music reaches a climax, and the crowd breaks into cheers. Roll credits.
But why, ask fans, didn't Chewie get an award? He was there the whole time, from rescuing the Princess through the final desperate fight above the Death Star. He was on the same podium! Why exclude Chewbacca?
I have a few theories. Note that I've never read any of the 500 Expanded Universe books.
First, we must remember the Chewbacca is an alien. Wookies don't appear to be that into clothing or decoration. All Chewbacca wears in the films is what looks to be a cartridge belt. Even the leaders of the Wookie army just have elaborate helmets. So maybe Wookies don't do medals. Perhaps a Wookie is simply expected to be brave and perform acts like this. Giving Chewbacca a medal might be an insult! Acknowledgement from his peers is all he needs.
Another thought is that we don't know the relationship between Han Solo and Chewbacca. We know that Chewie was flying on the Millennium Falcon when Lando Calrissian owned it. Could it be that Chewbacca is bound to the ship? Again, we don't know how Wookies think, other than the fact that they don't like losing. If Chewbacca sees himself as a servant to the ship and its owner, he might have refused the medal on the grounds that he is a mere servant.
Then there's the idea that Wookies get rewarded in different ways than humans. Chewbacca is big. He has large canines, and, according to Han Solo, upset Wookies have been known to rip the arms off people. Wookies are big predators, akin to bears. So perhaps you reward a Wookie with food. Who knows, maybe right after this ceremony, Chewbacca got all the food he wanted. Or a chance to go hunting and eat meat the way it was meant to be eaten! I pity the Rebel janitor who has to clean up after that!
A more recent theory is that Chewbacca was working with the Rebel Alliance all the time. He's seen in the prequel trilogy working with Jedi and was a general in one battle. Serving as the crew of a smuggler's ship allows for travel, contact with all sorts of unsavory characters, and gives the agent the opportunity to set up all sorts of covert lines of communication and supply. In this scenario, half the loads Han Solo took on were destined for the Rebels through a series of cutouts. At the Mos Eisley Cantina, Obi-Wan went straight to Chewbacca, almost as if he knew that was a Rebel contact if he needed one. This is why Chewie didn't get a medal; he's a Rebel intelligence agent, and his medal is classified.
Finally, my personal favorite. It's one that makes the eyes of hardcore Star Wars fans roll so hard they sprain something, but I like it.
Those weren't medals of honor. Princess Leia Organa, of the Royal House of Alderaan, comes from a unique culture. As a member of the royal family, her suitors were many. That ceremony and the medals given were tokens that indicate that the Princess Royal was considering these two as potential consorts. That's why Luke looked so happy and Han Solo looked so smug. They were in the running to marry a princess! Admittedly, she was the princess of a world that had been reduced to gravel, but still!
Chewbacca's roar was him saying something like "50 credits on the farm kid" or "It's cool, she's not my type!" Meanwhile, this also explains why R2-D2 was shaking like a broken washing machine and beeping like crazy.
He's the only one there who remembers what happened before. The only witness to the rise of Darth Vader and the hiding of his twin children. He sees what's going on.
What R2-D2 is doing is screaming as hard as he can. "She's your sister, you bantha-brained moron! Your SISTER! Use the bloody force or something and figure it out!"
Sadly, no one speaks R2's language except C-3PO, and he's a pervert.
With the triumphant John Williams score playing, Leia hangs big gold medals on wide ribbons around the necks of Luke and Han. Off to the side, a repaired R2-D2 bounces and squeaks wildly before being calmed by a newly-polished C-3PO. The heroes turn to the assembled troops, the music reaches a climax, and the crowd breaks into cheers. Roll credits.
But why, ask fans, didn't Chewie get an award? He was there the whole time, from rescuing the Princess through the final desperate fight above the Death Star. He was on the same podium! Why exclude Chewbacca?
I have a few theories. Note that I've never read any of the 500 Expanded Universe books.
First, we must remember the Chewbacca is an alien. Wookies don't appear to be that into clothing or decoration. All Chewbacca wears in the films is what looks to be a cartridge belt. Even the leaders of the Wookie army just have elaborate helmets. So maybe Wookies don't do medals. Perhaps a Wookie is simply expected to be brave and perform acts like this. Giving Chewbacca a medal might be an insult! Acknowledgement from his peers is all he needs.
Another thought is that we don't know the relationship between Han Solo and Chewbacca. We know that Chewie was flying on the Millennium Falcon when Lando Calrissian owned it. Could it be that Chewbacca is bound to the ship? Again, we don't know how Wookies think, other than the fact that they don't like losing. If Chewbacca sees himself as a servant to the ship and its owner, he might have refused the medal on the grounds that he is a mere servant.
Then there's the idea that Wookies get rewarded in different ways than humans. Chewbacca is big. He has large canines, and, according to Han Solo, upset Wookies have been known to rip the arms off people. Wookies are big predators, akin to bears. So perhaps you reward a Wookie with food. Who knows, maybe right after this ceremony, Chewbacca got all the food he wanted. Or a chance to go hunting and eat meat the way it was meant to be eaten! I pity the Rebel janitor who has to clean up after that!
A more recent theory is that Chewbacca was working with the Rebel Alliance all the time. He's seen in the prequel trilogy working with Jedi and was a general in one battle. Serving as the crew of a smuggler's ship allows for travel, contact with all sorts of unsavory characters, and gives the agent the opportunity to set up all sorts of covert lines of communication and supply. In this scenario, half the loads Han Solo took on were destined for the Rebels through a series of cutouts. At the Mos Eisley Cantina, Obi-Wan went straight to Chewbacca, almost as if he knew that was a Rebel contact if he needed one. This is why Chewie didn't get a medal; he's a Rebel intelligence agent, and his medal is classified.
Finally, my personal favorite. It's one that makes the eyes of hardcore Star Wars fans roll so hard they sprain something, but I like it.
Those weren't medals of honor. Princess Leia Organa, of the Royal House of Alderaan, comes from a unique culture. As a member of the royal family, her suitors were many. That ceremony and the medals given were tokens that indicate that the Princess Royal was considering these two as potential consorts. That's why Luke looked so happy and Han Solo looked so smug. They were in the running to marry a princess! Admittedly, she was the princess of a world that had been reduced to gravel, but still!
Chewbacca's roar was him saying something like "50 credits on the farm kid" or "It's cool, she's not my type!" Meanwhile, this also explains why R2-D2 was shaking like a broken washing machine and beeping like crazy.
He's the only one there who remembers what happened before. The only witness to the rise of Darth Vader and the hiding of his twin children. He sees what's going on.
What R2-D2 is doing is screaming as hard as he can. "She's your sister, you bantha-brained moron! Your SISTER! Use the bloody force or something and figure it out!"
Sadly, no one speaks R2's language except C-3PO, and he's a pervert.