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115-459: Chewbacca ( / tʃ uː ˈ b ɑː k ə / choo- BAH -kə ), nicknamed " Chewie ", is a fictional character in the Star Wars franchise. He is a Wookiee —a tall, hairy, highly intelligent species originating from the planet Kashyyyk . He is 7.5 feet (2.3 m) tall, and typically wears only a bandolier and a tool pouch. He carries a bowcaster, a traditional Wookiee weapon, and he speaks

230-434: A 10-episode adaptation of The Empire Strikes Back debuted in 1983. Billy Dee Williams joined the other two stars, reprising his role as Lando Calrissian. In 1983, Buena Vista Records released an original, 30-minute Star Wars audio drama titled Rebel Mission to Ord Mantell , written by Daley. In the 1990s, Time Warner Audio Publishing adapted several Star Wars series from Dark Horse Comics into audio dramas:

345-457: A bonding experience. Towards this end, Chewbacca rescues C-3PO and later repairs him with the help of R2-D2. At the beginning of Return of the Jedi (1983), Chewbacca infiltrates Jabba's palace by pretending to be the prisoner of a bounty hunter, who is actually Leia in disguise. Chewbacca and his companions manage to rescue Han and escape. Later, Chewbacca joins the others on a mission to destroy

460-575: A certain Freedon Nadd came in 4,400 BC, found the temple and became Naga Sadow's apprentice. Exar Kun later arrived at Yavin 4. There, he kills Naga Sadow once and for all, then enslaves the Massassis, having them build enormous temples, focal points of great power. He gradually gained strength by absorbing the energy of Massassi children in particular. At the same time, he carried out genetic experiments to create fighting animals. Unable to repel

575-769: A debt to Jabba the Hutt , but are drawn back into the war when the Empire assaults the Rebel base. Chewbacca, Han and Leia seek refuge in Cloud City with Han's friend Lando Calrissian , unaware that Lando has betrayed them to the Empire. C-3PO is blasted into pieces by an Imperial stormtrooper , and Chewbacca saves him from being melted down. Before Han is frozen in carbonite and delivered to Jabba, he asks Chewbacca to look after Leia for him. Chewbacca, Leia and Lando escape from Vader in

690-520: A live environment. Others combine matte painting and live-action shooting. They were made at a Royal Air Force base in Bedfordshire , England . Actor Oscar Isaac , who plays Poe Dameron in the third trilogy , was born in Guatemala , where Yavin 4 was filmed. He asked that the character he plays be from Yavin 4 so that he would feel closer to him. The satellite was therefore chosen as

805-430: A master and their apprentice. The franchise is set against a backdrop of galactic conflict involving republics and empires, such as the evil Galactic Empire . The Jedi and Sith prefer the use of a weapon called the lightsaber , a blade of plasma that can cut through virtually any surface and deflect energy bolts. The rest of the population, as well as renegades and soldiers, use plasma-powered blaster firearms . In

920-591: A medal. Firstly, some fans believe that this means that the Rebel Alliance considers humans, including Han and Luke, to be superior to other species. Some fans speculate that since Chewbacca has been secretly working for the Rebels since Revenge of the Sith , there is no need to give him a medal. Others, from outside the saga universe, think that the film crew simply forgot. However, George Lucas claims that for

1035-472: A mixed reception from critics and audiences. Several Star Wars films have been produced separately from the Skywalker Saga. In 2008, Lucasfilm released the animated film The Clone Wars , which is set during the prequel trilogy and serves as the theatrical pilot of the television series of the same name . Following Disney's acquisition of Lucasfilm in 2012, an "anthology" film series set between

1150-511: A planet but a satellite, it is also part of the collection under number 9677 "X-wing Starfighter & Yavin 4 ". It is sold with an X-Wing and its pilot. In addition, figurines of the characters in their Yavin appearance were put on sale. From 1 November 2021, Funko marketed the Pop figure under number 459 "Princess Leia (Yavin Ceremony)" Note 5. It depicts Leia Organa holding a medal, which in

1265-572: A series of murders of Jedi Masters. The Star Wars canon fictional universe spans multiple eras, of which three are focused around each of the film trilogies. The following eras were defined in January 2021, and further refined and expanded in April 2023: The Expanded Universe of spin-off media depicts different levels of continuity, which were deemed non-canonical and rebranded as Legends on April 25, 2014, to make most subsequent works align to

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1380-414: A space pilot and not be able to communicate in any meaningful way? Does Han Solo really understand Chew's monotonous noises? Do they have long chats sometimes?" In spite of Ebert's critique, Chewbacca received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 1997 MTV Movie Awards . Chewbacca was introduced in Star Wars (1977), and is portrayed by Peter Mayhew in all three films of the original film trilogy. Mayhew

1495-442: A theme for Obi-Wan Kenobi for the miniseries and Han Solo's theme for Solo: A Star Wars Story . Williams also created the main theme for Galaxy's Edge . Several other composers worked on other soundtracks, including John Powell ( Obi-Wan Kenobi ), Michael Giacchino ( Rogue One ), and Ludwig Göransson ( The Mandalorian ). The first Star Wars audio work is The Story of Star Wars , an LP using audio samples from

1610-764: Is a playable character in a variety of video games, including Masters of Teräs Käsi , Star Wars Battlefront II , Star Wars Battlefront: Renegade Squadron , Star Wars Battlefront: Elite Squadron , and the 2017 version of Star Wars Battlefront II . The Wookiee is also playable in the Lego Star Wars games Lego Star Wars: The Video Game , Lego Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy , Lego Star Wars III: The Clone Wars , Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens and Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga . The 1978 television program Star Wars Holiday Special introduces Chewbacca's family, including his wife Mallatobuck, his son Lumpawarrump, and his father Attichitcuk, who

1725-527: Is captured by the Rebel Alliance 31. The appearance of Yavin 4 is one of the elements that link this episode to the first Star Wars . In this film, the introductory scene is similar to that of the first scene on Yavin 4, in A New Hope. A Rebel soldier standing sentry watches a fighter in the sky. Scenes from Rogue One taking place on Yavin 4 were shot on a set approximately 107 metres (351 ft) long and 61 metres (200 ft) wide, rather than in

1840-514: Is common due to lightspeed hyperspace technology. The planets range from wealthy, planet-wide cities to deserts scarcely populated by primitive tribes. Virtually any Earth biome , along with many fictional ones, has its counterpart as a Star Wars planet which, in most cases, teem with sentient and non-sentient alien life. The franchise also makes use of other astronomical objects such as asteroid fields and nebulae . Spacecraft range from small starfighters to large capital ships, such as

1955-721: Is impossible for the Force. These superpowers are wielded by two major knightly orders at conflict with each other: the Jedi , peacekeepers of the Galactic Republic who act on the light side of the Force through non-attachment and arbitration , and the Sith , who use the dark side by manipulating fear and aggression. While Jedi Knights can be numerous, the Dark Lords of the Sith (or 'Darths') are intended to be limited to two:

2070-698: Is invaded by the Separatist Alliance. They also help the Jedi Master Yoda escape from clone troopers who were ordered to kill him. In The Force Awakens , Mayhew shares the Chewbacca role with his body double, Joonas Suotamo. In the film, which is set thirty years after Return of the Jedi , Chewbacca and Han find the Millennium Falcon , which had been stolen from them. They help the rogue First Order stormtrooper Finn ,

2185-461: Is one of the highest-grossing media franchises of all time. The original 1977 film, retroactively subtitled Episode IV: A New Hope , was followed by the sequels Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and Episode VI: Return of the Jedi (1983), forming the original Star Wars trilogy . Lucas later returned to the series to write and direct a prequel trilogy , consisting of Episode I: The Phantom Menace (1999), Episode II: Attack of

2300-474: Is ordered to skin the Wookiee, but rescues him instead. Upon regaining consciousness, Chewbacca swears a "life-debt" to Han, and the two become business partners and friends. In Vector Prime , Chewbacca sacrifices his life to save Han's son Anakin from a collision between the planet Sernpidal and one of its moons. Two of the Wookiee's family members offer to assume Chewbacca's life debt to Han. Vector Prime

2415-710: Is set in a galaxy that is the scene of clashes between the Jedi Knights and the Dark Lords of the Sith , characters who are sensitive to the Force , a mysterious energy field that gives them psychic powers. The Jedi master the Light Side of the Force, a beneficial and defensive power, to maintain peace in the galaxy. The Sith use the Dark Side, a harmful and destructive power, for their own purposes and to dominate

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2530-602: Is set just after Revenge of the Sith . When the Empire enslaves most of Kashyyyk's population to build the Death Star, Chewbacca escapes with a group of smugglers who are friendly to the Jedi. The Hutt Gambit —the second novel in The Han Solo Trilogy —explains how Chewbacca and Han first meet. While serving as a lieutenant in the Imperial Navy, Han finds Chewbacca unconscious aboard a slave ship. Han

2645-599: Is the chief of the Kaapauku Tribe. The program features a story in which Chewbacca and Han travel to Kashyyyk to celebrate Life Day, while trying to prevent Darth Vader from spoiling the holiday. The special is not part of the Star Wars story canon. Following the acquisition of Lucasfilm by The Walt Disney Company in 2012, most of the licensed Star Wars novels and comics produced between 1977 and 2014 were rebranded as Star Wars Legends and declared non-canon to

2760-459: Is the only one to appear in Rogue One and the only one, along with Mos Eisley , to come from A New Hope . Yavin 4 also features in the 2020 Star Wars: Squadrons game. It is one of the locations in which the player can take part in a battle aboard a fighter. In 2012, Lego produced spherical figurines of a number of Star Wars planets, separable into two hemispheres. Although Yavin 4 is not

2875-538: The Jedi Academy trilogy (1994) by Kevin J. Anderson , the 14-book Young Jedi Knights series (1995–1998) by Anderson and Rebecca Moesta , and the X-wing series (1996–2012) by Michael A. Stackpole and Aaron Allston . Del Rey took over Star Wars book publishing in 1999, releasing what would become a 19-installment novel series called The New Jedi Order (1999–2003). Written by multiple authors,

2990-614: The Millennium Falcon with the smuggler Han Solo . The Death Star pursues the ship to the Yavin system. While the Imperial ships are on their way, General Dodonna prepares the defence of the Rebel Alliance . The Rebels launch several squadrons of fighters in the hope of taking advantage of a weakness in the Death Star's design to destroy it. The torpedo sent by a new recruit to the "Red" squadron, Luke Skywalker , destroyed

3105-442: The 2008 series of the same name . Following Disney's acquisition of Lucasfilm, all animated series released prior to 2014, apart from the 2008 series, were discarded from the franchise's canon . Subsequent animated series include Rebels , released in 2014; Resistance , released in 2018; and The Bad Batch , released in 2021. Several micro-series and shorts have also been released by Lucasfilm since Disney's acquisition, with

3220-602: The Death Star and two starships. Among the qualities of the natural satellite, the site mainly mentions the medal ceremony room and the outward appearance of the Rebel base. However, it points out that the film does not dwell much on this important location. The duel between Asajj Ventress and Anakin Skywalker on Yavin 4 in particular is one of the most popular moments in the Clone Wars animated series, mainly for

3335-415: The Death Star , as opposed to the verdant Yavin 4. The lush jungle of this planet contrasts with the artificial, black and white habitat of evil 49. Like several other Star Wars stars, Yavin 4 has been studied using a scientific approach to determine whether the concept seems realistic enough. First of all, the gas giant of the natural satellite in question would have to be well placed in its system, within

3450-553: The Falcon . When Leia hears Luke's cry for help, she orders Chewbacca to turn the ship around to rescue him. In the film's final scene, Chewbacca joins the others in preparing to rescue Han from Jabba. Lucas wanted to create audience sympathy for C-3PO in The Empire Strikes Back by having him get dismantled. Because both C-3PO and Chewbacca were likeable characters—and disliked one another—Lucas wanted them to have

3565-569: The Millenium Falcon from Lando. Chewbacca and Han then set off on more adventures in the Falcon . In the season 3 finale of the television series The Clone Wars , Chewbacca is captured by Trandoshan hunters, but is freed by Ahsoka Tano and agrees to help her and two younglings escape. He and Ahsoka attack the Trandoshan fortress before they are found and assisted by Tarfful and other Wookiees. Chewbacca appears in both seasons of

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3680-463: The New Republic era, serving as the climax of the various live-action television series that began with The Mandalorian in 2019. Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy will direct a third film about a new Jedi Order, set fifteen years after the sequel trilogy. In January 2024, it was announced that Jon Favreau would direct a new Star Wars film, titled The Mandalorian & Grogu . In February of

3795-523: The Rebel base on Yavin 4 . In the film's climactic battle scene , Chewbacca and Han save Luke from being killed by Darth Vader , which allows Luke to destroy the Death Star. After the battle, Leia acknowledges Chewbacca for his achievements alongside Luke and Han. The Empire Strikes Back (1980) takes place three years after Star Wars . Chewbacca and Han are planning to leave the Rebellion to pay off

3910-466: The Republic , the return of Luke as a Jedi Master (a role similar to that of Obi-Wan Kenobi in the original trilogy), Luke's sister (not yet determined to be Leia), Han, Leia, R2-D2 and C-3PO . However, after beginning work on the prequel trilogy, Lucas insisted that Star Wars was meant to be a six-part series and that there would be no sequel trilogy. Lucas decided to leave the franchise in

4025-685: The Sith Lord Darth Vader during the battle. Leia Organa presented them with a medal at Yavin 4, during a ceremony to celebrate this military victory. After retiring, pilot Shara Bey and sergeant Kes Dameron, two former rebels, settled on Yavin 4 to live. There they planted a fragment of a Force-sensitive tree given to them by Luke Skywalker. Following the takeover of Lucasfilm by The Walt Disney Company , all elements narrated in derivative products dating prior to 26 April 2014 were declared to be outside of canon and were then grouped together as " Star Wars Legends ". Around 5000 BC,

4140-514: The Sith and its appearance due to the temples used as starship hangars by the rebels. The Comic Book Resources website ranked Yavin 4 fourth, behind Naboo , Bespin and the forest moon of Endor . It emphasises its perfect topography but points out that it lacks natural mineral resources. In its ranking of the best locations in A New Hope , the Screen Rant website puts Yavin 4 in tenth place, ahead of five locations on Tatooine , two on

4255-476: The Sith . Although no longer canon, the story is paralleled in The Force Awakens with Han and Leia's son Ben Solo , who becomes the evil Kylo Ren. Three series set in the prequel era were published by Scholastic for younger audiences: the 18-book Jedi Apprentice (1999–2002) chronicles the adventures of Obi-Wan Kenobi and his master Qui-Gon Jinn in the years before The Phantom Menace ;

4370-480: The Star Destroyers , as well as space stations such as the moon-sized Death Stars . Telecommunication includes two-way audio and audiovisual screens, holographic projections, and hyperspace transmission. The universe of Star Wars is generally similar to the real universe but its laws of physics are less strict allowing for more imaginative stories. One result of that is a mystical power known as

4485-565: The Thrawn trilogy, Leia considers an advantageous political marriage to Prince Isolder of the planet Hapes, but she and Han ultimately marry. Steve Perry 's Shadows of the Empire (1996), set between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi , was part of a multimedia campaign that included a comic book series and video game. The novel introduced the crime lord Prince Xizor , another popular character who would appear in multiple other works. Other notable series from Bantam include

4600-563: The University of Southern California , licensed the Star Wars radio rights to KUSC-FM for US$ 1 . The production used John Williams's original film score, along with Ben Burtt 's sound effects. The first was written by science-fiction author Brian Daley and directed by John Madden . It was broadcast on National Public Radio in 1981, adapting the original 1977 film into 13 episodes. Mark Hamill and Anthony Daniels reprised their film roles. The overwhelming success, led to

4715-471: The 11-book Jedi Quest (2001–2004) follows Obi-Wan and his own apprentice, Anakin Skywalker in between The Phantom Menace and Attack of the Clones ; and the 10-book The Last of the Jedi (2005–2008), set almost immediately after Revenge of the Sith , features Obi-Wan and the last few surviving Jedi. In 2019, a new prequel era novel, starring Qui-Gon and the young Obi-Wan, was published by Del Rey under

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4830-480: The Clones (2002), and Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (2005). In 2012, Lucas sold his production company to Disney , relinquishing his ownership of the franchise. This led to a sequel trilogy , consisting of Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015), Episode VIII: The Last Jedi (2017), and Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker (2019). All nine films, collectively referred to as the " Skywalker Saga ", were nominated for Academy Awards , with wins going to

4945-535: The EU material until April 25, 2014, when the company announced all of the EU works would cease production. Existing works would no longer be considered canon to the franchise and subsequent reprints would be rebranded under the Star Wars Legends label, with downloadable content for the massively multiplayer online game The Old Republic the only Legends material to still be produced. The Star Wars canon

5060-509: The First Order. During a Resistance mission, Han is killed by his son Kylo Ren , which prompts an enraged Chewbacca to shoot Kylo in the side. The Wookiee then sets off explosives that allow Poe Dameron and other X-wing pilots to destroy Starkiller Base , the First Order's superweapon. Before the base explodes, Chewbacca rescues Rey and Finn from the wilderness, where they had been fighting with Kylo. Later, Chewbacca helps Rey find Luke on

5175-408: The Force which is described in the original film as "an energy field created by all living things ... [that] binds the galaxy together". The field is depicted as a kind of pantheistic god. Through training and meditation, those whom "the Force is strong with" exhibit various superpowers (such as telekinesis , precognition , telepathy , and manipulation of physical energy); it is believed nothing

5290-484: The Great Temple, became the main base of the Rebel Alliance . This natural satellite is covered by oceans over a third of its surface. The remaining two-thirds are shared between four continents. On Yavin 4, there is no continental drift . The tectonic plates do not move in relation to each other. No ocean is isolated from the others. There are mountain ranges and volcanoes on this moon. These volcanoes are at

5405-628: The Jedi's victory over him, he found a way to survive for several millennia by transferring his spirit to a temple in the natural satellite. Much later, during the Clone Wars, the Jedi Anakin Skywalker confronts the separatist Asajj Ventress. Their duel takes place in the Great Massassian Temple. During the battle, Anakin seems to move particularly close to the Dark Side, in the run-up to his total overthrow in

5520-492: The Marvel magazine Pizzazz between 1977 and 1979. The 1977 installments were the first original Star Wars stories not directly adapted from the films to appear in print form, as they preceded those of the Star Wars comic series. From 1985 to 1987, the animated children's series Ewoks and Droids inspired comic series from Marvel's Star Comics line. According to Marvel Comics former Editor-In-Chief Jim Shooter ,

5635-580: The Massassis species were living on Yavin 4 when the Sith Lord Naga Sadow fled Korriban after losing the Great Hyperspace War. Naga Sadow left his mark on Yavin 4 with his temples. The Massassis built the Great Temple in homage to Naga Sadow, despite the persecution he suffered 20. Faced with his defeat at the hands of the Jedi , Naga Sadow partially resisted death by plunging into a century-long sleep on Yavin 4. Finally,

5750-446: The Rebels had to retrieve the Death Star plans from Scarif, several Rebel leaders, including General Syndulla, were called away from Yavin 4. The Tantive IV , with Princess Leia Organa aboard, leaves Yavin 4 to witness the battle. Captured by the Empire , Leia Organa refused to divulge the location of the Rebel base. To gain time, she gave the location of an abandoned site on the planet Dantooine . She then managed to escape aboard

5865-535: The Resistance, heir to the Rebel Alliance, set up its command base there. A scene set on Yavin 4 in particular continues to leave its mark on fans of the saga and the specialist press several decades after its presence in A New Hope : The Last, with the medal ceremony. Indeed, of the three heroes of the battle present at the time, only two were awarded medals, Han Solo and Luke Skywalker . Fans are looking for several explanations as to why Chewbacca doesn't get

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5980-662: The Wookiee language Shyriiwook. He first appears in the original Star Wars film as the loyal friend of the smuggler Han Solo . He is also the co-pilot of Han's starship, the Millennium Falcon . Chewbacca is portrayed by Peter Mayhew in the original film trilogy , the Star Wars Holiday Special (1978), and Revenge of the Sith (2005). Mayhew shares the Chewbacca role with his body double, Joonas Suotamo , in The Force Awakens (2015). Following Mayhew's retirement in 2017, Suotamo took over

6095-524: The Wookiees, Chewbacca's species, a medal is not of symbolic importance and that Chewbacca has already been honoured by a Wookiee ceremony, after the Battle of Yavin. Peter Mayhew , Chewbacca's actor, offers a more pragmatic explanation. According to him, the production of A New Hope lacked the money to make this first film and had to make savings on certain elements. For example, buying a third medal for

6210-649: The ancient Mayan city of Tikal , in Guatemala. Two years after filming, the site was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The idea of using these ruins as a film location came to George Lucas when, in England , he noticed the pre-Columbian site on a travel agency poster. Yavin 4 and the Rebel base appeared again in Rogue One , the first film in the Star Wars Story spin-off series . Jyn Erso

6325-727: The announcement. Since the new canon has been introduced, there has been a multitude of pieces of Expanded Universe continuity that have become a part of canon. Star Wars in print predates the release of the first film, with the November 1976 novelization of Star Wars , initially subtitled " From the Adventures of Luke Skywalker ". Credited to Lucas, it was ghostwritten by Alan Dean Foster . The first "Expanded Universe" story appeared in Marvel Comics ' Star Wars #7 in January 1978 (the first six issues being an adaptation of

6440-479: The battle station, giving the Alliance a major victory over the Empire. Shortly after celebrating this victory with a ceremony, the Rebels abandoned Yavin 4, fearing a counter-attack. Once the Death Star is destroyed, two Rebels in particular are rewarded for their significant part in the battle. They were Luke Skywalker, who shot the rift that allowed the battle station to explode, and Han Solo, who saved it from

6555-487: The birthplace of Poe Dameron in the Star Wars universe. This information was revealed even before the release of the film The Force Awakens, in which Poe appears for the first time. Yavin 4 appears in Star Wars: The Old Republic , released in 2011. The planet is home to Sith spirits such as Naga Sadow . In 2017, Star Wars: Battlefront II has 11 different playgrounds, including Yavin 4. It

6670-548: The crew of the thief Tobias Beckett , and make several attempts to steal coaxium for the Crimson Dawn crime syndicate. On Kessel, Chewbacca frees several other Wookiees from slavery. During the Kessel Run—in which Han flies the Falcon through a cloudy maelstrom—Chewbacca reveals his skill as a pilot. Near the end of the film, Beckett turns traitor and captures Chewbacca. After Han saves his friend and kills Beckett, he wins

6785-416: The earlier animated series falling under Disney's "Vintage" collection of Star Wars content. The Star Wars franchise includes several live-action series. The first series, The Mandalorian , was released in 2019 for the streaming service Disney+ and is set between the original and sequel trilogies of the Skywalker Saga. Due to its success, the series spawned multiple live-action spin-offs set during

6900-597: The end of the film, Chewbacca receives a medal from Maz. Suotamo portrays Chewbacca in the 2018 standalone film Solo: A Star Wars Story , which details the Wookiee's first meeting with Han. He was captured by Imperials on the planet Mimban, and is being held captive in a small pit. Han, considered a "troublemaker" by the Imperials, is thrown into the pit to be eaten by Chewbacca. The Wookiee attacks Han, but stops when Han reveals he can speak Shyriiwook. Chewbacca and Han form an instant bond and escape their captors. They join

7015-399: The episodic films, The Clone Wars film , and television series . From 1976 to 2014, the term Expanded Universe (EU) was an umbrella term for all officially licensed Star Wars storytelling material set outside the events depicted within the theatrical films, including novels, comics, and video games. Lucasfilm maintained internal continuity between the films and television content and

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7130-495: The evil Sith lord Palpatine (Darth Sidious). The original trilogy depicts the heroic development of Luke Skywalker as a Jedi and his fight against Palpatine's Galactic Empire alongside his sister, Leia . The prequels tell the tragic backstory of their father, Anakin , who is corrupted by Palpatine and becomes Darth Vader . The sequels follow the conflict between Leia's son, Ben Solo , and Luke and Leia's protegé, Rey , and their eventual alliance against Palpatine after

7245-463: The fall of the Empire. In 1971, George Lucas wanted to film an adaptation of the Flash Gordon serial , but could not obtain the rights, so he began developing his own space opera . After directing American Graffiti (1973), he wrote a two-page synopsis, which 20th Century Fox decided to invest in. By 1974, he had expanded the story into the first draft of a screenplay. Fox expected

7360-547: The film she gives to Luke Skywalker or Han Solo . A few months later, in the spring of 2022, Hasbro released a similar figure in its Black Series for Lucasfilm 's 50th anniversary under the name "Princess Leia Organa (Yavin 4)". This is Leia in ceremonial dress with the film's medal. Yavin 4 regularly appears in the Star Wars saga star charts. The Vulture website puts it in tenth place. It explains that this natural satellite has two main qualities: its history linked to

7475-479: The film would be of limited financial success, and so it was given a relatively low budget, with production being moved to Elstree Studios in England to help save on cost. Star Wars was released on May 25, 1977, and first subtitled Episode IV: A New Hope in the 1979 book The Art of Star Wars . The film's success led Lucas to make it the basis of an elaborate film serial . With the backstory he created for

7590-650: The film), followed by Foster's sequel novel Splinter of the Mind's Eye the following month. After penning the novelization of the original film, Foster followed it with the sequel Splinter of the Mind's Eye (1978). The novelizations of The Empire Strikes Back (1980) by Donald F. Glut and Return of the Jedi (1983) by James Kahn followed, as well as The Han Solo Adventures trilogy (1979–1980) by Brian Daley , and The Adventures of Lando Calrissian trilogy (1983) by L. Neil Smith . Timothy Zahn 's bestselling Thrawn trilogy (1991–1993) reignited interest in

7705-700: The final moments of the Clone Wars. After the rise of the New Republic against the Galactic Empire , Luke Skywalker chose the moon as the place to found the New Jedi Order, and took Mara Jade with him. The planet was ravaged by the Yuuzhan Vong during the Vong invasion of the Galaxy. The Jedi Order moved to Ossus. Scenes from A New Hope set on Yavin 4 were filmed near the ruins of

7820-609: The first two releases. Together with the theatrical live action "anthology" films Rogue One (2016) and Solo (2018), the combined box office revenue of the films equate to over US$ 10  billion, making Star Wars the third-highest-grossing film franchise of all time. The Star Wars franchise depicts the adventures of characters "a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away" across multiple fictional eras , in which humans and many species of aliens (often humanoid ) co-exist with droids , which may be programmed for personal assistance or battle. Space travel between planets

7935-454: The franchise and introduced the popular characters Grand Admiral Thrawn , Mara Jade , Talon Karrde , and Gilad Pellaeon . The first novel, Heir to the Empire , reached #1 on the New York Times Best Seller list , and the series finds Luke, Leia, and Han facing off against tactical genius Thrawn, who is plotting to retake the galaxy for the Empire. In The Courtship of Princess Leia (1994) by Dave Wolverton , set immediately before

8050-404: The franchise as "the tragedy of Darth Vader". Prior to releasing the original 1977 film, and made possible by its success, Lucas planned "three trilogies of nine films". However, he announced to Time in 1978 that he planned "10 sequels". He confirmed that he had outlined the prequels and sequels in 1981. At various stages of development, the sequel trilogy was to focus on the rebuilding of

8165-406: The franchise. The Legends works comprise a separate narrative universe. Chewbacca appears in the novel trilogies The Han Solo Adventures (1979–1980), The Black Fleet Crisis (1996–1997) and The Han Solo Trilogy (1997–1998), as well as the novels Heirs of the Force (1995), Vector Prime (1999), and Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader (2005). Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader

8280-612: The galaxy. The Yavin system is located in the Gordian Expanse sector of the Outer Rim. The star of this system is also called Yavin, as is the third and final planet from the centre. This planet, a gas giant, has 26 natural satellites. The fourth is Yavin 4. The land above Yavin 4 is covered by forest, marshes and jungle . Pyramidal temples built by the Massassis stand within this environment. The largest of these,

8395-640: The gap between the High Republic publishing initiative and the events of The Acolyte . Titled Star Wars: The Acolyte – Kelnacca , the one-shot was written by High Republic writer Cavan Scott with art by Marika Cresta. It focuses on Kelnacca, the Wookiee Jedi introduced in The Acolyte . John Williams composed the soundtracks for the nine episodic films. He stated he would retire from the franchise with The Rise of Skywalker , but he composed

8510-483: The hands of other filmmakers, announcing in January 2012 that he would make no more Star Wars films. That October, the Walt Disney Company agreed to buy Lucasfilm and announced that Episode VII would be released in 2015. The co-chairman of Lucasfilm, Kathleen Kennedy , became president and served as executive producer of new Star Wars feature films. Lucas provided Kennedy his story treatments for

8625-418: The late 1980s and early 1990s, including the ability to create computer-generated imagery (CGI), inspired Lucas to consider that it might be possible to revisit his saga. In 1989, Lucas stated that the prequels would be "unbelievably expensive". In 1992, he acknowledged that he had plans to create the prequel trilogy. A theatrical rerelease of the original trilogy in 1997 " updated " the 20-year-old films with

8740-549: The main episodes of the Skywalker Saga entered development in parallel with the production of the sequel trilogy, described by Disney chief financial officer Jay Rasulo as origin stories . The first film released was 2016's Rogue One , which tells the story of the rebels who steal the plans for the Death Star , the Galactic Empire 's superweapon, just before the events of the original Star Wars film. A second film, 2018's Solo , tells Han Solo's backstory, set 10 years prior to A New Hope . The series Obi-Wan Kenobi

8855-542: The mannerisms of animals he observed in public zoos. In his 1997 review of the Special Edition re-release of The Empire Strikes Back , the film critic Roger Ebert declared that of all the characters, Chewbacca gave the worst performance. He wrote: "This character was thrown into the first film as window dressing, was never thought through, and as a result has been saddled with one facial expression and one mournful yelp. Much more could have been done. How can you be

8970-490: The movie material, while others rely heavily on the non-canonical Expanded Universe (rebranded as Star Wars Legends and removed from the canon in 2014). Star Wars games have gone through three significant development eras, marked by a change in leadership among the developers: the early licensed games, those developed after the creation of LucasArts, and those created after the closure of the Lucasfilm division by Disney and

9085-455: The nine films of which are collectively referred to as the " Skywalker Saga ". The saga was produced non-chronologically, beginning in media res with the release of the original trilogy between 1977 and 1983. This was followed by the prequel trilogy, released between 1999 and 2005, and the sequel trilogy, released between 2015 and 2019. Each trilogy focuses on a generation of the Force -sensitive Skywalker family and their struggle against

9200-451: The nine-film series plotted, but due to the stress of producing the original trilogy, he had decided to cancel further sequels by 1981. In 1983, Lucas explained that "There was never a script completed that had the entire story as it exists now ... As the stories unfolded, I would take certain ideas and save them ... I kept taking out all the good parts, and I just kept telling myself I would make other movies someday." Technical advances in

9315-750: The origin of a dynamic that allows the creation of very fast-flowing rivers. The planet has a high level of bio-diversity. Massassis trees, with their purple bark, surrounded by climbing ferns, pomegranate mushrooms and bio-luminescent orchids, are an important part of the local flora... Among the tree-dwelling animals, the most notable are woolamanders, frugivores, and stindaril rodents, carnivores that feed on golden muralbirds in particular. On land, there are runyips, herbivores, and swarms of piranha beetles. The marshes of this satellite are home to lizard crabs pursued by caparisoned eels. The waters are also home to aquatic gundarks, mucous salamanders, crystalline snakes and thyrsls. Finally, underground leviathan worms feed on

9430-473: The original film and a new narration to retell the story, released in 1977. Most later printed novels were adapted into audio novels, usually released on cassette tape and re-released on CD. As of 2019, audio-only novels have been released not directly based on printed media. Radio adaptations of the films were also produced. Lucas, a fan of the NPR-affiliated campus radio station of his alma mater

9545-497: The outer reaches of the galaxy, crime syndicates such as the Hutt cartel are dominant. Bounty hunters are often employed by both gangsters and governments, while illicit activities include smuggling and slavery . The combination of science fiction and fantasy elements makes Star Wars a very universal franchise, capable of telling stories of various genres. The Star Wars film series centers around three sets of trilogies,

9660-557: The passenger seat of his car while he was driving, and he referred to her as his "co-pilot". Chewbacca's name was derived from the Russian word sobaka ( собака ), which means "dog". In France, his name was changed in the original French-language release of Star Wars . He was called Chiktabba , and his nickname was Chico . The Chewbacca costume used in the original trilogy and the Star Wars Holiday Special

9775-592: The planet Ahch-To . Suotamo portrays Chewbacca in The Last Jedi (2017), which takes place immediately after The Force Awakens . While Rey attempts to convince Luke to train her, Chewbacca develops a relationship with some seabirds known as Porgs. Later on, Chewbacca and Rey help the Resistance by using the Falcon to distract First Order TIE fighters. Chewbacca returns in The Rise of Skywalker (2019), again played by Suotamo. He and his companions travel to

9890-466: The planet Passana, where they search for a clue to the location of a Sith wayfinder. With the help of Lando, they locate the clue, but are quickly found by the First Order. While Rey confronts Kylo, Chewbacca is captured and taken aboard a transport. Rey uses the Force to arrest the flight of the transport she mistakenly believes Chewbacca is on. She accidentally destroys the ship with Force lightning , and believes she has killed Chewbacca, who in reality

10005-442: The role, appearing in The Last Jedi (2017) and The Rise of Skywalker (2019). Suotamo also plays Chewbacca in the standalone film Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018). Chewbacca also appears in animated series, novels, comics, and video games. George Lucas invented many fictional characters while writing the original 1977 Star Wars film. Chewbacca was inspired by his dog, an Alaskan Malamute named Indiana. She would sit in

10120-566: The roots of massive trees. During the Galactic Civil War, military leader Jan Dodonna founded a rebel cell on Yavin 4. He called it the Massassi Group, in reference to the intelligent species that inhabited the planet. This rebel group became one of the largest in the Galaxy, taking part in the battles of Scarif and Yavin . As a result, Yavin 4 is the main base of the Rebel Alliance . Galen Erso's daughter, Jyn ,

10235-431: The same fictional era, including The Book of Boba Fett , released in 2021; Ahsoka , released in 2023; and the upcoming Skeleton Crew . These series follow the plight of the New Republic and its allies against the remnants of the fallen Galactic Empire . A story focused on Obi-Wan Kenobi was planned as a film before becoming a live-action series after the box office failure of Solo in 2018. The series

10350-502: The same year, Bob Iger announced that the film would be the first release of the next slate of Star Wars movies. The Mandalorian & Grogu is scheduled for release on May 22, 2026. Lucasfilm has a number of Star Wars films in various stages of development, including: The first two animated series, Droids and Ewoks , were produced in the 1980s. They were followed by the Clone Wars animated micro-series in 2003 and

10465-457: The scavenger Rey and the droid BB-8 escape from a gang of mercenaries, then fly to the castle of Maz Kanata so she can help them deliver BB-8 to the Resistance . While they are at Maz's castle, the First Order arrives and captures Rey. Chewbacca and the others fly to a Resistance base, where Chewbacca and Han reunite with Leia and C-3PO . They also soon reunite with Rey, who escaped from

10580-419: The second Death Star's shield generator, which is located on Endor . During a battle, Chewbacca commandeers an AT-ST walker , which contributes to the mission's success. At the end of the film, Chewbacca and the other Rebels celebrate the destruction of the Death Star and the fall of the Empire. In Revenge of the Sith (2005), Chewbacca and his fellow Wookiee Tarfful fight in the Clone Wars when Kashyyyk

10695-460: The sequel, Lucas decided that the series would be a trilogy of trilogies. Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back was released on May 21, 1980, also achieving wide financial and critical success. The final film in the trilogy, Episode VI: Return of the Jedi , was released on May 25, 1983. According to producer Gary Kurtz, loose plans for a prequel trilogy were developed during the outlining of the original two films. In 1980, Lucas confirmed that he had

10810-746: The sequels during the 2012 sale, but in 2015 it was revealed Lucas's sequel outline had been discarded. The sequel trilogy also meant the end of the Star Wars Expanded Universe stories, which were discarded from canon to give "maximum creative freedom to the filmmakers and also preserve an element of surprise and discovery for the audience." Episode VII: The Force Awakens was released on December 16, 2015, Episode VIII: The Last Jedi on December 13, 2017, and Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker on December 18, 2019, in many countries. The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi were both critical and box office successes. Episode IX received

10925-467: The series was set 25 to 30 years after the original films and introduced the Yuuzhan Vong, a powerful alien race attempting to invade and conquer the entire galaxy. The bestselling multi-author series Legacy of the Force (2006–2008) chronicles the crossover of Han and Leia's son Jacen Solo to the dark side of the Force; among his evil deeds, he kills Luke's wife Mara Jade as a sacrifice to join

11040-481: The shoot would have been too expensive. Finally, Chewbacca receives a medal, in the episode The Rise of Skywalker , from the hands of Maz Kanata . This scene seems to provide a conclusion to the Yavin 4 ceremony scene. The scene's symbolism can also be explained by the fact that, in Skywalker Ascending, after the deaths of Han Solo, Luke Skywalker and Leia Organa, Chewbacca is the only survivor among

11155-443: The strong sales of Star Wars comics saved Marvel financially in 1977 and 1978. Marvel's Star Wars series was one of the industry's top selling titles in 1979 and 1980. The only downside for Marvel was that the 100,000 copy sales quota was surpassed quickly, allowing Lippincott to renegotiate the royalty arrangements from a position of strength. In the late 1980s, Marvel dropped a new Star Wars comic it had in development, which

11270-417: The style of CGI envisioned for the new trilogy. Episode I: The Phantom Menace was released on May 19, 1999, Episode II: Attack of the Clones on May 16, 2002, and Episode III: Revenge of the Sith on May 19, 2005. The first two films were met with mixed reviews, with the third being received somewhat more positively. Together with the original trilogy, Lucas has referred to the first six episodic films of

11385-459: The system's habitability zone . The diversity of ecosystems on Yavin 4 also seems more likely than a natural satellite covered entirely in forest like the forest moon of Endor , if only because the polar regions are colder than the tropical regions. The planet D'Qar in the third trilogy of the saga is sometimes seen as a replay of Yavin 4: these planets are covered in jungle and uninhabited due to their isolation from hyperspace routes. In addition,

11500-457: The three-part Dark Empire saga, Tales of the Jedi , Dark Lords of the Sith , the Dark Forces trilogy, and Crimson Empire (1998). Return of the Jedi was adapted into 6-episodes in 1996, featuring Daniels. The Star Wars franchise has spawned over one hundred computer, video, and board games, dating back to some of the earliest home consoles . Some are based directly on

11615-490: The title Star Wars: Master and Apprentice . Although Thrawn had been designated a Legends character in 2014, he was reintroduced into the canon in 2016 for the third season of the Rebels animated series, with Zahn returning to write more novels based on the character and set in the new canon. Marvel Comics published a Star Wars comic book series from 1977 to 1986. Original Star Wars comics were serialized in

11730-595: The transfer of the license to Electronic Arts . Yavin IV It appears mainly in the films Rogue One and A New Hope , for which the exterior scenes are mostly shot on the Guatemalan site of Tikal . Yavin 4 can also be seen in the Rebels TV series, video games and comic books . It is also mentioned in the novelizations of the films in which it appears, and in other novels. The Star Wars universe

11845-430: The visual effect. The choice of Yavin 4, a jungle world, as the base for the rebels, the heroes of A New Hope, can be explained by the fact that the worlds in the saga that are home to the characters from the side of good are wild, natural and verdant, such as the saga's other notable satellite, the forest moon of Endor , and the planets Naboo and Kashyyyk . The characters in the evil camp live in an artificial base,

11960-461: The web series Forces of Destiny (2017–2018). He is featured in episodes 5 and 10 of season 1, and in episodes 6 and 12 of season 2. Chewbacca is featured in the novels Smuggler's Run: A Han Solo and Chewbacca Adventure (2015) and The Mighty Chewbacca in the Forest of Fear (2018). He appears in the comics Chewbacca (2015), Life Day (2021) and Han Solo and Chewbacca (2022–2023). Chewbacca

12075-534: Was announced in January 2014 that in 2015 the Star Wars comics license would return to Marvel Comics, whose parent company, Marvel Entertainment , Disney had purchased in 2009. Launched in 2015, the first three publications were titled Star Wars , Darth Vader , and the miniseries Princess Leia . First announced as Project Luminous at Star Wars Celebration in April 2019, the Star Wars: The High Republic publishing initiative

12190-408: Was brought there by the Rebels. The leader of the Alliance, Mon Mothma , explains to her that her father developed a planet-destroying battle station, the Death Star , and that she is best placed to find her father, Galen, and the plans for this Imperial superweapon that the Rebels want to destroy. Cassian Andor , who is accompanying Jyn Erso, has been given a secret mission: to kill Galen. When

12305-413: Was cast primarily for his height of 7 feet 3 inches (2.21 m). In Star Wars , Chewbacca and Han Solo are smugglers who accept a charter to transport Luke Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi to the planet Alderaan aboard their ship, the Millennium Falcon . When they find the planet obliterated by the Death Star , Chewbacca and Han help their passengers rescue Princess Leia and take her to

12420-730: Was followed by the comic series Star Wars: Chewbacca , in which C-3PO and R2-D2 travel the galaxy collecting stories of beings who knew or met the Wookiee. Chewbacca in the StarWars .com Databank Star Wars Star Wars is an American epic space opera media franchise created by George Lucas , which began with the eponymous 1977 film and quickly became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon. The franchise has been expanded into various films and other media , including television series , video games , novels , comic books , theme park attractions , and themed areas , comprising an all-encompassing fictional universe . Star Wars

12535-451: Was made from yak hair, rabbit hair and mohair . For The Force Awakens , multiple Chewbacca suits were crafted from yak hair, Lycra and a small amount of mohair. Chewbacca's voice was created by Ben Burtt , the sound designer for the original trilogy and the prequel trilogy. He generated the Wookiee's vocalizations by mixing together recordings of four bears, a badger, a lion, a seal, and a walrus. Mayhew modeled his performance of Chewbacca on

12650-483: Was on a different transport. Deeply shaken by the apparent death of the Wookiee, Rey and the others pledge to continue the mission in his memory. Later on, Chewbacca's friends realize he is alive, and manage to rescue him. When they return to the Resistance base, they learn of Leia's death, and Chewbacca is distraught. He then helps Lando recruit citizens from across the galaxy to defeat the Sith Eternal forces. Near

12765-411: Was originally planned as a film, but changed to a miniseries due to Solo underperforming at the box office. In April 2023, three new Star Wars films were announced to be set within different eras of the franchise. An untitled film written and directed by James Mangold will be set during the "dawn of the Jedi". Dave Filoni will direct a film set between the original and sequel trilogies during

12880-534: Was picked up by Dark Horse Comics and published as the popular Dark Empire series (1991–1995). Dark Horse subsequently launched dozens of series set after the original film trilogy, including Tales of the Jedi (1993–1998), X-wing Rogue Squadron (1995–1998), Star Wars: Republic (1998–2006), Star Wars Tales (1999–2005), Star Wars: Empire (2002–2006), and Knights of the Old Republic (2006–2010). After Disney's acquisition of Lucasfilm, it

12995-542: Was released on Disney+ in 2022 and is set between the prequel and original trilogy films. It was followed by the live-action series Andor in the same year; both series follow their titular characters during the reign of the Empire. The Acolyte is a series created by Leslye Headland set at the end of the High Republic era before the events of the Skywalker Saga , and follows an investigation into

13110-478: Was revealed in a press conference in February 2020. Involving the majority of the then current officially licensed publishers, a new era set 200 years before the Skywalker Saga was explored in various books and comics. Including ongoing titles by Marvel and IDW Publishing, written by Cavan Scott and Daniel José Older respectively. Marvel Comics will publish a one-shot comic book on September 4, 2024, that bridges

13225-503: Was subsequently restructured to only include the existing six feature films, the animated film The Clone Wars (2008), and its companion animated series. All future projects and creative developments across all types of media would be overseen and coordinated by the story group, announced as a division of Lucasfilm created to maintain continuity and a cohesive vision on the storytelling of the franchise. Multiple comics series from Marvel and novels published by Del Rey were produced after

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