WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Star Wars #13 by Charles Soule, Ramon Rosanas, Rachelle Rosenberg and VC’s Clayton Cowles, on sale now.
Chewbacca is one of the most heroic characters in the Star Wars Universe. His heroic actions become even more substantial in consideration of the fact that the audience never understands what Chewbacca says. While there are bits and pieces translated by Han and C-3PO, there’s no telling what Chewie is actually saying. This means that Chewie’s courageous deeds are fully defined by his actions, and he has certainly been active over the years. Chewie was just reminded of one of his acts while searching for Han on the Smuggler’s Moon.
Click the button below to start this article in quick view.
Star Wars #13 depicts Luke and Chewbacca descending to Nar Shaddaa in search of Boba Fett, who is in possession of Han Solo’s frozen body. Luke was extremely cautious when landing on this dangerous planet as he previously had traumatic experiences there. Luckily for the Rebels, Chewbacca has an ally on the moon that he believes can direct them to Fett. Upon landing on the Moon, the gang is greeted by an old balding Wookiee named Sagwa. It’s revealed that Chewbacca sent word out to the free Wookiees of the galaxy that he was searching for Fett, and Sagwa reached out to him. Sagwa and Chewie have a deep history of their own.
Sagwa made his debut appearance in Solo: A Star Wars Story. The Wookiee had been imprisoned by the Empire for defending his fellow Wookiees on Kashyyk. They took him to Kessel where he was fitted with an electric collar and forced to work in the spice mines. His time within the mines took its toll on his body, causing him to bald where he once had long locks of fur. Even though Sagwa was struggling while enslaved, he still fought for the less-abled and would often substitute himself for more strenuous labor to spare a weaker Wookiee.
Sagwa was one of the Wookiees that Chewbacca freed during the Raid on Kessel. After Chewie assaulted the guards who threatened Sagwa, he tossed the elderly Wookiee a weapon and the pair began to fight their way out of the mines. Once they escaped the mines, Sagwa continued to fight alongside Chewie and even helped him load the coaxium onto the Millenium Falcon. Sagwa would not join Beckett’s criminal squad though and instead elected to escape the planet with the other prisoners.
Sagwa would eventually find work at the Garkata Fighting Arena where Boba Fett dethroned the previous champion in War of the Bounty Hunters Alpha by Soule, Steve McNiven, Laura Martin and Travis Lanham. This led him to reach out to Chewie which began the events of Star Wars #13. Sagwa brought Luke and the gang to the arena where they began to ask questions about Boba Fett. The questions drew the attention of a crime syndicate that began a firefight with the Rebels.
Sagwa fought alongside the Rebels and led them to an escape route when the battle became too intense. His route became compromised and Luke had to use his Force powers to help the group escape the Smuggler’s Moon. Sagwa joined Chewbacca aboard the Millenium Falcon and revealed that he would like to join the Rebellion. Sagwa has had quite a bit of experience fighting the Empire and other criminal factions and should prove invaluable to the Rebellion.
Chewbacca has often been seen saving or helping others that are in need. Possibly the most iconic event that demonstrates Chewie’s life-saving actions occurs in Empire Strikes Back. After C-3PO is dismantled on Bespin, Chewbacca goes out of his way to collect the droid’s body before it can be repurposed or destroyed. Chewie fails at putting the droid back together and elects to carry Threepio on his back for the remainder of the movie. A less extreme example can also be seen in The Last Jedi when Chewie decides to stop eating the Porgs after he receives a saddened look from one.
Wookiees are some of the most unique and intelligent species in Star Wars. Wookiees can often be seen within their honor family which consists of family members and close companions. They would pledge to lay down their lives for one another and truly acted as a family. Chewie and Sagwa consider each other brothers and Sagwa owes Chewie a life debt so it is entirely plausible that Sagwa is a member of Chewie’s honor family alongside Han, Luke and Leia.
About The Author
