Back then shortly before "The Force Awakens" has been released I went to
a local store. Right at the entrance were two lifesize cardboard
figures. One was of a First Order Stormtrooper and the other one was
Chewbacca. I have to admit the Stormtrooper looked cool but didn't
really make me exited about the new movie. I still prefer the old
Stormtroopers from the original trilogie which look much more fierce in
my opinion. But then I looked at Chewie and it triggered this familiar
feeling which was asleep since all those decades. It was the original
Star Wars-feeling. It was the same old feeling which makes you exited
when you see the original characters or a Tie Tighter or an X-Wing. You
just start to feel like a kid again. It was that moment where it became
clear to me how special Chewbacca is.
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| Cardboard Chewie (source amazon.com) |
Recently I read an article on screenrant.com
where they were making predictions about what might happen in "The Last
Jedi". Among those predictions was that Chewie would find his end
during an attack. To me this was just unacceptable. We just had to watch
Han Solo die a totally useless death in "The Force Awakens". Then we
also lost Carrie Fisher which is just very sad. And to me that's just
more than enough.
I personally (and possibly many other people too) would have loved to
see all the original characters (Luke, Leia, Han, Chewie, R2, C3PO)
being together again. That might have been what a lot of people would
have expected as it's been announced that they all have been casted for
Star Wars 7. Sadly we just had a little bit of Han, barely anything of
Leia and almost nothing of Luke.
The above mentioned article claimed that now that Han would be gone that
it wouldn't make any sense if Chewbacca would have his own adventures.
And that there would be no reason for Chewie to stay in the franchse and
that he should find his death during Star Wars 8. With which I totally
disagree.
Some might see him only making sense when he's together with Han, who
was his best friend. But I see him as a character who can be on his own
and even bond with others. He already has a bond with Leia and Luke. He
also already became friends with Rey. That friendship might develop even
more in the next two episodes of Star Wars. Rey seems to be the new
captain of the Falcon now and I don't see any reason why its co-pilot
couldn't stay. I kinda like that idea. Her being the Jedi in training
and he being the big hairy thing who is protecting her, like he did in
that scene in Maz Kanata's castle, where they encounter Unkar Plutt.
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| As it seems Rey is now the new Captin of the Falcon and Chewie her co-pilot. |
Apart from all this, as mentioned above, Chewbacca gives you that
classic Star Wars-feeling, just like all the original characters do. His
appearance, the way he acts and his roar triggers feelings all the new
characters just can't give you (yet). Chewie is essential!
Chewie IS Star Wars! Just
as Darth Vader or Luke Skywalker or C3PO are. Losing Chewbacca would
mean another major blow to the franchise. It's necessary that he's
allowed to stay in or that certain Star Wars-feeling would also be gone
to some extent. And I fear it would make the new trilogy less
interesting to many.
And while we're on it, please, Disney, give Luke, Leia, R2D2 and C3PO
bigger roles this time. I am sure this would be a big improvement to the
movie.
