Wookies have been a fan favorite ever since the first Star Wars movie debuted in 1977, but we don't get to see them all that often. Wookies have been captured as slaves many times, possibly due to their inability to speak linguistically despite their strength, but don't let their shaggy, unkempt appearance fool you. Wookies are incredibly smart, and the species is very technologically advanced. They make the perfect companions because of their well-rounded abilities and adaptability.
Updated: November 2022: To keep this article fresh and relevant by adding more information and entries, this article has been updated by Olly Dyche.
The Wookies culture revolves around loyalty, and maybe that is why we love them so much. In a Galaxy full of treachery, it can be hard to know who to trust. But when a Wookie pledges a life debt, there's no room for doubt. Maybe there is something about the furry and loyal beings that speaks to the animal lovers in all of us (but don't tell them we think that). Here are the top five Wookies in the Star Wars universe.
7 Zaalbar
The Wookies' strength and technological prowess make them the perfect traveling companions. Who wouldn't want to have one in their party while playing a video game? In Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Zaalbar joins the party early and is a frequently used character because of his combat and computer skills. Zaalbar swears a life debt to amnesiac Darth Reven after Reven and his crew rescue the Wookie. According to Star Wars legends, the Wookie helped Reven collect all the pieces of the star map. However, Zaalbar stopped traveling with Reven after they defeated Darth Malak.
Zaalbar is one of the few Wookie characters we know that went "mad claw." The Wookie code determines that Wookies should only use their claws as tools to help them climb and build. Attacking with their claws is dishonorable among Wookies; this seems like an evolutionary adjustment from animal to civilized society. When Zaalbar discovered his brother was selling Wookies from their planet to slave traders, Zaalbar attacked his brother with his claws. As punishment, Zaalbar was disgraced and kicked out of Wookie society. His rich backstory not only brings depth to the video game, but also teaches us about the Wookie code and Wookie society.
6 Lowbacca
In Star Wars legends, Chewbacca died before Han Solo. Lowbacca (seen mostly in the novel Rebel Dawn and the literary series Young Jedi Knights) and Lumpawrrump (later renamed Lumparawoo), are Chewie's relatives who continued to serve the life debt to Han after Chewbacca's passing. Lowbacca was trained as a Jedi at Luke Skywalker's Jedi Praxeum. It was there that he became friends with Jaina Solo, Jacen Solo, and Anakin Solo (Han and Leia's children). Lowbacca especially became close with Jacen Solo, because he loved Jacen's sense of humor.
When Jacen turned to the dark side and attacked Lowbacca's home world of Kashyk, Lowbacca was devastated, both because of Jacen's fall and because of the damage done to the Wookies. Lowbacca fought his former friend until the Sith Lord's defeat. Force-sensitive Wookies are especially rare, so even though Lowbacca is no longer canon, his unique story has to be included in any Wookie list.
5
Tyvokka
Jedi Master Tyvokka is known as one of the greatest Jedis ever. His skill was praised by fellow Jedi masters, Mace Windu, Qui-Gon Jinn, and Obi-Wan Kenobi. Tyvokka even took on Kel Dor Jedi Plo Kloon as his Padawan, who, once a Jedi master, was praised as one of the best Jedi Masters and commanders during The Clone Wars. Tyvokka was very skilled with a lightsaber, but it's his force abilities that allowed him to see into the future, that made Jedi Master Tyvokka stand out from the rest, besides being one of the few Wookies to ever become a Jedi Master, of course.
4 Gungi
Gungi is one of the few known canon Wookie Jedi to date. The other is Burryaga, who recently began appearing in the Star Wars: High Republic novels. Gungi was trained as a padawan during the Clone Wars. Unlike other Wookies, Gungi is known for his great patience and wisdom. His kyber crystal awaited him across a large body of frigid water when it came time for Gungi to create his lightsaber. Having been warned not to go in the water, Gungi waited for the water to freeze, and then walked across it to get his crystal.
3 Tarrful
In the grand scheme of Star Wars, Tarfful is quite an important character, especially during the Great Jedi Purge. Wookie Chieftain Tarfful was a close friend to the iconic Wookie, Chewbacca, and in the two helped Grand Master Yoda escape the Wookie home planet of Kashyyk during Order 66. Similarly, during the Clone Wars, Tarrful led an army of Wookies to answer a distress signal made by Chewbacca, imprisoned on the Trandoshan hunting grounds of Wasskah, to rescue Chewbacca, along with Ahsoka Tano and some Jedi Younglings. Tarrful may not be a Jedi or a bounty hunter, but his skill and willingness to save his friends and his own species are enough to make Tarrful one of the best and deadliest Wookies in the universe.
2 Black Krrsantan
Krrsantan is one of the few Wookies to ever make it into a live-action Star Wars story. His recent appearance in The Book of Boba Fett brought this character to life. Unlike other Wookies, Black Krrasntan has a tendency toward the dark side. He has no problem breaking loyalties or using his teeth to fight. Those who watched the show may have noticed his dark fighting style, but most are still unfamiliar with Krrsantan's rich backstory. He is the only character to be strong enough to beat Chewbacca, but also someone who lost a fight to C3P0.
Krrsantan was a gladiator trained by the Xonti Brothers. The brothers injected metal into his knuckles to make him easier to sell. Krrsantan swore a life-debt to harm the Xonti Brothers just as he had been harmed. Eventually, the Wookie captured and imprisoned the brothers--one of the only times we have seen a life-debt used to hurt instead of to protect. Krrsantan shares many experiences on his resume with Boba Fett. After his gladiator days, he became a bounty hunter for both Jabba the Hutt and Darth Vader. Although he has mainly been used for his muscle, we hope that we will see more of his personality in his live-action role going forward.
1 Chewbacca
Nobody embodies the Wookie code like Han Solo's faithful companion, originally form the initial trilogy. In part, because it's through Chewbaaca that we have learned most of what we know about Wookies. After Han Solo defied a direct command in order to save his and Chewbacca's lives, Chewbacca swore a life debt to Han, and the two have been almost inseparable ever since. Yet, Chewbacca and Han never let their special bond stop the furry friend from returning to help his home world. He and Han returned to Kashyyyk repeatedly to help the Wookies, and eventually free the planet from Imperial occupation. As one of the few characters to play a role in every Star Wars era, Chewbacca has had as big an influence over the Galaxy's fate as the Skywalkers and Yoda himself.