John Scalzi - Three Cheers for Chewbacca, SciFi's Ultimate Sidekick
Hey folks, before we get to this week's column, let me take a moment to announce the winner of last week's "writing assignment" contest. We received nearly 100 entries, which is pretty awesome, and the entire comment thread is chock full of amusing science fictional goodness, which made it exceptionally hard to choose just one. But in the end, I was most impressed with this entry by Louise -- who not only made her "sidekick meeting" entry highly amusing, but also in the course of the entry managed to reference every other writing assignment option as well. Well done, Louise, well done indeed. That coveted DVD set of the original series of The Prisoner is yours. And thanks to everyone else for playing along.
Louise's choice of the "sidekick meeting" assignment was also prescient, because as it happens I've spent the last few days thinking about sidekicks in movies -- particularly in science fiction -- and what qualities make for a perfect scifi sidekick. After careful consideration, I have, in fact, determined the perfect science fictional sidekick.
It is -- of course! -- Chewbacca.
Why? Oh, let us count the ways.
1. He's alien
Dude's a seven foot pile of shag who walks around naked, save for a bandolier. He communicates by howling. He'll rip the arms off a droid just to make a point about sportsmanship. Face it, you're not going to run across anyone like that on a day-to-day basis. His very presence in the Star Wars series reminds you that there is more to life in the Empire than all those humans running about; Chewbacca is science fiction, in hairy, two-meter form.
2. He's not too alien
At the same time, he's not a gelatinous mass or a cold-blooded reptile -- he's furry and (almost) kind of cuddly, has sympathetic blue eyes and a Scooby Doo-like streak of neurosis in him, allowing Han to berate him from time to time in an amusing fashion. The doglike aspect of Chewbacca is no coincidence, as George Lucas originally modeled Chewie after his own canine pal, a Bouvier des Flandres Alaskan Malamute named "Indiana." (Yes, indeed!) So while he's definitely not human, he's also still relatable. Just don't ask him to fetch. Wookiees hate that.
3. He can act
Chewbacca is funny. He does a great second take. He does sad (see: Empire Strikes Back, when the base doors are closed). And really, no one else in science fiction quite does angry like he does. That he does them all as sidekick reaction shots makes his skill even greater; it's like what dancers say of Ginger Rogers: She danced every step Fred Astaire did, backwards and in heels. When a sidekick makes you feel, he's doing his job and then some.
4. He's competent
There's something to be said for a sidekick who only works as comic relief -- see C-3PO in this category -- but even better is the sort of laconic pal who can do pretty much anything you ask of him. And, really, that's Chewie: He can pilot a starship, he can repair a droid shot apart by Imperial stormtroopers, he can strangle a traitorous former friend, and he can act the part of a hapless prisoner to get rescuers into guarded areas -- not just once but twice! Is there anything he can't do? Besides speak human? Which brings us to the next part:
5. He's comfortable in his role
Never once in the movies do you get the sense that Chewbacca is looking enviously at Han Solo's captain's chair and thinking to himself, man, how long do I have to hang around with this wahoo until I get to sit there? Why? Because Chewie is comfortable with himself as a person and a sidekick. He's so comfortable, in fact, that he actually lets other people talk for him. I strongly believe Chewbacca could speak human if he so chose -- but he prefers to let the other characters shine. That's the sort of selfless assist to others that makes him perfect in the sidekick role.
The downside to this subtle expertise in the sidekick role is that Chewbacca is not always given his due. Everyone remembers the slight given Chewbacca at the end of Star Wars: Luke and Han get big shiny medals for blowing up the Death Star, and what does Chewbacca get? His fur brushed out for the medal ceremony. Did Chewie complain? No. But I'm sure cheering during the 1997 MTV Movie Awards when Chewie finally got that medal he was owed, slung about his neck by none other than Carrie Fisher herself.
Yes, maybe I teared up a bit. I won't deny it. But I will say that it's nice when the sidekick gets his moment in the spotlight. Especially a sidekick as complete as Chewbacca: The sidekick's sidekick; the sidekick all other sidekicks can only hope to be, only to settle for plucky comic relief. Just ask 3PO about that.
Winner of the Hugo Award and the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer, John Scalzi is the author of The Rough Guide to Sci-Fi Movies and the novels Old Man's War and Zoe's Tale. He's also Creative Consultant for the upcoming Stargate: Universe television series. His column appears every Thursday.
Ah, but will you still think of Chewie in this light after reading this: http://www.morningstar.nildram.co.uk/A_New_Sith.html
(basically, Chewie is a sleeper agent for the Rebellion, Han is effectively his sidekick...)
;)
Plus, he can fix the damn ship and does so several times.
Wrong dog, John! As every Star Wars fan who has ever heard Lucas ramble on about Chewie knows, Indiana was an Alaskan Malamute, not a fleur de chien or whatever. I guess you thought you were safe from SW fanboys reading your column after this, but it ain't so!
Admittedly, you fell victim to a Wikipedia error here, but as a web-savvy blogger you should know better than to use Wikipedia without checking the facts ;-).
Other than that, an entire article on Chewie without once mentioning Peter Mayhew? Booh says I! He (and Anthony Daniels) were the best actors in Episode IV (well, there was James Earl Jones of course, but he only did the voice and therefore doesn't count...argh, and Peter Cushing, stop sniping at me with facts... :-)
StrokeMaWookie:
Didn't use Wikipeida as a reference, actually, but you are correct, I got the dog wrong. Fixed in the article. Thanks.
@ GaryG
That was actually something interesting to read. (Not to say your column wasn't Scalzi...) Granted it is rife with mistakes and assumptions that can't be justified based on other works (i.e. the Falcon discussion), but for the most part it seems to make for yet another viewing of ANH something I will probably work into my weekend.
I've heard people make comments here and there regarding similar thoughts, especially those of Obi-Wan on Tatooine, but it was certainly worth the 10 minutes I burned staring at my screen to see so many of those idea put into one place.
A fitting tribute to the ultimate sidekick. I agree 100%.
This may be out of scope since it is from the books and not the movies, but Chewie also made the ultimate sacrifice when he saved the life Han and Liea's son only to lose his own in the process.
R.I.P. Chewie.
@John: Ah, strange, when I google'd the breed name and Chewbacca only Wikipedia and derived sites came up, so I assmed (u intentionally missing;-).
Good article otherwise btw.
StrokeMaWookie:
Nah, I IMed a friend of mine who is usually in the know about these things (the actual question: "Hey, wasn't Chewie, like, based on a dog?", and that was part of the reply he gave me, and I didn't doublecheck. My own fault. But now I know where he gets HIS information. I may have to point him in the direction of Wookieepedia.
Coming from someone who so publicly hates George Lucas and Star Wars, this is high praise. And we all love Chewy too, even in the awful Star Wars Holiday Special ...
Damn you Scalzi for writing an article I finally found compelling enough to comment on that I had to create an account here. :)
Anyways, this is one of the many things missing from the second set of films.
They needed a sidekick that was at least as great as Chewie. And if Lucas thought he had found it in JarJar he's lost his damn mind.
Even way back in '77 when I was still a pre-teen, my favorite character was Chewie.(Followed closely by Han.)
Also, great pick on the "writing exercise" winner! And congrats to Louise!
Which makes Sean Connery's line "We named the dog Indiana" so much funnier...
Congrats to Louise. That was an entertaining short. I don't think laughing at Wil Wheaton will ever die out.
By the way, we named our dog Chewbacca -- even though he was a ten-pound terrier mix, he lived up to the name "Chewie"...
There are two #3s in your list above. Not to be critical but it seems to be rip on the article day.
GaryT:
Typo. Fixed. Thanks.
Despite my disappointment at not winning the Prisoner set for myself (grin), I have to say the winning entry was brilliant, especially the Big Reveal of who the Group Leader was at the end (I assumed it was one of the Star Wars X-Wing pilots) -- even if the entry did violate the rules of the contest:
"one writing assignment per comment"
(evil grin)
Dr. Phil
Eh, rules are meant to be broken, especially when done so in a brilliant fashion like Louise did.
Louise's entry ROCKED. Congrats!
Bouvier des Flandres. Snicker.
Congratulations Louise ... well done.
And thanks for the contest, John. It was fun. (More, more!)
I always thought Chewbacca was a refreshing change of pace for an alien character: usually the cliche is that alien characters have names they can pronounce but we can't (usually full of X's and Z's and lacking vowels). But Chewie's the only one who has a name we can pronounce and *he* can't!
"Give it up for Chewie."
... No, seriously. Give it up, or else.
*cheers for Chewbacca*
*delighted squeaks on my own behalf*
Especially given the brutality of the competition, especially the musical reviews, not to mention the Transformer Comedy of Errors. But a DVD set of The Prisoner truly provides a high level of motivation.
@ Mr A – especially since Wil Wheaton laughs at himself so eloquently. Long live the Secretary of Geek Affairs!
@ Dr Phil – Glad you liked! But it is, in fact, only one assignment: prompt #10, the meeting transcript. It references the pitch session (with all 10 items), the monologues, the Jar Jar gospel, the Boll defense, the disciplinary report, etc., but does not actually incorporate them. Rules are also made for hairsplitting (provided the results entertain). ;-)
(I bent the rules much worse with my first entry, which wasn’t a synopsis paragraph.)
(And thanks, Magnor!)
@Scalzi – I assume you need contact info now? I can email it to you via your Whatever address.
Threee cheers for Chewie the Wookiee - #1 Sidekick and the galaxy's largest furry!
GaryG--that Keith Martin essay is amazing, isn't it? Puts the 3 original films in a whole new light.
Louise--hearty congratulations!
Great Article!! Chewie ROCKS In So Many Ways.. As Far As He Speaking "Human" Won't Happen Nor Would It Be His Wish.. If I Remember Correctly Wookie Language Is Far More Advance Than The Human Language. And I Believe They Were On Par Or More Advanced In The Tech Aspect Than Humans.. Wookies Were Enslaved By the Empire.(Which Is Why He Would Not Allow Luke To Put Shackles On Him In Ep. IV). Han Solo(While Working For The Empire) Was The One That Freed Chewbacca.. Owing Han What Is Called A "Life Debt" Chewie Became His Friend And :Road Dog" So To Speak. Chewie Is (NOT) Below Han In Any Way.. They Are Friends.. Who, According To Many Stories.. Have Been on More Adventures Than We Could Count Before Episode IV. Chewie. If u Notice Was Also Hans Concience When He Would Go Into Selfish Mode.. Chewie Is A Great "Sidekick".. If That's The Lable That's Required To Make Since Of The Whole Thing.. But I Submit That If That's True ,Then Han Is A Great Sidekick Also.. Because They Were Friends.. And Equal.. Chewie Died Saving Han And Leia's Son.. A Little More Than A Sidekick.. I Would Say Anyway.. Thank You For The Cool Artical.. j The Geek!
Chewie rocks indeed! And big congrats to Louise. Awesome job!