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Death Becomes Someone in "Star Wars" Novel
Yes, while facing yet another terror from the Dark Side in Vector Prime, R.A. Salvatore's just-released first installment of The New Jedi Order series, one of the original band of Star Wars heroes runs out of luck.
And unfortunately, it's not Jar Jar.
The un-Forceful one is everybody's favorite Wookiee, Chewbacca.
About two-thirds of the way through Vector Prime, the ferocious but cuddly crusader bites it, sacrificing his big hairy self to save his pals, especially Han Solo.
Evidently, publisher Del Rey and Lucasfilm wanted to "crank up the heat" with this new book, which is set after Return of the Jedi and some 25 years after the first Star Wars (aka Episode IV: A New Hope).
"It seemed that after all the characters had been through, there was nothing left to scare anyone or get [readers] worried. You knew they were going to be fine," Del Rey editorial director Shelly Shapiro tells USA Today.
Lucasfilm's Howard Roffman adds that the demise of a main character would be "a clear signal of the gravity of the situation."
But don't get too misty for Chewbacca--although the big guy will miss out on future Life Day celebrations on his home planet of Kashyyyk, he did lead a surprisingly fulfilling life for a 200-plus-year-old reformed smuggler. Besides, like Qui-Gon Jinn, Obi-Wan Kenobi and even Darth Vader before him, Chewie goes out a martyr. "It has a nice side effect," says Shapiro. "It will be good for Han's character....This will jump-start his rejuvenation." (And who knows, maybe Han could use a new rug, too.)
Meanwhile, there are already rumblings in the Star Wars universe over the Wookiee's demise. "I'm sure in a year or so we'll have something that will contradict Chewie's fate in VP," says one hopeful fan in the rec.arts.sf.starwars.misc newsgroup.
Another suggests a call to action, or more precisely inaction: "If Lucasfilm refuses to revise Vector Prime then I suggest we, the fans, refuse to believe it. This would imply that Vector Prime and subsequent novels in that thread be ignored. We could boycott any book or comic that accepts it as canon."
While the Chewie revelation will likely cause even more consternation among the Star Wars faithful (and, as the publisher prays, drive up book sales), writing the death scene was no picnic for author Salvatore. When asked to off one of moviedom's most lovable creatures, his first thought was, "Forget it. I'll give back the money." Then, he "thought about it and understood the reason for it."
Born on Kashyyyk two centuries before Anakin Skywalker, Chewbacca was enslaved by an Imperial officer, until freed by Solo. The Wookiee swore a Life Debt to the pilot, serving as Solo's ever-loyal sidekick on innumerable adventures before teaming up with Luke, Leia and the droids to down two Death Stars and Darth Vader.
Survivors include his dad, Attichitcuk (aka Itchy), wife, Mallatobuck (Malla), and son, Lumpawarump (Lumpy).
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