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I was reading this answer when I came across a quote about Rey learning about Chewbacca:

I'd heard of Chewbacca from some Wookiee traders who'd stopped off at Jakku. They said he was an amazing hyperspace scout and smart smuggler, with a reckless human first mate who was always getting him in trouble. I never dreamed I'd get to meet them.

The Force Awakens: Rey's Survival Guide

The bold text is what caught my eye. Does Chewbacca tell Wookiees that he is the captain and Han is the first mate, do the Wookiees just assume Chewbacca would be the leader because Chewbacca is legendary, or are these traders just building up the legend of Chewbacca despite what they know is true?

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Erik
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    This seems like a very opinion based answer. But maybe it's not. What would I know? – Edlothiad Mar 24 '17 at 21:10
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    I assumed it was a throwaway by the writer to make the audience smile. I don't think it goes any deeper than that. – Valorum Mar 24 '17 at 21:17
  • she heard the stories from Wookies - it may be their either switched up reality to make him (and themselves by extension) more impressive or have simply misunderstood the relationship themselves. – NKCampbell Mar 24 '17 at 21:24

1 Answers1

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In the book Aftermath: Life Debt, it is explained that despite Han seeing and treating Chewie as 100% equal to him, while on Kashyyyk, he tends to let Chewie take the lead.

Given this change of dynamic, it's not unreasonable that the Wookiees might assume that Chewbacca is the captain and Han is the first mate.

Working with Solo on this has been interesting. Chewbacca the Wookiee is the man’s copilot. His sidekick, of a sort. At least, that’s how Jom had always heard it. The two were inseparable, but Solo was the pilot and Chewie was the copilot and so would it always be.

But here on Kashyyyk, the roles are reversed.

Chewie’s in charge. He leads the way. And the real surprise is, Solo follows. He lets the Wookiee set the course. He offers insight, but it’s deferential. And if anybody says boo to Chewie’s ideas, Solo’s first on the line to get snappy about it.

-Life Debt: Aftermath (Star Wars) (Star Wars: The Aftermath Trilogy).

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phantom42
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