Attichitcuk Attichitcuk ( meaning " first heroic companion " in Shyriiwook ) , known as " Itchy " for short , was an influential male Wookiee Chieftain who lived during the last centuries of the Galactic Republic . He sired two pups , a female named Kallabow and a male named Chewbacca , the latter of whom became a fabled hero of the Rebel Alliance that fought the authoritarian Galactic Empire . A supportive father , Attichitcuk had allowed his only son to leave the household to travel all over the galaxy in search of adventure around the year 150 BBY . In his prime , Attichitcuk played a leading role on his homeworld of Kashyyyk , a planet covered in immense forests . It was he who represented his Wookiee brethren in the Galactic Republic negotiations for colonization rights to Alaris Prime , a moon of the gas giant Alaris . With the help of both his son and the Jedi Master Qui - Gon Jinn , the chieftain drove out invasion forces of the Trade Federation that occupied Alaris Prime illegally . When the Clone Wars broke out in 22 BBY , Attichitcuk was already an old , retired warrior , but he still joined in at least one fight . When the Confederacy of Independent Systems invaded Kashyyyk toward the end of the three - year conflict , Attichitcuk engaged in combat along his fellow warriors and the Republic forces led by the Jedi Master Yoda . That event , known to future generations as the Battle of Kashyyyk , was one of the last conflicts fought during the Clone Wars . The Republic fell apart shortly afterwards and was replaced by the Galactic Empire , an autocratic regime led with an iron fist by Emperor Palpatine . Following the new government ' s xenocentrist policies , the Wookiees were enslaved . Attichitcuk , however , was left behind on Kashyyyk while his son Chewbacca was still traveling offworld . Living with his daughter - in - law Mallatobuck , the old Wookiee focused on raising his grandson Lumpawarrump . Nearly two decades later , in 1 ABY , the Empire enacted a blockade on Kashyyyk . On Life Day , a most sacred family holiday , the former Chieftain Attichitcuk and his family were visited by Imperials who were investigating for ties between the Wookiees and the Rebel Alliance . Three years afterwards , the gray Wookiee was captured by Nagai slaver Ozrei N ' takkilomandrife , but was subsequently freed by Chewbacca and his Human partner Han Solo . A few months later that same year , Kashyyyk was taken over once again when the Imperial Moff Darcc combined forces with the Trandoshan slaver Pekt . Attichitcuk shouldered the responsibility of calling Chewbacca and his Rebel allies for help , but he was kidnapped by the Trandoshan , who planned on having him skinned . One more time , Chewbacca and Solo saved Attichitcuk from certain death . In his late years , Attichitcuk had become an elder statesman retired to his family treehouse in the city of Rwookrrorro , enjoying his wood carving and the company of his kin . However , his peaceful existence was stricken by misfortune two decades later , when Chewbacca found his doom during the Yuuzhan Vong War , a pan - galactic conflict that was fought between 25 and 29 ABY . Biography . Early life . Born on the planet Kashyyyk in the year 350 BBY , Attichitcuk was a male Wookiee of the common , brown - furred rwook subspecies . He was descended from Bacca , the first great Wookiee Chieftain , who was also the first Wookiee to encounter offworld life and the maker of the legendary Ceremonial Blade . Attichitcuk ' s family originated from Rwookrrorro , the capital of Kashyyyk , and his name was made of three words that meant " father , " " hero " and " husband " in Shyriiwook , the main Wookiee language . Attichitcuk ' s father had once killed another Wookiee in a duel , which had caused a lasting enmity between his clan and that of the deceased opponent . In his youth , Attichitcuk became noticed for the audacious hunting raids he made at the very bottom of the dangerous wroshyr tree forests . On Kashyyyk , warriors were expected to take part in such expeditions to protect the civilians from the predators roaming below the treehouses . As a consequence , skilled hunters like Attichitcuk were held in high regard in the Wookiee culture . Once , he slaughtered a pack of twenty ferocious katarn s with only a ryyk blade , collecting their claws after killing them . However , despite his outstanding abilities , Attichitcuk was no braggart , and he long kept that particular exploit a secret . In addition to his mastery of edged weapons , he was also proficient with the bowcaster , the traditional ranged weapon of the Wookiees . At some point , the warrior sired two pups : a female named Kallabow , and a male born in 200 BBY , whom he christened Chewbacca , as a tribute to his legendary ancestor . Attichitcuk encouraged his younglings to explore the differences that manifested in their youths . It was he who gave his son Chewbacca a wood en starship toy that inspired his wanderlust . By telling him tales of adventure and mysterious places , Attichitcuk passed his curiosity and ambition to his offspring . When his son was deemed ready , Attichitcuk took him to the Well of the Dead in the Shadowlands so he could perform his hrrtayyk ceremony , the Wookiee coming - of - age ritual . Unbeknownst to Attichitcuk , his son had already ventured at least twice in the Shadowlands before his hrrtayyk , one with his friend Salporin and another with the recently initiated Tarfful of Kachirho . One day , Chewbacca found the claws of the twenty katarns his father had collected , lifting the veil on Attichitcuk ' s past as an ace hunter . At the height of his powers , Attichitcuk took the mantle of chieftain , leading troops to war . As his pups grew older , Attichitcuk settled down into a leadership role in the community , advising the disparate Kashyyykian councils and tribes . He had the role of a peacemaker and even - handed referee during inter - tribal conflicts . In 150 BBY , Attichitcuk allowed his only son to leave for adventures in the vast universe , as he had succumbed to the wanderlust of Wookiee adolescence . The young adventurer would make occasional stopovers on Kashyyyk to visit his father and Mallatobuck , a beautiful female he had once saved from the clutches of Trandoshans , a reptilian species from the neighboring Dosha who had been the Wookiees ' archfoes since ancient times . The colonizing of Alaris Prime . Around 59 – 56 BBY , Wookiee explorers discovered Alaris Prime , a green moon of the gas giant Alaris , in the Kashyyyk system . Following that discovery , the Wookiees expressed their interest in colonizing the moon before the Senate , the main legislative body of the Galactic Republic . Still considered a leader amongst the Wookiees , Attichitcuk represented Kashyyyk in the subsequent negotiations . At some point between the years 39 BBY and 36 BBY , the Wookiees were finally awarded the colonization rights on the moon after twenty years of debates . As a reward for his efforts in negotiating with the Senate for the two decades , Attichitcuk was awarded the honor of leading the Wookiee colonists on Alaris Prime . However , in spite of his many years of experience , Attichitcuk had never been confronted with new , potentially hostile environment . To help the chieftain carry out his new mission , he was offered the help of the renowned Jedi Master Qui - Gon Jinn . The chieftain set foot on the moon , establishing a primary settlement with only a few carbon prefab shelter s and a command center . The chieftain stayed on guard duty at the camp , waiting for the first settlers to arrive , while Chewbacca and his cousin Shoran were tasked with exploring the surrounding area . To ensure the two youngsters would find their way to the camp , the older Wookiee left marker s on the way . When Chewbacca and Shoran reached the camp , it appeared that a damaged power core had been found on the surface of the moon , indicating illegal presence on Alaris Prime . Immediately afterwards , the camp was attacked by a group of four gundarks , a species of red , four - armed predators . The creatures were no match for trained Wookiee warriors , however ; Attichitcuk and the youngsters got rid of the intruders in next to no time . The Wookiees found out the identity of the power core owners when they came across a group of B1 battle droids belonging to the Trade Federation , one of the wealthiest corporate organizations in the galaxy , battling gundarks in their nest . It transpired that the Federation intended to colonize Alaris Prime . Now they had seen the face of their foe , the Wookiees prepared themselves for a colonial war . While Chewbacca and Master Jinn were working on improving the camp ’ s technology level , Chieftain Attichitcuk conducted a handful of troops on a reconnaissance mission in hopes of locating the Trade Federation ' s landing area without being detected . However , on their way back to the village , the scouting patrol faced a Federation unit led by the battle droid DRN - 38 , and Attitchitcuk fell into an ambush at the very doors of his camp . His soldiers were shot , and when the chieftain himself fell under enemy fire , Chewbacca , who had been close enough to witness the ambush but too far to intervene in time , released a cry of grievance . Qui - Gon Jinn , who felt that a spark of life remained in the recumbent body of Attichitcuk , suggested immediate action . Taking a squad of bowcaster trooper s and a newly built medical droid , Chewbacca marched toward his father ' s attackers , destroying the battle droids on his way . Thanks to that quick intervention , the chieftain was saved . Attichitcuk received enough medical care from a droid to keep him on his feet and keep him walking , and he was garrisoned in a command center for a period of convalescence . A prolonged campaign ensued , during which a secondary Jedi Temple and a stronghold were built on the Wookiee territory . Once Attichitcuk had fully recovered from his wounds , he and his allies planned on an attack that would allow them to remove the Trade Federation forces for good . During the Battle for Alaris Prime , the chieftain led his troops on the battlefield , along with Chewbacca , Shoran , and Qui - Gon Jinn . Their war efforts met with complete success when the enemy fortress was razed , forcing the Federation to leave Alaris Prime in panic . The Clone Wars . On the fifth month of the year 22 BBY , the Galactic Republic engaged in war with the Confederacy of Independent Systems , a separatist alliance led by the former Jedi Master Dooku , Count of Serenno . The resulting Clone Wars , which started on the planet Geonosis , soon turned into a galaxy - wide conflict involving thousands of other worlds . For most of the war , the leaders of Kashyyyk chose to remain non - aligned . In fact , the Wookiees criticized the Republic for toying with the idea of giving senatorial representation to the Trandoshans , their longtime enemies , and for stationing military assets in Wookiee space . In 21 BBY , in an attempt to pour oil on troubled waters , the Jedi Order sent the Human Kai Justiss to Kashyyyk , appointing him as the new Jedi Watchman of the forest planet . Attichitcuk and Chewbacca were among the delegation that welcomed Justiss during his first journey on the Wookiee world . Their meeting was later reported in issue 14 : 10 : 03 of the HoloNet News channel ' s Core Edition . But in 19 BBY , an unexpected event pressed the Wookiees to take sides more clearly : the Confederacy forged an alliance with Trandoshan slavers and imposed a naval blockade on Kashyyyk . Soon thereafter , the Republic tasked High Jedi General Yoda with defending the Wookiee world from the droid armies of the Confederacy . In spite of his advanced age , Attichitcuk joined in the defense of his homeworld . Deemed too old to fight alongside the younger Wookiee warriors on the ground , the former chieftain served as a gunner aboard an Oevvaor jet catamaran during the battle that raged near the city of Kachirho . Seated at the back of the catamaran , Attichitcuk ' s role was to throw thermal detonators at the enemy tank droids in hopes of melting sizeable holes in them . The elderly chieftain ' s throwing accuracy was extremely high because he had long practiced in virtual - reality games played on an addictive " mind evaporator " headset . The allied Wookiee and Republic troops emerged victorious , a feat which may not have been accomplished without the help of Yoda . Birth of the Galactic Empire . Very shortly after the victory against the Confederacy , the clone soldiers suddenly turned on their Jedi generals . In fact , the Supreme Chancellor of the Republic Palpatine had just revealed his true colors , to the great surprise of the galactic community . He had officially dismantled the Republic , transforming its dying carcass into an authoritarian Galactic Empire , and ordered the extermination of all Jedi . With the rise of the Empire and its xenophobic policies , Kashyyyk would once again be blockaded and the Wookiees enslaved . Almost immediately , the Empire tasked the commando Triton Squad with killing fugitive Wookiees throughout the forest . The squad notably intended to burn a certain Wookiee village to the ground and execute its inhabitants . Attichitcuk was present when the commando arrived , and the elderly Wookiee interposed himself between the attackers and a group of scared pups , only armed with an Elder ' s staff . However , a group of Wookiee warriors led by Chewbacca and Tarfful swooped down on the enemy , keeping Attichitcuk and the pups out of harm ' s way . After a brief skirmish , the Wookiee warriors pushed the Imperial troopers into the Shadowlands , where the entire squad was hunted and killed . Attichirtcuk did not take part in the hunting party , but he briefly conferred with Tarfful and Chewbacca before they descended into the ground levels of Kashyyyk . The Galactic Civil War . Although he had survived the attack by Triton Squad , Attichitcuk was not spared by Emperor Palpatine ' s new regime . Like most of his fellow Wookiees , Attichitcuk was trapped on Kashyyyk , forced to watch his beloved forests burned and his peers tortured by the Imperial overseers . Chewbacca himself , his own offspring , had been assigned to forced - labor projects on Coruscant , under the thumb of the Imperial officer Pter Nyklas . However , in 5 BBY , a young Corellian lieutenant named Han Solo ended up using his weapon to stun Nyklas and free the Wookiee . The two escaped , becoming inseparable companions , partly out of friendship , and partly as a result of the life debt Chewbacca owed to Solo — following an old Wookiee tradition . A few years later , in 1 BBY , Chewbacca , Solo , and a young street urchin named Jarik planned a brief stopover on Kashyyyk . Upon hearing that his son would pay a visit home , Attichitcuk was thrilled , talking about nothing else for days . After Chewbacca and the Humans arrived , the former chief proudly showed off his heir and his companions in the neighborhood . On that occasion , Chewbacca finally married Mallatobuck , who had been waiting for him all these years , giving Attichitcuk a devoted daughter - in - law that would stay with him in Rwookrrorro . Now a married couple , Chewbacca and Malla immediately conceived a child , who would be christened Lumpawarrump , or " Lumpy " for short . Attichitcuk became a grandfather , and he would take care of the child in the absence of Chewbacca . He also acquired a nickname when Han Solo took to calling him " Itchy " , a diminutive that the venerable rwook proudly accepted . On occasion , even Chewbacca would refer to his genitor as " Itchy " rather than " Father . " While Chewbacca and the Corellian traveled the stars aboard the starship " Millennium Falcon " , Attichitcuk remained on Kashyyyk and helped Mallatobuck rear the infant Lumpy . Together , Attichitcuk and his daughter - in - law allowed the pup to stay close to the nursery ring and the home tree . He was different from the other Wookiee pups , and his grandfather never pushed him to take part in their " toughening " games . In the meantime , several pockets of resistance against the Empire had started to emerge in the galaxy . In 2 BBY , many of those groups had merged together , forming the Alliance to Restore the Republic , better known as the Rebel Alliance . This marked the start of the Galactic Civil War . In the early stages of the conflict , Attichitcuk befriended one of the Alliance ' s leading figures , the Princess of Alderaan Leia Organa . In 0 BBY , Attichitcuk ' s son and Han Solo were drawn reluctantly into the affairs of the Alliance . The duo ended up saving the day by helping destroy the Death Star , an Imperial planet - killing battlestation , during a battle over Yavin Prime . Shortly afterwards , Attichitcuk and Malla organized a surprise birthday party for the bicentennial of Chewbacca . Upon the hero ’ s imminent arrival , Attichitcuk decided to tell his grandson Lumpy the story of how Chewbacca and Solo teamed together . Inspired by this tale of adventure , Lumpy traveled to the dangerous Shadowlands in search of wasaka berries , a food that his father loved . Back at the house , Malla and Attichitcuk became worried of Lumpy ' s absence , but the young Wookiee was finally rescued from the Nother World ' s swamp by none other than his father . The birthday party was held with its dancing , games and fireworks , and Attichitcuk attended . Recovering the Vor ' Na ' Tu . Around 0 . 5 ABY , Attichitcuk briefly returned from retirement at the request of his friend , Princess Leia Organa , whose world of Alderaan had been destroyed by the Empire a couple of months earlier . The Princess needed help in retrieving the Vor ' Na ' Tu , an ancient and powerful artifact that had been stolen from the exiled Jedi Master Echuu Shen - Jon . Clothed in his old chieftain battle armor , Attichitcuk joined Organa and Shen - Jon on the desolate asteroid of Geddes , where the Imperials kept the Vor ' Na ' Tu hidden in a Sith temple . When Attichitcuk landed on Geddes in his transport ship , he was accompanied by a contingent of nine warriors , three Kas tank s , two catapults and one HummBike . The Wookiee chieftain ' s timely arrival with reinforcements proved decisive in the battle that ensued . Once the allied forces reached the Imperial research compound , they split into two groups . One was tasked with drawing the attention of the enemy while the other approached the base from behind . The Wookiees , the Rebels and Master Shen - Jon then found a group of explosive droids which the research facility had built , and the Jedi used his Force powers to convert them for the Rebels ' use . The explosion of the droids added to the general turmoil , allowing Princess Leia ' s tank - like Energy Pummels to bring down the walls of the Sith temple in which the Vor ' Na ' Tu was hidden . Although Attichitcuk , Organa , and Shen - Jon did recover the object of their quest , their victory was short - lived : upon returning to their spacecraft , they faced Darth Vader , the Emperor ’ s right - hand man , who had been dispatched to retrieve the Vor ' Na ' Tu and had been waiting for them . Refusing to hand over the valuable relic to the enemy , Shen - Jon destroyed it instead . Vader and the Jedi then engaged in a lightsaber duel , which ended in the death of Echuu Shen - Jon . While the Wookiee chief and the Princess had been able to escape , the mission itself was an overall failure . An agitated Life Day . Midway trough the year 1 ABY , Chewbacca and Solo were expected on Kashyyyk to celebrate Life Day , the most sacred holiday in the Wookiee culture . Back in Rwookrrorro , Attichitcuk , Mallatobuck and the young Lumpawarrump anxiously waited for them , making preparations . When it became obvious that the two friends were late , Attichitcuk noticed Mallatobuck ' growing concerns , fearing that an accident may have occurred . The former chief gently conforted his daughter - in - law , putting an arm around her shoulders . As the Wookiees could do nothing but wait , the grandfather decided to take a nap in his armchair . However , his rest was interrupted by the startling sound of the treehouse ' s viewscreen , on which an Imperial officer appeared . The man on the screen officially announced that the Empire had enforced a blockade of Kashyyyk due to suspected Rebel activity . Indeed , the Empire had been tracking down Chewbacca and Solo ever since their role in destroying the Death Star , and they hoped to catch the fugitives by combing every household in the Kashyyyk system . For a brief instant of relief after so much recent bad news , the former chief ' s family received the visit of Saun Dann , an amicable Human who ran a trading post in the neighborhood . Dann had come with arms full of presents , and he offered his elderly friend a virtual erotic cassette . That product would conjure the image of a holographic woman named Mermeia , tapping into the viewer ' s deepest fantasies . As soon as he got it , Attichitcuk inserted the cassette in his mind evaporator and enjoyed his sensual gift for a moment . Shortly thereafter , an Imperial commander barged into the Attichitcuk ' s home , accompanied by a technician and two stormtroopers , blasters at the ready . Despite the housemistress ' initial protest , the treehouse was searched thoroughly . Determined not to give in to the occupier , Attichitcuk , Mallatobuck and Lumpawarrump never revealed their ties with the Rebel heroes . They pretended there was no other male Wookiee in their immediate family , arguing they had come to the wrong house . Ultimately , the investigation came to naught . The Imperials left the premises empty - handed , but not without having put the residence in disorder . Attichitcuk , alongside his grandson and daughter - in - law , was eventually reunited with Chewbacca and Solo , who arrived shortly after the Imperials ' departure . Having donned ceremonial robes , the old rwook and his family gathered with other Wookiees at the foot of the sacred Tree of Life — from which , according to legends , all life on Kashyyyk had sprung . Princess Leia Organa , the Rebel pilot Luke Skywalker and their droids C - 3PO and R2 - D2 were also present . Around the same period , a painting was made of Attichitcuk and his family celebrating Life Day . That work of art , entitled " Family Bonds " , was reproduced an distributed across the galaxy during the Civil War . New governments and slaving rings . In 4 ABY , Emperor Palpatine was killed at the Battle of Endor , and the second Death Star was destroyed . What remained of the Imperial Navy scattered . The Rebel Alliance was reorganized into the Alliance of Free Planets , which evolved into the New Republic one month later . With the Empire gone from Kashyyyk , the Nagai Commander Ozrei N ' takkilomandrife — known to the Wookiees as " Knife " — plotted to take over the Wookiee slaving ring . Knife allied with Vargi , Mallatobuck ' s own brother , who hoped to enslave all of Attichitcuk ' s family . Vargi informed Knife of Chewbacca ' s legendary status to the Wookiee people and the new galactic government , which prompted the Nagai to kidnap his family as a bait . By capturing the planet ' s child prodigy , Knife sought to demoralize local resistance to the new slave trade . Attichitcuk was taken into custody , along with his daughter - in - law and grandson . Fortunately for the old Wookiee , his son Chewbacca arrived on Kashyyyk with Generals Han Solo and Lando Calrissian . Although Chewbacca himself was captured , his Human friends escaped , and Calrissian managed to free Attichitcuk and the others . The old Wookiee and his family followed Calrissian to the starship the enslaved Chewbacca and other captives were boarding , and they found Chewbacca and Solo in a pitched fight with Vargi . Lando Calrissian then used his blaster pistol to create a diversion , allowing Chewbacca to overpower his foe . The Wookiee ' s fellow captives rose up against Knife and his minions . With his plans ruined , Knife fled Kashyyyk without further ado . A few months later , the ambitious Imperial officer Hindane Darcc proclaimed himself Moff of the Mytaranor sector , and took over Kashyyyk , which he intended to turn into his personal domain . The Wookiee homeworld was being overrun , and its cities under heavy fire . The Wookiees were proud , but they knew they couldn ' t overcome this situation on their own , so Attichitcuk sent a call for help to his son . The silver - furred Wookiee hoped Chewbacca would convince the New Republic to send a strike force to fight off the Imperials , but to no avail . Solo and Chewbacca traveled alone to Kashyyyk , unsure of what they might find . In fact , the situation was even worse than they had imagined : the self - appointed Imperial Moff had hired the Trandoshan Pekt to gather a shipment of Wookiee slaves for use in Kessel mines . Organizing the Wookiee resistance , Chewbacca and Solo were successful in retaking the fallen Kashyyykian city of Chenachochan . However , both Darcc and Pekt were able to escape in a " Lambda " - class shuttle with a cargo hold full of Wookiee prisoners , and Attichitcuk himself was among the deported . The old chieftain and his peers were held on the Avatar Platform , a space station designed as the orbital headquarters of the Trandoshan slaving ring and where slaves were detained . Eventually Chewbacca and Solo led a team into space to rescue the Wookiees and avenge Kashyyyk . Attichitcuk was released from his chains and reunited with his son . Burying his son . In 25 ABY , the Yuuzhan Vong — a race of extragalactic aliens — invaded the galaxy , and a major conflict ensued . During the initial stages of the war , Han Solo and Chewbacca were on the planet Sernpidal when the Yuuzhan Vong used a creature known as a dovin basal to draw the moon Dobido into an impact trajectory with the planet . Chewbacca helped Solo evacuate thousands of Sernpidalian s , but the Wookiee was lost when he failed to board the " Millennium Falcon " on time . Following Chewbacca ' s heroic end , his droid friends C - 3PO and R2 - D2 were tasked with collecting memories of his life . They traveled to Rwookrrorro , where they spent some time discussing around the fireplace with a very weakened , mirthless Attichitcuk . The old rwook told the droids how his son once fought the albino Wookiee Tojjevvuk for the love of Malla . Aching with grief , the elderly chieftain confessed that burying his own son was the most terrible ordeal of his life , even compared to the destruction of the forests or slavery under the Galactic Empire . Still filled with pride in his late heir , Attichitcuk wondered how " a mere moon " could have killed such a bigger - than - life hero . Six months after the destruction of Sernpidal , a funeral was held outside of Rwookrrorro , and Attichitcuk bade his son a final farewell , along with twenty - three other Wookiees and the Human friends of the family . The old Wookiee reluctantly accepted that Solo was not prepared to accept an extension of Chewbacca ' s life debt by Lumpawaroo , and the Jedi Knight Lowbacca , Attichitcuk ' s other grandson through Kallabow . The old chieftain eventually understood that the Human was still clinging to his memory of Chewbacca and needed time to mourn him properly . Four years later , the New Republic finally gained the upper hand against the Yuuzhan Vong . Attichitcuk and his people welcomed several members of the Skywalker family and the House of Solo . They spent the night together in Rwookrrorro and trekked to a massive fallen branch where a memorial for Chewbacca had been carved . Personality and traits . In his prime , Attichitcuk was a brown Wookiee with a squat face , brown irises , a broad nose and a wide stature . He used to be tall like all members of his race , but he gradually shrank over the years , a common phenomenon in older Wookiees . When his son ' s relationship with Mallatobuck started , Attichitcuk ' s shoulders had already begun to stoop forward . By then , the chief was one head shorter than Chewbacca , but still retained the brown color of his fur . However , one year after the start of the Clone Wars , Attichitcuk had gone entirely gray . Like other members of his species , including his fellow chieftain Tarfful , Attichitcuk used to style his facial hair into long braids when he was young . In the height of the Galactic Civil War , Attichitcuk appeared as a large , white - haired and stooped Wookiee , measuring only 1 . 73 meters — much shorter than the average 2 . 2 meters of a healthy Wookiee adult . He had also lost all of his fangs , which had caused his jaws to decrease in size . Although he tended to be extremely irritable and gruff , the former chief had genuine attachment to the members of his little family . Despite their great complicity , Attichitcuk would never spoil his grandson , neither would he go against the authority of Mallatobuck . He was immensely proud of his son Chewbacca , whom he saw as an almighty warrior . When the old chieftain had to bury his own child , he was grief - stricken and refused to admit the circumstances of Chewbacca ' s death . Attichicuk was also very modest , as he would not boast about the impressive hunting prowesses of his youth . In addition to being drawn to females of his own species , the old Wookiee also had an attraction for Human women , as exemplified by his excitement when seeing Mermeia ' s alluring image in his mind evaporator . His attraction , and using the mind evaporator was a common enough occurance that neither Lumpawaroo nor Mallatobuck commented on the situation . In his old age , Attichitcuk also liked to smoke a pipe . Skills and abilities . At his peak , Attichitcuk was a skilled warrior and hunter , capable of slaying twenty ferocious katarns on his own . Thanks to his training with a mind evaporator , he was also a highly accurate grenade thrower , even in his old age . He also displayed crafting talents , a common cultural trait of the Wookiees due to their dexterous hands . . Attichitcuk would carve wood , making small - scale replicas of starfighters for the benefit of his son , and later grandson . He used to put heart in this activity , and he disliked being interrupted when carving models , even by Lumpawarrump . A native speaker of Shyriiwook , Attichitcuk could understand Galactic Basic Standard , the most prominent language in the galaxy . He was , however , unable to speak it , as the structure of the Wookiee voice box and vocal cords could not reproduce the sounds of Basic . Attichitcuk ' s voice was deeper and raspier than that of his son Chewbacca . Even as a cane - using three - hundred - fifty - year - old male , Attichitcuk was capable of putting up a decent fight . He was as accurate as ever with his bowcaster and still qualified to lead troops on the path to war , as he demonstrated on Geddes . Equipment . Whereas most of his brethren would not wear any clothes at all , Attichitcuk was known to have worn a crimson waist wrap in his younger years . As a Wookiee chieftain , he donned a battle dress consisting of a wide cape , a pair of shoulder armor and a crested helmet . As a mourning father in 25 ABY , he used a red shawl with golden motifs on his shoulders . Behind the scenes . Creation . The gray - furred Wookiee Attichitcuk , along with the rest of Chewbacca ' s immediate family , was created by George Lucas for " The Star Wars Holiday Special " , a aired by CBS on November 17 , 1978 . The " Holiday Special " was a spin - off of the successful that had been released the year before . With the newfound success of " Star Wars " , the character of Chewbacca had become a fan favorite — with his actor Peter Mayhew receiving between 2 , 000 and 3 , 000 letters a week . This prompted Lucas to write a script that revolved around the hairy hero ' s family . The creator of " Star Wars " named all three new Wookiees himself , christening the grandfather " Itchy . " The original draft of the " Holiday Special " was a collaborative effort between Leonard Ripps and Pat Proft and George Lucas . The final script , however , was written without Lucas ' s involvement and was entrusted to Ken and Mitzie Welch of Smith - Hemion Productions . They made significant changes to the script , adding several and . In the fourth draft script of the " Holiday Special " , dated October 13 , 1978 , Chewbacca ' s father was called " Old Attchituck " and described as a " gray - haired , cranky , 400 - year - old cuss . " This version of the script differs only slightly from the final cut of the TV special and features Wookiee dialogue translated in all caps . In early story treatments , Attichitcuk ' s role was much less developed , with him being mentioned only three times in a five - page rough draft . In this early story treatment , Itchy ' s " big scene " with the mind evaporator was attributed to Chewbacca instead , although it did not feature the erotic entertainer Mermeia . The old Wookiee ' s appearance was designed by Joe Johnston , who had worked as head storyboard artist on " Star Wars " . In his conceptual drawings , Johnston described Attichitcuk as a " 350 - 375 years old " Wookiee . The 350 figure was finally retained and confirmed many years later in the 2001 video game " " . Many of Itchy ' s characteristics can also be attributed to Ralph McQuarrie , who recalled drawing " an old Wookiee getting up out of his chair and several females and children . " At some point after the airing of the " Holiday Special " , the American toy company Kenner Products envisioned an action figure line of Chewbacca ' s family . Prototypes were constructed of Chewbacca , Malla , Itchy , and Lumpy , but the idea was ultimately dropped . The Attichitcuk prototype was in fact a modified Chewbacca figure with the bandolier strap removed and gray paint sprayed around the head and beard . While Attichitcuk as we know him dates from the 1978 " Holiday Special " , there are traces of a proto - Itchy as far back as the May 1973 of " Star Wars " . This early incarnation , known as " Auzituck , " appeared in scene 135 , which was set in the " Wookee [ " sic " ] camp " on Yavin — " Yavin " being an early version of Kashyyyk . The script says : " Chewbacca enters the largest of the lodges . He is greeted by his father , AUZITUCK , Chief of the KAAPAUKU tribe ; an old and feeble Wookee [ " sic " ] dressed in royal skins and headdress . " The old Chief only appeared in this scene , and was mentioned in passing later in the script , when a proto – Han Solo introduced " Chewbacca , son of Auzituck , Prince of the Sawas , a very powerful tribe . " This name was later used for a gunship model in " " . Portrayal . In " The Star Wars Holiday Special " , Attichitcuk was portrayed by actor Paul Gale . His co - star Patty Maloney , who played Lumpy in the show , recalled Gale " as fun to work with " and " just like being with family . " Like the other actors who played Wookiees in the " Holiday Special " , Paul Gale was given no lines , and all his performance was based on mime . Along with Malloney and Mickey Morton , who played Malla , Gale attended a Shyriiwook class in order to get accustomed to the language and better react on cues during shooting . The Wookiee characters ' voices were added during by Ben Burtt . In his 2011 reference book " Galactic Phrase Book & Travel Guide " , Burtt recalled spending two days at the Olympic Games Farm in , Washington , collecting enough bear sounds to give each Wookiee a distinguishable voice . Out of the dozen captive bears of various species that were kept at the Farm , Burtt chose grizzlies to provide a basis for Attichitcuk ' s voice . In 2005 , sound clips of Itchy ' s voice from " The Star Wars Holiday Special " were reused for a few of Chieftain Tarfful ' s growls in . Specifically , they were used during Yoda ' s " goodbye " scene to Chewbacca and Tarfful . Although makeup supervisor Stuart Freeborn had designed the original Chewbacca costume , he had no hand in creating additional Wookiee suits seen in the TV special . Attichitcuk ' s hairy bodysuit was produced by special effects artists Stan Winston and Thomas R . Burman . Burman and his brother Ellis provided Winston with a a large amount of " Wookiee fur " mined from dozens of human - hair wigs , while Chewie ' s suit was made out of knitted and straight hair . Winston also designed very articulated face prothestics for the special . Attichitcuk ' s mask was made of overlaying vacuum forms and springs so it would would fit up tight against the actor ' s eyes . According to creature effects artist Don Bies , Attichitcuk ' s costume and mask were still housed in the Lucasfilm Archives as of 2005 . The two wooden X - wings allegedly carved by Itchy in the show — actually painted models — were also preserved . In 2008 , they were exhumed by StarWars . com editor Pete Vilmur on the occasion of the " Holiday Special " thirtieth anniversary . Character development . Following its only diffusion in 1978 , " The Star Wars Holiday Special " was heavily criticized . Part of the criticism focused on the opening scenes of the special , which featured Attichitcuk and his kin addressing each other in unsubtitled Wookiee - speak for fifteen minutes . However , as " Star Wars Insider " magazine contributor Jon Bradley Snyder put it , the " Holiday Special " had a silly , stuck - in - the - seventies feel that gave it charm , and the show acquired cult status in . One year after the airing of the " Holiday Special " , Random House released " The Wookiee Storybook " , a tie - in children book that had been written by Eleanor Ehrhardt during the production of the show . Patricia Wynne the book without having seen the actual Wookiee costumes . Because of the short deadline , George Lucas allowed Wynne a large amount of creative freedom . The next appearance of Itchy was a single - panel cameo in " " , the ninety - first issue of Marvel Comics ' " Star Wars " series . Despite the overall failure of the " Holiday Special " , Attichitcuk was reused in other " Star Wars " Expanded Universe stories , although not as often as Lumpawarrump or Mallatobuck . In 2001 , Attichitcuk was given an important role in the video game " " as the main character in the Wookiee training campaign , which revolved around the colonization of Alaris Prime . An older Attichitcuk also appeared in the Princess Leia and Chewbacca campaigns later in the game . In the third mission of the Princess Leia campaign , Attichitcuk took part in the Battle of Geddes . When brought back towards the ship with Leia Organa and Echuu Shen - Jon at the end of the mission , the Wookiee literally disappers from the screen . It should also be noted that if Attichitcuk dies in any of the campaigns he appears in , the player loses the level . The name of Attichitcuk was pronounced two different ways in the game . Qui - Gon Jinn ( voiced by James Warwick ) pronounced " Atty - chitchik , " while Princess Leia Organa ( voiced by Lisa Fuson ) pronounced " ATT - uh - CHIT - tik . " While the old chieftain was already gray and stooped by the time of the Clone Wars , the later Rebellion / New Republic missions featured the same youthful , brown - furred ingame model with matching icon as the earlier Attichitcuk campaign . The present article treats that inconsistency as a result of game mechanics . Around October 2002 , Attichitcuk was to be reinvented during production of " Revenge of the Sith " . According to Sang Jun Lee , who worked as concept artist at Skywalker Ranch , " Chewbacca ' s father " was to be killed during the course of the movie , which would have prompted him to run away and meet Han Solo . This concept , however , did not make it into the final film ; had it been implemented , it would have directly contradicted Attichitcuk ' s later appearances in continuity . However , in January 2003 , Lucas told the creation team that a young Han Solo was being raised on Kashyyyk by Chewbacca . Eventually , both ideas of featuring Chewbacca ' s father and Han Solo in the movie were abandoned . While Attichitcuk did not appear in " Revenge of the Sith " , he was stated to have taken part in the Battle of Kashyyyk in the reference book " " . In a technical drawing by Hans Jenssen , Attichitcuk was pictured at the back of a Wookiee catamaran , throwing grenades . Additionally , the movie character of Merumeru bore a strong resemblance to one of the conceptual drawings , sporting the same staff and a similar headgear .