Salporin / Legends Salporin was a Wookiee warrior , the mate of Gorrlyn and close friend of Chewbacca . Born on the planet Kashyyyk , he and Chewbacca undertook many childhood adventures together , becoming close friends . Soon after Chewbacca departed his homeworld , Salporin ' s skills with the ryyk blade took him to the Wookiee city of Kachirho , where he served as a hunter and a craftsman . He met his future wife Gorrlyn in Kachirho ; they later married and were planning to begin a family together when the Clone Wars came to Kashyyyk . Their plans were shattered , though they volunteered to protect their homeworld from the Confederacy , helping to defeat the Separatist droid army on the planet ' s expansive beaches . In the aftermath of the victory , however , the Jedi were all but wiped out , and the Galactic Empire was formed . One of the Empire ' s first acts was to enslave the Wookiee species ; Salporin was among them , and was an Imperial captive for many years . Eventually , Salporin was rescued by members of the Rebel Alliance , and helped liberate Kashyyyk from Imperial rule . When Kashyyyk was free , he relocated to the capitol city of Rwookrrorro and returned to life as a citizen . Several years later , he agreed to house and help protect a friend of Chewbacca ' s , Princess Leia Organa Solo , from Imperial assassination attempts during her stay on Kashyyyk . He was ultimately killed during a raid by Noghri assassins and a Wookiee memorial was held in his honor . Biography . Early life . Salporin , whose name meant " storm sage " in Shyriiwook , was a native of the planet Kashyyyk , and a member of the Wookiee species . From a young age , he displayed considerable skills with a weapon , and became a master at utilizing the traditional weapon of the Wookiees , the curved ryyk blade . He was also adept at utilizing two blades simultaneously , making him a formidable warrior . From an early age , Salporin was very close to Chewbacca , another Wookiee close to him in years . He and Chewbacca became best friends , and went on many adventures together on their homeworld . In advance of their coming - of - age Hrrtayyk ceremony , the two traveled to the dreaded Shadow Forest on Kashyyyk , armed with only a ryyk blade that Salporin had stolen from his elder brother . The Shadow Forest was out of bounds for two so young , though Salporin and his companion managed to keep their expedition a secret from their elders . The reasoning behind the trip was to prepare them for what was unknown to them shortly before becoming full - fledged adults , though in truth they simply frightened themselves . When they eventually reached the darkness of the Shadow Forest , their previous courage and bravado quickly faded , and they became skittish and scared . It took but a simple trap - spinner to frighten them enough to flee ; they ran back to their homes , the memories of what they had experienced haunting them . The horrors of the Shadow Forest plagued them until they did finally become adults . Coming - of - age . Some time later , the two friends decided to journey to the Shadow Forest once again ; they had matured both physically and mentally , and were far more prepared . Each armed with a ryyk blade , the two Wookiees used the Rryatt Trail to reach the Well of the Dead , located in the very heart of the Shadow Forest . Here , they fought off many of Kashyyyk ' s most vicious predators , including the mock shyr , jaddyyk moss , needlebugs , trap - spinners and the shadow - keeper . They managed to bring strands taken from the carnivorous syren plant back home , earning themselves the formal right to be armed , to wear a baldric and to confirm the names they had selected for themselves . The pair ' s exploits continued , and they built a reputation as two of the foremost Wookiee warriors of their generation . Salporin ' s martial abilities eventually allowed for him to move away from his homeland . The Wookiee warrior took up residence in the coastal city of Kachirho on the Wawaatt Archipelago , while Chewbacca left Kashyyyk to venture offworld . Although he missed his childhood friend dearly , Salporin did not accompany Chewbacca , preferring to stay behind and work as both a hunter and a craftsman . During his time of Kachirho , he met and subsequently fell in love with a Wookiee female named Gorrlyn . The two had great plans for the future , and wished to begin a family together . Clone Wars and captivity . When the Clone Wars broke out across the galaxy , Salporin ' s plans of settling down with Gorrlyn were shattered . In 19 BBY , near the close of the war , he and his mate were among the hundreds of Wookiees who volunteered to help defend Kachirho from the Confederacy of Independent Systems , which was attacking Kashyyyk in order to get a hold of secret Wookiee hyperspace routes . Aided by Jedi Masters Yoda , Quinlan Vos , and Luminara Unduli , and under the command of Merumeru , Salporin and his fellow Wookiees set up a defensive perimeter on one of the archipelago ' s large beaches . Salporin participated in the Battle of Kashyyyk , assisting the Wookiees in repelling the droid forces of the CIS . Although they had been victorious , the war marked a beginning of a time of hardship for the Wookiee people . The Supreme Chancellor of the Galactic Republic , Palpatine , had initiated Order 66 , which ordered the Republic ' s clone troopers to fire on their Jedi generals . Master Yoda managed to survive , and with the aid of Wookiees was transported offworld , while Quinlan Vos managed to escape by himself . Luminara Unduli , however , was gunned down on the beach , and few Jedi across the galaxy survived . The first Galactic Empire , headed by Palpatine , was formed , and one of the first acts of the new Empire was to seize control of Kashyyyk . Thousands of Wookiees were taken captive , among them Salporin . When Chewbacca visited his homeworld in 2 BBY , Salporin was still in captivity , to Chewbacca ' s immense sadness . After many years in captivity , Salporin was presented with an opportunity to escape . He discovered that a team of Rebel Alliance commandos had secretly set up camp on the lower levels of the Kashyyyk jungle , unbeknownst to the Empire . Salporin escaped from the Imperial slavers , literally breaking his chains and making contact with the Alliance members . Salporin ' s knowledge of the Kashyyyk forest , as well as of the Imperial slave camps , proved useful to the Rebels , and he agreed to help them fight off the Empire . Through his efforts , as well as those of other Wookiees put in similar situations , the Alliance was able to liberate Kashyyyk from Imperial control . After his role in the war was completed , Salporin returned to the life of a citizen . Later life . Salporin did not return to Kachirho , instead setting up a home in the city of Rwookrrorro . He lived a simple life for many years , though when his old friend Chewbacca asked for his help in 9 ABY , he gladly agreed . Chewbacca ' s longtime friend and co - pilot , Han Solo , had married Princess Leia Organa Solo , and she was expecting twins . Organa Solo was heavily involved in the formation of the New Republic , and had been targeted for kidnapping by vicious Noghri warriors sent by the remnants of the Empire . Seeking a safe haven during Grand Admiral Thrawn ' s campaign against the New Republic , Organa Solo accompanied Chewbacca to Kashyyyk on the " Lady Luck " , where they were met by Salporin and another Wookiee named Ralrracheen . Salporin had arranged for Chewbacca and Organa Solo to stay in his house , where they would be able to hide from Thrawn ' s assassins . Salporin greeted Chewbacca warmly , though he made no attempt to communicate with Organa Solo . After their reunion , Salporin and Chewbacca escorted Organa Solo to Salporin ' s home . Before they had even reached the house , Organa Solo caught sight of one of the Noghri aliens who had attacked her previously , causing quite a commotion among the Wookiees nearby . Salporin and Ralrracheen searched the building where Organa Solo thought she had spotted the creature , though they could find no sign of it . Although Ralrracheen expressed his interest in continuing the search for the kidnapper on the lower levels of the city , Chewbacca overrode him ; Organa Solo ' s safety was the most important matter at hand . While Salporin and Ralrracheen , among others , kept watch over Organa Solo , the Wookiees of Rwookrrorro continued the search for the elusive alien the Alderaanian had seen , with little result . After several days the urgency of the search wore down , and some of the Wookiees became skeptical that the being actually existed . Eventually , only a handful of Wookiees continued the search , while Salporin , Chewbacca and Ralrracheen were left with the task of protecting Organa Solo alone . They knew that this was the Empire ' s plan , to patiently wait for the Wookiees ' vigilance to whittle away ; it was not possible for them to keep acting against an enemy they could not see . Although the others gave up , Salporin and his friends stayed by Organa Solo ' s side . Death . Almost a week after Leia Organa Solo first arrived on Kashyyyk , the Noghri struck . They first set fire to a nearby house as a diversion and then attacked the Wookiee ' s house stealthily . Using stunners , which were far less noisy than conventional blasters , three Noghri attacked Salporin and the others stationed outside his home , while a fourth attempted to kidnap Organa Solo . The stun weapons they were using , however , proved too weak to seriously harm a Wookiee , and Ralrracheen and Chewbacca suffered only superficial injuries . Salporin , however , was killed by the Noghri . Though they were deeply saddened , Chewbacca and Ralrracheen did not mourn their fallen comrade immediately ; they still had to get Organa Solo to safety . They managed to fight off the other Noghri , before Organa Solo made an alliance with the aliens ' leader . Now that they were safe from Thrawn ' s assassins , the Wookiees began mourning Salporin ' s death . The whole village attended a memorial service in his honor , which lasted for several hours . Personality and traits . Salporin was a brave being , and ventured into the darkness of the Kashyyyk jungle where many others would not have . In his youth , he was full of courage and bravado , and along with Chewbacca sought to impress his elders . Initially , this bravery faded in the face of adversity , though after he had matured , Salporin was capable of facing many of Kashyyyk ' s nightmarish creatures without fear . He was also willing to play his part in war , and volunteered on more than one occasion to fight on behalf of his homeworld . During the Clone Wars , he aided in the defense of Kashyyyk , and later , after being freed by the Rebels , stayed with them to help his fellow Wookiees rather than return to the luxury of his home . Later , he volunteered to help someone he had never met before — Princess Leia Organa Solo — out of loyalty to his friend Chewbacca . He died helping others . Throughout his life , Salporin made many connections and friendships to others , which he maintained until his untimely death in 9 ABY . His love for Gorrlyn kept him from leaving his homeworld and possibly seeking a better life , and the two fought alongside each other during the Battle of Kashyyyk . Salporin and his friend Chewbacca each trusted each other endlessly , and their faith in the other ' s abilities meant they could work together with ease . The two also spent much time testing each other physically , hoping to make each other tougher and stronger . Salporin was also very popular among the other Wookiees of his homeland , and was a close friend of Ralrracheen . Behind the scenes . Salporin was created by " Star Wars " author Timothy Zahn for his 1991 novel " Heir to the Empire " . Later , the official StarWars . com Databank retcon ned Salporin to be one of the Wookiees seen fighting in " " . Portrayed by David Stiff in a Wookiee suit , his movements were used as a model for several digitally created Wookiees featured in the movie . The Salporin Wookiee costume is on display at the " " exhibit .