Chewbacca Kylo duel.

I've been thinking, now that it's established that there are weapons that can hold up against lightsabers, wouldn't be awesome if Kylo chose the dark, that Chewy comes in and helps outduel Kylo as a climax, avenging his best friend.

I could imagine Chewy with some exotic Wookie melee weapon helping Rey and Leia take down the KoR and Kylo. It could also be a way to kill him off (which I fully expect in IX). I don't overly mind that, but if they're going to go that way, make him go down in a blaze of glory.

 

I think it would be a way to demonstrate that Kylo is all gone, consumed by darkness (if they decide to go that way). The fact that it would invoke so much emotion in the viewers is what the story would be going for. I think the fight would be epic too. We've already seen non force sensitive beings duel Jedi to stand still or even victory (Griveous anyone?). Chewie, as powerful as he is, with a weapon of Wookie design, fighting with the rage, wookie rage, avenging the death of his friend to whom he owed a life debt. It would be epic.

The fact that Chewie has spend so much time with Rey I find interesting too. Imagine Rey refuses to face Kylo, and thus Chewie does and dies. I could see that being a believable catalyst to send Rey to finally face Kylo in an emotional climax.

I think there are many angles that could be played on such a showdown, and it would be impactful. I think that's something IX needs, is something impactful and emotional. I think visually, I can imagine it being amazing and unique. Add the emotion and the stakes, it could be epic. Even if the rest of the movie misses the mark for some, I could see many people loving at least this moment, this fight.

 

I'll play a little Devil's advocate here to your second point lol.... should we cater to the fans? Should the story be influenced by a certain subset of fans and what they want? Isn't that fan service? Would it be out of character for Kylo to lose a fight (I don't mean he loses all fights, but certainly he's capable of losing some fights. By the nature of the existence he chose, his end will likely come in a fight.)? Mandalorian's stood up to Jedi, and as far as I can tell they weren't force users. Jango is an example of that in a movie if you question the canonicity of Mandalorian's fighting Jedi with at least a measure of success (as an aside, I'd like to see a movie or TV series of people fighting Sith in a similar way )

As for the first point, wouldn't that be symmetry? Maybe even foreshadowing beyond movies. Some could certainly interpret that as genius. Maybe Kylo's ambition was doomed to fail, as are all things born from the dark side. It's quick and easy, but it doesn't last. Such is the nature of chaos. It creates upheaval, but eventually things settle and become a norm.

Personally, we were told Wookies pull arms off when they get angry. I'd like IX to show us that with Chewie ripping Kylo's arm off lol.

I would envision something like this....


The blades lock, lightsaber and vibroblade. Chewie’s mass and strength pushing Kylo back, pan back to silhouette of a braced Kylo slipping backward (imagine Luke's stance in estb). Chewie’s blade sputters furiously. A close up to Chewie’s face show it furrow in worry. Close up to Kylo’s face shows a sinister smile of triumph, as he realizes Chewies blade is about give out. Back to Chewies face as it takes on a fierce smile and roar, back to Kylo’s as bewilderment and doubt creep in.

Chewie lets go one hand on the hilt of his blade, stopping his advance but still holding Kylo at bay. With his free hand, aboreal claws extrude his fur and digs into Kylo’s shoulder. As Chewie’s roar fades, Kylo scream of agony replaces it, as Chewie rips Kylo’s are from it’s socket. With the lost arm, the shock and pain, Kylo’s lightsaber falls back, striking Kylo in the face, the duel pain making Kylo drop his weapon on the floor, and Kylo dropping to his knees before Chewbacca.

Chewbacca looms over him, and here anything can happen. From Kylo’s decapitation, to Leia saving her son, to Rey saving her lover, to Lando stopping Chewie from doing something he may later regret.

In any event, Chewie bellows a defeaning roar, Kylo looking up in utter disbelief, pale faced from fear and loss of blood. All for force visions meaningless, defeated by someone who’s parents were nobody’s, by a non force user. But, the force, as Yoda says, is in all things, the stone, the water, the plant… even the wookie, fullfiling a promise to an old friend.



Some of the benefits of having this duel, imo, it would be a nod to the OT fans displeased with the ST so far, without it being obviously pandering, or fan service. It could very much be essential to the story and not feel contrived in the least.

I could see lead ups being Rey refusing to fight Kylo, or unable due to injury. It would also avoid a third showdown between the two. I can also see this play out as a divergence from RotJ Luke.

Think about it, where Luke refused to face his father and needed a pep talk from his old master Kenobi, Rey gets one from Luke but still rejects his advice (which would be more natural to their relationship), because she can’t fathom killing her love. Chewie, feeling obligated, takes her place in the plan, and Rey’s decision to not go, and move toward being a Grey Jedi, loses her the love of her life (I’m not big on Reylo, but I have to awknowledge is at least possible they go that way), or she loses a dear friend in Chewie and has to face Kylo anyways.

The big thing for me, is that in a fight between Chewie and Kylo, they can truly go any way they want. Rey/Kylo is a retread of already explored themes, Chewie Kylo is new ground. However this would only work as a climax.

The other option is to just have this fight at the half way point to be a driving factor for Rey and Kylo to meet. Killing Kylo off in the middle of a movie would mean the last hour or so would be denouement , and I don't see that happening (although it would be hilarious seeing the rest of the movie seeing Poe, Finn and company mopping off the rest of the FO).

I think this opinion is mostly because he has no lines. He's Groot (or rather, Groot is Chewie) and given a lesser role due to his species inability to talk English, or basic or whatever. Maybe it's because of my EU reading days, but I don't view Chewie, or other species in the GFFA, that way. They are all human, just like elves and dwarves and hobbits ect are humans in fantasy. Just because a human can't communicate with you does not mean a lack of intelligence. In the case of wookies, at least in the EU, it was physical ability... as in their vocal cords could not mimic human speech. But they have their own language, and a sophisticated and technological one, equal to that of Basic.

To me, this is why seeing this side of Chewbacca would be awesome. Not sure if it's part of the new EU, but the old had it that the Empire were xenophobes, which is why there were all human. Having Chewie, especially win, would be having that conversation in SW about diversity, but within the context of the SW universe. It would be easier to not make it feel forced, yet still have the discussion. The parallels would be clear, just as they are in Xmen, but I think it would the cringe that comes with feeling like the movie is overly preachy. Mostly though, I'd just love to see Chewbacca kick some butt.

And no, I have no bias, pay no attention to my avatar lmao.

 

I never thought of Chewbacca as aimed to be likeable for children. I never liked him much as a kid. Now R2D2, definitely, but not so much Chewbacca. I guess people just gravitate to different characters.

As for feeling forced, I don't see it. He's referenced to as the Mighty Chewbacca in the OT, seems to have a reputation that extends beyond Han, even if we don't see it on screen. I'm not super familiar with the PT, but doesn't he take part in the war against the droid armies on Kashyyk?

I get the narrative had him as Han's sidekick, but seriously, that probably has as much to do with the focus being on the humans that the viewers can understand, not to mention the awkwardness of having a wookie romancing a princess probably wouldn't have gone over so well (although that would be hilarious hahaha).