Dewlannamapia

"Dewlanna was different. We looked out for each other, yeah. But she was the only one, Bria. The only one who gave a vrelt's ass if I lived or died. Knowing that made me a&hellip;pragmatist, I guess."

- Han Solo, to Bria Tharen

Dewlannamapia known to her friends as Dewlanna, was an elderly female Wookiee who served as a cook aboard the Trader's Luck while accompanying her mate Isshaddik in his exile from Kashyyyk. Even after her mate was killed, she remained in the service of Garris Shrike, eventually dying to ensure that Han Solo was able to escape his life aboard the vessel.

Raising the Human cub
"Your mother was kinder to me than my own."

- Han Solo, to Utchakkaloch

Dewlannamapia&mdash;Dewlanna for short&mdash;was a female Wookiee born around 610 BBY. She was the mate of Isshaddik and the mother of several cubs, among them Utchakkaloch. In 20 BBY, Isshaddik was exiled from their homeworld of Kashyyyk for a crime he had commited; Dewlannamapia followed her mate into exile, leaving behind her home and her grown cubs. The two of them joined the ragtag criminal crew of the starship Trader's Luck, captained by a Human named Garris Shrike. Only a year later, however, Isshaddik was killed during a smuggling run to the planet Nar Hekka in Hutt Space. Shrike, who was rather fond of Dewlannamapia's cooking, offered her to stay aboard Trader's Luck; although Dewlannamapia was free to return to Kashyyyk, she chose to accept the offer and became the ship's cook. Aboard the ship, Dewlannamapia had her personal quarters near the galley. She also befriended a nine-year old Corellian boy named Han, one of the many children Shrike employed as thieves and pickpockets.

Dewlannamapia taught Han to speak and understand the Wookiee language of Shyriiwook. However, it was hard for Han to reproduce the growls that Shyriiwook consisted of, so he preferred to speak Galactic Basic Standard. As Dewlannamapia understood Basic as well as her own language, the communication between her and Han was fluent. Shrike did not provide his children with an education beyond that which was needed in their criminal activities, like reading and simple math. However, Han's natural desire to defy Shrike led him to pursue further education clandestinely. When Dewlannamapia became aware of this, she further encouraged Han to study. The young Corellian had a tendency to learn only subjects that he enjoyed and considered useful, like mathematics, and largely ignoring subjects he did not like, history in particular. Dewlannamapia made certain to monitor Han's curriculum, forcing him to learn disciplines that he otherwise would have skipped, and the boy eventually began to like history once he realized that some historical battles were as interesting as the ones he had read about in adventure books. Dewlannamapia also taught Han to prepare meals, and he became a fair cook himself. She also kept contact with her son Utchakkaloch, telling him anecdotes about the young Han who loved her wastril bread, and who craved to become a pilot.

One day, an unconscious Han was brought aboard Trader's Luck after one of the missions that he performed for Shrike on the planet Corellia. Han had successfully stolen some valuable jewelry, but had fallen sick with high fever upon his return. Dewlannamapia tended to the boy, and, fearing for his life, insisted that Shrike take him to a medical droid on Corellia. Shrike was unwilling to spend money on Han's treatment, believing that the boy would recuperate soon. Deciding to take the matter into her own hands, Dewlannamapia commandeered a shuttle and took Han to a medical droid. Upon examining the boy, the droid concluded that Han had a severe case of Corellian Tanamen Fever, and he could have died had Dewlanna not brought him to Corellia. The droid prescribed Han a course of bacta immersion therapy, for which Dewlannamapia paid from her own pocket. After Han spent some time in a bacta tank and got better, the two returned to Trader's Luck; Shrike was furious at Dewlannamapia for disobeying his orders, but the Wookiee stood her ground and insisted that she had done the right thing. Shrike eventually calmed down when he realized that one of the pieces of jewelry that Han had stolen the night he had fallen ill was a set with a genuine Krayt dragon pearl and was worth a fortune; still, Shrike never repaid Dewlannamapia for Han's medical bills.

One thing that had been bothering Han for his entire lifetime was the fact that he did not know his last name. He had been orphaned at an early age and brought by Shrike to Trader's Luck, and the latter never spoke of Han's parents. When Han told about his worries to Dewlannamapia, she decided to help him out once again. In order to spend more time with Shrike, she learned how to play sabacc and often participated in games against him. When Han was eleven, the elderly Wookiee's strategy finally paid off. One night, while she and Shrike were playing sabacc, the man got very drunk and started bragging about the dragon pearl that Han had acquired for him and that Shrike had sold for a large sum of money. With a slip of his tongue, Shrike revealed that the boy's last name was "Solo". When Dewlannamapia tried to find out more about Han's parents or other relatives, Shrike became suspicious and did not tell her anything else. The Wookiee then made her way to Han's small cubicle and informed him of her discovery. The boy was filled with joy and proudly called himself "Han Solo" from that point on.

The next time Trader's Luck stopped at Corellia, Solo visited the local public archives and performed some research on his last name. He found out that the Solo lineage was both famous and infamous for various reasons; a man named Berethron e Solo had been the last King of Corellia who had introduced democracy to his planet more than three centuries ago, while more recently, a Dalla Solo had emerged as a ruthless pirate, murderer, and kidnapper better known as "Dalla the Black." Han also uncovered evidence of living members of the Solo family, a reclusive widow named Tiion Sal-Solo and her only son Thrackan Sal-Solo. Wondering whether he was truly related to them, Han consulted Dewlannamapia regarding his findings, and she encouraged him to seek out Tiion and Thrackan, hoping that they would adopt him and protect him from Shrike. Han eventually escaped from Trader's Luck and tracked down the Sal-Solos on Corellia. He lived in their mansion for six weeks, finding out that Tiion was, in fact, his aunt, making Thrackan his cousin. However, Thrackan turned out to be a violent and sadistic bully, who sold Han out to Shrike. Shrike brought the boy back aboard Trader's Luck and violently beat him for daring to escape.

Death
"You want me&hellip;to go&hellip;to live. And to be&hellip;happy. Okay! I'll go. I still have time to get aboard that robot ship before it takes off. I promise. I'll go now. And I swear I'll always remember you, Dewlanna."

- Han Solo's last words to Dewlannamapia

Solo attempted to escape from Shrike several more times, but each attempt ended with him being severely beaten. After one debacle in 12 BBY&mdash;when Solo was feeling cocky after winning the gladiatorial Jubilar-Free-For-All and attempted to take on Shrike&mdash;he was left with thoroughly split lips, and Dewlannamapia had to feed him mush for a week until they healed. In 10 BBY, nineteen-year old Solo decided to undertake another escape attempt. Having obtained a blaster, Solo made his way to Trader's Luck galley to say goodbye to Dewlannamapia. He informed her that he was planning to stow away aboard the Ylesian Dream, an automated droid freighter that was docked to Trader's Luck. He would then make his way to the planet Ylesia, a religious colony near Hutt Space that offered pilgrims sanctuary from the outside universe. The Ylesian priests were also looking for a pilot, and Solo hoped to take the job, having already spent all his money to send them a message and tell the priests that he would be coming for a job interview. Solo also told the Wookiee that he would sent for her once he had settled on Ylesia. Upon hearing that Solo did not have any money left, Dewlannamapia went to her room and returned with all her savings that she intended to give to Solo. The latter initially protested, but eventually accepted the money, assuring the Wookiee that he would return the debt. As the two embraced for the last time, Shrike entered the kitchen through Dewlannamapia's quarters, accompanied by two more crew members, his brother Larrad and the Elomin Brafid. Shrike accused Solo of betrayal and threatened him with another beating and Devaronian blood-poisoning. Trying to protect Solo, Dewlannamapia stood between him and Shrike, although Solo tried to plead with her not to intervene. She roared at Shrike, and the latter drew his blaster. Seeing this, Solo attacked the Trader's Luck captain, knocking him off his feet. Meanwhile, Larrad aimed his blaster at Dewlannamapia, but she had already slipped into Wookiee battle rage, attacked him, and broke his arm. Brafid then tried to fire at Dewlannamapia, but Solo shot the Elomin with his own blaster.

Shrike, in the meantime, regained balance and aimed his blaster at Solo, ordering Dewlannamapia to cease fighting or he would kill him. The Wookiee complied, and Solo dropped his own weapon, surrendering. However, Shrike, smiling malevolently, said that he was condemning Solo to death and prepared to kill him. In the last moment, Dewlannamapia shoved Solo aside and leaped at Shrike, catching the blaster's bolt right in the chest. Fatally wounded, she fell onto the floor. Angered, Solo tackled Shrike; the latter fell and his head impacted on the deck, knocking him out cold. Solo then rushed to Dewlannamapia's side, who told him to escape from the ship as fast as possible, but the Corellian wished to remain at her side to comfort her until she died. Telling him that he would make her sacrifice meaningless if he refused to go, Dewlannamapia wished Solo a good and happy life, telling him that she would be fine after death with the Force. Leaving the Wookiee on the galley floor, Solo rushed to the docking bay, where he donned a spacesuit and boarded the Ylesian Dream. Dewlannamapia died, but her sacrifice allowed Solo to escape from Trader's Luck.

Legacy
"I'm perfectly capable of lookin' after myself, and don't you forget it. Just 'cause I saved your furry butt from being vaporized doesn't mean you owe me a thing. I tol' you be-fore&mdash;I owed a Wookiee, long ago. Owed her my life, coupla times over. So I saved you, 'cause I owed her."

- A drunken Han Solo, to Chewbacca

Having come to regard Dewlannamapia as the mother he never had, Solo missed the Wookiee deeply and the memories of her death brought emotional pain to him for long afterward. He often imagined Dewlannamapia alive, and those images were so real that he at times could almost hear her voice. Solo swore to himself that he would repay Dewlannamapia by helping her people at any opportunity. Solo reached Ylesia, and started working as a pilot there, using the alias "Vykk Draygo." After a series of adventures, Solo made his way to the galactic capital of Coruscant to apply for the Academy of Carida in hopes of becoming a pilot in the Imperial Navy. Shrike, who had survived the brawl aboard Trader's Luck, tracked him there, hoping both to exact his revenge on the Corellian and to claim the bounty put on his head by the Besadii Hutt kajidic. Shrike ambushed Solo while he was celebrating his acceptance to the Academy on the Coruscant rooftoops, but the Trader's Luck captain was killed by a competing bounty hunter, who was in turn killed by Solo. Utchakkaloch also became aware of his mother's death, although he did not know of the exact circumstances surrounding it.

Successfully graduating from the Academy, Solo was given the rank of lieutenant. His service with the Empire was relatively short, however. In 5 BBY, Solo saved a Wookiee slave named Chewbacca&mdash;Dewlannamapia's distant relative&mdash;from being killed by Commander Nyklas on Coruscant. Solo helped the Wookiee escape slavery, was discharged from the Navy, and became a smuggler. Chewbacca also swore a life debt to Solo and refused to leave his side, much to the Corellian's dismay, who wanted to be left alone and felt that he had saved the Wookiee only to repay Dewlannamapia. He soon came to consider Chewbacca his best friend, however. In 2 BBY, Solo attended the wedding of Chewbacca and his mate Mallatobuck. It was there that he met Utchakkaloch, who wanted to know how his mother had died. Solo told him that his mother had died a hero while protecting him from Shrike and that she had been avenged when Shrike had been killed. Utchakkaloch was glad to hear this, and he accepted Solo as his "adoptive brother," since they had been raised by the same "mother." As of 25 ABY, Solo still felt that Dewlannamapia's loving upbringing, among other deeds and sacrifices that his Wookiee friends had made for him, made Solo indebted to the Wookiees, not the other way around. He expressed this belief when he tried to discourage Chewbacca's son Lumpawaroo and nephew Lowbacca from taking on Chewbacca's life debt in the wake of the latter's death.

Personality and traits
"I know. I know you care about me&hellip;as much as you do your own children. I&hellip;I feel the same way, Dewlanna. You're the closest thing to a mother I'll ever have."

- Han Solo, to a dying Dewlannamapia

It was from Dewlanna that Solo learned to understand Shyriiwook. It is also where he got his dislike of being called "scruffy looking", as Dewlanna called him that often. It is believed that Dewlanna believed in the Force, as during her final moments she told Han what he mistranslated as May the life-force be with you.

Behind the scenes
(meaning "fierce stormy cry" in Shyriiwook )

It is possible Dewlanna survived being shot by Shrike, appearing many years later at the dedication of a portrait of Chewbacca on Kashyyyk. This may or may not be the same Wookiee.

Original concept
In the rough draft to A New Hope, "Dewanna" is a huge male "Wookee" who carried Annikin Starkiller, after he was knocked unconscious, to the Wookee village on Yavin.

Appearances

 * The Paradise Snare
 * The Hutt Gambit
 * Rebel Dawn
 * Tatooine Ghost
 * Young Jedi Knights: The Emperor's Plague
 * Agents of Chaos I: Hero's Trial

Notes and references
Dewlannampia