The Kashyyyk Depths

The Kashyyyk Depths is the unofficial title given by fans to an untitled Star Wars newspaper comic strip distributed by the Los Angeles Times Syndicate and published in U.S. and Canadian newspapers on Sundays from July 15 to September 9, 1979. The series was written by Russ Manning.

Plot summary
C-3PO is telling the story of how Han Solo met Gyla Petro to the BRT Supercomputer Mistress Mnemos. He begins by saying that Han Solo, C-3PO, R2-D2 and Chewbacca were heading to Kashyyyk to celebrate Life Day.

When they arrived on the planet they hear a Wookiee Elder telling the Wookiees that Life Day is canceled and that no one can go to the lower levels of the forest to get Orga root for the ceremonies. Chewbacca does not agree with the cancellation and confronts the elder. They start to wrestle when Han jumps in and tries to stop the fight. Han stops the fight by saying he will get the Orga root. Chewbacca is to come with him.

Riding a Sureggi, Han, Chewbacca and the droids set out to find the Orga root. Chewbacca stops to talk to the plants and they tell him that it is not safe. As they continue, they come across some imperials destroying the plants to make a trail. Among the imperials is Gyla Petro who does not agree with the way the plants are being destroyed.

The plants start to attack the imperials and defeat them easily. Han rescues Gyla, because she was just a scientist and didn't do anything wrong. She is the only survivor of the imperial group. Chewbacca gets some Orga roots and return to the Wookiee city to celebrations.

After the story, Mistress Mnemos asks C-3PO why her records indicate that Gyla Petro was an imperial spy. C-3PO states, that story will come later, but in the meantime he will tell the story of a strange occurrence on Tatooine.

Behind the scenes
The title "The Kazhyyyk Depths" was coined in the early 1990s by Jason Fry in an online document he created prior to becoming a Lucasfilm author.

As of March 2012, this is the only Star Wars newspaper comic strip that has not been reprinted either by Dark Horse Comics or in the Webstrips feature of Star Wars Hyperspace.

The Wookiee planet Kashyyyk is spelled both "Kazhyyyk" and "Kazhyyk" in this comic strip.

This strip is also sometimes called Return to Kashyyyk.