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- "Do your people believe in life debts?"
"What's a life debt?"
"It's a promise. An oath to serve the person who saved you from death. An oath to stand by her side forever, knowing your lives can't be disentangled."
"I'm not getting stuck with you."
"No, you're not. My people don't believe in life debts, either. But I really am grateful you helped me, Chass na Chadic." - ―Wyl Lark and Chass na Chadic, after the latter saved the formers life
Chewbacca swore a life debt to Han Solo, and remained his loyal companion until Solo's death.
A life debt was a social custom which stated that if someone had saved a person's life, then that person owed the one who had saved them something in return. That custom was notably observed by the Gungans[2] and the Wookiees.[3]
History[]
- "Your gods demand that his life belongs to me now."
- ―Qui-Gon Jinn
When Boss Nass was planning to punish Jar Jar Binks for his transgression in returning to Otoh Gunga after being banished, Qui-Gon Jinn claimed a life debt on Jar Jar in order to prevent him from being punished and retain his services as a guide on Naboo.[2]
When Garazeb Orrelios complained of Ezra Bridger's constant reminders of how he had saved him from an Imperial agent, Ezra noted that in some cultures when someone saved someone's life, that person became the other's servant forever. Zeb was not impressed and told Ezra that he was in his place and to get out. Later, Ezra seemed to be trying to enforce the supposed life debt on Zeb, whining about being made by him to carry supplies when he had saved his life. Following this incident, as he swooped in to rescue Ezra from pursuing Imperials, he declared any perceived life debt null and void, as they were even.[4]
Chewbacca swore a Wookiee life debt to Han Solo for freeing him from slavery under the Galactic Empire.[3]
After recovering the Millennium Falcon, Solo noted in the Smuggler's Guide that if Chewbacca ever took another life debt after Solo eventually died, that he would come back to haunt the Wookiee via the Force.[5]
Appearances[]
- Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace (First appearance)
- Star Wars Journeys: The Phantom Menace
- Star Wars (2015) 28
Star Wars Rebels – "Fighter Flight" (Mentioned only)- Doctor Aphra Annual 1
- Doctor Aphra (2016) 10 (Mentioned only)
- Doctor Aphra (2016) 12 (Mentioned only)
- Star Wars (2020) 22 (Indirect mention only)
- Alphabet Squadron (Mentioned only)
- Alphabet Squadron audiobook (Mentioned only)
- Aftermath: Life Debt
- Aftermath: Life Debt audiobook
- Last Shot (Mentioned only)
- Last Shot audiobook (Mentioned only)
- "Destroyer Down"—Star Wars Adventures: Destroyer Down
- Star Wars: The Force Awakens: A Junior Novel
- Star Wars: The Force Awakens: A Junior Novel audiobook
Non-canon appearances[]
Sources[]
- Star Wars: Absolutely Everything You Need to Know
- Star Wars: Smuggler's Guide
- Collapse of the Republic
- Jar Jar Binks in the Databank (backup link)
