Hey, writers.  Today, a bit more on the Star Wars movie Solo.  In action movies as well as comics there’s often the dynamic of superhero and sidekick.  Now, it might be a bit much to call Han Solo a superhero, but I think “sidekick” is a description that can fit Chewbacca.

Hit the jump, writers, and let’s discuss.

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So I (used to) read a lot of comics and I watch a lot of movies.  Sometimes I wonder how sidekicks find themselves in the sidekick role.  Having said that, I would consider Chewbacca a sidekick of Han Solo.

In the case of Batman and Robin, I often think of Robin as the opposite side of the coin that is Batman.  For all the darkness that Batman brings to the table, Robin is literally wearing bright red, green, and yellow.  Every time I think of Robin I think of how much he isn’t like a ninja.  Who sneaks around wearing bright yellow?

Having said that, I do think that it’s a great visual representation of what Robin brings to the comics.  Batman is the old, gruff man and Robin is the young, vibrant boy.

Then I think of Han and Chewie.  While they are both serious (unlike Robin’s silly nature, “Holy pin cushions, Batman!”), I think that Chewbacca represents a bit of pragmatism for Han’s crazy plans.  If this were Rounders and Han were Matt Damon, then Chewbacca would be Gretchen Mol’s character.  While seeing the crazy world of gambling in Rounders, the audience needed Matt Damon’s girlfriend to point out how crazy their world could be at times.

Rounders:  “You’re going to take our life savings and gamble?  You’re kidding right?”

Star Wars:  “You want to go to that ship with your friends on it?  Wait, it’s flying away.  Are they really your friends?  You’re kidding right?”

Tall, Dark, and Handsome

How does one inspire the loyalty needed to convince someone to travel the universe as well as enter gunfights and fight entire armies?

I liked what I saw in Solo.  Chewbacca was stuck in that muddy prison for who knows how long and someone comes along to help him.  Han was the one that cooked up the escape plan.  Together, they “sold” the escape with Han pretending he was in pain and being hit.

If someone broke me out of prison and saved my life and was the only human to understand what I was saying?  Well, I guess I’d feel a kinship to him, too.

Given how it seems only Han can understand Chewbacca, and that all the translating that Han does seems to be on point, I think that lends well to the “Why does Chewie trust him so much?” question.  There’s something about being a foreigner in a foreign land and then finding something that reminds you of home.  I’ve seen exchange students bond quickly over finding someone that spoke the same language.

I remember an issue of Batman and Superman where the two heroes are captured.  While captured they were being monitored.  The entire time, the two were speaking Kryptonian to one another.  Their captors could be heard saying things like, “What language is that?” and “Why can’t the computer translate what they’re saying?!”

That kind of communication that others around can’t understand is perfect for forming a bond.  And in the case, of Bats and Supes, it speaks volumes that Batman took the time to learn a “dead” language.

Well, that’s it for me today, writers.

Do you have a favorite superhero/main character & sidekick combination?

Sound off in the comments!:-)

Aloha,
Alvin

P.S. Here’s your quote of the day. “Writing is easy. All you do is sit staring at a blank sheet of paper until the drops of blood form on your forehead” (Gene Fowler).