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If you’re the sort ofStar Warsfan who remembers most of The Phantom Menace, you probably remember hearing the term “life debt” thrown around. If you’re the sort who still laments the loss of the formerly canon Expanded Universe, you’ve definitely heard it.
This term has periodically peppered the Star Wars universe for decades now, and it seems pretty self-explanatory. But what is a life debt, really? Where does it come from?
What Is A Life Debt?
In plain terms, a life debt is simply a pledge torepay someone in some way for them saving your life.First seen in The Phantom Menace, Jar Jar Binks offers this promise to Qui-Gon Jinn upon their first meeting.
In this particular case, Qui-Gon lucked into the life debt when he collided with Jar Jar and knocked him to the ground, effectively saving them both from the hovering Trade Federation vehicles right behind.An unintentional rescueseems to be common with this solemn vow.
But whether intentional or not,Jar Jar felt obligated to offer whatever he couldin exchange for Qui-Gon’s unknowingly selfless act of falling over. Qui-Gon ended up using this to his advantage, enlisting Jar Jar as a guide on his journey.
Jar Jar’s people, the Gungans, include life debts as part of their culture,as demanded by their gods. But they aren’t the only beings who swear this sort of allegiance.
Are Life Debts Cultural?
Aside from Gungans,Wookiees are also known to employ life debts. Though their use of them appears to bemore cultural than religious.
As such,the concept isn’t exactly universalin how it’s used in any given situation. For example, the bounty hunter Fennec Shand swore one to Boba Fett when he rescued her from certain death, but it operated differently than in some cultures.
In Fennec’s case, she could be released from his service once the repayment was considered sufficient. She ultimately decided to remain with him once that point was reached in The Book of Boba Fett, showing thatlife debts can lead to powerful friendships.
Fennec seemed to offer this boonout of her own sense of honor. Meanwhile, cultures like the Wookiees and Gungans ingrain it into their people, often seen inmany Star Wars Legends stories— the Wookiees in particular.
A life debt is typically meant to be served for the rest of one’s life. But in most cases, the person who pledges can be released at the discretion of the one they owe it to.
As such, that part of Wookiee culture remains canon. But the fact remains thatlife debts are not tied to culture as a rule. Sometimes, it’s just up to the person being saved.
The most well-known instance of a Wookiee swearing a life debt iswhen Chewbacca swore one to Han Solo, but what brought it on?
Why Does Chewbacca Owe Han Solo A Life Debt?
The story of how Chewbacca and Han met had been told in Legends for years before it got a new canon retelling in Solo: A Star Wars Story. But it always involvedHan saving Chewie from slavery.
In the new official story, Chewbacca was capturedby the Galactic Empireand kept in horrific conditionsalong with other Wookiees for labor. On the planet Mimban, he was brought to near-feral conditions and used as a method of execution for Imperial prisoners.
One such prisoner was Han, who was caught as a deserter. But Han’s knowledge of the Wookiee language Shyriiwook allowed the two to communicate on a basic level andwork together to escape.
As thanks for getting him out of there,Chewbacca pledged a life debt to Han. The two remained inseparable until Han’s death, and it was most certainly not out of obligation that Chewie stayed that long. He wanted to be there.
A life debt is not something to be given lightly. When someone offers one, it’s understood that they could very well be returning that favor for the rest of their life. But that just goes to showexactly how serious they are.
