How Chewbacca Changed The Way Star Wars Rebels Wrote Zeb
When it premiered in 2014, "Star Wars Rebels" introduced us to a slew of new "Star Wars" characters. One of them was former Lasat honor guard member-turned-Rebel-pilot Garazeb "Zeb" Orrelios (voiced by Steven Blum). He's a bit gruff and closed off at the beginning, having dealt with the horror of the Empire massacring his people, but it's impossible not to love him. Seeing him in live-action (also played by Steven Blum) and drinking with Captain Carson Teva (Paul Sun-Hyung Lee) in "The Mandalorian" was a huge treat for fans of "Rebels." (Put him in "Ahsoka" season 2, you cowards! We need to see the remaining Ghost crew together again.)
Zeb's character functions in much the same way as Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew, Joonas Suotamo) does in the films. He's a large and loyal friend and the muscle of the group. Zeb's look was even based on the original concept art that Ralph McQuarrie did for Chewbacca. However, Chewbacca actually changed the way "Star Wars Rebels" wrote the character of Zeb, according to a 2014 IGN interview with "Rebels" and "Star Wars: The Clone Wars" creator Dave Filoni. Here's how he looked at Chewbacca's past to help differentiate Zeb and make him just the coolest purple alien out there.
'Well, how can we differ from Chewie?'
Filoni said he needed to separate Zeb from Chewie. They are both large, alien, complaining-yet-loyal companions in the crew, and it would be easy to make them too similar. Filoni said:
"[Y]ou look at Chewie and you say, 'Well, how can we differ from Chewie?' It's not just the fact that he's a purple stripy thing. He has a whole way of talking and walking that make him a unique character. Plus, his motivation is totally different than Chewie. Chewie seems to be along for the ride with Han because he owed Han. You get that he really cares about Han, but there's all those wonderful theories that Chewie knew all along about the Rebellion because he knew Yoda."
I differ on Chewie being there simply because he owed Han. That may be why it started, but Chewbacca demonstrated his deep love for Han and his friends so many times, I don't believe obligation is all it is. Plus ... you guys, he was upset that Han didn't have his coat and would be cold in "The Force Awakens." They're an old married couple now. Filoni continued:
"Those [reasons] are really mind-blowing if you get into them, that Obi-Wan knew to talk to Chewie because he'd been in contact with him all along, and now was the time. That's kind of brain-melt stuff going on. I don't know how true any of that is, but ... Zeb is definitely different from that. He doesn't really owe anybody anything. He's a part of this for his own personal reasons."
Zeb saw his people decimated by the Empire, so he certainly does have good reasons. He's not Chewie by a long shot, wonderful as they both are.
"Star Wars Rebels" is streaming on Disney+.