There is little doubt that Star Wars: A New Hope had an excellent ending that saw Princess Leia Organa presenting Han Solo and Luke Skywalker with Rebel Alliance medals. However, some also noticed that Chewbacca wasn't given a medal although he was clearly part of the ceremony. So why didn't the Wookiee get a medal? George Lucas has an excellent explanation.
According to ScreenRant, Lucas had actually addressed the issue right after the premiere on A New Hope in 1977. The director revealed that it was Chewbacca who wasn't interested in the medal in the first place.
It's a complicated answer that somehow suggests that Lucas had plans for Chewbacca and the other Wookiees. Was the Star Wars mastermind hoping to produce a film that would focus on Wookiee traditions? That certainly would be an interesting idea.
Although Lucas had an excellent answer for why Chewbacca didn't get a medal, actor Peter Mayhew thought of a simpler reason for the snub.
Either answer certainly works but we're still hoping to learn more about Chewbacca and the Wookiees in the future.
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