Vargi was a male Wookiee from Kashyyyk who was responsible for the capture and enslavement of many members of his species. When the Galactic Empire began to force Wookiees into slave labor and hired Trandoshans to hunt them down, Vargi left Kashyyyk and allied himself with the hunters in an effort to protect his family and to prevent the wholesale slaughter of his people. He directed the Trandoshans' hunts toward elusive Wookiee communities and provided them with other valuable intelligence; when he returned to his homeworld and told his sister, Mallatobuck, what he had done, she reacted with horror and cast him out of her family. Vargi at one point met Mallatobuck's husband, Chewbacca, and the two developed a mutual dislike of each other.
When the Empire's Wookiee slave trade was shut down in 4 ABY, a Nagai known as Knife plotted to revive it and recruited Vargi into his fold. Vargi sought to enslave every member of Chewbacca's family, and Knife had Mallatobuck; her son, Lumpawarrump; and Chewbacca's father, Attichitcuk; kidnapped. Chewbacca soon returned home from his duties with the Alliance of Free Planets to visit his family, and he too was captured by Vargi, Knife, and their team of Wookiee outlaws. When Chewbacca's Human companion, Han Solo, attempted to free his partner, Vargi began to pummel both of them. Chewbacca only fought back when he discovered that his family had been freed, and he overpowered and defeated Vargi. Other Wookiee captives revolted, and the attempted revival of the Wookiee slave trade was averted.
Knife, Vargi, and Chewbacca
The Wookiee male Vargi lived on his species' homeworld of Kashyyyk during the time of the Galactic Empire. He had a younger sister named Mallatobuck. Shortly after the Empire came into power, its forces invaded Kashyyyk and rounded up thousands of Wookiees for use as slave laborers. The Trandoshans, a species of hunters whose own homeworld lay in the same system as Kashyyyk, allied themselves with the Empire and began to hunt down Wookiees who had escaped capture. Vargi learned about their plans and decided to attempt to focus their efforts on specific Kashyyyk communities, which he hoped would prevent wholesale Wookiee slaughter and ensure the safety of his own family. He left his home planet and joined the Trandoshans; Vargi provided the hunters with the locations of secret refuges and elusive Wookiee tribes, which he promised would bring them more enjoyable hunts. He also gave them details on how to invade Wookiee cities and on certain Wookiee weaknesses that could be exploited. During his time with the hunters, Vargi was believed by Mallatobuck to be either dead or enslaved.
At some point between 0 BBY and 4 ABY, Vargi returned to Kashyyyk. He sought out his sister and visited her in her home, where he explained his absence and the reasons behind his actions. Mallatobuck was horrified and sent him away, proclaiming that he was no longer her brother. Mallatobuck had married during his absence, and Vargi at one point met her husband, Chewbacca. A lasting animosity developed between the two. Following the fragmentation of the Imperial Fleet in 4 ABY, Vargi joined forces with the Nagai Ozrei N'takkilomandrife—known to the Wookiees as "Knife"—and plotted to take over the Wookiee slave trade. The Nagai were from the satellite galaxy Firefist and had dispatched Knife to distract the Alliance of Free Planets, the government to which Chewbacca and Solo belonged, while the Nagai fleet invaded the galaxy. By allying with Knife, Vargi hoped to enslave all of Chewbacca's family.
Vargi brawls with Chewbacca in Rwookrrorro.
Several other renegade Wookiees joined Vargi and Knife's new slaving ring. When Knife learned of Chewbacca's status as a Wookiee hero, he agreed to have Mallatobuck; her son, Lumpawarrump; and Chewbacca's father, Attichitcuk; kidnapped for use as bait to capture Chewbacca himself. Chewbacca and Solo soon arrived in the city of Rwookrrorro with their friend Lando Calrissian for a visit with Chewbacca's family, and Vargi and Knife greeted them on their way to Chewbacca's house. Knife convinced the ignorant newcomers to allow him and Vargi to join them for drinks, and the group made their way to Chewbacca's empty treetop dwelling. Tension mounted between the two Wookiees as the group sat inside and drank, but Vargi's other Wookiee companions soon arrived with Mallatobuck and Lumpawarrump held at blasterpoint and fitted Chewbacca and his companions with stun cuffs. Solo and Calrissian were left under guard in the house while Vargi, Knife, and the Wookiee outlaws paraded Chewbacca and his family through the city so as to demoralize any local resistance to the revived slave trade. They then proceeded to a spaceport and began to load groups of Wookiees onto transports to be shipped offworld.
Chewbacca's comrades escaped from their makeshift prison; Solo sneaked up behind Chewbacca and unlocked his stun cuffs but was spotted by Vargi and Knife. Vargi repeatedly pummeled the freed Chewbacca in the face and met no resistance due to Chewbacca's conviction to not place his family in more danger. Solo was pounded next after attempting to protect Chewbacca; in a fit of rage, Chewbacca overpowered Vargi's Wookiee companions and then started to grapple with Vargi himself. Calrissian arrived with Chewbacca's family in tow, and when he realized they were safe, Chewbacca punched and knocked Vargi several meters away. Knife fled when the other Wookiee slaves subsequently rose up against their captors—his and Vargi's attempt to revive the Wookiee slave trade had failed. The Nagai's invasion of the galaxy was later averted by the Alliance of Free Planets.
Vargi harbored deep malice toward Chewbacca.
When the Galactic Empire began to enslave Wookiees, Vargi believed that Kashyyyk could not hope to resist its oppressor. He accordingly took steps to protect his own family and to prevent wholesale Wookiee slaughter by allying himself with the Trandoshan hunters who were working for the Empire. Vargi directed the Trandoshans' efforts toward specific hidden communities; however, he also gave the hunters intelligence on Wookiee weaknesses and on how to invade Wookiee cities. Although he attempted to justify his actions to his sister, Mallatobuck was horrified and declared that he was no longer her brother. Mallatobuck's husband, Chewbacca, also developed a strong dislike of Vargi.
When the Nagai known as Knife came to Kashyyyk with the intention of reviving the planet's slave trade, Vargi joined in his venture. Having been cast out of his own family by his sister and possessed of a grudge against Chewbacca, Vargi was intent on capturing and enslaving Chewbacca and every member of his family, including Mallatobuck. Vargi was a large Wookiee, standing over 2.28 meters tall and sporting a coat of reddish-brown fur. He was physically strong and was a capable brawler, although he was unable to defeat Chewbacca in unarmed combat.
Vargi was created by Mary Jo Duffy and debuted in Star Wars 91, a comic book published by Marvel Comics in January 1985. The issue was written by Duffy, penciled by Tony Salmons, and colored by Glynis Wein. Wookiee World tells of Vargi's alliance with Knife and attempt to revive the Wookiee slave trade after the fall of the Galactic Empire. Later sourcebooks published during the 1990s and 2000s shed light on his motivations for doing so and revealed information on his earlier dealings with the Trandoshans.
- The Essential Guide to Characters
- The Essential Guide to Alien Species
- The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia