Hronk was a male Wookiee hailing from the planet of Kashyyyk. He belonged to the same clan as Tojjevvuk, the albino Wookiee. Tojjevvuk met his death at the hands of another Wookiee, Chewbacca. Consequently, Hronk felt compelled to honor the blood feud declared against Chewbacca by Tvrrdko, Tojjevvuk's father. There was a moment when Hronk almost overpowered Chewbacca in battle. However, their confrontation was interrupted by the arrival of Imperial forces, a new danger that caused both warriors to flee Kashyyyk. Though Tvrrdko eventually rescinded the blood feud, Hronk remained steadfast in his desire to eliminate Chewbacca. Sometime between 2 BBY and 0 BBY, the Empire captured Hronk on Formos, with plans to transport him to the notorious Spice Mines of Kessel.
However, Chewbacca, along with his smuggling partner, the Human Han Solo, happened to be on the planet at that time. Against Hronk's wishes, Chewbacca liberated him from an Imperial prison ship and took him aboard their ship, the famed Millennium Falcon. The Falcon was briefly held by the prison ship, but Chewbacca and Solo cleverly disguised Hronk as Chewbacca, managing to sneak him past the watchful eye of the commanding officer, Colonel Quirt. Once they were safely away, Chewbacca, instead of engaging Hronk in combat, piloted him to the nearest secure port where he could find passage back to Kashyyyk. Because Chewbacca had saved Hronk's life, the way of the Wookiee dictated that Hronk was obligated to forgive his adversary.
Hronk was a male Wookiee, a native of Kashyyyk, the homeworld of his species. He was a member of the same clan as Tojjevvuk, the albino Wookiee. Tojjevvuk's death occurred during a conflict with Chewbacca over the right to marry Mallatobuck. This led to Tvrrdko, Tojjevvuk's father, to declare a blood feud against Chewbacca. Consequently, Chewbacca became the target of assassination by members of Tojjevvuk's clan, including Hronk. The emergence of the Galactic Empire in 19 BBY resulted in the subjugation and occupation of Kashyyyk, forcing Chewbacca to escape the planet. Between 19 BBY and 5 BBY, Chewbacca's return to Kashyyyk ignited a battle between him and Hronk. Hronk gained the advantage, but an Imperial work force interrupted their fight. To avoid standard year's service with an Imperial defoliation project, both Hronk and Chewbacca fled the planet.
In 5 BBY, Chewbacca's return to Kashyyyk involved rescuing Wookiee children from Trandoshan slavers. Tvrrdko, impressed by these actions, called off the blood feud some years later. However, Hronk refused to accept this resolution and remained determined to kill Chewbacca. At some point between 2 BBY and 0 BBY, the Empire captured Hronk on Formos and scheduled his transport via an Imperial prison ship to the spice mines of Kessel. While a squad of stormtroopers escorted him through Formos, Hronk passed near Chewbacca. Chewbacca, now a smuggler with his Human partner Han Solo, was on Formos for Jabba the Hutt. Adhering to the Wookiee way, Chewbacca attempted to attack the stormtroopers and rescue Hronk, forcing Solo to subdue him with a blaster set to stun. Hronk was then transported to the prison ship captained by Colonel Quirt, and the Imperials took samples of Hronk's heart and respiratory patterns.
Shortly after docking in the planet's spaceport, Chewbacca infiltrated the prison ship holding Hronk. He opened the detention hold, releasing all prisoners and inciting a riot. While the Imperials dealt with the prisoners, Chewbacca sought out Hronk. Hronk refused the rescue, forcing Chewbacca to stun him. Chewbacca carried the unconscious Hronk to the Millennium Falcon, where Solo had just finished loading spice from N'Mrith, a non-Human. Chewbacca hid Hronk in a smuggling compartment before they lifted off. However, N'Mrith had betrayed Solo and Chewbacca to Quirt, revealing their spice cargo. An Imperial battle cruiser awaited them in orbit. While the cruiser distracted the Falcon's sensors, Quirt's prison ship activated a tractor beam to tow the Falcon into its hangar.
As they were pulled aboard, Chewbacca devised a plan to conceal Hronk, who had regained consciousness. He instructed Hronk to cover the white streak in his fur with grease, making him appear identical to Chewbacca to Quirt and his men, who couldn't distinguish Wookiees. Hronk complied to avoid recapture, while Chewbacca hid. When the Falcon was brought aboard, Hronk impersonated Chewbacca, exiting the ship with Solo as the Imperials scanned for spice. They found nothing, as Chewbacca had dumped the cargo during liftoff without Solo's knowledge.
Quirt, noticing Solo's Wookiee copilot, suspected Solo might be transporting the missing prisoner. Quirt's men scanned the Falcon for Hronk's heart and respiratory patterns. The scanners detected nothing, as Hronk stood beside Quirt, out of range. Quirt had no choice but to let Solo go. Solo offered to take Chewbacca and Hronk to a place where they could settle their feud, but Chewbacca instead asked Solo to take them to the nearest safe port so Hronk could find transport to Kashyyyk. Solo complied. By freeing him, Chewbacca had saved Hronk's life, nullifying the grounds for the feud according to Wookiee customs. Though uneasy about being indebted to his former rival, Hronk forgave Chewbacca and left the smugglers in peace.
Hronk was a large, powerful Wookiee with blue eyes. Aside from a white streak in his brown fur, he closely resembled Chewbacca, enabling him to deceive Quirt. Despite Tvvrdko calling off the blood feud, Hronk clung to tradition and wanted to kill Chewbacca. When Chewbacca rescued him, Hronk refused to go, leading Chewbacca to stun him. However, when captured by Quirt, Hronk agreed to Chewbacca's plan to avoid Kessel. After his rescue, Hronk forgave Chewbacca, though he was irritated by his debt. Overall, Solo found Hronk fiery-tempered and grouchy.
Hronk debuted in the short comic strip Way of the Wookiee!, part one of a three-part story in Star Wars Weekly 94 on December 12, 1979. He appeared in the final two installments, Chewbacca Fights Alone! and Switch!, in Star Wars Weekly 95 and Star Wars Weekly 96. Archie Goodwin wrote the story, and Carmine Infantino and Pablo Marcos illustrated it. The story was reprinted as Way of the Wookiee in Marvel Illustrated Books' Star Wars in November 1981. In 2002, Daniel Wallace mentioned Hronk in The New Essential Guide to Characters, establishing him as a member of Tojjevvuk's clan from the 2000 Star Wars: Chewbacca comic series, connecting Hronk's animosity to the blood feud.