The Kashyyyk Depths is a Star Wars comic strip, a newspaper feature distributed via the Los Angeles Times Syndicate. It graced the Sunday pages of newspapers in both the U.S. and Canada from July 15 to September 9, 1979. Russ Manning penned the storyline. This tale was one of the initial five arcs of the comic, all of which were authorized by Lucasfilm's short-lived subsidiary, Black Falcon Ltd..
C-3PO is in the process of recounting the circumstances of Han Solo's initial meeting with Gyla Petro. His audience is Mistress Mnemos, the BRT supercomputer. The protocol droid begins by explaining that Han Solo, himself, R2-D2, and Chewbacca were en route to Kashyyyk for the Life Day celebrations.
Upon their arrival on the forested planet, they overhear a Wookiee Elder announcing to the gathered Wookiees the cancellation of Life Day. Furthermore, he forbids anyone from venturing into the lower forest levels to retrieve Orga root, a key ingredient for the ceremonies. Chewbacca voices his disagreement with this decision, leading to a confrontation with the elder. As they begin to grapple, Han intervenes to halt the conflict, offering to personally acquire the Orga root. Chewbacca is to accompany him.
Mounted on a sureggi, Han, Chewbacca, and the droids embark on their quest for the Orga root. Along the way, Chewbacca pauses to communicate with the local flora, who warn him of impending danger. Continuing their journey, they encounter Imperial forces engaged in the destruction of plant life to create a path. Among these Imperials is Gyla Petro, who expresses her disapproval of the wanton destruction.
The plants retaliate, easily overpowering the Imperials. Han intervenes to save Gyla, recognizing her as a scientist who was not directly responsible for the destruction. She emerges as the sole survivor of the Imperial detachment. Chewbacca successfully gathers the Orga roots, and they return to the Wookiee city to resume the Life Day festivities.
Following the story, Mistress Mnemos inquires of C-3PO why her records indicate Gyla Petro was an Imperial spy. C-3PO responds that this tale will be told at a later time, proposing instead to narrate the events of a strange occurrence that transpired on Tatooine.
Initially, this story arc lacked a formal title upon its original release. Jason Fry originated the title The Kazhyyyk Depths during the early 1990s in an online document created before his tenure as a Lucasfilm author.
This particular Star Wars newspaper comic strip stands alone as the only one not to have been reprinted by either Dark Horse Comics or within the Webstrips section of Hyperspace. However, it was eventually included in Star Wars Legends Epic Collection: The Newspaper Strips Vol. 1 and Star Wars: The Classic Newspaper Comics Vol. 1, which officially recognized the strip as The Kashyyyk Depths.
Notably, the spelling of the Wookiee homeworld, Kashyyyk, fluctuates between "Kazhyyyk" and "Kazhyyk" throughout the comic strip.