Yeah chewie was Han's Slave. Give me a break. Yeah thats why Chewie was like an Uncle to Han's children , and he cried when Chewie died. I know this comes from the EU but most of the Han Solo Backstory does. Read the Brian Daley and Ann Crispin trilogies. I think in one of the AC Crispin books Han says he did'nt want Chewies Life debt and is annoyed with his following him around. But then Chewie saves his life and they become partners in the smuggling business.
Hey at least it did not end up in the finished version of episode III. But Han Solo was supposed to be raised on Chewies world as his brother as George changed the backstory.
originally the first time they met was when Han saved Chewie from being a slave When Han was a cadet in the Imperial Academy. And Han was raised by Wookiees just not chewies family. He is kind of based on Tarzan that was George lucas idea.
They never explained why Han Solo understands the wookiee language or other alien speech. Or why he is such a softy when it come to creatures being enslaved. I believe the idea of being able to undestand multiple languages and having an alien friend was transfered to him from Obi Wan Kenobi when early in the scripts ben was a dr doolittle type character and guiness would refuse to play the character that way he wanted the character to have some dignity.
For a somewhat immoral person Han Solo has morals. He is more than meets the eye as kenobi says in the radio drama. Not just any pirate starship captain for hire would have a wookiee as co pilot and first mate of the millenium falcon. Nor would he have saved Lukes bacon above the death star if he was a completely immoral person.
There is supposed to be abiguity about his character. That's why having Greedo shoot first completely changes his character. Hes supposed to start out as a guy who lives for Himself and then he becomes a less selfish individual at the end of the movie.
Besides being like Han's best friend and Brother Chewie is also like the Family dog or pet, even if he is extremely intelligent for one. Again Chewie was based on the Lucas dog Indiana an alaskan malamute who was also very intelligent and almost man size when he rode in georges car like his co pilot,lol.
Then the man in the hat got the same name as George Lucas dog. You know a certain Indiana Jones character who was ruined in the last movie,lol.