My Worst Fear With ‘The Acolyte’ Has Officially Been Avoided

Since Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew) first appeared in Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope, Wookiees have played an important role in the Star Wars franchise. The lovable, shaggy aliens may not speak basic, but they are strong and fierce. Still, Star Wars puts the species through it, showing the Wookiees face invasion, enslavement, and being classified as “non-sentient” by the Empire. Though I cannot speak for the entire and notoriously divisive fanbase, I find it hard not to love these characters. But when The Acolyte introduced a Jedi Wookiee, it made me nervous. The Acolyte‘s Kelnacca (Joonas Suotamo) is only the second Wookiee Jedi to appear on screen. Certainly, the Wookiees deserve a Jedi or two, but with his status as a fully-fledged Jedi, Kelnacca threatened to outshine the definitive Wookiee Jedi, Gungi.

The padawan appears in Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars: The Bad Batch, and though he is only in a few episodes, he deserves the title of best Wookiee Jedi. Maybe it’s the association with Chewbacca, but Gungi instantly became my favorite of the new characters in the Young Jedi arc. While there is certainly space for more Wookiees in the Jedi Order, it’s good that Gungi remains the best because his brief role is incredibly impressive. The lovable padawan underwent more than his share of trials, proving that he is talented even if he didn’t get to finish his training. Gungi’s part may be small, appearing in only a handful of episodes, but the character is fascinating, and I firmly believe he deserves more attention than he gets.

Star Wars: The Clone Wars

Jedi Knights lead the Grand Army of the Republic against the droid army of the Separatists.

Release Date

October 3, 2008

Creator

George Lucas

Seasons

7

Studio

Cartoon Network

Gungi’s Appearance in ‘Star Wars: The Clone Wars’ Won Me Over

Though he doesn’t talk much, Gungi is very expressive, making him the cutest youngling in the story arc. But his endearingness is only the beginning. Despite not being the focus, I couldn’t help but be impressed by Gungi. Gungi is among the characters introduced in the “Young Jedi” story arc in The Clone Wars Season 5, as Ahsoka takes six younglings to Ilum to get crystals for their lightsabers. The first episode in the arc follows the younglings as they search for the kyber crystal that calls to them, but to reach it, each must face their fears and insecurities. Gungi’s struggle is particularly relatable as he must prove that he has the patience of a Jedi by waiting and meditating while ice freezes to make a pathway for him. His all-too-relatable tendency to rush at problems makes the value of patience a hard-learned lesson for him, but he’s not the only one who needs it.

Not only is Gungi relatable, but he’s unique. His conversation with Huyang (David Tennant) as he’s lightsaber reveals that Wookiee Jedi are rare in the universe as well as out. The result of this interaction is Gungi’s special lightsaber, with a hilt made out of wood, which, if we’re honest, is one of the coolest designs. Gungi also shows himself to be a skilled Jedi in his mere four episodes. Not only is he among the top of his class, but Gungi is prepared to fight the pirates that attack their ship, help rescue Ahsoka, and face down General Grievous (Matthew Wood), all on the first day he has his lightsaber. Lacking the complete training of even a Padawan, Gungi shows his courage and skill throughout that storyline. Though, personally, I was excited to meet him from the moment he appeared, it’s impossible to deny that, by the end of the story arc, he had graduated to an elite level of character.

Gungi’s Return in ‘The Bad Batch’ Made Him Even More Lovable

I couldn’t have been the only one invested in Gungi after his brief appearance because he returned in The Bad Batch Season 2, which revealed that he was among the few who survived Order 66. By this time, he was a Padawan in truth, and after the Jedi were gone, he had to make his own way in the galaxy. For roughly a year after the Empire took power, Gungi was on the run, eventually getting captured by the Empire, but he escaped their prison and encountered Omega (Michelle Ang) and the Bad Batch, who helped the lost Wookiee by returning him to his homeworld, Kashyyk.

Gungi earns sympathy with a more emotional story in The Bad Batch, as he returns to the home planet that he doesn’t remember to find his people facing destruction by the Empire. At this point, Gungi has lost everything, and the Empire is still targeting him. He is, understandably angry, attacking the Trandoshans the Empire sent to the planet, but, like a true Jedi, his focus is on protecting the Wookiees and saving their planet. Gungi connects with his people, choosing to make a home with them and defend them from the Empire. This story may only be one episode, but he connects with Omega, teaching her a little about the Force, which becomes important later in the series, and, most importantly, he goes on an emotional journey resisting the anger that could turn him to the dark side. Gungi is truly an impressive Jedi despite his lack of complete training.

Even With Kelnacca, Gungi Is the Best Wookiee Jedi

Wookiees make up a small percentage of characters in Star Wars, and, for obvious reasons, Chewie will always be the best-known, but Gungi was the first Wookiee shown to be a part of the Jedi Order, and, with all he’s done, he deserves more recognition. But, as Star Wars expands, there are more characters, and The Acolyte introduces Gungi’s first competitor for the title of best Wookiee in the Jedi Order. I have to admit that I was nervous for the youngling because a full-grown Wookiee who had earned the rank of Master was bound to be pretty cool. But The Acolyte officially avoided outshining Gungi.

Kelnacca is in a similar situation to the young Wookiee, who will make his lightsaber a hundred years later. Suffering from a lack of screen time, Kelnacca gets little time to do anything. He appeared in the show’s flashback episode, where he was tall enough to notice the twins hiding from the Jedi, and his Wookiee strength made Mae (Amandla Stenberg) nervous to fight him, but he was found dead before he had time to do anything more. Kelnacca’s minimal role leaves something to be desired, so until another Wookiee Jedi does something impressive, Gungi remains the best, and I, for one, am grateful for that. Fortunately, Gungi does more than enough to fill the role of a powerful Wookiee Jedi, and no matter what Wookiees we meet in the future, I will never stop singing Gungi’s praises.

Star Wars: The Clone Wars is available to stream on Disney+ in the U.S.

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