Anyone who has watched the Star Wars prequels in horror will appreciate Keith Martin's reinvisioned Star Wars backstory that attempts to explain how R2D2 and Chewbacca are the Rebellion's real top agents throughout the second trilogy.
If we accept all the Star Wars films as the same canon, then a lot that happens in the original films has to be reinterpreted in the light of the prequels. As we now know, the rebel Alliance was founded by Yoda, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Bail Organa. What can readily be deduced is that their first recruit, who soon became their top field agent, was R2-D2.Consider: at the end of RotS, Bail Organan orders 3PO's memory wiped but not R2's. He wouldn't make the distinction casually. Both droids know that Yoda and Obi-Wan are alive and are plotting sedition with the Senator from Alderaan. They know that Amidala survived long enough to have twins and could easily deduce where they went. However, R2 must make an impassioned speech to the effect that he is far more use to them with his mind intact: he has observed Palpatine and Anakin at close quarters for many years, knows much that is useful and is one of the galaxy's top experts at hacking into other people's systems. Also he can lie through his teeth with a straight face. Organa, in immediate need of espionage resources, agrees.
It's interesting, especially given what a tough job it is to reconcile the trilogies.
(HT: MN.)
I was following right along with Mr. Martin's reasoning right up until he got to Chewbacca being a top agent for the rebellion (after all, R2 is a real rock-em, sock-em robot). While this certainly might be true, the books that were published before the prequels and after the original trilogy establish that Han met Chewie when Han was an imperial officer-in-training and Chewie was a captured slave. Han had a fondness for wookies after being raised on a smuggling ship that had a wookie cook who took care of him and the Empire has no fondness for non-human races. After seeing how the Empire treated the wookies, he freed a bunch of them, including Chewie, bailed on the Empire, and became a smuggler.
Wookies are a strongly honorable people and Chewie felt he owed a life-debt to Han which, when Han fell in love with Leia, transfered to her as well (hence the scene in the carbon freezing chamber in ESB). The books comment that Chewie had a wife and child on Kashyyyk (seen in a SW Christmas special) but his life-debt trumped all and he remained with Han for the rest of his life (he gets killed by a falling moon in a later book - don't ask, just go read the book) even after the Rebellion prevails over the Empire. Remember Chewie's real grieving in ESB when they close the blast doors for the night on Hoth, sealing, Chewie fears, Han's fate.
Does any of this mean that Chewie wasn't a top rebel spy? Not necessarily. He may have been gathering intel as a slave within the Empire. But according to the Lucas canon, Han and Chewie were already partners when they met Lando and Han won the Falcon. He certainly doesn't view Han as a comical but convenient cover.
There's more to the Star Wars universe than the movies. The histories and subsequent experiences of many characters are revealed in the books, comics, graphic novels and TV specials. In many cases, the books and comics are far better story-telling than the movies (especially the prequels). Read any Star Wars story by Timothy Zahn and the X-Wing Rogue Squadron series is a fun read as well.
And yes, I'm a Star Wars geek and proud of it!