Learn more about the ferocious Wookiee warrior.
It’s time to talk about the Wookiee in the room. No, no, not Chewbacca -- Krrsantan! From his first appearance in comics in 2015 to his live-action debut in The Book of Boba Fett, the towering Wookiee always makes a huge impact wherever he goes.
Let’s find out where Krrsantan’s journey has taken him, from the early days of the Empire to the years following its fall.
Behind the Scenes
The Wookiee bounty hunter made his debut in Marvel’s Star Wars: Darth Vader (2015) #1. Created by Kieron Gillen and Salvador Larroca, Krrsantan -- standing alongside Boba Fett --accepted a job from none other than Darth Vader in his very first appearance.
“Vader’s basically our Luke,” Gillen said of the 2015 ongoing series. “I need to surround him with a cast, so I kind of end up almost mirroring the main Star Wars cast. Aphra ends up taking sort of [a] Han-ish position. And obviously, the droids are the droids, and Black Krrsantan is Chewbacca… But at the same time, I was also thinking, they can’t just be mirrors. They’ve got to be archetypes.”
Krrsantan eventually followed Aphra to her own ongoing series in 2016 and became a part of her crew. But the Wookiee’s intense backstory wasn’t fully explored until Star Wars: Doctor Aphra Annual (2017) #1.
Pit Fighter
Some of Krrsantan’s past remains shrouded in mystery, but what is known isn’t pleasant. When a squad of Trandoshans went to Kashyyyk to enslave another combatant for the fighting pits, they weren’t prepared when they found Krrsantan instead. The Wookiee had no intention of being captured, however, and volunteered to go with them. The Xonti brothers trained Krrsantan in endurance and fighting without mercy as an investment in his future gladiatorial career.
To give him an edge in combat, the brothers cybernetically enhanced the Wookiee’s body with subdermal plating and endoskeletal enhancements. Krrsantan was a walking weapon and fought with a fury unmatched in the arena.
Krrsantan vs. Ben Kenobi
In the early days of the Empire, Krrsantan worked for Jabba the Hutt. Jabba, furious that some of his men had been defeated in the desert sands, hired the menacing Wookiee to find the culprit. The trail took him right to the home of Owen and Beru Lars, Luke Skywalker’s aunt and uncle.
The bounty hunter dragged Owen to a canyon nearby as Beru defended their home with a blaster in hand. There, Krrsantan came face-to-face with Ben Kenobi, who had sensed the disturbance in the Force.
“The infamous Wookiee bounty hunter,” Kenobi said. “I’ve heard of you. I know why you were forced to leave Kashyyyk. And how you’ve disgraced your people ever since.”
Krrsantan overpowered the aging Jedi at first, biting and swinging his massive arms. Kenobi struck back. A swing of his lightsaber carved a large scar over the Wookiee’s eye. Owen made it to safety, and both Kenobi and Krrsantan lived to fight another day.
A Sith Lord’s Mission
In time, Krrsantan returned to Tatooine with Boba Fett. The two were hired by Darth Vader for his own personal missions. Boba Fett worked to locate the rebel pilot who blew up the Death Star; Krrsantan was tasked with finding a man working for Emperor Palpatine on a secret project. The Wookiee bounty hunter found his target quickly and delivered him to Vader, where he met one Doctor Chelli Aphra.
Aphra hired Krrsantan for another job on behalf of the Dark Lord of the Sith. Together they robbed an Imperial cruiser loaded with credits -- and took a little extra for themselves without the other hired mercenaries noticing. The credits went to Darth Vader for the next part of his plan.
Darth Vader and Krrsantan finally found Luke Skywalker on the planet of Vrogas Vas. Luke was on board the Millennium Falcon with Han Solo and Chewbacca when Krrsantan made his move. Chewbacca unleashed a ferocious attack, but he and Solo were ultimately outmatched by the former gladiator. In the end, the seemingly unstoppable Wookiee bounty hunter was finally taken down…by C-3PO. (That’s right. Threepio.)
Krrsantan continued working for Vader, accepting a bounty to retrieve Aphra from the rebels -- dead or alive.
The Bounty Hunter and the Archaeologist
Krrsantan, however, had a vested interest in keeping Aphra alive. Literally. She owed him money. He protected her and fought alongside her on more than one occasion, and, most importantly, came to her rescue when the Sith Lord tossed her out an airlock. With Krrsantan’s help, Aphra survived, and Darth Vader believed she was dead.
The bounty hunter joined her crew. Dangerous jobs, heists, and searching for valuable artifacts were just a normal day for Aphra and her team. Krrsantan was still a mercenary, however, and when a huge price was put on Aphra’s head, the Wookiee had no qualms about changing sides.
“Okay, fair,” Aphra admitted. “That’s a lot of money.”
Working for the Twins
Krrsantan’s work eventually led him to employment by the Twins after the end of the Galactic Civil War. The brother and sister crime lords, Jabba’s cousins, made the journey to Tatooine to lay claim to Mos Espa. They sent the Wookiee to kill his former associate Boba Fett, who had taken up residence in Jabba’s palace, but Krrsantan was overcome and captured by the former bounty hunter and his new allies.
Boba Fett chose to set Krrsantan free rather than imprison him. Later, in need of muscle, Fett brought the Wookiee into his crew -- the latest surprising stop in Krrsantan’s journey. Krrsantan is a powerhouse, an invaluable ally, and the Wookiee you always want on your side.
For more on Krrsantan, check out StarWars.com's reader's guide to the Wookiee warrior.
