You know the stories about Wookiees ripping the arms from Stormtroopers?
"Yeah?"
"Well I think Heerlaf could do that to the wings on a TIE fighter. Not saying I've seen it, but I wouldn't rule it out of possibility.
—Luka Heeren and Rolos Severan of Vin Squadron talking about Heerlaf.
Heerlaf was a Wookiee pilot and A-wing ace who became famous as one of the members of the presitigious Vin Squadron, an elite squadron of dogfighters led by Order 66-survivor and Jedi Knight Koses Lik-Har. After joining an anti-Trandoshan Wookiee pirate gang known as the 'Kyrrkas', Heerlaf put his past behind him, joining the Republic Navy as the co-pilot of an attack cruiser.
Just before the Clone Wars began, Heerlaf received a message from his parents on Kashyyyk, warning him that Trandoshans had attacked their village. Despite the warnings, Heerlaf stole a ship and flew back to Kashyyyk, though was attacked and abducted by Trandoshan Wookiee-hunters before he could find his parents.
In Trandoshan captivity for the duration for the Clone Wars and the Rise of the Empire, Heerlaf remained a prisoner, tortured and scarred on a space-station orbiting Trandosha, developing a frightening lack of emotion and increasing levels of anger at his captors. Outside of his prison, the Galactic Empire took over, the Jedi Order were nearly exterminated through Order 66, and the galaxy seemed to crumble. However, those that tried to restore the galaxy would also rescue Heerlaf.
Heerlaf was rescued in 2 BBY by a strike team of members of the Alliance to Restore the Republic, led by Jedi Knight Koses Lik-Har, who survived Order 66. The Rebels watched as Heerlaf bit the head from one Trandoshan and mauled another, before Koses spoke with Heerlaf, telling him of the situation. While the Wookiee almost attacked the Rebels, he soon came to his senses, and agreed to join the Rebel Alliance in return for his rescue, and due to his former service in the Republic Navy.
Koses soon discovered that Heerlaf was not only a skilled commander, but also a talented pilot, and so asked the Wookiee to join a starfighter squadron Koses wished to form to fly the new, fast A-wing. Heerlaf agreed, knowing he had nothing better to do, and for the rest of the Galactic Civil War, served in the squadron, becoming one of the Alliance's greatest aces behind Koses, Luke Skywalker and Wedge Antilles, and the greatest Wookiee ace in galactic history.
Personality and traits[]
Stern, aggressive and rarely talkative, Heerlaf rarely opened up, and the few times where he spoke were often in anger. Due to his torture at the hands of Trandoshans, Heerlaf was also quick to dismiss the problems of others, often making him seem cold and heartless, often lacking in empathy. On one such occasion, he flew into an outburst after Luka Hereen, a female member of Vin Squadron, began crying when her pet died. However, the Wookiee was quickly silenced by Maya Ilo, the other woman of the squadron, who reminded Heerlaf he was showing just as much cruelty and harshness as the Trandoshans showed him.
Heerlaf only ever opened up to Kalif, a Gran pilot of Vin Squadron who shared the Wookiee's cynicism of life and a harsh attitude towards others. Despite his dark and often disrespectful demeanour to most members of Vin Squadron, especially the younger members like Luka and Ujin Mol, Heerlaf did show respect to Koses, mostly because it was Koses who had rescued Heerlaf from captivity, though he also respect the Jedi as a skilled soldier and pilot.
Physical characteristics[]
Tall even for Wookiee standards, Heerlaf stood at a monstrous 2 metres and 21 centimetres. Due to this, the Wookiee often wore no uniform or helmet as none were big enough for him, and he was forced to elevate the roof of the cockpit for his A-wing, as he couldn't fit in it at first. Heerlaf also had black-brown body hair, broad shoulders and incredibly powerful muscles, capable of literally crushing people with his bare hands.