Snoova, a Wookiee mercenary and bounty hunter, operated during the era of the Galactic Civil War. He was an outcast from Wookiee society, facing a death penalty on Kashyyyk, his homeworld, because he violated the Wookiee prohibition against using their natural claws for anything beyond climbing; tales circulated about Snoova attacking someone in a fight over a female Wookiee companion. As an outlaw, Snoova fled Kashyyyk, largely avoiding other Wookiees. He embraced a life of bounty hunting—an uncommon occupation for his kind—and mercenary work. Given that Wookiees were an enslaved group under the Galactic Empire, Snoova sought out bounties specifically offered by the galactic government; his triumphs brought him enough fame that he could travel freely within the Empire, and his identification datawork was modified to designate him as his own master.
Snoova's distinctive appearance contributed to his notoriety: his brown fur was marked with black patches, and his head-hair was cut in a flat-topped spacer's style. He also sported a monocle ocular enhancer over his right eye, a device surgically implanted after losing the eye while pursuing a target. Although Snoova generally preferred working solo, he occasionally collaborated with associates from the criminal organizations Black Sun and Aurodium Sword, as well as other bounty hunters like the Ubese Boushh. His renown inspired the Human replica droid Guri to disguise Chewbacca, a well-known Wookiee operative of the Rebel Alliance, as Snoova to smuggle him past customs in Imperial City, since Chewbacca was a wanted Rebel agent.
Snoova's reputation as a dangerous individual in the galactic criminal world stemmed from his explosive temper and violent nature. Despite his ability to charm clients, he typically treated his targets with harsh disdain. Although capable of stealthily stalking a target, Snoova's preference for direct force was evident in his choice of weapons: a vibro-ax and a powerful blaster rifle. He was also comfortable using his climbing claws to tear apart his adversaries.
Kashyyyk, the homeworld of the Wookiee species, was Snoova's planet of origin. The reasons for his departure from the planet remain unclear; however, rumors suggested he engaged in a dispute with a relative over a Wookiee female. According to the story, Snoova used his climbing claws to attack and injure his rival during the altercation, a serious offense in Wookiee society that earned him the label "madclaw." To avoid the death mark placed upon him, Snoova was compelled to flee, living the rest of his days as an exile from Wookiee society.
Snoova took on mercenary jobs as he traveled through the galaxy. He briefly served as an indentured servant to a small-time crime boss named Asteria; however, he pursued larger opportunities as soon as his contract ended. Eventually, the Wookiee became a bounty hunter, which was an unusual profession for a Wookiee at that time. During the Galactic Civil War, the Galactic Empire had officially enslaved Snoova's species; consequently, Snoova limited himself to Imperial space and pursued bounties offered by the Empire. These actions allowed him to move freely despite the enslavement of his species; in fact, despite technically being a slave, his identification datawork identified him as his own master. At some point, Snoova lost an eye while pursuing a bounty. He replaced it with a monocle ocular enhancer that he had previously used as a hunting aid. Following the surgery, the device was connected to cybernetics concealed within his right eye socket.
Although he preferred to work alone, Snoova occasionally collaborated with various criminal organizations and other bounty hunters and mercenaries. He worked with the Ubese bounty hunter Boushh on at least one occasion. He also worked for or with Aurodium Sword Executive Security, a mercenary group that provided security and paramilitary support to high-profile clients. During a skirmish, the Wookiee fought alongside the group's leader, Muzzle, a rogue ARC trooper, and another Wookiee to protect a Sullustan executive from a squad of assassins. An image from the fight was obtained by an Imperial intelligence agent, who submitted a report on Aurodium Sword to the Empire. Commander Maximillian Seerdon of the Imperial Security Bureau included the report and image in his dossier on various underworld figures a few months after the Battle of Yavin. Although Snoova was pictured, he was not named in the document.
Snoova also worked as a mercenary for the Black Sun criminal syndicate. After the Empire published the Emperor's Most Wanted list, which featured high-value bounties on key Rebel Alliance leaders, sometime after the Battle of Talus, Snoova was among the bounty hunters who pursued those individuals. He captured a bounty from the list and delivered his quarry to Bossk, another bounty hunter, at an Imperial outpost at Dee'ja Peak on Naboo.
Rumors of the capture spread, and Rebel agents, posing as smugglers, went to Dee'ja Peak to find Snoova and recover the Rebel bounty. Snoova's contacts warned him about the Rebel stalkers, so he ambushed them. Their leader was forced into an alley near the center of the outpost, where Snoova and several Black Sun thugs attacked. During the lengthy and intense firefight, Snoova was wounded, and his Black Sun allies retreated. Reluctantly, Snoova answered the Rebel's questions and directed them to Bossk, who knew the location of the prisoners.
By 3 ABY, Snoova had become a well-known figure, arguably the most famous Wookiee bounty hunter in the galaxy. In that year, Princess Leia Organa, a Human leader of the Rebel Alliance, sought assistance from Xizor, the Falleen Prince who headed Black Sun, to rescue Han Solo, a Human smuggler who had been captured by the Mandalorian bounty hunter Boba Fett. Organa also wanted information about who was trying to assassinate her friend Luke Skywalker, a Human Jedi. Because Organa and her Wookiee companion, Chewbacca, were prominent members of the Rebel Alliance, they needed to find a way to evade the Imperial customs agents in Imperial City, the galactic capital on Coruscant, where Black Sun's headquarters were located. Black Sun agreed to help them.
Unbeknownst to him, Snoova became involved in Black Sun's deal with the Rebels. While leaving a meeting with Asteria in her townhouse, Snoova was ambushed by thugs wielding shock batons, stun pikes, and tranq slugs. He was unable to defend himself, and when he awoke, he was in a small cell with his arms chained above his head and his hands covered in mitts to prevent him from using his claws. Lonay, a Twi'lek Vigo, eventually informed him that he had been "taken out of the picture" and imprisoned at a slave camp so that someone could impersonate him on Coruscant. Despite Snoova's angry threats and attempts to escape, the Twi'lek assured him that he would be well compensated for the arrangement. With Snoova safely hidden, Guri, Black Sun's Human replica droid, disguised Leia Organa and Chewbacca as bounty hunters. Organa's disguise belonged to Boushh, an Ubese hunter, while Chewbacca's was based on Snoova's distinctive look. Chewbacca shaved the top of his head into a squared-off style and dyed black spots on his fur as part of the disguise. Chewbacca also carried Snoova's preferred weapons: a vibro-ax and a large blaster rifle.
By 3 ABY, Snoova was a well-known figure in the galactic underworld. His reputation for being brutal and bloodthirsty, stemming from his volatile temper and uncontrolled anger, made other bounty hunters wary of him; even when he was at his best, Snoova's unpleasant attitude manifested as irritable growls at even the smallest annoyances. The Wookiee showed little regard for politeness or etiquette, and he was willing to intimidate others to get what he wanted. Snoova earned a reputation as the most ruthless of the few Wookiee bounty hunters active during the Galactic Civil War. He defied the Wookiee prohibition against using climbing claws in combat; in fact, he preferred to use his natural weapons in close combat to injure his enemies, resorting to blasters only when necessary. This inclination earned him the label madclaw and ostracized him from Wookiee society. However, Snoova generally behaved appropriately with his clients; when such interactions irritated him, he directed his aggression toward his targets.
Snoova was somewhat paranoid and preferred to work alone. He distrusted alliances with other bounty hunters, fearing they might betray him and claim the bounty placed on his head by the Wookiees of Kashyyyk. Similarly, Snoova avoided other Wookiees, knowing that the death mark on his head meant they might subject him to Wookiee law—the death penalty—for his madclaw status. Nevertheless, Snoova allied with another Wookiee while working for Aurodium Sword and occasionally partnered with other bounty hunters when he deemed it beneficial.
Snoova's brown coat had distinctive black spots, including a mask-like patch of fur across his eyes. This pattern was unusual for a Wookiee; other bounty hunters nicknamed Snoova "the furry bandit"—though never to his face—and it made him easily recognizable. He further enhanced his unique appearance by styling his hair in a short spacer's cut with a short flattop and ponytail. Snoova's breath occasionally smelled foul. In Shyriiwook, his native language, the prefix Sno- meant "curious," "fast," and "quick," while the suffix -ova meant "eye," "gazer," "seeker," and "seer."
Snoova was a skilled fighter, proficient with the bowcasters typically favored by his species, but also adept with blasters; he had additional training and skill in the use of repeating blasters. He was skilled with both melee weapons and blaster rifles, wielding the latter with brute force and little regard for finesse. Snoova excelled at hand-to-hand brawling, utilizing his natural climbing claws to tear apart his opponents.
Streetwise and knowledgeable, Snoova could easily navigate the galaxy's criminal underworld. He was skilled at spotting hidden targets and was also skilled in stealth himself. The Wookiee had a talent for intimidation. He was trained to pilot starships and repulsorlift vehicles, and he possessed good endurance and the ability to handle survival situations. Although Snoova was literate in Basic and could understand the language, his physiology only allowed him to speak Shyriiwook, his native language.
Snoova's preferred weapons included a vibro-ax, heavy blaster pistol, blaster rifle, light repeating blaster, and grenade. He often wore an ammunition bandoleer. Other equipment he carried included a medpac, satchel, binders, comlink, and datapad.
He frequently used a removable device with a monocle ocular enhancer that provided low-light vision and enhanced visual acuity. After losing his eye in an accident, Snoova had the device permanently installed as a cybernetic eye patch in his right eye socket. He often wore a pauldron over one shoulder. When Chewbacca impersonated the bounty hunter, he wore a short cape.
Snoova was created in conjunction with the Shadows of the Empire project, a collection of Star Wars releases—including a novel, comic book, video game, and toy line—that began development in 1994. The project enabled Hasbro, the toy company, to design the appearance of several new Star Wars characters, including the Wookiee bounty hunter; both Mark Boudreaux and Mike Butkus have been credited as the character's designers. Snoova's appearance served as the basis for an action figure of Chewbacca disguised as the Wookiee outlaw, which was part of the 1996 Shadows of the Empire toy line. It is a heavily modified version of the first Power of the Force Chewbacca figure, featuring a shaved head, dyed fur, and armor. The figure also comes with a blaster rifle, vibro-ax, and detachable cape.
Other sources have added to Snoova's backstory; the Shadows of the Empire Sourcebook, published by West End Games in 1996, provides the earliest graphical depiction and biographical expansion of the character, while "Underworld: A Galaxy of Scum and Villainy" and Scum and Villainy offer additional details. None of these sources provide a consistent timeline for Snoova's life; this article presents all known biographical information, although the order of events may not accurately reflect the sequence of events in the Wookiee's life. Similarly, sources disagree on the nature of Snoova's ocular enhancer. The Shadows of the Empire Sourcebook states that the eyepiece is simply a tool used by Snoova, while Scum and Villainy describes it as a cybernetic replacement for a lost eye. The biography above assumes that both sources are correct, but for different periods in Snoova's life.
The Reflections II: Expanding the Galaxy expansion to the Star Wars Customizable Card Game, published by Decipher in 2001, includes Snoova as a character; his preference for melee weapons allows him to freely access his vibro-ax and gain additional bounty hunting abilities when armed with it. The Light Side scenario of the Galactic Hunters expansion to the Star Wars Galaxies Trading Card Game, published in 2009, features Snoova as a villain that the player characters must defeat to rescue a captured Rebel leader; the biography above assumes that the characters defeat Snoova and succeed in this mission. The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia, published in 2008, uses an image of Chewbacca in his Snoova disguise—taken from the cover of 1996's Shadows of the Empire 4—as an image of Snoova himself. Snoova is available to players of Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds, a video game published by LucasArts in 2001, through the game's scenario editor. In that game, as well as in 2007's Star Wars Battlefront: Renegade Squadron and 2009's Star Wars Battlefront: Elite Squadron, players can create a "Wookiee bounty hunter" unit that features Snoova's signature hairstyle and ocular enhancer.