"Has nothing to do with threatening to rip your opponent's arms off if they beat you at chess or its equivalents, though it operates on similar principle. In war, if the opposing side pulls back and raises the white flag, you've won. Some people like to think that this strategy also works in the art of debate - that if you can get the opposing side to shut up, you're right by default. The sad part? It works. Not just in media, but in real life, too. In fact, most political systems are based on doing this. No, seriously. A Chewbacca Defense is part of an argument that intentionally or unintentionally has the effect of confusing the opponent so that they will stop arguing with you. If they are too chicken to continue the argument, the point they are trying to argue must be equally as flimsy, right? Right? " - Graham Sergeant