| Bogleech.com's Ten Weirdest Star Wars Aliens |
I need not bother introducing Star Wars - like tens of millions of people all around our little
planet, I went through a childhood phase of Star Wars madness that I haven't entirely
discarded, though I've certainly grown up a lot since then. I can't say I care much for what the
franchise has become, and looking back, I can't say I was even all that big into the films
themselves... I was just enamored with the universe they took place in, and all the weird,
imaginative characters cooked up by the special effects team, including the beloved Jim
Henson crew.
planet, I went through a childhood phase of Star Wars madness that I haven't entirely
discarded, though I've certainly grown up a lot since then. I can't say I care much for what the
franchise has become, and looking back, I can't say I was even all that big into the films
themselves... I was just enamored with the universe they took place in, and all the weird,
imaginative characters cooked up by the special effects team, including the beloved Jim
Henson crew.
| #10 - Snail Head |
Only partially visible in the Mos Eisley Cantina, this clearly insect headed alien was known
inexplicably (but awesomely) as "Snail Head" by the production crew. I love that scraggly
bug-beard, and the weird slimy texture of his reflective eyes.
"Expanded Universe" explanation: His name is Tzizvvt, a Brizzit archaeologist known
around Mos Eisley as just a crazy storyteller. His adventures were all quite real however, and
he hoards his collected treasures in the sewer for safekeeping.
Better explanation: Tzizvvt is of a parasitoid race artificially engineered to control the
widespread galactic vermin known as humans. Implanted in the brain of a derelict nobody
would miss, Tzizvvt slowly replaced the host's head with his own rapidly growing cranium,
commandeering the rest of the human's body and becoming an interpretive dance teacher.
inexplicably (but awesomely) as "Snail Head" by the production crew. I love that scraggly
bug-beard, and the weird slimy texture of his reflective eyes.
"Expanded Universe" explanation: His name is Tzizvvt, a Brizzit archaeologist known
around Mos Eisley as just a crazy storyteller. His adventures were all quite real however, and
he hoards his collected treasures in the sewer for safekeeping.
Better explanation: Tzizvvt is of a parasitoid race artificially engineered to control the
widespread galactic vermin known as humans. Implanted in the brain of a derelict nobody
would miss, Tzizvvt slowly replaced the host's head with his own rapidly growing cranium,
commandeering the rest of the human's body and becoming an interpretive dance teacher.
| written by Jonathan Wojcik |
| #9 - Hermi odle |
Poor Sic-six; named for his six eyes, this weird little critter is never visible at all in the final cut
of Return of the Jedi, and very few photographs were ever taken of the puppet itself. I love the
tentacle-lined hose mouth (with what looks like a second on the back of his head!) and the
expressionless red eyes peering from his solid black body...unlike many other Star Wars
aliens, he has no obvious similarities to any conventional Earth creature. At all.
"Expanded Universe" explanation: Sic-Six are a species of giant alien spider and officially
look like this for some reason.
Better explanation: not that.
of Return of the Jedi, and very few photographs were ever taken of the puppet itself. I love the
tentacle-lined hose mouth (with what looks like a second on the back of his head!) and the
expressionless red eyes peering from his solid black body...unlike many other Star Wars
aliens, he has no obvious similarities to any conventional Earth creature. At all.
"Expanded Universe" explanation: Sic-Six are a species of giant alien spider and officially
look like this for some reason.
Better explanation: not that.
| #8 - Sic-six |
| #7 - Hoover |
| #6 - Amanaman |
| #5 - Dice Ibegon |
This eyeless, multi-horned hand puppet is seen for only a split second in the Mos Eisley
Cantina, facing a wolfman-like alien named Lak Sivrak.
"Expanded Universe" explanation: Dice Ibegon the Florn Lamproid and Lak Sivrak the
Shistavanen are lovers, attracted to one another by a mutual respect for their predatory
nature. Also, Dice has time-altering Jedi powers. Too bad the "special edition" trilogy, with
flagrant disregard for the sanctity of true love, would digitally remove Lak Sivrak - whose
costume was just a store-bought Halloween mask - and replace him with a more original
elephant-like creature, apparently one ballsy enough to steal a werewolf's only scene as well
as his girlfriend.
Better Explanation: none, again. Psychic lampreys making out with wolf people might be the
closest thing to ever justify the Expanded Universe.
Cantina, facing a wolfman-like alien named Lak Sivrak.
"Expanded Universe" explanation: Dice Ibegon the Florn Lamproid and Lak Sivrak the
Shistavanen are lovers, attracted to one another by a mutual respect for their predatory
nature. Also, Dice has time-altering Jedi powers. Too bad the "special edition" trilogy, with
flagrant disregard for the sanctity of true love, would digitally remove Lak Sivrak - whose
costume was just a store-bought Halloween mask - and replace him with a more original
elephant-like creature, apparently one ballsy enough to steal a werewolf's only scene as well
as his girlfriend.
Better Explanation: none, again. Psychic lampreys making out with wolf people might be the
closest thing to ever justify the Expanded Universe.
| #4 - Wioslea |
We never get a good look at Wioslea in the film, but she's actually the alien who buys Luke's
landspeeder before he leaves his home planet. Wioslea was originally identified as male in the
novelization but is now considered female, possibly because a woman wore the costume and
they couldn't completely hide the presence of breasts, which they even bothered to include
on the action figure. I love the gaping, toothless mouth and all those scattered asymmetrical
googly eyes; it's an almost comically horrifying design, like a child's fever dream.
"Expanded Universe" explanation: Wioslea is a "Vuvrian," a peaceful, charismatic race that
evolved with no natural predators. They are timid, sensitive creatures with extremely low pain
threshholds.
Better Explanation: using their perky breasts as a lure, the Wioslea (they are of one mind
and one name) consume the brains of lonely, desperate humanoids, growing an additional
eyeball with each feeding. When a Wioslea can no longer fit any more eyes on its cranium, it
mails a few back to the Hive Mother for her scrapbook.
landspeeder before he leaves his home planet. Wioslea was originally identified as male in the
novelization but is now considered female, possibly because a woman wore the costume and
they couldn't completely hide the presence of breasts, which they even bothered to include
on the action figure. I love the gaping, toothless mouth and all those scattered asymmetrical
googly eyes; it's an almost comically horrifying design, like a child's fever dream.
"Expanded Universe" explanation: Wioslea is a "Vuvrian," a peaceful, charismatic race that
evolved with no natural predators. They are timid, sensitive creatures with extremely low pain
threshholds.
Better Explanation: using their perky breasts as a lure, the Wioslea (they are of one mind
and one name) consume the brains of lonely, desperate humanoids, growing an additional
eyeball with each feeding. When a Wioslea can no longer fit any more eyes on its cranium, it
mails a few back to the Hive Mother for her scrapbook.
| #3 - Cane Adiss |
| #2 - Loje Nella |
Here's a really strange one; also cut from most of the movie, Cane Adiss is some kind of
gnarled, two-headed giraffe-snake and one of the largest creature puppets designed for
Jabba's Palace after the mighty Hutt himself.
"Expanded Universe" explanation: Cane Adiss is a pilot and smuggler from the planet
Yuvern, and has to use a special elevator to get around in Jabba's palace because he's so big.
Better Explanation: Cane Adiss is a psychovore, using its dual brains to absorb mental data
from other sentient beings. While the rest of his kind are sworn to use their natural abilities for
constructive purposes, Adiss wheels and deals in stolen thoughts, blackmailing others into
buying their own darkest secrets - or at least what he has led them to believe are their own.
gnarled, two-headed giraffe-snake and one of the largest creature puppets designed for
Jabba's Palace after the mighty Hutt himself.
"Expanded Universe" explanation: Cane Adiss is a pilot and smuggler from the planet
Yuvern, and has to use a special elevator to get around in Jabba's palace because he's so big.
Better Explanation: Cane Adiss is a psychovore, using its dual brains to absorb mental data
from other sentient beings. While the rest of his kind are sworn to use their natural abilities for
constructive purposes, Adiss wheels and deals in stolen thoughts, blackmailing others into
buying their own darkest secrets - or at least what he has led them to believe are their own.
| #1 - Wol Cabbashite |
Easily the oddest little whatsit in the original trilogy, this upside-down slug is plainly visible in
the background of Jabba's Palace, attached to a wall and waving its tongue around. I spotted it
pretty easily as a kid, and would finally learn more about it from one of those "behind the
scenes" books. I still wonder if it's supposed to be shaped this way naturally or if its head is
meant to be bent backwards...I think I like the bent shape better. Kinda looks like a duck-billed
mutant shoe.
"Expanded Universe" explanation: Ghoel is a Wol Cabbashite mistakenly left in Jabba's
palace, where he is mistaken for a mindless animal. In reality, these sessile beings are highly
intelligent, even force-sensitive organisms who evolved from unintelligent "plasma leeches" and
communicate via magnetic fields. Able to survive in any environment including the vacuum of
space, they never need to move and can survive absorbing plasma or raw nutrients from their
surroundings. They reproduce by expelling their stomach linings, which become pupae. Their
greatest nemesis is the maddening disease known as Brainworm Rot Type A.
Better Explanation: I've really got nothing this time. That was beautiful.
the background of Jabba's Palace, attached to a wall and waving its tongue around. I spotted it
pretty easily as a kid, and would finally learn more about it from one of those "behind the
scenes" books. I still wonder if it's supposed to be shaped this way naturally or if its head is
meant to be bent backwards...I think I like the bent shape better. Kinda looks like a duck-billed
mutant shoe.
"Expanded Universe" explanation: Ghoel is a Wol Cabbashite mistakenly left in Jabba's
palace, where he is mistaken for a mindless animal. In reality, these sessile beings are highly
intelligent, even force-sensitive organisms who evolved from unintelligent "plasma leeches" and
communicate via magnetic fields. Able to survive in any environment including the vacuum of
space, they never need to move and can survive absorbing plasma or raw nutrients from their
surroundings. They reproduce by expelling their stomach linings, which become pupae. Their
greatest nemesis is the maddening disease known as Brainworm Rot Type A.
Better Explanation: I've really got nothing this time. That was beautiful.
This neat little guy is one of the cuter creatures designed for Jabba's Palace, and was
originally considered one of the Hutt's "pets." While largely unnoticed and forgotten by fans, I
actually had a Return of the Jedi activity book as a child with Hoover as a "connect-the-dots"
puzzle...still his greatest claim to fame.
"Expanded Universe" explanation: Hoovers are an obscure and mysterious sentient race
whose small, innocent appearance belies their bloodsucking habits. Attark, the Hoover
inhabiting Jabba's palace, worked as a skilled technician by day but fed from sleeping victims
around the palace at night.
Better Explanation: none. That's actually pretty awesome, I love this little bastard now. It
might be interesting if Hoover actually evolved to specifically suck blood from Hutts, though.
The lazy blobs seem pretty ripe for specialized parasitism.
originally considered one of the Hutt's "pets." While largely unnoticed and forgotten by fans, I
actually had a Return of the Jedi activity book as a child with Hoover as a "connect-the-dots"
puzzle...still his greatest claim to fame.
"Expanded Universe" explanation: Hoovers are an obscure and mysterious sentient race
whose small, innocent appearance belies their bloodsucking habits. Attark, the Hoover
inhabiting Jabba's palace, worked as a skilled technician by day but fed from sleeping victims
around the palace at night.
Better Explanation: none. That's actually pretty awesome, I love this little bastard now. It
might be interesting if Hoover actually evolved to specifically suck blood from Hutts, though.
The lazy blobs seem pretty ripe for specialized parasitism.
I have a nerdy personal history with Amanaman that might be amusing if you have some
sort of attentive disorder, but for the rest of you, Amanaman is my personal favorite Star Wars
alien not merely for his bizarre, almost silly appearance, but for the fact that this bizarre, silly
alien carts around rotting human remains. He looks like a gangly armed plantain, but he's also
a twisted, head-hunting monster, his spidery fingers even stained with blood!
"Expanded Universe" explanation: Amanin are tribal hunters evolved from Planarians (I
guess that's pretty rad) and able to travel at high speeds in a wheel-like configuration.
Better explanation: Amanin feed exclusively on decaying, putrescent flesh but seem to
prefer carcasses they have personally slaughtered. Their curious poison keeps the brains of
their prey alive and conscious for many years at a time within their own severed skulls, and
Amanin are often seen conversing with these captives in a whispering, indecipherable tongue.
sort of attentive disorder, but for the rest of you, Amanaman is my personal favorite Star Wars
alien not merely for his bizarre, almost silly appearance, but for the fact that this bizarre, silly
alien carts around rotting human remains. He looks like a gangly armed plantain, but he's also
a twisted, head-hunting monster, his spidery fingers even stained with blood!
"Expanded Universe" explanation: Amanin are tribal hunters evolved from Planarians (I
guess that's pretty rad) and able to travel at high speeds in a wheel-like configuration.
Better explanation: Amanin feed exclusively on decaying, putrescent flesh but seem to
prefer carcasses they have personally slaughtered. Their curious poison keeps the brains of
their prey alive and conscious for many years at a time within their own severed skulls, and
Amanin are often seen conversing with these captives in a whispering, indecipherable tongue.
There were so many alien creatures packed into the original trilogy that you could miss half a
dozen of them in the blink of an eye, and my young mind made an exciting quest of not only
spotting them all, but tracking down their names through various books, magazines and
making-of specials; names like Yak Face, Walrus Man and Squid Head...peripheral
characters whose complete lack of explanation was a tantalizing blank canvas to a six year old
with their official action figures.
Sadly, this sort of mystique has long since evaporated, as everything and its grandma from
the Star Wars Universe has a detailed background story just a google away. Today, "Squid
Head" is known as Tessek, an accountant of the "Quarren" race from the planet Mon
Calamari. Sigh.
I felt it was high time I talk about some of the weirdest background characters cooked up for
the original three films, but I'm sorry to say you haven't heard the last of my geeky bitterness.
Have fun!
dozen of them in the blink of an eye, and my young mind made an exciting quest of not only
spotting them all, but tracking down their names through various books, magazines and
making-of specials; names like Yak Face, Walrus Man and Squid Head...peripheral
characters whose complete lack of explanation was a tantalizing blank canvas to a six year old
with their official action figures.
Sadly, this sort of mystique has long since evaporated, as everything and its grandma from
the Star Wars Universe has a detailed background story just a google away. Today, "Squid
Head" is known as Tessek, an accountant of the "Quarren" race from the planet Mon
Calamari. Sigh.
I felt it was high time I talk about some of the weirdest background characters cooked up for
the original three films, but I'm sorry to say you haven't heard the last of my geeky bitterness.
Have fun!
Easily the grossest-looking monstrosity in the original trilogy, I love this guy's oozing,
incomprehensible mouth (are those his lips? His tongue? Is he slobbering pure meat?) and
sagging, miserable-looking eyes. He's like some leprous love-child of Quasimodo and a naked
mole-rat.
"Expanded Universe" explanation: Hermi Odle is a Baraguin arms dealer, unusual for his
otherwise peace-loving and gentle race.
Better explanation: Hermi Odle is a human horrendously deformed by exposure to dark,
unnameable cosmic forces. He has to eat raw sewage to control the pain and is on a never
ending quest to find something that can kill him.
incomprehensible mouth (are those his lips? His tongue? Is he slobbering pure meat?) and
sagging, miserable-looking eyes. He's like some leprous love-child of Quasimodo and a naked
mole-rat.
"Expanded Universe" explanation: Hermi Odle is a Baraguin arms dealer, unusual for his
otherwise peace-loving and gentle race.
Better explanation: Hermi Odle is a human horrendously deformed by exposure to dark,
unnameable cosmic forces. He has to eat raw sewage to control the pain and is on a never
ending quest to find something that can kill him.
| Step aside, Luke...make room for a real hero. |
Endearingly known as "Toadstool Terror" during production, this cool moss-topped worm is
barely visible at all in the film, but was based on a cool illustration by production artist Ralph
Mcquarrie of a Tatooine "cliffborer worm."
"Expanded Universe" explanation: for the Star Wars trading card game, Loje Nella was
described as an intelligent lifeform descended from cliffborer worms, working as Jabba the
Hutt's accountant despite her personal loathing for the Hutt. Later, for the cover of a Force
Unleashed novel, an alien called a Riorian was lazily depicted by this photoshop of Nella's
head on a human body. The latter is now debatably canon, because you can never have too
many crappy human-shaped aliens in a science fiction universe.
Better Explanation: Loje Nella is an intestinal parasite that grew to abnormal proportions and
sentience in the intestines of the Sarlacc. Viewing the great desert monster as her mother,
she established ties with Jabba to supply it with a steady supply of living victims.
barely visible at all in the film, but was based on a cool illustration by production artist Ralph
Mcquarrie of a Tatooine "cliffborer worm."
"Expanded Universe" explanation: for the Star Wars trading card game, Loje Nella was
described as an intelligent lifeform descended from cliffborer worms, working as Jabba the
Hutt's accountant despite her personal loathing for the Hutt. Later, for the cover of a Force
Unleashed novel, an alien called a Riorian was lazily depicted by this photoshop of Nella's
head on a human body. The latter is now debatably canon, because you can never have too
many crappy human-shaped aliens in a science fiction universe.
Better Explanation: Loje Nella is an intestinal parasite that grew to abnormal proportions and
sentience in the intestines of the Sarlacc. Viewing the great desert monster as her mother,
she established ties with Jabba to supply it with a steady supply of living victims.
| Also they have three eyes according to Family Guy. |