The Mos Eisley Cantina scene in the original 1977 Star Wars remains one of the best and most iconic science fiction scenes in history. Its greatest feat, still unmatched by the other eight Star Wars films, is capturing the attention of the audience with every alien bystander. It provokes viewers to question the past, present, and future of every face in the crowd. Greedo is one of the few named characters at the bar that day, and his death made him iconic, but what else do fans know about his species?
Most Star Wars species initially appeared in the original trilogy, then returned for future iterations. It's a microcosm of the franchise's fate. When a creator wants to craft a new character, they tend to come from an alien race or group that eagle-eyed fans might recall from previous works. This leads to strange trends forming around each notable culture, often assigning the details of the first example to the rest of their species.
What are Rodians?
Rodians are a race of reptilian humanoids from the planet Rodia. Their scales come in a variety of colors, but most of the ones that appear in Star Wars are green. Their biology is abnormal. They are cold-blooded, but their females possess mammary glands, implying some unusual cross-kingdom traits. Rodians' large eyes lacked pupils and captured the infrared spectrum. Their prehensile antennae twitched as they detected vibrations, presumably unrelated to sounds captured by their pointed ears. In place of hair, they had spines atop their heads. Their snout resembles a tapir's, with smooth skin instead of pebbly scales. Their long, thin hands also lacked the scales that covered most of their frame. Their feet resembled their hands, and all ten of their fingers and toes featured suction cups. Rodians breathed air and sometimes toxic gasses without the aid of respirators. Rodian biology evolved from classic descriptions of aliens from classic science fiction. They're little green men with a few extra bells and whistles.
What are Rodians known for?
Rodian culture venerates hunting as a skill and discipline. Their home planet, Rodia, is covered in hot, humid, putrid swamps. Rodia supports a wide variety of unique species in its unpleasant terrain. Though most of the planet is water, the small landmasses house domed cities where the Rodians survive. One of the most notable species on Rodia are serpentine predators called ghests. Ghests resemble massive snakes with clawed arms and numerous teeth. They hunt like alligators, waiting in the swamps to ambush those who wander too close to the shore. Many Rodians assembled into hunting parties to find and exterminate ghests. Some members of the party would typically die in the quest. This tradition, which required leaving the safety of their domed cities and braving the dangerous jungle, instilled a strong fondness for hunting as a means of gaining social status. Extrapolating from that ritual, many Rodians leave Rodia to become bounty hunters. They found employment with crime lords like Jabba the Hutt and Sith Lords like Count Dooku.
Notable Rodians in Star Wars
The most iconic Rodian in Star Wars is Greedo. He was an ill-fated bounty hunter who often took mercenary work for Jabba the Hutt. Greedo was bad at his chosen vocation. In a deleted Phantom Menace scene, Greedo picks a fight with young Anakin, prompting his friend, Wald, to warn him that his quarreling will lead him to a bad end. Wald's prophecy came to fruition as Greedo died pursuing Han Solo, a smuggler he'd tangled with several times. Other prominent Rodians include:
- Onacanda Farr: The Galactic Republic Senate representative for Rodia was an outspoken pacifist who vociferously advocated for democracy. After the Republic failed to aid Rodia with a series of pirate attacks, Farr made deals with the Confederacy of Independent Systems. Senator Padmé Amidala convinced him to rejoin the Senate, but his betrayal led his aide, fellow Rodian Lolo Purs, to poison him.
- Jakoli: A bounty hunter who became infamous for his insistence upon killing his victims. His ruthlessness earned him a chance to join a prestigious kidnapping effort led by Count Dooku. Jakoli died during Dooku's test, which narrowed down the applicants through brutal means.
- Tsoklo: A factory worker who worked as a rat for the Empire, reporting on inefficient coworkers and criminals. The Empire rewarded his snitching efforts by enslaving him for a strip mining operation. The Rebel band known as the Spectres rescued him, prompting him to devote his life to the Rebellion.
- Bolla Ropal: A Rodian Jedi Master tasked with guarding the Kyber memory crystal and keeping the identity of every Force-sensitive youngling in the galaxy secret. Bounty hunter Cad Bane tortured Ropal to force him to give up the crystal, but Ropal sacrificed his life to keep it secure.
Rodians emerged from a minor role in the original Star Wars to become several fascinating characters across the franchise. Rodians typically pursue lives as hunters, but there are always other options. Fans can find Rodian Jedi, Rebels, and criminals in all corners of the galaxy. Greedo may be the most iconic Rodian, but the others have more going on than losing a shootout.
