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| Rancors | |
| Continuity: | Star Wars |
| Homeworld: | Dathomir |
| Galaxy: | Star Wars Galaxy |
| Body type: | Reptomammal |
| Average height: | 5-10 meters (adult) |
| Avereage weight: | 1,650 kilograms |
| Limbs: | 4 |
| Eyes: | 2 |
| Fingers: | 4 |
| Toes: | 3 |
| 1st appearance: | Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi (1983) |
Rancors are large, hulking fictional creatures featured in the Star Wars multimedia franchise. They were first seen in the 1983 feature film Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi, where one such creature menaced Luke Skywalker. They have also appeared in the Expanded Universe in numerous reference books, source guides, roleplaying modules, novels, video games and comic books as well as the Star Wars: The Clone Wars animated series.
Description[]
Rancors are large, semi-sentient, warm-blooded reptomammals who originate from the planet Dathomir. Part of it's reptilian traits is that Rancors are hatched from eggs rather than being born live. Rancor females will nurse their young, though Rancor males generally dimiss them. Rancors may be used as a beast of burden, a source of entertainment and to those with an adventurous pallette - a food source.
History[]
A few years before the onset of the Galactic Civil War, Darth Vader's secret apprentice, Galen Marek, was sent to the Outer Rim world of Felucia under orders to find and destroy renegade Jedi Master Shaak Ti. While navigating through the bizarre and verdant tropical landscape, Marek had to contend with not only aggressive tribes of Felucians, but also with four jungle Rancors. These Rancors differed from the standard Dathomir Rancor in that they had brightly colored skin with speckled patterns and vibrant color striations. Felucian chieftains were riding them as mounts and tried to prevent Marek from reaching Shaak Ti, but he succeeded in destroying them using combinations of lightsaber techniques and copious amounts of Force lightning. [1]
During the Galactic Civil War, the underworld crimelord Jabba the Hutt received a Rancor as a gift, which he kept as a pet. He had his slave animal handler, Malakili care for the creature in a dungeon cavern located beneath the throne room of his palace on Tatooine. The floor of the throne room contained a grated trap door, which Jabba used to dispose of underlings who displeased him, allowing them to tumble down into the cavern below to be consumed by the Rancor. This sort of fare pleased Jabba immensely and he considered it high entertainment.
One such victim was a Twi'lek dancing girl named Oola, who made the unwise decision to voice her opposition to the Hutt's treatment of her. He dropped her through the trap door where she landed upon the floor. She was still conscious when the Rancor emerged and ate her.
Shortly thereafter, Luke Skywalker came to Jabba's palace to bargain with the Hutt as to the fate of his imprisoned friend Han Solo. When diplomacy failed, Skywalker bluntly told him that he is taking Captain Solo with him and he would be wise not to challenge him. By this point, Jabba was beginning to lose patience with this upstart Jedi, so he dropped him into the Rancor pit as well. One of Jabba's Gamorrean guards, Jubnuk was unfortunate enough to be standing too close to the grate and fell in behind Skywalker. The Rancor appeared from the shadows and scooped up the squealing Jubnuk in its claws and ate him in two bites.
Luke managed to evade being eaten by the thing, and ran past him underneath its legs, through a large iron gate. When the Rancor attempted to follow him, Luke activated the controls on the door, bringing the heavy iron gate down, crushing the top of the Rancor's head. [2]
Notes & Trivia[]
- The idea of the Rancor was created by franchise developer George Lucas, director Richard Marquand and writer Lawrence Kasdan. Concept drawings of the creature were composed by artists Joe Johnston and Ralph McQuarrie.
- At close observation, one will notice that the Rancor seen in Jabba's palace has an earring. Very stylish, Rancor. Very stylish indeed.