What Are All the Aliens and Creatures in Jabba’s Palace?
Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi™ celebrates its 40th anniversary this year. To celebrate, we’re looking back at some of the most exciting and memorable parts of the film. So of course, we’re spending time in a major Star Wars™ location — Jabba’s Palace™!
Located on the planet Tatooine™, this formidable fortress housed the galaxy’s most notorious crime lord. That sluggish host really knew how to throw a party, too, so the place was always bursting and bustling with lifeforms. The big question is, though: Who’s who in Jabba’s Palace? And what are they? Below, meet the infamous Hutt’s™ alien entourage, palace staff, performers, and diverse party guests.
Hutt
(Jabba Desilijic Tiure)
Hutts are primarily galactic gangsters. This sentient species formed one of the largest crime syndicates in the galaxy and kept a tight hold on their many territories. Jabba the Hutt™ was the most well-known and feared of the family. His twin cousins later terrorized Mos Espa™ in The Book of Boba Fett™.
Kowakian Monkey-Lizard
(Salacious B. Crumb)
Performing as both pet and jester, Salacious B. Crumb™ belonged to the Kowakian Monkey-Lizard™ race. They are chittering, highly intelligent creatures capable of mimicking speech and handling weapons such as blasters. In Return of the Jedi, Salacious lives on his own in the palace. However, The Mandalorian™ recently revealed that monkey-lizards tend to travel and exist in groups that hang from trees to bother passersby.
Gamorrean
(Palace Guards)
Resembling giant green pigs, Gamorreans™ are muscular and brutish by nature. Their large stature and tusks make them imposing enemies, and they are thus often utilized as bodyguards, gladiators, or warriors.
Twi’lek
(Bib Fortuna™, Oola™, and Lyn Me™)
Twi’leks™, or Rylothians™, are easy to recognize by their lekku™. Twi’leks come in a variety of colors such as green, white, blue, and orange. Fans can probably name Captain Hera Syndulla™ and Jedi™ Knight Aayla Secura™ immediately when they hear this species mentioned.
On their home planet, Twi’leks are known to ride blurrgs™ and exist peacefully. However, many Twi’leks — especially females — are forcibly removed from Ryloth™ and trafficked as slaves. Jabba owned several.
Rancor
Of course, all Star Wars fans know and adore Rancors™. Rancors are emotionally complex carnivores native to the planet Dathomir™ — where both Asajj Ventress™ and Darth Maul™ were born. Return of the Jedi shows us a violent beast trapped in the underbelly of Jabba’s palace. It eats anything unfortunate enough to tumble into its chambers.
Of course, The Bad Batch™ and The Book of Boba Fett™ expand this lore. Rancors are as different as humans. They have personalities and feelings. While Jabba’s was maltreated and became a ruthless killer, other Rancors have the potential to become friendly, loyal mounts.
Jawas
You can’t visit Tatooine without running across some Jawas™. Scavengers by trade, these small beings wear brown cloaks and conceal their faces in the hood’s shadows. They have glowing yellow/orange eyes and speak in an energetic, high-pitched language that most Tatooine residents seem to understand. After all, they need to frequently bargain and barter with Jawas.
Weequay
Weequays™ come from the planet Sriluur™. They have dark, tough, leathery skin because of the harsh desert environment into which they are born. Throughout Star Wars, most Weequay are pirates like Hondo Ohnaka™ or mercenaries like Pagetti Rook™. Fortunately, the Weequay guard at Jabba’s Palace also gets to double as a drummer!
Rodian
Look closely and you’ll spot multiple Rodians™ in the midst! Rodians are green-skinned, reptilian humanoids with antennae and large eyes. Although deceased by Return of the Jedi, the most infamous Rodian in all of Star Wars is Greedo™ the bounty hunter — who most definitely did not shoot first.
Ortolan (Max Rebo)
See the blue, elephant-like creature in the corner? That’s Max Rebo™, a famous “Jizz-wailer™” performer. He’s a male Ortolan™ from the planet Orto™. Ortolans experience extremely cold temperatures on their homeworld, and thus develop thick skin and protective blubber. Even though he travels to many different planets, Max still keeps his appearance close to that of a native Ortolan.
Max’s Band
The Max Rebo Band™ members come from all areas of the galaxy. These instrumental and vocalists include a Pa’lowick™ named Sy Snootles™, a Kitonak™ named Droopy McCool™, a Yuzzum™ named Joh Yowza™, a Theelin™, a Shawda Ubb™, and a Bith™. The round-headed, black-clad Bith species also make up the popular Cantina Band from Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope™.
Additional Creatures
In both the original Return of the Jedi and digitally remastered editions, Jabba’s Palace is populated by myriad strange inhabitants — some puppets, some actors, and some digital inclusions. Since the film’s release in 1983, some of these background characters have received names and extensive backstories. They have gone on to live in canon as bounty hunters, musicians, pets, traders, nerf herders™, and more. For brevity’s sake, however, we’ll give you their species specifications in list form below.
- Gran
- Frog-Dog™
- Quarren™
- Kajain’sa’Nikto™/Red Nikto™
- Wookiee™ — we’re cheating a bit here, but Chewbacca™ does appear, so he counts!
- Wol Cabasshite™
- Chevin™
- Hoover
- Geranite™
- Askajian™
- Yarkora™
- Elom™
- Saurin™
- Amanin™
Droids
Droids are necessary in every corner of the galaxy because they are the most plentiful servants. Besides R2-D2™ and C-3PO™, who are gifted to Jabba, we have a variety of droids in this dungeon. Most notable is 8-D8™, seen torturing its own kind for fun.
Humans
Finally, we can’t leave out the most mundane members of this crowd. Boba Fett™, Han Solo™, Lando Calrissian™, Luke Skywalker™, and Leia Organa™ are the most notable humans present. There are also various human workers and entertainers mingling about in the palace, such as the Rancor’s caretaker Malakili™.
What are your favorite creatures from Jabba’s Palace? Share your love for Star Wars at side.show/geekgroup and in the Sideshow Social Network, and don’t forget to Let Your Geek Sideshow!