Is theStar Warsfranchise still coming up with new aliens? It can often feel like the Mos Eisley Cantina scene produced every notable species that the series will ever need. ModernStar Warsprojects love to bring back familiar faces from the old movies, but those faces need not necessarily be human. Wookies, Twi’leks, and Rodians pop up all the time, but other figures might be a little less common. Take the Ortolans, for example. They aren’t always around, but they always make some noise when they appear.
There’s so much brilliant artistry behind the aliens inStar Wars. The original Max Rebo was an actor named Simon J. Williamson in a tight suit that housed him from the waist up.Industrial Light & Magicprofessionals crafted that silly blue suit. Simon didn’t even receive proper credit for his work. The Max Rebo band got several new members in the 1997 Special Edition re-release ofReturn of the Jedi. They were computer-generated. While many artists certainly worked very hard to create those digital effects, it’s hard not to notice the difference between the CGI singer, Joh Yowza, and Simon J. Williamson dancing around in his silly little suit.
What are the Ortolans?
Ortolans are a species of elephant-like bipeds from the planet Orto. Their bodies are squat, heavy-set, and blue. Ortolans are sentient and known to speak the Galactic Basic Standard language. They tend to be a little shorter than humans, with average heights somewhere around 4.5 feet. Their weight isn’t common knowledge, but they tend to carry a thick layer of blubber. This additional fat storage accounts for life on Orto, which is afreezing Outer Rim planet. Ortolans have large, black eyes with no notable sclera or irises. Their mouths are small and full of small, blunt teeth. The most iconic features of the Ortolans are their long trunks and massive ears. Ortolans are very sensitive to sound, making use of their big, floppy ears. Their trunk-like noses don’t seem to serve a purpose beyond their traditional breathing and smelling abilities. They don’t appear to be prehensile, and Ortolans have hands, making the trunk likely decorative. There is some dispute over whether Ortolans have arms, but the majority of depictions feature four limbs. Ortolan hands feature five fingers, which end in mouth-like openings that can be used to absorb nutrients. The Ortolans evolved most of their unique traits tosurvive their harsh, frozen environment.
What are Ortolans known for?
ThecurrentStar Warscanonhas established very little about the Ortolan race. The original Legends continuity is a little more clear about the average Ortolan’s life. Orto is a rather cruel planet. It maintains a frigid temperature and grows very little food. Ortolans need to build up substantial stores of fat to survive the climate, but Orto’s strange orbit guarantees a very limited growing season. Orto makes up for its brutality with immense stores of heavy metal and radioactive fuel deep underneath the surface. The Ortolans probably survived a cataclysmic collision that altered the planet’s orbit and climate, killing practically all living things over 440 pounds. The Ortolans then had no natural predators, allowing them to quickly evolve and work out new systems of survival.
Ortolans make their living by mining immense quantities of metal and fuel. They then sell those valuable resources, importing tons of food in exchange for their natural gifts. Ortolans worked with theConfederacy of Independent Systemsduring the Clone Wars. The Empire mostly left them alone, so long as they willingly traded with the Empire’s industrial companies. They were wise enough to work out deals with the Empire and the Rebels, granting them plenty of additional opportunities. Ortolans were one of very few species that actually benefited during the era of the Empire. They joined the New Republic after the Empire fell.
Notable Ortolans inStar Wars
The first and most notable Ortolan intheStar Warsfranchiseis Max Rebo. Max is the leader of the Max Rebo Band. The band is notable for playing Jizz music, making them Jizz-wailers. His bandmates include Sy Snoodles and Droopy McCool. It’s the best collection of names in the franchise. Rebo plays the red ball jet organ. His band becomes notable for one or two hit songs, but he never becomes the universe’s greatest performer. He plays in small clubs, most of which happen to be owned by criminals. Rebo once tried to poison his employer, Jabba the Hutt, but escaped with his life whenLuke Skywalker burst intothe room. Rebo was last seen playing in Garsa Fwip’s Sanctuary inThe Book of Boba Fett. Here are a few other notable Ortolans in the franchise.
Ortolans aren’t the most complexStar Warsspecies, but they are oddly charming. The noted Jizz-wailer Max Rebo is a fan-favorite background detail, but the species could be more than set dressing.PerhapsSkeleton Crewwill elevate Neel to the spotlight, granting a long-standing race a new spotlight.
