The Boonta Eve Classic, Boonta Eve Podrace, Boonta Eve Classic Podrace or simply Boonta Eve was the largest annual podrace in the galaxy[6] and cultural event[7] on Tatooine. It took place in the Grand Arena in Mos Espa and the Mos Espa podrace circuit.[5] The event was held by the Hutt Clan to commemorate the holiday Boonta Eve,[8] and was recorded by numerous Hologlide J57 cam droids.[3] The race had the highest mortality rate of all podrace competitions in the galaxy.[9]
One such race, held in 32 BBY,[2] was presided over by the grandmaster host of the Boonta Eve Classic Jabba the Hutt.[1][9] This race was attacked by Orr'UrRuuR'R and his tribe, who fired at the racers with their slugthrowers, and the winner of that race was Anakin Skywalker,[1] who finished in 15 minutes and 42 seconds. Only 6 racers finished, 33% of the initial 18 participants, and one competitor, Ratts Tyerell, was killed in a violent head-on accident at the Laguna Caves on the first lap.[3] In the years that followed, Jabba had the number of laps reduced to two, and added Dune-Pipes to the Hutt Flats in order to make the race more profitable.[10]
Behind the scenes
The Boonta Eve Classic appeared in the 1999 film Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace, the first installment of the Star Wars prequel trilogy.[1]
According to concept artist Doug Chiang, director George Lucas wanted a recognizable but distinct terrain for the race, reason for which Chiang and the production crew mixed and condensed real locations and exaggerated the scale to add that 20% extra terrain that made it unique. Topo maps were made so Lucas could establish the route and configure canyons and plateaus which could constitute into recognizable landmarks. With such map, they timed the race to see how many laps could be completed in eight minutes at speeds of more than 900 kilometers per hour in order to determine the length of the course. Afterwards, they added obstacles in the quieter sections, while others were simplified in areas of greater visual clarity.[5]
In the audio commentary on the Episode I DVD, visual effects supervisor John Knoll points out that in a shot of the scene of Sebulba riding just behind Anakin Skywalker, with Anakin's head nearly in the connecting current between the pod engines, it's possible to see that Sebulba isn't present in his pod.[11]
Appearances
- Queen's Peril (and audiobook) (Indirect mention only)
- The Phantom Menace 25th Anniversary Special 1
- Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace (First appearance)
- The Phantom Menace Little Golden Book (and audiobook)
- The Phantom Menace Read-Along Storybook and CD
- Star Wars: The Phantom Menace Graphic Novel Adaptation
- Star Wars: The Prequel Trilogy – A Graphic Novel
- Star Wars Journeys: The Phantom Menace
- Star Wars Journeys: Beginnings
- "Race to the Finish Line" — 5-Minute Star Wars Stories (and audiobook)
- Queen's Shadow (and audiobook) (Indirect mention only)
- "Adventure in the Arena" — 5-Minute Star Wars Stories Strike Back (and audiobook) (Indirect mention only)
- Brotherhood (and audiobook) (Indirect mention only)
- Choose Your Destiny: A Podracer Mission
- "Ion Control" — From a Certain Point of View: The Empire Strikes Back (and audiobook) (Mentioned only)
- Star Wars: Hunters (Mentioned only)
- Force Collector (and audiobook) (Vision to Karr Nuq Sin)
- Star Wars Resistance — "The High Tower" (On poster)
Non-canon appearances
- (In flashback(s))
- "The Racing Winner" — LEGO Star Wars 57 (In flashback(s))
- The LEGO Star Wars Holiday Special
- LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga
Sources
- Anakin Skywalker's Podracer in the Encyclopedia (content now obsolete; backup link)
- Boonta Eve Classic Podracer Pilots in the Encyclopedia (content now obsolete; backup link) (First identified as Boonta Eve Podrace)
- Sebulba's Podracer in the Encyclopedia (content now obsolete; backup link)
- Star Wars: Card Trader (Set: Base Series 1, Card: Anakin Skywalker - Padawan)
- Star Wars: Card Trader (Set: Base Series 1, Card: Aurra Sing - Bounty Hunter)
- Star Wars: Card Trader (Set: Base Series 1, Card: Bib Fortuna - Majordomo)
- Star Wars: Card Trader (Set: Base Series 1, Card: Sebulba - Tatooine Podracer)
- Star Wars: Card Trader (Set: Base Series 1, Card: Shmi Skywalker - Tatooine Slave)
- Star Wars: Card Trader (Set: Base Series 1, Card: Watto - Junk Dealer)
- Ultimate Star Wars
- Star Wars: Star Pilot
- Star Wars: Absolutely Everything You Need to Know
- Star Wars: Ships of the Galaxy
- Star Wars Helmet Collection 2 (Databank A-Z: Alzoc III–Antilles)
- Star Wars Helmet Collection 4 (Databank A-Z: B1 Battle Droid–Bantha)
- Star Wars: Build the Millennium Falcon 64 (Guide to the Galaxy: Visiting Malastare)
- Star Wars Helmet Collection 7 (Databank A-Z: Bongo–Bowcaster)
- Star Wars Helmet Collection 8 (Databank A-Z: Master Chief Bric–C-3PO) (Indirect mention only)
- Star Wars Helmet Collection 17 (Helmets: Anakin Skywalker Podracer)
- Star Wars Helmet Collection 17 (Highlights of the Saga: The Boonta Eve Classic)
- Star Wars Helmet Collection 17 (Weapons & Uniforms: Sebulba and Rival Pilots)
- Star Wars: Complete Locations (First identified as Boonta Eve)
- Star Wars Helmet Collection 21 (Databank A-Z: Greedo–Gundarks) (Indirect mention only)
- Star Wars Propaganda: A History of Persuasive Art in the Galaxy
- Star Wars: Galactic Atlas
- Star Wars Helmet Collection 23 (Databank A-Z: Hassk Triplets–Holograms)
- Much to Learn You Still Have: 7 Things You Might Not Know About Jawas on StarWars.com (backup link)
- Star Wars: Build Your Own R2-D2 4 (Droid Directory: 3PO-series Protocol Droids, Part 2)
- Darth Vader: Sith Lord
- Star Wars: The Visual Encyclopedia
- Star Wars Helmet Collection 36 (Weapons & Uniforms: Jabba's Courtiers) (Indirect mention only)
- Star Wars Helmet Collection 38 (Databank A-Z: Baze Malbus–Darth Maul)
- Star Wars Super Graphic: A Visual Guide to a Galaxy Far, Far Away
- Star Wars Helmet Collection 45 (Databank A-Z: Petranaki Arena–Proton Torpedoes)
- Star Wars: Absolutely Everything You Need to Know, Updated and Expanded
- Star Wars Helmet Collection 48 (Databank A-Z: Sabe–The Separatist Council)
- Star Wars Helmet Collection 49 (Databank A-Z: Serenno–Anakin Skywalker) (Indirect mention only)
- Star Wars: Geektionary: The Galaxy from A - Z
- Star Wars Helmet Collection 50 (Databank A-Z: Luke Skywalker–Han Solo) (Indirect mention only)
- Star Wars Helmet Collection 53 (Databank A-Z: Tantive IV–Tatooine)
- Star Wars Helmet Collection 58 (Databank A-Z: Tusken Raiders–Captain Typho)
- Star Wars Encyclopedia of Starfighters and Other Vehicles
- Star Wars Helmet Collection 70 (Databank A-Z: Wicket Warrick–Weequay)
- Star Wars: The Complete Visual Dictionary, New Edition
- Star Wars: Alien Archive
- Star Wars: Scum and Villainy: Case Files on the Galaxy's Most Notorious
- Star Wars Helmet Collection 76 (Databank A-Z: Xev Xrexus–Yavin 4) (Picture only)
- Star Wars Search and Find Volume I
- LEGO Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace (Set: 75258 Anakin's Podracer - 20th Anniversary Edition)
- Ultimate Star Wars, New Edition
- Star Wars: Card Trader (Set: 2020 Base Series, Card: Sebulba)
- Star Wars: Card Trader (Set: 2020 Base Series 2, Card: Wald)
- "R2-D2" — Star Wars Encyclopedia
- Star Wars Complete Vehicles, New Edition
- Disney Gallery: The Mandalorian — "Making of Season Two"
- "C-3PO" — Star Wars Encyclopedia
- "Star Wars: The Mandalorian Season One Companion" — Star Wars Insider 201
- Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga – The Official Collector's Edition
- "Anakin Skywalker" — Star Wars Encyclopedia
- Star Wars Inside Intel: Podracing on StarWars.com (article) (backup link)
- Star Wars 100 Objects
- Star Wars: Timelines
- 25 Things You Probably Didn't Know About the Making of Star Wars: The Phantom Menace on StarWars.com (backup link)
- "Launchpad" — Star Wars Insider 228
- Star Wars Bestiary, Vol. 1: Creatures of the Galaxy
- Star Wars Encyclopedia: The Comprehensive Guide to the Star Wars Galaxy
- Anakin Skywalker in the Databank (backup link)
- Anakin Skywalker's Podracer in the Databank (backup link)
- Aurra Sing in the Databank (backup link)
- Boonta Eve Classic Podracer Pilots in the Databank (backup link)
- C-3PO (See-Threepio) in the Databank (backup link)
- Clegg Holdfast in the Databank (backup link)
- Gardulla the Hutt in the Databank (backup link)
- Pit Droid in the Databank (backup link)
- Sebulba's Podracer in the Databank (backup link)
- The Force in the Databank (backup link) (Picture only)
- Wald in the Databank (backup link)
- Watto in the Databank (backup link)
Notes and references
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 1.18 1.19 Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Star Wars: Galactic Atlas dates the events of Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace, which includes the Boonta Eve Classic, to 32 BBY.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Star Wars: Absolutely Everything You Need to Know
- ↑ Gasgano in the Databank (backup link)
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Star Wars: Complete Locations
- ↑ Star Wars Complete Vehicles, New Edition
- ↑ Queen's Peril
- ↑ Boonta Eve Classic Podracer Pilots in the Databank (backup link)
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Ultimate Star Wars
- ↑ Choose Your Destiny: A Podracer Mission
- ↑ Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace DVD audio commentary