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[6]Quinlan Vos, to Obi-Wan Kenobi, after the latter fights a dragonsnake
The dragonsnake (also spelled dragon snake) was a large, predatory reptile that dwelled in the muddy waters of certain planets, including Dagobah and Nal Hutta. During the Clone Wars, the Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi had a run-in with a dragonsnake while searching for Ziro the Hutt on Nal Hutta. Years later, Luke Skywalker crash-landed on Dagobah, where his astromech droid R2-D2 was nearly eaten by a dragonsnake.
Biology and appearance
Living in the murky waters of swamp-covered planets such as Dagobah[3] and Nal Hutta,[5] the dragonsnakes were large serpentlike beasts with sharp fangs.[6] Although voracious, they were incapable of digesting metal.[7] The dragonsnake "Bright-Eyes" displayed a degree of sentience.[8]
Behavior
Dragonsnakes were predatory animals, living off the flesh of other creatures.[9] When hunting, they hid under the muddy water[4] and amongst gnarltree roots,[2] waiting for their next meal to come close enough.[4] After snatching its prey, a dragonsnake would then dive back under the water.[7] They were amongst the most fearsome reptiles and were considered untameable.[2]
History
At some point during the pan-galactic conflict known as the Clone Wars, the Jedi Masters Obi-Wan Kenobi and Quinlan Vos attempted to track down Ziro the Hutt on Nal Hutta. During the mission, Kenobi was attacked by a local dragonsnake. The creature was killed when the Jedi Master thrust his ignited lightsaber in the dragonsnake's head.[6]
In the year 20 BBY,[10] a dragonsnake head was kept as a trophy on a Ubrikkian Floating Fortess by Trandoshan hunters[11] on the moon of Wasskah.[12]
In 3 ABY,[13] the aspiring Jedi Luke Skywalker accidentally landed his X-wing starfighter in the middle of watery peat bog on Dagobah. A dragonsnake that hid there snatched Skywalker's astromech droid R2-D2, which it attempted to eat. However, the dragonsnake found R2 indigestable and spit him out.[7] That incident was also witnessed by another dragonsnake, "Bright-Eyes."[8]
Behind the scenes
The reptilian creature first appeared in the 1980 film Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back.[7] However, it was first identified as "Dragonsnake" in an episode guide for "Hunt for Ziro" from the animated television series Star Wars: The Clone Wars.[14]
Dragonsnakes were originally going to make an appearance in the Star Wars video game Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order on Dagobah, but it never made it into the final cut.[15]
Appearances
-
Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "Hunt for Ziro" - Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "Wookiee Hunt" (Head only)
- Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back (First appearance)
- The Empire Strikes Back: So You Want to Be a Jedi? (and audiobook)
- Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back junior novelization
- "The First Lesson" — From a Certain Point of View: The Empire Strikes Back (and audiobook)
- "Vergence" — From a Certain Point of View: The Empire Strikes Back (and audiobook) (Mentioned only)
- "The Light That Falls" — From a Certain Point of View: Return of the Jedi (and audiobook)
- "Masters" — Stories of Jedi and Sith (and audiobook) (Mentioned only)
- Star Wars: Squadrons (Mentioned only)
- Aftermath: Life Debt (and audiobook) (Mentioned only)
Non-canon appearances
- "The Dragonsnake Saves R2-D2" — From a Certain Point of View: The Empire Strikes Back (and audiobook)
- The LEGO Star Wars Holiday Special
-
"The Ghost of Good" — LEGO Star Wars 77 - LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga
Sources
-
"Hunt for Ziro" Episode Guide | The Clone Wars on StarWars.com (backup link) (First identified as dragonsnake) - "Wookiee Hunt" Episode Guide | The Clone Wars on StarWars.com (backup link)
-
Nal Hutta in the Encyclopedia (content now obsolete; backup link) - Star Wars: Journey Through Space (First identified as dragon snake)
- Star Wars: Absolutely Everything You Need to Know
- Nexus of Power
- Star Wars: Complete Locations
- Star Wars: Galactic Atlas
-
Star Wars: The Card Game — Scrap Metal (Card: Dragonsnake) (backup link) -
Star Wars: Build Your Own R2-D2 3 (Droid Directory: R2-series Astromech Droids, Part 2) - Star Wars: The Visual Encyclopedia
- Star Wars: Absolutely Everything You Need to Know, Updated and Expanded
- Star Wars: Alien Archive
-
Every Creature in the Star Wars Movies | Star Wars By the Numbers on the official Star Wars Kids YouTube channel (content now obsolete; backup link) - Star Wars: Outer Rim
- Star Wars: How Not to Get Eaten by Ewoks and Other Galactic Survival Skills
- Gadgets and Gear
-
"R2-D2" — Star Wars Encyclopedia (Indirect mention only) - "The Reckoning" Episode Guide | The Mandalorian on StarWars.com (backup link)
- "The Battle of Hoth and the Second Death Star" — Star Wars Encyclopedia (Indirect mention only)
- Star Wars: Timelines
- Star Wars Bestiary, Vol. 1: Creatures of the Galaxy
-
Dagobah in the Databank (backup link) - Nal Hutta in the Databank (backup link)
- R2-D2 in the Databank (backup link)
Notes and references
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Star Wars Bestiary, Vol. 1: Creatures of the Galaxy
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Star Wars: The Visual Encyclopedia
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 R2-D2 in the Databank (backup link)
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 Star Wars: Journey Through Space
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Nal Hutta in the Databank (backup link)
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "Hunt for Ziro"
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 "The Light That Falls" — From a Certain Point of View: Return of the Jedi
- ↑ Star Wars: Alien Archive
- ↑ Star Wars: Timelines dates the events of "Wookiee Hunt" to 20 BBY.
- ↑ Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "Wookiee Hunt"
- ↑ Ultimate Star Wars
- ↑ Star Wars: Galactic Atlas
- ↑ "Hunt for Ziro" Episode Guide | The Clone Wars on StarWars.com (backup link)
- ↑
Dragon snake on Amy Fry's profile on ArtStation (backup link)
