Roodown

"There's a scrounger in Niima named Crusher Roodown. For years he was one of the Blobfish's best scavengers, but he got into a dispute with the Blobfish, and Unkar sent his thugs to cut off Crusher's arms."

- Rey describes Roodown in her journal

Roodown, nicknamed "Crusher" Roodown, was an Abednedo scavenger on the planet Jakku that angered his employer, the junk dealer Unkar Plutt, who suspected he was selling salvage to a different buyer. As a consequence, Plutt's thugs cut off his arms, ending his life as a scavenger. However, Roodown was allowed to work as a strong back around Niima Outpost using his replacement load-lifter arms, which greatly increased his strength. He witnessed Plutt being kidnapped by the criminal Zool Zendiat, and described what had happened to the scavenger Rey when she arrived to investigate. In 34 ABY, shortly after the First Order attacked the nearby Tuanul village, he passed by Rey in the outpost.

Punished by Plutt
"Crusher does odd jobs around Niima for half rations now, which is how I know the Blobfish regrets what he did&mdash;otherwise he would have had Crusher killed."

- Rey theorizes on why Roodown is still alive

"Crusher" Roodown was an Abednedo male who, for years, was one of the best scavengers operating out of Niima Outpost on the planet Jakku, where he would bring his junk to trade with the junk dealer Unkar Plutt, who ran the outpost. After Roodown and Plutt had a dispute, Plutt sent his thugs to cut off the scavenger's arms in the belief that Roodown was selling salvage to another buyer. Roodown had replacement, aftermarket load-lifter arms installed. Unable to salvage again, he was allowed by Plutt to work around Niima, offering his services as a strong back to other scavengers and completing other small jobs for half portions of food including occasional work as an enforcer.

Interactions with Rey
Roodown witnessed the criminal Zool Zendiat and a group of his thugs arrive in Niima and capture Plutt while they searched for the head of a J9 droid that the Crolute had been sold. When the human scavenger Rey arrived in the outpost and asked what had happened, Roodown described Plutt's kidnapping to her shortly before the Gabdorin Krynodd declared himself the new "junkboss" of Niima.

In 34 ABY, and shortly after the First Order attacked the nearby Tuanul village, Roodown was dragging a sled full of three non-functional I2-CG droids around Niima when he passed Rey, who had just returned from scavenging in the wreck of the Imperial-class Star Destroyer Inflictor.

Around a day later, Niima was attacked by the forces of the First Order. Rey later wrote about Roodown in a survival guide she compiled and theorized that he had been allowed to live and work in Niima after losing his arms only because Plutt regretted the incident.

Personality and traits
"Off-worlders led by some guy called Zool Zenidat. They blasted the outpost and grabbed Unkar. Serves 'im right, if you ask me."

- Roodown describes Plutt's kidnapping to Rey

Roodown was a large member of the Abednedo species. His load-lifter arms were yellow, while his eyes were black and his skin was a mottled pink and gray. His cybernetic arms granted him greatly enhanced strength. When Plutt was captured by Zendiat, Roodown believed the junk dealer deserved what had happened to him.

Equipment
Roodown used a sled in Niima that was made up of a scrapped water tank shell and salvaged thruster frame spokes.

Behind the scenes
"I was pretty pleased by the alien being all over the film! Roodown is vastly bigger than the other aliens of the same species. I just though he'd fallen down on his luck, and now he's got these giant JCB-style arms."

- Jake Lunt Davies

Roodown first appeared in Star Wars: Episode VII The Force Awakens, a film released in North America on December 18, 2015, in which he was portrayed by Ian Whyte, who also portrayed the character Bollie Prindel in the film. The character was not identified in the film, but was named in Rey's Survival Guide by Jason Fry, Star Wars: The Force Awakens: The Visual Dictionary by Pablo Hidalgo, and The Art of Star Wars: The Force Awakens by Phil Szostak, reference books released simultaneously in conjunction with the film.

Roodown was created by creature concept designer Jake Lunt Davies, and like all members of the Abednedo species named by Hidalgo in the Visual Dictionary, the character was named in reference to a song by the Beastie Boys, as director of The Force Awakens J.J. Abrams is a big fan of the group. Roodown is likely a reference to the song "Root Down."

Roodown also makes an appearance in the Jakku portion of the non-canon Disneyland theme park attraction Star Tours: The Adventures Continue, which was announced and added to the ride in 2015. During the segment, Roodown is hauling junk through the wreckage of a Star Destroyer on Jakku when the StarSpeeder 1000 carrying the ride's passengers crashes into the wreckage nearby. Before continuing with his task, Roodown briefly turns his attention to the vehicle, which several of Unkar Plutt's thugs then begin to scavenge from. The Starspeeder then takes off and leaves the wreckage and Jakku.

Appearances

 * Star Wars: Episode VII The Force Awakens
 * The Force Awakens, Part I
 * Star Wars: Episode VII The Force Awakens
 * The Force Awakens, Part I

Non-canon appearances

 * Star Tours: The Adventures Continue
 * Jakku Spy