Bothan

"Many Bothans died to bring us this information."

- Mon Mothma, before the Battle of Endor

The Bothans were credited with stealing the plans for the second Death Star, despite sustaining heavy casualties, thereby enabling the Rebel Alliance to plan an attack on the unfinished space station.

Behind the scenes
Though the mention of Bothans in the film Return of the Jedi by Mon Mothma did not expound on the nature of Bothans, their role and sacrifice in securing the plans for the second Death Star is well-known as a consequence.

Bothan physical appearances differ noticeably in various non-canon sources. Timothy Zahn first describes the species in his Heir to the Empire novel, and illustrations for the Heir to the Empire Sourcebook from West End Games show them as fairly Human-like creatures with fur. The Heir to the Empire comic depicts the Bothans differently, as largely fur-faced with long snouts. The Shadows of the Empire comics follow the lead of the West End Games sourcebooks, as do the Shadows of the Empire Planets Guide, Star Wars: Rebellion, the Star Wars Customizable Card Game, and the Databank (this last source uses the image from the card and was the main image for some time). Meanwhile, long-snouted Bothans appear in later EU games and publications. The Essential Guide to Planets and Moons shows Bothans as an average between the two extremes.

Appearances

 * Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi