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 for Plutt 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. When the Star Destroyer Spectral was uncovered by a storm in the desert, Plutt encouraged the scavengers of Niima to ransack it for him and had Roodown throttle the scavenger Teedo when he questioned the junk dealer. Constable Zuvio then sliced off Roodown's mechanical hand in order to stop any further harm befalling Teedo. 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 to work for Plutt 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
"Crusher Roodown! Crush that disbelieving sand gnat and toss him out!"

- Plutt orders Roodown to deal with Teedo

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. Rey then rescued Plutt, who reclaimed control of Niima.

When a storm uncovered the Interdictor-class Star Destroyer Spectral amongst the sands of Jakku, Plutt gathered together the scavengers of Niima and announced the appearance of the ship, encouraging them to scavenge it for him. The scavenger Teedo was dubious of the starship's existence and spoke out against the junk dealer, causing Plutt to order Roodown to crush the naysayer. The Abednedo grabbed Teedo by the throat and lifted him into the air, but was prevented from doing any further harm by Constable Zuvio, who sliced off Roodown's hand with a polearm.

The scavengers then raced off to try and reach the Spectral while Roodown had his hand reattached by a small droid. During the reattachment, Zuvio threatened Roodown and told him to warn Plutt and his friends that no harm should come to Rey, who had been the first scavenger to leave for the Spectral.

Attack on Niima
Shortly after the First Order attacked the nearby Tuanul village in 34 ABY, Roodown was dragging a sled with three non-functional I2-CG droids around Niima when he passed Rey, who had just returned from scavenging in the Starship Graveyard.

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 Zendiat. 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 with black eyes and mottled pink and gray skin. His yellow cybernetic arms granted him greatly enhanced strength. When Plutt was captured by Zendiat, Roodown believed the junk dealer deserved what had happened to him. Despite this, he was willing to obey Plutt's command to throttle Teedo. When Zuvio told him to spread the word that no harm should come to Rey, the Abednedo questioned why he should be concerned by the possibility.

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

Character creation
"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 thought he'd fallen down on his luck, and now he's got these giant JCB-style arms."

- Jake Lunt Davies

Roodown was created for the 2015 film Star Wars: Episode VII The Force Awakens, in which he was portrayed by Ian Whyte, who also played the character Bollie Prindel in the film. Roodown was created by creature concept designer Jake Lunt Davies and his costume was made up of foam and lightweight plastic, with both the suit and mechanical arms attached like a backpack to Whyte's back. The suit was made light and airy due to the extreme heat of the sets in Abu Dhabi where Roodown's scenes were filmed.

Naming and Star Tours
Roodown 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 on December 18. 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."

Prior to the film's release, Roodown made his first appearance in the Jakku portion of the non-canon Disneyland theme park attraction Star Tours: The Adventures Continue, which was added to the ride on November 16, 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
 * Rey's Survival Guide
 * The Force Awakens, Part I
 * Rey's Survival Guide

Non-canon appearances

 * Star Tours: The Adventures Continue