Watto/Legends

"Old Watto is a dirty bird Hot peggats in his purse His flippers stink like bantha curd His breath smells even worse"

- Mos Espa graffiti by W. Wald

Watto was a male Toydarian merchant who lived on the planet Tatooine. He owned a junkyard in Mos Espa from which he sold a variety of used mechanical parts, ranging from spaceship parts to droid components.

He was also a keen gambler, often betting on the local podraces, and occasionally even entering his own podracer and pilot in the races. Watto also treated his slaves more humanely than most others.

Early life
As a young Toydarian growing up on Toydaria, Watto enlisted in the Ossiki Confederacy Army, a force that used chemical warfare to starve its enemies. During Watto's time in the army, Toydaria was undergoing a drought, and the Ossiki was fighting to gain a monopoly on what little food there was left. After several years, the drought ended, as did the war, but Watto carried several grim trophies: a broken tusk and a lame leg.

Early career
Watto eventually set up a shop in Mos Espa, and acquired several slaves, among them Amee. In a wager on a podrace, he won from Gardulla the Elder the mother-and-son duo of Shmi and Anakin Skywalker. To ensured that his slaves did not try to escape, Watto had an explosive chip installed in each of them, that would detonate should they make any attempt to free themselves.

Watto eventually fell into Jabba Desilijic Tiure's debt, and was unable to pay it off. At some stage, the Toydarian purchased a lightsaber from a peddler. Shortly afterwards, two of Anakin's friends, W. Wald and a sentient feline started snooping around the shop, prompting Watto to chase them off. He then departed to see Jabba before that day's podraces began. Anakin was left behind to tend to the shop. Jabba, however, threatened to take away Watto's shop if he did not pay off the debt. On his way back to the shop, Watto realized that they only way he would raise enough money would be to bet against Sebulba in the upcoming race&mdash;not an attractive prospect for the Toydarian, as Sebulba never lost a race. When he arrived at the shop, Wald and the feline had returned, forcing him to chase them off again. As he watched the race later that day, Watto was mortified when Sebulba pulled into the lead, but, fortunately for the Toydarian, the Dug's podracer inexplicably disentegrated, causing him to lose the race. With his winnings, Watto was able to pay off all debts, but his joy was short-lived, as he found Wald and the feline once again snooping around his shop. Once more, the Toydarian chased them off.

When Watto learned that Sebulba was bringing something new into Mos Espa, he sent Anakin to investigate. The boy discovered that it was the Dug's new Plug-F Mammoth. During this time, Watto's Shop became a popular outlet for podracers, who were able to buy all kinds of upgrades for their vehicles in between the various races. When a customer was not able to buy a new part for their podracer, Watto would take them out back to his junkyard, and would sell them used parts. The Toydarian also sold DUM-series pit droids to the customers. When Watto began having trouble with womp rats in his junkyard, he set snares for them. The Toydarian would never check the snares, however, instead opting to let the rats starve and die.

Skywalker proved to be particularly adept at podracing, and Watto even entered him in a race, allowing the young Human to pilot the Toydarian's own vehicle. To Watto's horror, Skywalker was sidelined by Sebulba in the race, and the pod was severely damaged.

Watto eventually moved to Tatooine, where he lived amongst the Jawa clans, learning the art of the trade. Watto also learned to trade with foreigners, rather than the locals, who were immune to the standard tricks of the trade. He eventually opened a junk shop in Mos Espa, which was soon tended to by a pair of slaves that he won from Gardulla the Elder: Shmi Skywalker and her son, Anakin. He also owned a Lethan female slave who he forbade to talk to outlanders. Ever stingy, he effectively severed all ties to his family back on Toydaria, fearful that they would exploit his good fortune and ask for "favors".

Over the years, Watto accumulated a wide variety of exotic items, leading offworlders to stop by his place first when in need of parts. Due to the Hutt control of the planet, Watto limited his payment methods by barring all use of Republic credits, insisting on either a fair trade or Tatooine currency. As if the money from the store was not enough, Watto also enjoyed gambling, often betting on the Mos Espa podraces.

Boonta Eve Podrace, 32 BBY


When the time came for Boonta's Eve in 32 BBY, Tatooine's Jawa traders came into Mos Espa. Watto, hoping to get replacement parts for his podracer, dispatched Anakin to meet with the Jawas from Mochot Steep. The boy was unable to retrieve the parts, however, and Watto scolded him, ordering him to clean the junkyard bins. The young Human protested, insisting that he had already done so that day, but the Toydarian cared little, ordering him to do as he was told.

When the race was over, Watto met with Jinn. The Toydarian accused the Jedi of fraud, but Jinn suggested that Watto, being a gambler, should have been prepared for loss. The Jedi then asked Watto to bring the hyperdrive parts to main podracer hangar, and then promised to come by the shop afterwards to take custody of the boy. The Toydarian baulked, and told the Jedi that he couldn't take Anakin, as the bet had not been fair. Jinn, un-fazed, threatened to take the matter up with the Hutts, and Watto realized he was defeated. He resignedly agreed to transfer custody of Anakin, but as soon as Jinn was gone, he began plotting vengeance against the Jedi.

Almost immediately afterwards, Watto was approached by Gardulla, who congratulated the Toydarian on having his podracer win. The Hutt then offered to buy Anakin back from Watto at a price of 50,000 peggats. Claiming the need to have time to think about such a transaction, Watto bade Gardulla goodbye, and immediately began plotting to get Anakin back. Before he left the arena, he spied one of Jabba's thugs. Approaching the thug, Watto offered him with a freelance job&mdash;to "convince" Jinn to leave Anakin behind on Tatooine. The thug accepted the deal. Bringing the hyperdrive parts to the hangar, Watto met with Jinn again, and inquired as to whether or not Anakin would be staying on Tatooine. Jinn responded by claiming that it was the boy's choice, and the Toydarian capitalized on the claim, suggesting that the boy and his mother should not be separated. The Jedi retorted by asking Watto once more to free Shmi. Realizing that Jinn was trying to trick him, the Toydarian demanded that the Jedi bring the eopies and sleds used to carry the hyperdrive be returned to his shop.

As he left the hangar, Watto met with Jabba's thug in an alleyway, and the Toydarian reminded his employee of his job. Satisfied that Jinn would be dealt with, Watto returned to his shop. Later, Sebulba entered, hoping to purchase new engines to replace the ones lost in that day's race. The Toydarian, however, was aghast when Jinn strode through the door to his shop, unharmed. The Jedi used one of his mind tricks to dismiss Sebulba, and then demanded that the Toydarian retrieve and deactivate the transmitter that would allow Anakin to leave Tatooine. Watto went to his safe to retrieve the device, but the safe also contained a blaster. Jinn, however, implied that he had already dispatched Watto's hired thugs, and that he was "in no mood for games." Taking the hint, the Toydarian retrieved the transmitter, and deactivated it. As he was doing so, Jinn warned Watto to not harm Shmi in any way, shape or form. As Jinn left the shop, he sold Anakin's podracer to Sebulba, much to the Toydarian's dismay.

Anakin was Watto's favorite slave; the boy was an extremely talented mechanic, despite his age, and was often able to get things working that even the most costly and talented of Mos Espa's mechanics had trouble with. When the Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn bartered "his" ship on the upcoming Boonta Eve Classic in exchange for the freedom of the boy, Watto was confident that he would be able to add the expensive Nubian cruiser to his stockpile. However, Watto lost the bet on the race, with Sebulba, the favorite, losing out to Skywalker himself.

Later career
"Maybe you could help with some deadbeats who owe me a lot of money."

- Watto



After his loss at Boonta Eve, Watto would spend hours wandering the streets of Mos Espa, looking for his lost chance cube. Watto even unknowingly assisted Count Dooku's plan for a Clone Army by informing his friend Rozatta of the bounty on Longo Two-Guns' head, leading bounty hunter Jango Fett closer to the Bando Gora. He also placed a bounty at that time on Vorkeesk, a Klas'assa'nikto who apparently owed him money. The bounty of 3000 credits (1500 for dead) was recived by Jango Fett at that same time. He grew kinder to Shmi, knowing that their relationship had changed since Anakin had left. He sold Shmi in 26 BBY to a moisture farmer named Cliegg Lars, assuring himself that he was doing the right thing. The money allowed him to stay in business for the next couple of years. In 22 BBY, Anakin returned and demanded the whereabouts of his mother. Watto obliged and then attempted to persuade Anakin to stay for a while, but the boy, now a young Jedi Padawan, left without a word.

Ten months into the Clone Wars, during the rise of the Cortosis Battle Droids, Anakin met Watto again, briefly, while he was searching for any sign of Raala Ponchar. The Toydarian, after being surprised by Anakin's no-nonsense, all-business attitude towards him, sent him on his way. This was the last time they would see each other.

At the end of the Clone Wars, Watto was unaware that Anakin turned to the dark side of the Force and became the evil Darth Vader.



Watto was still alive and operating in Mos Espa following the destruction of the first Death Star. However, when he decided to retire, he turned ownership of his shop over to W. Wald, who was still running the establishment just prior to the Battle of Sluis Van.

Personality and traits
When he was in a particularly foul mood, Watto would hurl abuse at his slaves, and would get them to repeat tasks, even if they were redundant. He would also threaten his slaves with beatings.

Watto was an exceptionally thrifty Toydarian, having very few personal possessions, and rarely buying expensive equipment. He was also constantly complaining, be it about the inefficiency of his slaves or the wily trading of the Jawas. His greed allowed him to survive in the city of Mos Espa, but it also nearly destroyed him at the Boonta Eve Podrace. He did not seek popularity, but the fact that he would never wield the power of Gardulla or Jabba the Hutt bothered him.

He was often plagued by nightmares&mdash;usually featuring twin shackles that prevented him from flying. The twin shackles were labeled "other people's incompetence" and "my own rotten luck". These nightmares heavily influenced the Toydarian, turning him into a bitter, uncompromising salesman, and eventually into a sad, luckless old vagabond.

Behind the scenes


Watto was an entirely computer-generated character, played by voice actor Andrew Secombe in Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace. Secombe went on to reprise his role as Watto in the video game adaption of Star Wars: Episode I: The Phantom Menace and Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones.

In Old Wounds, he was killed by Darth Maul. However, this story is non-canonical.

Watto made an appearance in Star Wars Galaxies: An Empire Divided, in which he gave out a series of special missions to rebuild an R2-series astromech droid. Also in the game, during a Tusken Raider invasion of Mos Espa, players must send "experts" to Watto's shop to obtain droids that will assist them in the quest. With the 2008 Lifeday Event his is the awarder of the STAP-1 vehicle for a meer 10K Credits (actually 20K, but you can get him to take 10K)

In Star Wars: Jedi Starfighter, in the Prison Break level, players must defeat different frigates. After defeating a few of them, Reti comments about a "Toydarian on Tatooine" who would love some of "this junk". This is, of course, a reference to Watto.

In the game Star Wars: Bounty Hunter, Roz refers to Watto as a "poor sap" who "lost everything in a podrace last season".

Non-canon appearances

 * LEGO Star Wars: The Video Game
 * LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga
 * Old Wounds