Limb/Legends

"That's because droids don't pull people's arms out of their sockets when they lose. Wookiees are known to do that."

- Han Solo



Limbs were important appendages of organic bodies and many types of mechanical chassis. They were typically designed for motion and/or manipulation, and were found on most sentient and non-sentient species throughout the galaxy, and many droids and other artificial constructs.

Humans and many other important sentient species were bipedal, with two legs and two arms, and this form was imitated by many droids; but there were many variations. Sometimes these were relatively subtle, especially in the construction of hands, feet and their digits.

Some bipedal species of the galaxy exhibited four arms, such as Besalisks, Codru-Ji, Myneyrshi, and Pho Ph'eahians.

Other species and designs, however, had limbs of more radically different designs, like the dianoga with its tentacles and prehensile eyestalk, or the R-series astromech, which could travel in a bipedal or tripodal configuration, and had a wide variety of manipulator arms that could be extended from their torso and head.

Some species, such as the Kloodavians, Gands, and Trandoshans were able to regrow their limbs if they were severed.

Wookiees were known to pull limbs off individuals when unhappy.

Other species, such as serpents like snakes, and the sentient Priapulin had no limbs.

Behind the scenes
Every Star Wars movie but The Phantom Menace features dismemberment, of either organic or artificial limbs. Rob Coleman discusses this in the Attack of the Clones commentary track ("Yet another in the series of Star Wars severed limbs. I've actually tried to talk to George about the whole reason for the severed limbs in these movies and he always just sort of smiles and chuckles and never gives me the real answer.") and when asked by Vanity Fair about the dismemberments, George Lucas answered: "That's what happens when you play with swords."


 * Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones: Obi-Wan Kenobi cuts Zam Wesell's hand and the Acklay's leg off, Dooku cuts off Anakin Skywalker's hand.
 * Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith: Anakin severs Dooku's hands and Mace Windu's hand, Yoda severs a Clone Trooper's arm before impaling him with his lightsaber, Obi-Wan cuts off two of Grievous' cybernetic arms and during the Duel on Mustafar, Anakin's remaining hand and both legs.
 * Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope: C-3PO gets his arm removed during a Tusken Raider attack, Obi-Wan slices off Ponda Baba's arm.
 * Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back: A Wampa loses an arm to Luke Skywalker's lightsaber, Darth Vader cuts off Luke's right hand.
 * Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi: Luke cuts through Darth Vader's cybernetic right arm.

Appearances

 * Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope novelization
 * Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope