Krayt dragon/Legends

The krayt dragon, also called Bull dragon, was a large carnivorous reptile native to Tatooine.

Characteristics and species
Krayt dragons grew continuously throughout their lives to an average length of 4.5 meters and weight of 2,000 kilograms. They could live to be 100 years old and did not weaken appreciably with age.

A fierce hunter, the krayt dragon became an important part of indigenous cultures on Tatooine. The krayt dragon was thought by some xenobiologists to have descended from the Duinuogwuin (also known as Star Dragons). Although no substantial evidence was offered in support of a connection to the Duinuogwuin, the krayt dragon was a proven relative of the smaller kell dragon. In honor of the beast's sheer power and ferocity, the Jedi Order named the Djem So form of lightsaber combat "The Way of the Krayt Dragon."

When summer mating season began, the howls of krayt dragons filled the canyons of Tatooine. The collection of frenzied, mating beasts scared even the mightiest Sandpeople away. Obi-Wan Kenobi mimicked a krayt dragon mating call when he scared the raiders away from Luke Skywalker.

The krayt dragon had a set of sharp teeth used for capturing prey, but relied on ingesting stones to grind the food through a series of gizzards into a digestible state. They also had forked tails. Food would be crushed by the stones tumbled in the gizzards by stomach muscles, grinding food into pulp and turning boulders into smooth stones. The resulting stones, known as dragon pearls, were a valuable commodity among jewelers. The pearls could also be shaped and tuned by Jedi to be used as focusing crystals in their lightsabers. Krayt dragons instinctively go to the Krayt Graveyard when they are about to die.



Species
At least two species and several subspecies of krayt dragons exist.

The canyon krayt was a common species of krayt dragon that lived in the rocky caves and canyons of Tatooine's desert ranges. More often than not, the term "krayt dragon" referred to this lifeform. Patterns of horns and spikes appears to have varied from individual to individual. At least one canyon krayt was noted to have a two pronged tail.

The greater krayt, was a rarer, larger species of krayt dragon, known for its tremendous size and continual growth over time. Creatures of near legendary status, greater krayt dragons had ten legs, measured at least 100 meters from snout to tail tip and had the ability to move through or on Tatooine's desert sand. Greater krayt dragons attacked with their massive jaws or whip-like spike-tail, using their claws only to move through the sand.



In spite of its awesome power, the krayt dragon did have its weak and exploitable points. First, it had trouble resisting the allure of the prey of the Dune Sea, specifically the bantha; second, it had difficulty discerning two-dimensional images, often attacking shadows; and finally, a well-placed shot could bore right through the weak sinus cavity of the beast and hit the brain, killing it instantly.

The krayt could also secrete a lethal venom, either through its teeth or its spines. Although its nature is unclear, numerous underworld characters such as Bib Fortuna have admitted to using the substance to kill enemies.

Krayts in Tatooine culture


The Sandpeople of Tatooine revered the krayt dragon as a powerful hunter and centered their primary maturity ritual on it. Adolescent males were abandoned in the Tatooine dune and only accepted back into their tribes as adults when they had slain a krayt dragon. Both the Sandpeople and Jawas placed the krayt dragon in the position of a powerful spirit, and believed that their bones possessed magic. Jawas brave enough to risk the acquisition of krayt dragon bones were held in high regard among their people.

A krayt dragon skeleton was on display in Bestine's Museum of Tatooine.

Revan with the help of Komad Fortuna killed a Krayt Dragon in order to find an ancient Star Map. He collected the Krayt Dragon's Pearl, and because of this was permitted to learn the history of the Sandpeople.

A'Sharad Hett, a human Jedi who lived among the sandpeople with his father, took the name Darth Krayt after the dragons upon becoming a Sith Lord.

Behind the scenes

 * The artificial skeleton used for A New Hope was left in the Tunisian desert after filming and still lies there. During filming of Attack of the Clones, the site was visited by the crew and the skeleton was still found there.
 * Tyber Zann's flagship, Merciless, bore an image of a Krayt dragon across its hull.
 * Gavin Darklighter's X-Wing was painted in the image of a krayt dragon after he resigned his commission in the New Republic during the Bacta War.
 * Krayt dragons were intended to appear first in Star Wars: Dark Forces but for a reason they were renamed kell dragons and became a different but related species altogether.