- "You're very fond of words."
"As are all Blarina. I once finished fifth in a homeworld soliloquy competition. It is one of our most notable traits." - ―Naka Iit
The Blarina were a short sentient species that were native to the planet Rina Major who were notably fond of words and were famously accomplished liars. Many other species found it difficult to tell different Blarina apart, which some Blarina used to their advantage when dealing with others. They had a broad face with a short, narrow snout; small, beady eyes; and a mouth full of sharp teeth.
Around thirty years after the Battle of Endor, a Blarina named Wollivan was present in the castle of Maz Kanata shortly before its destruction by the First Order. Around the same time, the Blarina Naka Iit and Ohn Gos worked as a scavenger and a merchant respectively on the desert planet Jakku, and aided the Resistance pilot Poe Dameron in getting off the planet.
Biology and appearance[]
The Blarina were a short, pudgy[4] bipedal sentient species who were not especially strong, but made up for it by being incredibly quick,[3] rugged and resourceful. With tough skin, they could survive in both high and low temperature extremes and through decompression, and were resistant to poison and disease.[4] Most other sentient species had trouble telling Blarina apart based on their appearance, with members having broad faces with short, wide snouts and a small pair of eyes with slitted pupils. Below their snout, the Blarina had a mouth with more sharp teeth than a human mouth contained, including incisors. The species' skin was scaly[3] and could be pink[6] in color, while their eyes could have a golden hue. They had five-fingered hands with claws at the end of each digit.[3]
Blarina were susceptible to the Anoat pox, a disease that left colored marks on the skin amongst other symptoms.[7]
Society and culture[]
- "It's said that the Blarina are an exceptionally hospitable people."
"You've heard that? That must be referring to some other Blarina. It certainly doesn't sound like me." - ―Pilot Poe Dameron and Naka Iit
Amongst the most notable traits[3] of the highly sociable[4] Blarina were their fondness for words and speech, which made some members of the species quick with words. They could speak Galactic Basic Standard, and convey sarcasm, despair, delight and amusement through their tones when using the language. The species was also famously known for being accomplished liars, with at least one member of the species often lying about his identity in order to avoid trouble and take advantage of the problems other species had in identifying individual Blarina. They often hissed during speech and made a cackling hiss when delighted. The species were not especially known for their hospitality, although at least one member of the species was sympathetic to others, and another offered a stranger lost in the desert transport to civilization.[3] Blarina would stick together when faced with species of larger size, often forming family-based guilds or mercantile associations.[4]
Blarina in the galaxy[]
- "I'm Naka Iit. A scavenger of sorts. I might just scavenge you."
- ―Naka Iit to Poe Dameron
Daxxus was a Blarina in the Anoat sector who avoided an Imperial inspection of their cargo by describing the symptoms of the Anoat pox and having berry marks on their face.[7] By 5 BBY,[8] this incident was described to the Smuggler, leader of the Uprising who had recruited Daxxus to their cause.[7]
The Blarina Naka Iit began working as a scavenger on the planet Jakku around ten years after the Battle of Endor, and made the acquaintance of Ohn Gos, another Blarina living on Jakku who worked as a merchant in Blowback Town. Twenty years into Iit's career he encountered the Resistance pilot Poe Dameron lost in the desert and agreed to take him to Blowback Town to try and arrange transport off world with Gos, who was generally more sympathetic to others. En route to the town, Iit and Dameron were attacked by the Strus clan, but the pilot shook off the pursuers, earning Iit's gratitude. The Blarina agreed to intercede with Gos in thanks, and the two Blarina arranged Dameron transport off world, allowing him to return to the Resistance base on the planet D'Qar.[3]
The hyperspace scout Wollivan was a Blarina with a large family, and due to their similar appearance, often claimed to be different members of his family to avoid trouble.[1] Shortly after Iit and Gos helped Dameron,[3] Wollivan was in the castle of the pirate Maz Kanata when the smuggler Han Solo arrived looking for help getting the astromech droid BB-8 to the Resistance. After Solo's arrival, the occupants of the castle were drawn outside to witness the destruction of the Hosnian system by the First Order's Starkiller Base superweapon. The castle was then attacked and destroyed by the First Order.[6] Wollivan wore a Blarina vac-suit while at the castle.[1]
Behind the scenes[]
A member of the Blarina species first appeared in the film Star Wars: Episode VII The Force Awakens, but the species' appearance was first revealed in an exclusive Vanity Fair article published seven months before the film's release in 2015.[9] The species was not named in the article or film. but received a name in the reference book Star Wars: The Force Awakens: The Visual Dictionary, which was written by Pablo Hidalgo and released in conjunction with the film.
Appearances[]
- The High Republic Adventures (2022) 1
- The High Republic Adventures (2022) 7
- The High Republic Adventures (2022) 8
- Rogue One Adaptation 1
- Han Solo 1
- Star Wars: Uprising
- Aftermath: Empire's End (Mentioned only)
- Aftermath: Empire's End audiobook (Mentioned only)
- Star Wars: Episode VII The Force Awakens (First appearance)
- Star Wars: The Force Awakens novelization
- Star Wars: The Force Awakens audiobook
- Star Wars: The Force Awakens: A Junior Novel
- Star Wars: The Force Awakens: A Junior Novel audiobook
- Choose Your Destiny: A Maz's Castle Mission
- Poe Dameron 26 (In flashback(s))
Non-canon appearances[]
Sources[]
- The Art of Star Wars: Uprising (as "Episode 7 alien species")
- Star Wars: The Force Awakens: The Visual Dictionary (First identified as Blarina)
- 2015 Topps Star Wars: The Force Awakens Series 1 (Card: Wollivan)
- Star Wars: Aliens of the Galaxy
- Star Wars: Complete Locations
- Poe Dameron: Flight Log
- Star Wars: Aliens and Ships of the Galaxy
- Creatures and Peoples of the Galaxy (Picture only)
- Star Wars Helmet Collection 59 (Weapons & Uniforms: Denizens of Maz Kanata's Castle)
- Star Wars: Alien Archive
- Star Wars Search and Find Volume I
- Every Droid in Star Wars | Star Wars By the Numbers on the official Star Wars Kids YouTube channel (content now obsolete; backup link)
- Every Language in Star Wars Movies | Star Wars By the Numbers on the official Star Wars Kids YouTube channel (content now obsolete; backup link) (Picture only)
- The Art of Star Wars: The Mandalorian Season One (Picture only)
- Wollivan in the Databank (backup link)
Notes and references[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Star Wars: The Force Awakens: The Visual Dictionary
- ↑ Star Wars: Uprising
- ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 Star Wars: The Force Awakens novelization
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 Star Wars: Aliens of the Galaxy
- ↑ Star Wars: Aliens and Ships of the Galaxy
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Star Wars: Episode VII The Force Awakens
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Star Wars: Uprising—Crew Member: "Daxxus"
- ↑ Star Wars: Uprising—Crew Member: "Daxxus" describes the deterring of the Imperial inspection in the past tense. The game is set during Ubrik Adelhard's Iron Blockade, which was defeated just before the Battle of Jakku. As Star Wars: Galactic Atlas dates the Battle of Jakku to 5 ABY, the events of Uprising must take place by that year.
- ↑ Adam Driver and Lupita Nyong'o's Characters Revealed in Exclusive Star Wars: The Force Awakens Photos by Leibovitz, Annie on www.vanityfair.com (May 4, 2015) (archived from the original on June 20, 2018)