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- "Do not cling to me like a dianoga! Attack!"
- ―Grievous
Dianoga were large omnivorous cephalopods that hailed from the planet Vodran in the Si'Klaata Cluster. Although primitive, they were actually sentient, and some dianoga were sensitive to the Force.
Biology and appearance[]
Dianoga were sentient[1] cephalopods characterized by seven suckered tentacles, an eyestalk, a mouth of sharp teeth,[2] and several hearts.[1] They could grow to a length of 7[3] to 10 meters.[4] Their blood had a blue tint.[1]
Although they could survive in the open air for short periods of time, dianoga were entirely dependent on water, lest they completely dried out.[1]
While physically hermaphroditic, dianoga could choose to identify as female, diangous (the most common gender), or male. The mating process involved partners exchanging eggs with one another.[1]
The normal skin color of a mature individual was a deep purple, but dianoga could change their color and patterns for active camouflage. They could notably turn black, gray, and even transparent. They also had the ability to regenerate lost limbs.[1]
Dianoga were omnivores,[6] feeding on smaller animals like fish and crabs, but also feed on bones and aquatic plants.[1]
Society and culture[]

Toothy, a juvenile dianoga
Dianoga had a primitive tribal culture. When they were not feeding, they often spoke a deep, complex humming language. Because its reverberations carried so completely in the water, that language scared away all nearby prey. Their people venerated water, which they called "the Great Cleanser When It Was Time to Be Cleansed," and believed in reincarnation.[1]
History[]
Dianoga hailed from Vodran, a swampy planet located in the Si'Klaata Cluster.[2] They shared their world with the sentient Vodrans, who usually stayed well away from the deeper wetlands.[1]
Dianoga in the galaxy[]

A dianoga in the water tanks of the SoroSuub refinery on Sullust.
One dianoga inhabited the junkyard world Bracca during the early days of the Galactic Empire. The being made a home within the waters that flooded the remains of a derelict Venator-class Star Destroyer, one of many such vessels left for scrap on the planet.[5] Around the year 19 BBY,[8] members of the rogue clone commando squad Clone Force 99 entered the wrecked cruiser, searching for a medical bay within the ship. One of their number, the hulking Wrecker, briefly wrestled with the dianoga when he found himself dangling from a cable over the being's watery home. Blasterfire from the other clones, however, drove the dianoga off and ended the encounter.[5]
At some point before the Battle of Yavin in 0 BBY, a female dianoga named Omi was captured by Vodrans, who handed her to members of the Empire en route to their new Death Star battle station. She was dumped into the Death Star's garbage masher 3263827, where she would feed on the organic materials that occasionally fell in.[1] During the rescue of Leia Organa, Luke Skywalker first realized something was alive in the garbage compactor, but shortly after his realization, Omi dragged Skywalker underwater. Han Solo and Organa were unable to locate him, but the dianoga released him just before the walls began to close.[9]
Experienced chefs could make grilled dianoga into a tasty breakfast dish, but overcooking it would activate the blood parasites in the fatty tissue, destroying the flavor.[10]
Appearances[]
Non-canon appearances[]
- LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga
LEGO Star Wars: The Freemaker Adventures – "A Hero Discovered"
- LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens
- Star Tours: The Adventures Continue
Sources[]
- Ultimate Star Wars (First identified as Dianoga)
Star Wars: Card Trader (Card: Dianoga - Creature - Base Series 1)
- Star Wars: Absolutely Everything You Need to Know
Star Wars Helmet Collection 14 (Databank A-Z: Dengar–Domino Squad)
- Star Wars: Geektionary: The Galaxy from A - Z
- Star Wars: Alien Archive
Every Creature in the Star Wars Movies | Star Wars By the Numbers on the official Star Wars Kids YouTube channel (backup link)
- Collapse of the Republic
- Star Wars Day-at-a-Time Calendar 2021
- Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga: The Official Collector's Edition
"Battle Scars" Episode Guide on StarWars.com (backup link)
Death Star in the Databank (backup link)
Dianoga in the Databank (backup link)
Notes and references[]
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 "The Baptist"—From a Certain Point of View
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Join the Resistance
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Ultimate Star Wars
- ↑ 4.0 4.1
Dianoga in the Databank (backup link)
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2
Star Wars: The Bad Batch – "Battle Scars"
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Star Wars: A New Hope junior novelization
- ↑ Star Wars Battlefront II
- ↑ According to Star Wars: Galactic Atlas, the fall of the Galactic Republic takes place in the year 19 BBY. Since the Bad Batch episode "Battle Scars" takes place shortly after this, its events, including the appearance of the dianoga, must take place around the same year.
- ↑ Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope
- ↑ "A Recipe for Death"—Tales from a Galaxy Far, Far Away: Aliens: Volume I
External links[]
Wampas and Tauntauns and Dianogas, Oh My: Kenner's Star Wars Creature Toys on StarWars.com (backup link)
9 Creatures in the Star Wars Universe We'd Like to Keep as Pets on StarWars.com (backup link)
Much to Learn You Still Have: 7 Things You Might Not Know About Sullustans on StarWars.com (backup link)
Cook up this Dianoga dish for a monstrous meal on StarWars.com (backup link)
Decorate for Halloween with an eye-catching DIY dianoga on StarWars.com (backup link)