An electro-whip, also called a Zygerrian slaver whip or a lightwhip, was an electrified whip that was the preferred method of domination for the subjugation of slaves taken by the Zygerrian Slave Empire. It consisted of a metal grip and an electrified wire that glowed when powered up. The wire could be retracted into the grip when powered down. It was incredibly painful, but typically not physically damaging, as Zygerrians did not want to damage their merchandise irreparably. Electro-whips could be effectively used against lightsabers. Members of the Mining Guild were also known to use the weapon during the Imperial Era. The alternate name "lightwhip" typically referred to an unrelated lightsaber variant with pure plasma blades.
Description[]
Electro-whips consisted of a metal grip and an electrified, retractable wire that glowed when powered up, and automatically retracted into the grip when the weapon was powered off. The whips were designed to stun, and although they were painful, they were not typically physically damaging, as Zygerrian enslavers preferred not to irreparably damage their merchandise.[3] Electro-whips could withstand the blade of a lightsaber while powered up.[4] "Lightwhip" was a known alternate term for the weapon,[5] although the word usually referred to a specialized lightsaber variant with flexible blades made of pure plasma.[6]
History[]
Electro-whips were heavily associated with the Zygerrian Slave Empire and its practice of slavery and, for this reason, were also known as Zygerrian slaver whips.[2] The Zygerrian slaver Darts D'Nar attempted to fight Jedi Padawan Ahsoka Tano with his whip when she captured him during the battle on Kiros, but she easily subdued him before the arrival of her Master, Anakin Skywalker.[7] Subsequently, Skywalker, Tano, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Clone Captain Rex and R2-D2 undertook a mission to find and rescue the kidnapped Togruta colonists of Kiros.[1]
Kenobi was captured during the mission while attempting to rescue Governor Gupat Roshti, and was whipped by his captors. Later, at the Royal Slave Auction, Queen Miraj Scintel loaned her personal whip to a disguised Skywalker and asked that he whip Kenobi to prove he was a slaver, but Skywalker instead started a fight that led to all the non-droid members of the team being captured and subdued, mostly with electro-whips.[1] Later, during his and Tano's escape from Zygerria, Skywalker attempted to duel the Sith Lord Count Dooku with Scintel's electro-whip, but performed poorly.[4]
During the Imperial Era, the Mining Guild foreman and Slave Master Proach, in charge of the ore crawler 413-24 on the occupied planet Lothal, used a whip to keep the slaves aboard his vehicle in line. When members of the Spectres hijacked the vehicle to use its transmitter, Proach fought Padawan Ezra Bridger, briefly managing to disarm him of his lightsaber during the fight. However, the slaver was ultimately defeated.[8]
Behind the scenes[]
Electro-whips first appeared in the Star Wars: The Clone Wars season four episode "Kidnapped,"[7] and were first identified in its corresponding Databank entry.[3]
Appearances[]
- The High Republic: Cataclysm (First identified as Zygerrian energy whip)
- The High Republic: Cataclysm audiobook
- Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures — "A Jedi or a Pirate"
- The High Republic: Tempest Runner (In flashback(s))
- Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "Kidnapped" (First appearance)
- Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "Slaves of the Republic"
- Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "Escape from Kadavo"
- Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "Deal No Deal"
- Star Wars: The Bad Batch — "Rampage"
- Choose Your Destiny: A Han & Chewie Adventure
- "Return of the Slavers" — Star Wars Rebels Magazine 4
- Star Wars Rebels — "Crawler Commandeers"
- Star Wars (2015) 1
- Star Wars Annual (2015) 2
- "All Creatures Great and Small" — Tales from a Galaxy Far, Far Away: Aliens: Volume I (First identified as laser whip)
- Star Wars: The Last Jedi: Expanded Edition
- Star Wars: The Last Jedi: Expanded Edition audiobook
- Star Wars: The Last Jedi: A Junior Novel
- Star Wars: The Last Jedi: A Junior Novel audiobook
Sources[]
- Atai Molec in the Encyclopedia (content now obsolete; backup link)
- Darts D'Nar in the Encyclopedia (content now obsolete; backup link)
- Keeper Agruss in the Encyclopedia (content now obsolete; backup link)
- Queen Miraj Scintel in the Encyclopedia (content now obsolete; backup link)
- "Trials of the Darksaber" Episode Guide | Star Wars Rebels on StarWars.com (backup link) (First identified as Zygerrian slaver whip)
- Star Wars: Scum and Villainy: Case Files on the Galaxy's Most Notorious
- Star Wars: The Lightsaber Collection (First identified as lightwhip)
- Sizzle | The Bad Batch on the official Star Wars YouTube channel (backup link) (Posted on StarWars.com)
- "Rampage" Episode Guide | The Bad Batch on StarWars.com (backup link)
- "Melee and Ranged Weapons" — Star Wars Encyclopedia
- Star Wars: Legion — IG-100 MagnaGuards Unit Expansion (Card: Electro-whip MangaGuard)
- Atai Molec in the Databank (backup link)
- Darts D'Nar in the Databank (backup link)
- Electro-Whip in the Databank (backup link)
- Guild Slave Master Proach in the Databank (backup link)
Notes and references[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "Slaves of the Republic"
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "Trials of the Darksaber" Trivia Gallery on StarWars.com (backup link)
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Electro-Whip in the Databank (backup link)
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "Escape from Kadavo"
- ↑ Star Wars: The Lightsaber Collection
- ↑ Gadgets and Gear
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "Kidnapped"
- ↑ Star Wars Rebels — "Crawler Commandeers"