Ickabel G'ont

Ickabel G'ont was a Bith musician and professional Double Jocimer^[2] player for the popular jizz band known as Figrin D'an and the Modal Nodes. Like his band mates, Ickabel was registered with the Intergalactic Federation of Musicians. Regions of Ickabel's highly evolved brain allowed him a special acuity when it came to analyzing and relating to music. As such, his talents helped to greatly enhance the quality and popularity of the Modal Nodes' music.

Biography[]

Shortly before the Battle of Yavin, Figrin D'an and the Modal Nodes had entered into an exclusive contract with the Tatooine crime lord Jabba Desilijic Tiure. They would routinely perform in the courts at Jabba's Palace and his Mos Eisley townhouse, but it didn't take long before they all regretted entering into a contract with the Hutt. Recognizing Jabba's penchant for executing underlings that displeased him at a moment's notice, the Modal Nodes began to fear for their lives. It would only be a matter of time before Jabba decided to make a snack of the musicians, by tossing one down into the dungeon abode of his pet Rancor. Fortunately for them, a golden opportunity was fresh at hand.

One of Jabba's rivals, a Whiphid named Lady Valarian, offered the band 3,000 credits to perform at her wedding to the Whiphid hunter D'Wopp. Figrin decided that the fast money would enable them to get off of Tatooine and out from under the thumb of Jabba the Hutt. They arrived at the Star Chamber Café reception hall inside the Lucky Despot Hotel & Casino in Mos Eisley.

Jabba learned of the Modal Nodes' breach of contract and sent several of his bounty hunters to the casino to disrupt the festivities. As luck would have it, Imperial Stormtroopers likewise raided the party, and a massive firefight broke out. During the confusion, the Modal Nodes met a party guest named Wuher, who showed them a quick way out. Wuher put in a good word for them with Chalmun, a Wookiee who owned a nearby cantina where Wuher tended bar. Chalmun hired the Modal Nodes to play a couple of gigs at his bar, the following evening. They were performing when Luke Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi entered the cantina seeking a pilot willing to ferry them to the Alderaan system.^[1] They continued to perform at Chalmun's on a regular basis. Occasionally, Chalmun's night-shift manager, Ackmena, would liven the bar's atmosphere by singing along with the Modal Nodes' rhythms.

Shortly after this event, Figrin D'an wagered the band's instruments and equipment on a hand of sabacc. He lost the bet, but the Modal Nodes soon convinced him to win their equipment back. He eventually succeeded, and the Modal Nodes went on to play the intergalactic circuit.

Personality[]

Ickabel's favorite song to perform was a piece entitled "Tears of Aquanna." He enjoyed it mostly because the song allowed him the opportunity to perform a long, elaborate Double Jocimer solo.

Notes[]

Like many in the band, Ickabel G'ont did not actually own his Double Jocimer. All of the instruments and equipment were the property of Figrin D'an (the only exception to this was Doikk Na'ts, who custom built his own Fizzz).

Behind the scenes[]

The role of Ickabel G'ont was played by visual-effects artist Doug Beswick. Doug also doubled as Lirin Car'n, but was never given screen credit for either role.

In 1997, Kenner released a special Power of the Force series Fan Club exclusive offer for generic Cantina Band figures. Each figure came with five different instruments and was merely labeled "Cantina Band Member."

In 1997, Ickabel G'ont was released as a twelve-inch action figure for the Wal-Mart exclusive Star Wars Collector Series.

In 2007, the Kenner mold was reissued as part of an exclusive Wal-Mart Commemorative Tin Set containing the members of the Modal Nodes. One of these figures could be either Ickabel G'ont or fellow band member Tedn Dahai, since both play the same instrument. All of the figures in this set wear fabric vests.