The red ball jett organ,[3] also known simply as the red ball organ,[4] was a keyboard instrument known as the signature instrument of Maximilian Rebo.[1] The instrument featured 21 keys[5] and was able to store tracks and sound recordings.[2]
Behind the scenes[]
The red ball jett organ, albeit unidentified, first appeared in the theatrical film Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi,[6] which was released on May 25, 1983.[7] The instrument was later identified as red ball jett organ in a 2015 Topps collectible card.[3] The Databank on StarWars.com identified the instrument as red ball organ,[4] though it was later updated to have the full name.[1]
During a collaboration with the video game Fortnite in 2024, the red ball jett organ was added to Fortnite Festival as a Keytar cosmetic item, with the actual musical instrument appearing in a time-limited Star Wars-themed map of the Jam Stage. Fortnite identified the instrument as Nalargon;[8] however, the canonicity of the identification introduced in the game is unclear.[9]
Appearances[]
- Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "Bound for Rescue"
- Bounty Hunt
- Darth Vader (2015) 1
- War of the Bounty Hunters Alpha 1
- "Dune Sea Songs of Salt and Moonlight" — From a Certain Point of View: Return of the Jedi (and audiobook)
- Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi (First appearance)
- Star Wars: Return of the Jedi junior novelization
- Return of the Jedi: Beware the Power of the Dark Side! (and audiobook)
- Return of the Jedi – Jabba's Palace 1 (In flashback(s))
- "Fortuna Favors the Bold" — From a Certain Point of View: Return of the Jedi (and audiobook) (Mentioned only)
- "Satisfaction" — From a Certain Point of View: Return of the Jedi (and audiobook) (Mentioned only)
- "Fancy Man" — From a Certain Point of View: Return of the Jedi (and audiobook)
- Return of the Jedi – Max Rebo 1 (In flashback(s))
- The Book of Boba Fett — "Chapter 1: Stranger in a Strange Land"
- The Book of Boba Fett — "Chapter 2: The Tribes of Tatooine"
- The Book of Boba Fett — "Chapter 4: The Gathering Storm"
Non-canon appearances[]
- The LEGO Star Wars Holiday Special
- A Vader Family Sithmas
- Fortnite Festival (First identified as Nalargon)
Sources[]
- "Bound for Rescue" Episode Guide | The Clone Wars on StarWars.com (backup link)
- Star Wars: Card Trader (Card: Max Rebo - Band Leader - Base Series 1) (First identified as red ball jett organ)
- Ultimate Star Wars (as red ball jet organ)
- Star Wars: Absolutely Everything You Need to Know
- Star Wars Character Encyclopedia: Updated and Expanded (Misspelled as red ball jet organ)
- Star Wars: The Visual Encyclopedia
- Star Wars Helmet Collection 36 (Weapons & Uniforms: Jabba's Courtiers) (Picture only)
- Star Wars: Absolutely Everything You Need to Know, Updated and Expanded
- Créatures et peuples de la galaxie
- Star Wars Helmet Collection 47 (Databank A-Z: Max Rebo–Sabacc) (Picture only)
- 7 of the Coolest Star Wars Nightspots on StarWars.com (backup link)
- Star Wars 100 Objects
- "Hit it, Max!" — Star Wars Insider 224
- Max Rebo in the Databank (backup link) (First identified as red ball organ)
Non-canon sources[]
- LEGO Star Wars Summer Vacation | Official Trailer | Disney+ on the official Star Wars YouTube channel (backup link) (Posted on StarWars.com)
- 5 Things We Love About the LEGO Star Wars Summer Vacation Trailer on StarWars.com (backup link) (Picture only)
- Star Wars Lands in the Fortnite Universe the Eve of Star Wars Day! on Fortnite's official website (backup link)
Notes and references[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Max Rebo in the Databank (backup link)
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Star Wars 100 Objects
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Star Wars: Card Trader (Card: Max Rebo - Band Leader - Base Series 1)
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Max Rebo in the Databank (link obsolete; content only found on older version of webpage: backup link)
- ↑ Star Wars: Absolutely Everything You Need to Know
- ↑ Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi
- ↑ Star Wars Year By Year: A Visual History, Updated and Expanded Edition
- ↑ Star Wars Lands in the Fortnite Universe the Eve of Star Wars Day! on Fortnite's official website (backup link)
- ↑ Pablo Hidalgo (@infinata.bsky.social) on Bluesky (June 1, 2024): "I don't really know what's up in games, but my *guess*is the name was changed to fit Fortnite brand standards and audience. I suppose an organization as big as the Empire and setting as big as a galaxy has plenty of alternate names we never hear of, and some we do." (backup link) (In response to: @infinata.bsky.social Hey Pablo! Not sure if this is something you can answer, but I was wondering if Star Wars identifications or terms introduced in Fortnite can be considered canonical similar to Lego or Minecraft. For example, the death troopers were identified as AWR Troopers in the game.)