Shaaks were a bulbous mammalian species[2] of non-sentient herbivores that grazed on the grasslands of Naboo, and were bred on other planets as well.[5] Gentle and non-threatening (despite what their dark red eyes might suggest),[6] shaaks were slow movers, although they were prone to bucking wildly if someone untrained in shaak-riding attempted to mount them.[4][5] They had four legs, brown leathery skin, and bodies that were plump with blubber. They were known to barely be able to stand upright, because their legs were very weak in proportion to their bulbous bodies.[5] Shaaks were unable to swim, due to their size, and therefore avoided the swamps of Naboo.[4] If infected with the waterborne Blue Shadow Virus, shaaks would die instantly,[7] while members of most other species had 48 hours to live before the virus became fatal.[8]
Gungans farmed shaaks for their meat and hide.[2] They were also sometimes used as pack animals. Their scat was a popular fertilizer used by Naboo farmers on their fields.[9]
Shaaks in the galaxy[]
Shaak leg was a delicacy on Pijal[10] and they were raised as livestock for consumption by some residents of the planet Batuu.[11] Shaak steak was another type of dish made from Shaak meat.[12]
In 22 BBY,[13] when he was on Naboo during an assignment to protect Padmé Amidala, Anakin Skywalker haphazardly rode a shaak through the majestic grasslands near the lake country, while on a picnic with Padmé. He fell off, and after being stepped over by the shaak, pretended to be hurt in order to amuse her. At least twelve shaak were grazing through the field behind them.[4]
During the Clone Wars, a female Gungan named Peppi Bow wrangled shaaks. She lost six shaaks in her herd to the Blue Shadow Virus, which had been created in Nuvo Vindi's laboratory.[7]
Behind the scenes[]
- "The shaak is this very funny looking big fat pig like... creature with a big round body and lives on Naboo in the lake country"
- ―Mark Siegel, Concept Sculptor for Lucasfilm
The shaak species was designed by Terryl Whitlatch for Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace. They could be seen exceedingly briefly in one shot of the movie. Whitlatch wanted to suggest a grazer bred for food, the Naboo equivalent of a sheep. A few computer generated shaaks were also seen in one shot of the next movie, Attack of the Clones. The 3d sculptor for the scene, Mark Siegel, rendered it using just a few two dimensional drawings.[15] At first, Siegel thought that the shaak was too ridiculous to be properly put to screen, but ended up being pleased with the final result.[14]During the film, a shaak can be seen flying within the traffic of the planet Coruscant as the Jedi Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi were chasing the assassin Zam Wesell.[4]
Appearances[]
Non-canon appearances[]
- LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga (Mentioned only)
Sources[]
- Ultimate Factivity Collection: Star Wars
- "Blue Shadow Virus" Episode Guide | The Clone Wars on StarWars.com (backup link)
- Star Wars: Absolutely Everything You Need to Know
- Star Wars: Complete Locations
- Star Wars: Galactic Atlas
- Star Wars: Rogue One: The Ultimate Visual Guide
- Star Wars: The Visual Encyclopedia
- Star Wars: Absolutely Everything You Need to Know, Updated and Expanded
- Star Wars: Alien Archive
- Star Wars: Smuggler's Guide
- Every Creature in the Star Wars Movies | Star Wars By the Numbers on the official Star Wars Kids YouTube channel (content now obsolete; backup link)
- Star Wars: The Galactic Explorer's Guide
- "Naboo" — Star Wars Encyclopedia
- Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga – The Official Collector's Edition
- Star Wars Bestiary, Vol. 1: Creatures of the Galaxy
- Shaak in the Databank (backup link)
Notes and references[]
- ↑ Star Wars Bestiary, Vol. 1: Creatures of the Galaxy
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Star Wars: The Visual Encyclopedia
- ↑ Shaak in the Databank (backup link)
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 Star Wars: Absolutely Everything You Need to Know
- ↑ Ultimate Factivity Collection: Star Wars
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "Blue Shadow Virus"
- ↑ "Mystery of a Thousand Moons" Episode Guide | The Clone Wars on StarWars.com (backup link)
- ↑ Queen's Shadow
- ↑ Master & Apprentice
- ↑ Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge has official backstory elements that, though not directly published for the public, are officially canon details that can be obtained verbally from cast members working in the land.
- ↑ "Standard Imperial Procedure" — From a Certain Point of View: The Empire Strikes Back
- ↑ Star Wars: Galactic Atlas dates the events of Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones to 22 BBY.
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 Star Wars Episode II: Shaak Maquette Featurette
- ↑ shaak in the Databank (content now obsolete; backup link)