Wooof

Wooof was a Kadas'sa'Nikto smuggler in the employ of Jabba Desilijic Tiure, working as one of the crime lord's best pilots on the planet Tatooine during the Galactic Civil War.

Biography[]

A smuggler of the Kadas'sa'Nikto subspecies of Nikto,^[3] Wooof honored his species' ancient contract of voluntary enslavement to the Hutts by serving^[4] the Hutt crime lord Jabba Desilijic Tiure.^[5]

Wooof was one of Jabba's best pilots, and though he was more comfortable behind the controls of a starfighter, often flew the Hutt's space yacht^[3] the Star Jewel,^[6] The Nikto pilot also served Jabba as a skiff guard,^[4] in his palace, and aboard his sail barge,^[2] the modified Ubrikkian luxury craft Khetanna.^[7]

In 4 ABY,^[8] Wooof was present in Jabba's court on Tatooine for the arrival of Jedi Knight Luke Skywalker, watching as he petitioned the Hutt for the release of his Rebel compatriots. When Skywalker was captured and sentenced to death, along with his allies, in the Pit of Carkoon, Wooof observed the execution from the lower deck of the barge, taking refreshments served by the Jedi's astromech droid R2-D2.^[2] As Skywalker escaped and boarded the sail barge, Wooof rushed to the upper deck, charging the Jedi Knight alongside the Gamorrean Thok,^[9] and was struck by his own blaster fire, deflected back at him by his opponent's lightsaber.^[2] Later, Wooof was killed by the explosion of Jabba's space yacht near the Pit of Carkoon.^[1]

Redpantshuman — Klaatu arrives on the deck of the *Khetanna* as Wooof, having been struck by a deflected blaster bolt, lies prone to Luke's left.

Behind the scenes[]

"The Green Nikto seen in Jabba's palace was called Klaatu, though Wooof was one of the production names used for this character."

―Leland Chee's original statement, later revised by The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia^[10]

Klaatuccg — Wooof in profile, misidentified as Klaatu by the *Star Wars* Customizable Card Game.

Wooof was played by Michael Stevens, the same actor who portrayed Airen Cracken.^[11] The 1998 Jabba's Palace Limited set of Decipher's Star Wars Customizable Card Game used the character's image for cards depicting both Wooof^[3] and Klaatu.^[12] The 2001 Masters of the Force expansion of Decipher's Jedi Knights Trading Card Game likewse identified this character as "Klaatu."^[4] In a 2006 blog post, Lucasfilm employee Leland Chee identified the Kadas'sa'Nikto seen in Jabba's throne room wearing kama-like fur clothing as "Klaatu", while acknowledging "Wooof" as a name used for the character during the production of Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi.^[10] In 2008, The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia revised the characters' naming by identifying Wooof as the Kadas'sa'Nikto^[1] called both Wooof^[3] and Klaatu in the Customizable Card Game,^[12] and Klaatu as the Kadas'sa'Nikto^[13] that the same card game had identified as Yotts Orren.^[14]

The "Klaatu" action figure made by Kenner in 1983 is based on Wooof's likeness.^[15] In the same year, Kenner also produced a "Klaatu (in Skiff Guard Outfit)" action figure which bears the likeness of the real Klaatu.^[16] A new Wooof action figure, bearing the correct apparel and name, was included as part of the 2010 Hasbro The Vintage Collection line.^[17]